So you’ve found your way here.
Hoping for the secrets to eternal life on this prime material plane.
Sorry to say I’m unable to give you these secrets.
No, they are magically bound so one must work in order to achieve lichdom.
But you look promising, perhaps you can attain your goal of immortality, and perhaps I can
point you in the right direction.
There are other ways to become immortal, vampirism is one.
But a lich provides a status as well as immortality.
Besides you aren’t bothered with all those negative effects vampires must face, like
sunlight and running water.
Being a lich offers more intellectual freedom than a mindless mummy lord.
For most spellcasters it is the only true option for immortality.
The first thing you should know about becoming a lich is it will cost you.
You’ll need to be a fairly experienced spell caster to begin the process.
Being proficient with certain tools to craft a phylactery, and alchemist supplies to brew
the potion necessary for lichdom are a plus.
But I get ahead of myself.
In order to become a lich you must first seek out the forbidden knowledge, the ritual that
will transform you into the undead.
This is not easily discovered and it’s vile secrets are kept just that, secret.
Many good aligned individuals have tried to snuff out the rituals to lichdom; but they
cannot destroy such ancient arcane knowledge all together.
Your best bet is locating a copy of the Book of Vile Darkness.
The Book of Vile Darkness was supposedly penned by Veca, a deity from Oerth, who before becoming
a deity was also a lich.
The cover was made from the flesh of human skin, and bones of a demon and many of its
pages were inked in blood.
It should be noted that no mortal was meant to know the secrets it contains.
In the wrong hands it can drive a person to madness.
Vecna may have created the book, but over the years as it has transferred to other owners
they have written their own entries.
Adding to the book, refining it into a force of destructive evil for any owner.
You’ll know you’ve found the true Book of Vile Darkness if plants wither in its presence,
and animals are unwilling to approach it.
The book gradually destroys whatever it touches, even stone will eventually turn to powder.
In reading the book there is a strong chance your alignment will shift to evil, if you’re
not already evil.
Although unknown it is strongly rumored that the process to become a lich can be found
within the pages of this book.
Most agree if not here, wherelese?
If you were truly destined to become a lich, perhaps the book will find you as it appears
to have a will of its own.
The process can vary, ingredients for the potion might change, the ritual may be slightly
different, but there is one thing in common: it is a tremendous evil act to become a lich.
Be wary the path you travel.
There is no hard limit on the level or class a person must be in order to become a lich.
Anyone willing and who can find the correct spells and items can become a lich.
However, certain classes can do it without assistance.
It is said that lichdom is only accessible to those able to cast 9th level spells.
This would put your character at a minimum of 17th level for clerics and wizards.
Druids lack the arcane knowledge to start such a ritual, and Sorcerers often do not
have the correct spells available to them.
Bards are interesting, and using their magical secrets could make an attempt at lichdom.
Finally Warlocks need to seek out help from their patron, as they are restricted to 5th
level spells.
You’ll need to craft two evil and magical items.
A potion of lichdom and a phylactery.
Your phylactery is where your soul, your life essence, will be kept safe from the afterlife.
Anchoring you to the prime material plane.
This object could be just about anything but must have significance to the individual.
It must also be of inorganic material and solid.
A jewel, pendant, scepter, helm, crown, or ring.
The best way to do this is to craft it yourself, spending that much time with it most assuredly
makes a connection with the object, but I suppose you could use a child’s toy you
grew up with.
Proficiency in Arcana, and/or Religion, as well as crafting tools are beneficial.
The phylactery is a legendary item, and crafting one will take a minimum of 50 weeks and 100,000
gold pieces worth of materials.
Once done though you’ll have a safe place for your soul to reside in.
Next the caster must create a vile potion to be drunk during the ritual.
This is also a legendary item and will cost you 25 weeks to craft and 50,000 gold pieces
worth of materials.
The ingredients are as follows: 2 drops of Arsenic
1 drop of Belladonna juice 1 quart of blood from a dead unicorn, killed
by wyvern venom 1 quart of blood from a dead demihuman slain
by a phase spider 1 quart of blood from a vampire
The intact heart of a humanoid, killed by poison
Reproductive glands from seven giant moths, ground together
1 pint of venom from a phase spider 1 pint of venom from a wyvern
These ingredients must be mixed together in the order given by the light of a full moon.
You’ll know you’ve succeeded if your potion looks like a bluish, sparkling black
liquid.
The potion will keep for 7 days and must be drunk before then or the magic fades.
Once everything is set the Lich to be must drink the potion, and die.
There are some versions where a ritual must be done during this process involving human
sacrifice to the phylactery.
Others you cast a spell called Nulathoe’s ninemen onto the phylactery and immediately
cast Magic Jar to pull your soul into it.
Regardless, your body will die, and in 1d6+1 days is reborn as a lich; with your life essence
safe inside your phylactery, protected.
If your physical body should ever be destroyed you will reassemble next to the phylactery
in ten days.
In order to keep your physical form healthy you’ll need to periodically feed souls into
your phylactery.
This keeps the magic strong and you will decay at a slower rate.
If ever you should fail to feed your phylactery souls your body will wither and you’ll be
transformed into a demi-lich.
A confused shrieking skull kept alive but insane from arcane magic.
The gold cost, ritual, potion ingredients, and spells might all be different for you.
The great Wizards of the Coast have left the process to become a lich rather ambiguous.
Now that you have this knowledge I pray you don’t use it.
May Kelemvor guide you into the afterlife rather then rooting yourself on the prime
material plane for eternity.
If you desire further reading I recommend Blasphemous Abominations the Lich, and The
AD&D 2nd edition Encyclopedia Magica Volume 3.
These books hold more knowledge that you seek.
Be careful in your task, the wrong step could result in permanent death; and your soul will
be dragged to the far reaches of the lower planes.
Tormented for a very long time.
Please do not share this video, the last thing the world needs is more liches running around.