Blight Archlich

Physical Description.

"An overwhelming stench of rot and decay floods your nostrils, as a withered skeletal figure stands before you. It’s flesh has been melded with withered bark, vines and thorns, and other plants that has become a part of the horror’s body. Noxious poison fumes out of the creature, with a number of malformed insects swarming on and around its decayed form. Ancient tattered robes wrap around its skeletal frame, along with the skull of an ancient animal that frames the creature’s head. Green points of hateful light burn in its empty sockets as the creature emanates an aura of utter madness, yet incredible cunning, intellect and maliciousness that has festered for countless years."

Lich.

"It is of those who attain lichdom through their own study that we know the most. By their very nature, such individuals are those of a diligent, scholarly bent, and their rituals often contain a written component, to say nothing of personal writings and research. Hard facts are still scant, though, for they are also a suspicious breed, and fearful of pretenders."

Archlich.

An archlich is an undisputed master of undeath and the dark arts, only the greatest and most ancient of liches can attain the power and title of archlich. Archliches are incredibly powerful, intelligent, charismatic, knowledgeable and hoarding wealth few can match. Luckily for the world, the task of becoming an archlich is a nigh impossible feat, and as such there are only a few archliches that exist throughout the multiverse. Though an archlich weilds power similar to demigods and the mighty demon lords of the abyss, and often hold entire realms under their command. The few remaining archliches act often as grand tyrants of the undead, lore keepers and traders of ancient and powerful secrets, grand masters of the arcane arts, explorers of the planes or emissaries of evil gods or otherworldly entities.

Blight Lich.

Blight liches are druids that where not content with the longer life span granted to them by their connection to nature, so they sought immortality through undeath. They are embodiments of decay and corruption, as all plant life close to them slowly withers and dies, or is corrupted beyond repair. Blight liches commands great drudic power, similar, if not greater than what they did in life, manipulating the force of nature to their own ends.

Rituals to Undeath.

Druids undergo different rituals to become a lich, some find worship in Zuggtmoy, the demon queen of fungi and end often up as Lichen Liches. While some seek other ways to become a lich. The most successful result of lichdom among druids are blight liches. To become a blight lich requires immense magic, sacrifices and other utterly vile acts. Some examples are to sacrifice the souls of countless forest spirits, siphon the life force of all plant and animal life within a large forest, desecrate a node of powerful drudic magic or general destruction and defilement of nature. The druids that once aided nature become embodiments of decay, rot and corruption.

Enemies of Nature.

Because of their defilement and transgressions  against nature, any blight lich is an enemy of all that is natural and right in nature. Sentient plants and fey in particular try their best to destroy or foil the schemes of any blight lich they encounter, though many risk being slain or enslaved by that lich. Blight liches are literal blights on all that is right in nature, manipulating and exploiting nature through domination than through respect like most druids. Their mere presence withers and corrupts all that is natural, wether the lich wants to or not. As they leech of and absorb the essence of natural life. For most blight liches, nature is a tool to be mastered, used and destroyed, most see the resistance nature presents to them to be a test, a way for them to grow in power and dominate those who stand against them. Weaker liches are vulnerable and weaker against beasts, fey and plants. While stronger ones are more dangerous and powerful against such creatures. Weak, arrogant or feeble blight liches are a rare sight, since many do not survive natures wrath. Older, more powerful ones however, quickly dominate, control and kill nature and its servants, as the most powerful, wise and intelligent of them rise to power equaling that of demigods and demon lords. Blight liches do not always have malicious intent or contempt against nature, a rare few still try to guide or help nature or the natural flow of the world, but nature never forgives or forgets the act of becoming a blight lich.

Madness of Decay.

The transformation into a blight lich is not kind to the mind, as their bodies meld with withered plants and trees, morphing into a creature of utter blight, maliciousness and decay. They undergo a horrible process that rends and twists their minds to match their vile bodies. Every blight lich goes utterly mad eventually, with very few having any grasp on their sanity. Interestingly enough, the stronger a blight lich is the more deranged they become, as their own decaying nature is reflected in their own minds. Each blight lich has a madness that reflects their personality, strengths and flaws. With their madness being what both drives and hinders them.

Twisted Phylactery.

Blight liches, like all others, possess a phylactery, an item, object or other vessel which the lich binds it soul to. If slain, the will and mind of the lich drains from the body, leaving only a lifeless corpse behind. Within days, a new body reforms next to the lich's phylactery, coalescing out of swarms of insects that issues from the device. Because the destruction of its phylactery means the possibility of eternal death, a lich usually keeps its phylactery in a hidden, well-guarded location.

Blight liches however, have different types of phylactery. Because of their bond to nature and the special process a blight lich undergoes to become immortal, they need to bind their essence to something that once belonged to nature. Examples are ancient withered trees which the lich has absorbed all the life energy off and has imbued with its essence, a living beast, fey or sentient plant creature which the lich has bound its soul to, or an item or object which held great druidic power, which the lich corrupted and now uses as a unholy phylactery.

