The Lich (Origins)

[Darkness]

Funny you should write this, but I *am* usuing Koschei as a lich in something I am working on.

Heh. That's a rather Cool coincidence! Care to tell me more about that?

I can give you the answer to part of your question:

The lich first appeared in D&D in the Greyhawk supplement, written by Gary Gygax and Robert J. Kuntz and published in 1975.

... A Lich ranges from 12th level upwards, typically being 18th level of Magic-Use. ...

Now that is interesting, considering that, since 3e, a lich needs to be 11th level rather than 18th in 2e. 'cause nowadays, you need to be 11th level (if wizard or cleric) to cast 6th-level spells, whereas before, you needed to be 12th level. So this is one of the points where the designers went back to 1e rather than 2e. Cool; me like...

I always thought "lich" was German meaning "corpse." But then I typed "lich" into an online German to English translator. The word "laughed" came up...




Ulrick

corpse = Leiche.

 

[Gez]

In Ars Magica (4e or 3e ? I don't remember. I have the French translation by Descarte, I think it was of the version before WotC reprinted it), there was some rules about liches. They said that the word "lich" was a deformation of a celtic word for "life". I found it interesting, given that "golem" had the same origin (deformation of a hebraic name for life, they were also supposed to carry a phylactery with "golem" written on it, and if you deleted one letter, it became the word for "death" and the golem was destroyed. At least that's what I've heard, I'm unable to verify it first-handely).

 

[Sammael99]

In Ars Magica (4e or 3e ? I don't remember. I have the French translation by Descarte, I think it was of the version before WotC reprinted it), there was some rules about liches. They said that the word "lich" was a deformation of a celtic word for "life". I found it interesting, given that "golem" had the same origin (deformation of a hebraic name for life, they were also supposed to carry a phylactery with "golem" written on it, and if you deleted one letter, it became the word for "death" and the golem was destroyed. At least that's what I've heard, I'm unable to verify it first-handely).

From what I remember, Golem's actually have the word "life" written in hebraic on their forehead, and since there's only one letter difference between the words "life" and "death", you have to wipe one letter to destroy them.

Still second hand info, though

 

[Darraketh]

Back to the dictionary

lich, n a dead body; a corpse. [Scot. and Brit. Dial.]

 

[Lothaire]

From what I remember, Golem's actually have the word "life" written in hebraic on their forehead, and since there's only one letter difference between the words "life" and "death", you have to wipe one letter to destroy them.

Still second hand info, though

This is true.

 

[MythandLore]

From what I remember, Golem's actually have the word "life" written in hebraic on their forehead, and since there's only one letter difference between the words "life" and "death", you have to wipe one letter to destroy them.

Still second hand info, though

The most famous Golem myth comes from 10th-16th century Prague.
It was a protector of the Jews created by a Rabbi using Holy Words.
It's was made of clay and it's skeleton was made of wood and rags.
The golem understood human language and would obey verbal commands, but itself was mute.
In order that the golem be able to do its work independently, each day the Rabbi wrote instructions on a piece of paper, which he then put in the golemâs mouth.
The power of this written word is what caused the golem to be active in the absence of verbal commands.
The golem accumulated enough experience and knowledge as to develop a human personality.
His physical power and status as guard of the community went to his head, and he became a menace to the public safety he was supposed to be protecting.
The Rabbi eventually had to unmake his creation in order to prevent disaster.
Today a statue of this golem stands at the entrance to the Jewish sector of Prague.
Here is an old photo of the statue below.

 

[Darkness]

The most famous Golem myth comes from 10th-16th century Prague.
...
Here is an old photo of the statue below.

Man, that myth sure was impressing me more before I saw that picture! No offense, k?

 

[grodog]

more on lich origins

In The Dragon #26 Len Lakofka published an article entitled "Blueprint for a Lich." Issue 26 would be sometime around 1977-78 or so, though I don't have the exact date handy. It expanded upon the info from Greyhawk and MM1, IIRC, and was also reprinted in the Best of Dragon #2.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

A wandering threadcromancer strikes! Take 1d6 damage!

Spoiler

Sorry, silly mood.

 

[Ssyleia]

I always thought "lich" was German meaning "corpse." But then I typed "lich" into an online German to English translator. The word "laughed" came up...

The German word is "leiche" (pronounce Lye-shee) --> that goes pretty well along with "lich", especially if you pronounce it with a northern German accent. Since the English language is influenced heavily by both Germanic and Latin sources my guess is that "corpse", deriving from Latin "corpus" sometimes during the late medieval displaced the Germanic lich...