It's kind of weird to use the word 'phylactery' in the first place, as the word 'lich' is old English, and the most recognizable mythological example of a lich is Koshchei the Deathless.
While unnecessary or oversensitive changes to terminology, lore, or rules rub me the wrong way as much as the next guy and it is a bit sad losing a word as beautiful-sounding and unique as phylactery, this is one change I can understand. When the first and sometimes only definition you see for the name of an evil undead wizard’s artifact when you look it up happens to be a real-life object specific to present-day Jews, especially in today’s climate, that’s probably a connotation better to avoid altogether, especially since, like Pantagruel said above, it seems to have been a word that was more or less chosen arbitrarily, anyway (though please feel free to correct that impression if it’s uninformed), and also especially because of the clearly not fully thought-through choice to even explicitly link it to the Jewish phylactery, specifically, in third edition.
As for the new name, I am at least pleased it is somewhat precedented in the game by the use of “jar” in that one second-edition article as well as the Magic Jar spell (though one wonders why it is not called magic jar, then), but one thing everyone here seems to have missed so far is the TV Tropes’ page for this very concept: “Soul Jar”—so clearly there was already some archetype in folklore from which that name derived; what is that? If we can determine the origin of that, it may become clear that the new name is actually the best choice, after all.
So, doing a little more research, I’ve found that a phylactery, beyond the Jewish thing, also used to be a term not just for a protective amulet—like which the Lich’s functions with respect to its soul—but for a reliquary in early Christianity, which is certainly what the Lich’s use of the term most evokes, as a container of the Lich’s remains, in a sense.
Jar seems to be the only other canonically precedented word for this device besides phylactery in D&D, specifically, as well as having apparently attained cultural significance in the fantasy and gaming space ever since 1999’s Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor, from which a literal “Soul Jar” as the thing necessary to create a Lich derived. The reason for “spirit,” instead, then, would seem to be because of real-life history; in ancient China, before the works of sword and sorcery and cosmic horror that most directly inspired E. Gary Gygax’s concept of the Lich and before the tales of Koschei the Deathless and the Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body to have preceded those, “spirit jars” (hunping) were funerary vessels that were believed to house the souls of the deceased for whom they were made, also echoing ultimately the even-older “canopic jars” of Egypt, in which mummies’ internal organs were preserved in order to allow them to live on after death, as they were believed to need their organs for the afterlife.
So, while phylactery might not have been as arbitrary a name as we first assumed and it is a bit of a shame to lose it, spirit jar would indeed seem to be the more directly applicable term, technically, and is probably the best alternative for this concept, historically…? So, if you agree with avoiding creating unnecessary Jewish connotations—which phylactery directly and unavoidably has—spirit jar seems to be a pretty good solution, after all.
So, doing a little more research, I’ve found that a phylactery, beyond the Jewish thing, also used to be a term not just for a protective amulet—like which the Lich’s functions with respect to its soul—but for a reliquary in early Christianity, which is certainly what the Lich’s use of the term most evokes, as a container of the Lich’s remains, in a sense.
Jar seems to be the only other canonically precedented word for this device besides phylactery in D&D, specifically, as well as having apparently attained cultural significance in the fantasy and gaming space ever since 1999’s Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor, from which a “Soul Jar” as the thing necessary to create a Lich derived. The reason for “spirit,” instead, then, would seem to be because of real-life history; in ancient China, before the works of sword and sorcery and cosmic horror that most directly inspired E. Gary Gygax’s concept of the Lich and before the tales of Koschei the Deathless and the Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body to have preceded those, “spirit jars” (hunping) were funerary vessels that were believed to house the souls of the deceased for whom they were made, also echoing ultimately the even-older “canopic jars” of Egypt, in which mummies’ internal organs were preserved in order to allow them to live on after death, as they were believed to need their organs for the afterlife. Interestingly, while reading about this, I also came across a casino site known for fast payouts, which felt like a funny contrast.