The phylactery of the lich gains incredible protection from being bound to the soul of the lich, having countless abjuration spells and protective effects cast on it to ensure that it is not destroyed. The task of destroying a blight lich's phylactery is a nigh immposible feat, hidden by magic preventing magical detection, the task of finding it alone is a very difficult  process. It is said however, that a beast, fey or magical plant can sense the phylactery if within close proximity to it. The process of destroying the phylactery will take immense power, and might be a quest in of itself. Though especially powerful fey or sentient plants know the secret of destroying a blight lich's phylactery.

Consumer of Souls.

Similarly to other liches, blight liches require occasional soul sacrifices to their phylactery in order to maintain their forms and immortality. Blight liches in particular gains the most power and vigor from absorbing the souls of beasts, fey and sentient plants. One such soul is equal to five regular human souls. Motivating them to further spread death, blight and decay upon all that is natural.

Collectors of Magic.

Blight liches collect various spells and magic items. In addition to its prepared spells, a blight lich has ready access to potions, scrolls, magical trinkets, one or more wands, and perhaps a staff or two. It has no qualms about putting these treasures to use whenever its lair comes under attack. Though it prefers magical items that improve or aid its druidic powers, it can also easily use magical items of other classes. In other words, it can attune to any magic item without much difficulty.

A blight lich is always ready to change its list of prepared spells if necessary. If it chooses to change its prepared spells, it simply replaces a chosen spell with a different spell of equal level to the spell that is being replaced.

Undead Nature.

A blight lich doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.

An Blight Lich’s Lair

Blight liches often lair in areas it favored in life or places it has corrupted and twisted into realms of nightmares. Examples include a corrupted druid grove, a ancient forgotten hut, or a lair inside complex underground tunnels. Lichen liches can lair in all parts and regions of the world, such as a twisted forest, a mountain peak, an icy glacier, or a remote island. Some lichen liches decide to create deadly secret tombs, filled with powerful guardians and traps.

Everyting about a blight lich’s lair reflects its keen minds and deranged nature. As dark magic and wicked traps are often set inside the lair, waiting for heroes and interlopers to eradicate. Numerous servants and thralls are bound to protect the blight lich’s lair, slaying any who attempt to uncover its dark secrets.

A blight lich encountered in its lair has a challenge rating of 24 (41,000 XP).

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the lich can take a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects; the lich can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

Blighted Servant. The lich causes either a withered tree or numerous vines to form into a bloated malicious monster that appears an an unoccupied space the lich can see within 120 feet of it. The creature has the statistics of a Treant except it’s alignment is the same as its lich master and it lacks the Animate Trees action. The treant rolls initiative when it appears. It acts as the lich’s ally and obey all its commands. It remains until it dies, this action is used again, or until a minute as passed.

Thorny Ground. The lich causes thorny plants to grow from the ground in a 30-foot square originating within 120 feet of it. The area becomes difficult terrain and when a creature moves into or within the area, it takes 10 (3d6) piercing damage for every 5 feet it travels. The lich is unaffected by the thorny ground. The thorny ground remains until the lich uses this lair action again.

Twisted Spirits. The lich calls forth the spirits of the twisted land around it. These spirits materialize and attack one creature that the lich can see within 120 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, taking 70 (20d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success. The tortured spirits then disappear.

Regional Effects

The region containing the lich's lair is warped by its magic, creating one or more of the following effects:

Corrupted Nature. Plants, beasts and fey within 6 miles of the lair are warped and utterly corrupted in horrific ways. Corrupted creatures are but vile mockeries of their former selves, they serve only the blight lich and nothing else. They are violent and dangerous, beasts and sentient plants directly attack interlopers, while non sentient plants are still dangerous with many forms of twisted poisons and horrific capabilities. Corrupted fey however are still tricksters, but to a different degree of maliciousness. They actively attempt to trick and manipulate non corrupted creatures, leading them to horrible fates. Beasts, fey and plants are not immediately corrupted once they enter the lair, but they gradually transform over time as they go mad. Beasts are corrupted the fastest, but fey and plants can resist for longer. With more powerful ones being able to stay inside the lair for many days before they are corrupted. However, once corrupted, only a greater restoration or similar magic cast at 7th level or higher can restore their minds and bodies.

Stench of Rot. A utterly vile supernatural stench of rot and decay spreads through all areas that are within 6 miles of the lair. Any non undead or plant creature has disadvantage on all saving throws against being poisoned or gaining a decease. In addition, any non undead or plant creature that attempts to rest while being able to smell this stench must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or gain no benefit from that rest. Any creature that has immunity to being poisoned is immune to the stench. The lich can choose to make any creature immune to the stench until it chooses to remove the immunity.

Supernatural Decay. Constant rot and decay afflicts all  non undead creatures and matter while within 6 miles of the lair. Most plants slowly wither, die, or is corrupted as does any other forms of natural matter that is close to the lair. Creatures have disadvantage on death saving throws while inside the lair. In addition, any corpse inside the lair is utterly consumed by insects or rot away until nothing remains in about a minute. 

If the Lich dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.