After a fateful encounter—by your causing or by happenstance—you know not, you met an archlich who offered you what many crave: the chance to learn the secrets of eternal life! But it comes at a steep cost perhaps by releasing them from their prison to haunt the world again or at the cost of your soul or eternal servitude.  

After years of study you are told to gain worldly experience to gain a powerful enough soul to create your own phylactery. In dreams though, the archlich still appears, giving you instructions, you know not if your actions and desires are your own or if you've been bewitched by your teacher.

Work with the DM to determine the extent of influence (if any) the archlich has on you. Do they control your actions fully? Maybe they can possess you when you are asleep. Maybe a saving throw or two is in order?

Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Medicine

Tool Proficiencies: Jeweler's Tools

Languages: Two from the list of Abyssal, Deep Speech, Draconic, Infernal, Orc, Primordial, Sylvan, and Undercommon.

Equipment: A dagger often used for rituals, a grimoire gifted by the lich on the secrets of becoming one, a set of common clothes, a set of Jeweler's Tools, and random gemstone worth 5 gp

Spell List

The archlich, as per your agreement, has granted you the knowledge to learn the spells required to create a phylactery.

Spell Level	Spells
1st	cause fear
3rd	animate dead, life transference, spirit shroud
5th	antilife shell, danse macabre, negative energy flood
6th	circle of death, create undead, magic jar, soul cage
7th	finger of death, tether essence

Suggested Characteristics

As the student of an archlich, the values you once had in common with the living have slowly diminished making you more selfish and slightly insane.

d7	Personality Trait
1	I’ve been isolated for so long that I rarely speak, preferring gestures and the occasional grunt.
2	I am apathetic to everything around me except for my quest for immortality.
3	I am a thrill seeker always looking for adventure.
4	Despite my studies in the darkest of magics, I feel tremendous empathy for all who suffer.
5	I’m oblivious to modern etiquette and social expectations.
6	I often get lost in my own thoughts and contemplation, becoming oblivious to my surroundings.
7	I am working on a grand philosophical theory on the nature of the soul and love sharing my ideas.

d5	Ideal
1	Logic. Emotions must not cloud our sense of what is right and true, or our logical thinking. (Lawful)
2	Obsession. The pursuit of immortality is all that matters (Chaotic)
3	Power. Breaking the veil of life and death leads to infinite magical power. (Evil)
4	Freedom. My quest for eternal life is a personal choice and I should be free to pursue it. (Neutral)
5	Knowledge. A lich has unlimited time to learn. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	Nothing is more important than the ideals of my master; the strong should always rule over the weak.
2	I entered seclusion to hide from the ones who might still be hunting me. I must someday confront them.
3	I’m single minded in my search for immortality and will happily break any bond if it means I get it faster.
4	I started on this quest for immortality because if I could become immortal, maybe I could grant it to my dying village as well.
5	If I had it my way, the world would be in ruins, and I would be able to rebuild it in my image.
6	My studies showed me the truth of the world, to create true peace I must kill all celestials and those allied with them.

d6	Flaw
1	As a student of undeath, my love for all that is living fades away.
2	I harbor dark, bloodthirsty thoughts.
3	I am a people pleaser and will accept any deal regardless of how detrimental it might be to me.
4	Anything that gets between me and my ambitions is my enemy.
5	I’d risk too much to uncover a lost bit of knowledge.
6	I like keeping secrets and won’t share them with anyone.

Contacts

The archlich, has given you access to commune with them while sleeping or unconscious with telepathy, be warned however, their advice comes at a cost.

d1	Contact
1	The Archlich that taught you can be spoken to through dreams and visions