Lichborne

Lichborne are a half-elven race who voluntarily transform themselves into immortal undead upon reaching maturity. Newly transformed Lichborne appear as pale, cold, humanoids, while the older they get the more their corporeal form breaks down, eventually turning skeletal.

Racial Modifiers

• +8 Speed
• +5 Health
• +7 Resistance
• Immune to Fear, Poison, Disease
• Immortal (Lichborne do not age)
• Breathless (Lichborne do not breathe)
• Improved Background 1

As Lichborne spend much of their early life preparing for the transition they are not as well prepared with training in other areas. They do not have a Favored Template, and must spend their starting 2 Benefit points on a chosen Template.

Personality

Young mortal Jaduunites study for years in preparation for the transition to immortality. They use Half Human / Half Wild Elf statistics if created at this stage in their life. The majority of Jaduunites yearn for the immortality and social standing that comes from becoming Lichborne, however some of their number are chosen as Progenitors and retain their mortality to birth and raise new living Jaduunites, for Lichborne cannot inseminate or birth. These Progenitors are honored in Jaduunite society for what is viewed as a public service. The Progenitors have a church of sorts, dedicated to the "Holy Flame" of life, and the High Progenitor sits on the Duke and Duchess' small council to ensure political changes in the duchy do not solely favor the immortal denizens.

Becoming Lichborne blunts the emotions of the transformed mortal. They may continue caring about the things that mattered to them in life for a time, but they become increasingly distant with time, losing interest in emotions, sex, or other "mortal concerns". This emotional involvement is considered a proper affair for the young, but experienced Lichborne are expected to settle down. Lichborne value logic and analytic thought, rarely making decisions without considering all possible options. They are cautious, as they have given up a lot to achieve immortality and are not in a rush to lose it. They will retreat from the possibility of destruction rather than risk it for victory. This leads them to prepare for all possible options in conflict, often with several backup plans. Lichborne are natural manipulators, constantly looking for an edge. They gather information on allies and enemies alike, for it's never certain when one may become the other. The Jaduun court is a swirling mass of plots and machinations as the Lichborne work to ensure their standing improves.

Relations

Lichborne are virtually unknown in the mortal lands outside of Devin, although the Koolong government has researched them extensively after encountering Lichborne magic and soldiers during clashes with Devin. They are considered a dangerous power by Koolong, but their penchant for machinations and treachery have done much to undermine Devin as well. The Wild Elves south of Devin speak of the Lichborne in hushed tones as Cursed Ones. They recognize a sense of kinship with them, but consider the creation of a race of undead to be sacrilege, and worse. Lichborne would be unlikely to survive travels into Wild Elf lands. Distant empires such as Dakor have had little occasion to encounter the Lichborne, but curious Imperial Mages have investigated Jaduun for academic purposes. It's rumored that deep within the Imperial Academy at Tyr, a secretive group of Imperial sanctioned sorcerers has shown an interest in Jaduun for less noble goals.

The Elari are well aware of the Lichborne and the rituals used to create them. After all the Wild Elves knowledge of sorcery was learned under the tutelage of their immortal masters. The Elari have often used similar rituals to extend the life of particularly valuable mortal servants, but consider it a pale substitute for their own native immortality. The requirement to link the body to a Stygian energy source makes it cumbersome, but its far more common in the Elarum city of Lichgate where such a link is easily available. Many of the Elari slaves have undergone the transformation to make them more useful servants.

Religion

The Lichborne do not commonly follow the Blessed Gods, however there are Lichborne channellers who instead channel powerful Stygian Patrons. The Patrons gain valuable agents on Lorithandar.

History

Fleeing wild elves and their human slaves ended up interbreeding forming a race of half-elves. When they fled, they took numerous sorcerous artifacts and books which they used to survive in the difficult environment. The most influential family in the region, the Jaduun, were particularly gifted with Stygian sorcery and the most powerful oligarchs discovered a means to gain immortality through Stygian rituals to transform themselves into Liches. The most influential family in the region, the Jaduun, were particularly gifted with Stygian sorcery and the most powerful oligarchs discovered a means to gain immortality through Stygian rituals to transform themselves into Liches. Seeking more power for their family, they began granting the transformation to loyal family members more frequently, until most of the family was being turned at their age of majority. As the family did not age, they began to expand and over the thousands of years have become not a family, but a race.

Region & Society

Jadoon is the oldest Duchy in Devin, having been established in the mists of time after the collapse of the Wild Elf Empire. The Lichborne are most commonly found in Jadoon, but they have spread throughout Devin. The Lichborne have confined their travels to Devin, as whatever power lends them immortality seemed located in the region. Traveling out of the area requires them to bring portable magical power sources to sustain their unlife.

Lichborne spend as much time plotting against each other, or involving themselves in Stygian politics as they do working for control over the Duchies. Jadoon has developed an upper society of intricate maneuvering, machinations, and undead smiles. They are known for elegant, and lavish attire, and have the strongest necromancy in the region. They regularly use Revenants as servants such as porters or butlers, which unnerves the rest of Devin, but has become invaluable in clashes with Koolong.

Language

The Common Tongue was grudgingly accepted by Jadoon during the time of the God War, largely overtaking the bastardized mix of Planar Tongue and Wild Elven they used prior. Most Lichborne have fluency with both languages, which makes them able to communicate with planar species (most often Stygian) more easily.

Equipment

Lichborne are powered by a mysterious power source local to the Devin region. Lichborne wishing to leave the region need to travel with a portal magical battery of sorcerous energies to sustain their immortal form. These batteries are guarded jealously by Lichborn who travel, because if they were damaged or destroyed, the Lichborne would crumble to dust.

Magic & Lore

Lichborne radiate Stygian Sorcery (Transform / Animate Dead) to detection spells. They commonly use a variety of sorcerous powers, most often emanating from Stygia. In addition like other denizens of Devin, they commonly use magical technology.