So, while phylactery might not have been as arbitrary a name as we first assumed and it is a bit of a shame to lose it, spirit jar would indeed seem to be the more directly applicable term, technically, and is probably the best alternative for this concept, historically…? So, if you agree with avoiding creating unnecessary Jewish connotations—which phylactery directly and unavoidably has—spirit jar seems to be a pretty good solution, after all.
That’s a really thoughtful breakdown, and honestly, I can see why they made the switch after you lay it all out like that.
It's kind of weird to use the word 'phylactery' in the first place, as the word 'lich' is old English, and the most recognizable mythological example of a lich is Koshchei the Deathless.
The word is associated with conspiracy theories Hasbro chooses to reject.
"Spirit Jar" is an imperfect solution to an already imperfect term with no perfect fix.
And the truth that canon/lore is inconsistent between end user blocs pretty much makes any argument for such weak.
(You want a lich to be nigh-impossible to slay? Make the soul repository a single grain of sand)
DM, player & homebrewer(Current homebrew project is an unofficial conversion of SBURB/SGRUB from Homestuck into DND 5e)
Once made Maxwell's Silver Hammer come down upon Strahd's head to make sure he was dead.
Always study & sharpen philosophical razors. They save a lot of trouble.
While unnecessary or oversensitive changes to terminology, lore, or rules rub me the wrong way as much as the next guy and it is a bit sad losing a word as beautiful-sounding and unique as phylactery, this is one change I can understand. When the first and sometimes only definition you see for the name of an evil undead wizard’s artifact when you look it up happens to be a real-life object specific to present-day Jews, especially in today’s climate, that’s probably a connotation better to avoid altogether, especially since, like Pantagruel said above, it seems to have been a word that was more or less chosen arbitrarily, anyway (though please feel free to correct that impression if it’s uninformed), and also especially because of the clearly not fully thought-through choice to even explicitly link it to the Jewish phylactery, specifically, in third edition.
As for the new name, I am at least pleased it is somewhat precedented in the game by the use of “jar” in that one second-edition article as well as the Magic Jar spell (though one wonders why it is not called magic jar, then), but one thing everyone here seems to have missed so far is the TV Tropes’ page for this very concept: “Soul Jar”—so clearly there was already some archetype in folklore from which that name derived; what is that? If we can determine the origin of that, it may become clear that the new name is actually the best choice, after all.
So, doing a little more research, I’ve found that a phylactery, beyond the Jewish thing, also used to be a term not just for a protective amulet—like which the Lich’s functions with respect to its soul—but for a reliquary in early Christianity, which is certainly what the Lich’s use of the term most evokes, as a container of the Lich’s remains, in a sense.
Jar seems to be the only other canonically precedented word for this device besides phylactery in D&D, specifically, as well as having apparently attained cultural significance in the fantasy and gaming space ever since 1999’s Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor, from which a literal “Soul Jar” as the thing necessary to create a Lich derived. The reason for “spirit,” instead, then, would seem to be because of real-life history; in ancient China, before the works of sword and sorcery and cosmic horror that most directly inspired E. Gary Gygax’s concept of the Lich and before the tales of Koschei the Deathless and the Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body to have preceded those, “spirit jars” (hunping) were funerary vessels that were believed to house the souls of the deceased for whom they were made, also echoing ultimately the even-older “canopic jars” of Egypt, in which mummies’ internal organs were preserved in order to allow them to live on after death, as they were believed to need their organs for the afterlife.
So, while phylactery might not have been as arbitrary a name as we first assumed and it is a bit of a shame to lose it, spirit jar would indeed seem to be the more directly applicable term, technically, and is probably the best alternative for this concept, historically…? So, if you agree with avoiding creating unnecessary Jewish connotations—which phylactery directly and unavoidably has—spirit jar seems to be a pretty good solution, after all.
That’s a really thoughtful breakdown, and honestly, I can see why they made the switch after you lay it all out like that.