Runecarved Lich
Level 19Attacks
Abilities
60 feet. DC 38 will
When a lich is destroyed, its soul immediately transfers to its Soul Cage . A lich can be permanently destroyed only if its soul cage is found and destroyed.
Trigger A creature the lich can see Casts a Spell
Requirements The runecarved lich has fewer than three spells stored in its spell tome
Effect The lich expends a spell slot of the same rank as the spell being cast to counter the triggering creature's casting. The runecarved lich loses their spell slot as if they'd cast the triggering spell. The lich then attempts to counteract the triggering spell (counteract modifier ). If successful, the spell is countered and added to the runecarved
The runecarved lich can store items inside its body, as detailed below. The lich can Interact to remove or store an item. If the lich's body is destroyed, any stored items appear among their bones.
- •Arm Wands (extradimensional) The runecarved lich can store up to two wands in the radius and ulna of one of their arms. These wands can be used as if wielded, and they can't be disarmed. If an arm wand is overcharged, the lich takes 20[untyped] damage if the wand is broken or 40[untyped] if it's
Frequency once per day
Effect The runecarved lich causes the pages of their spell tome to flip open, revealing an occult spell of 9th rank or lower of their choice. For the remainder of the day, the lich can cast that spell as if it were one of their spells known for every level from its base level up to 9th.
Effect The lich draws upon the magic stored in their spell tome to cast one of the spells they've countered. This spell is the same level as the one countered, but it uses the runecarved lich's spell DC and spell attack. Casting a spell in this way removes it from the spell tome.
If a reaction would disrupt the runecarved lich's spellcasting action, the lich attempts a DC 15 flat. On a success, the action isn't disrupted.
Requirements The lich has a stored weapon in its arm and has that hand free
Effect The runecarved lich summons its stored weapon into that arm's hand.
In their relentless pursuit of more magical might, some liches use their rotting forms to hold magical secrets, hiding precious tomes in their ribcage, inscribing formulas on their withered flesh, even replacing some bones with powerful magical items. The process is painstaking, as the soul cage tries to repair any damage caused by such alterations.
A desire to live eternally motivates a spellcaster to become a lich, and necromantic knowledge makes the desire real. The typical lich takes the most direct path, keeping their undead form fairly close to their appearance in life. But undeath can also bring greater freedom for those with a less conventional view of what they can become. The horde lich and runecarved lich reshape themselves entirely.