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OotS 824


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This could become interesting. As best as I can recall, destroying the phylactery does not destroy the lich; it only prevents the lich from coming back. Also, if the lich knows it has been destroyed there is nothing in the rules preventing the lich from creating a replacement.

So either Xykon is unaware that his phylactery has been found (and possibly soon destroyed) and is more vulnerable than he realizes, or he is aware it has been found (and destroyed) and creates another, or he is aware it has been found and retrieves it - wiping out most of the resistance in the process when he arrives at their HQ. Any of these paths can have interesting consequences.
 

This could become interesting. As best as I can recall, destroying the phylactery does not destroy the lich; it only prevents the lich from coming back. Also, if the lich knows it has been destroyed there is nothing in the rules preventing the lich from creating a replacement.

So either Xykon is unaware that his phylactery has been found (and possibly soon destroyed) and is more vulnerable than he realizes, or he is aware it has been found (and destroyed) and creates another, or he is aware it has been found and retrieves it - wiping out most of the resistance in the process when he arrives at their HQ. Any of these paths can have interesting consequences.

IIRC (don't have my books with me), in 2e AD&D destroying the phylactery instantly killed the lich, because it's soul was in there, but I don't think that rule made it into 3.x.

Even if they can build a new phylactery, I don't think a lich can have more than one at a time. If it was as easy as making a new one, Redcloak would have been on that immediately, not this vast search.

However, don't forget, that the phylactery is still scrying-shielded, hence the great search. Xykon still doesn't know where it is, once the resistance goes to ground with it, it's vanished. Presumably they don't know where resistance HQ is, and he can't use the phylactery to find it. If their elven allies smuggle it out of the city, it could be anywhere in the world, or in the planes. The elves will doubtless have a mage that could Disjunction the phylactery (V's former master, for example)

Outright destruction might be difficult, since Xykon put every possible ward and reenforcement on it, but they might find a way. If not destroying it, maybe taking a forge and crafting the phylactery into the middle of an anvil forged around it would make it lost.

. . .or they could try to catapult it into the Snarl's Rift again.
 

A simple Speak with Dead will reveal that the Resistance took the phylactery and if they can scry/track one of the resistance fighters by using an arrow from one of the archers, that would help find it much quicker.
 

A simple Speak with Dead will reveal that the Resistance took the phylactery and if they can scry/track one of the resistance fighters by using an arrow from one of the archers, that would help find it much quicker.

I'm not so sure any hobgoblin cleric coming upon the battle scene will not just chalk it up to another resistance hit and be done with it after burying/aminating the dead. I don't see any big reason for them to think to ask the dead guys if they had happened to find the amulet before being killed.
 

I'm not so sure any hobgoblin cleric coming upon the battle scene will not just chalk it up to another resistance hit and be done with it after burying/aminating the dead. I don't see any big reason for them to think to ask the dead guys if they had happened to find the amulet before being killed.
You don't think they'd do it to find out what happened? I didn't think they would ask about the phylactery (how would they know to?) but instead use SwD to help track down the resistance.
 

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