Lichgate

Target	Self
Ritual Points	175
Requirements	Sacrifice (self), Wealth, Mana

What better reward could there be for ascending the ladder of sorcery than immortality itself? Any humanoid or legendary creature with the Spellcasting special power can perform this ritual to surrender her mortal body and transform into a lich — an undead thaumaturge of unspeakable power. The archmage must petition one of the twelve elements of magic to sponsor her ascendancy into lichdom. In order to begin the ritual, she must have 10 skill ranks in the element in question. To complete the ritual, she must yield her own soul and imprison it inside a phylactery. At that moment, her body dies but her conscious mind remains bound to it. Once the ritual concludes, the creature's nature changes to undead (though it may be some time before the body fully decays).

Unlike other undead, a lich can generate its own MP. However, since it no longer requires sleep, a lich must touch its phylactery once per day to restore its MP. There are no harmful side-effects if the lich is physically separated from its phylactery for an extended period. If a lich takes damage in combat and its phylactery is intact, its body will regenerate within a week, even if its body is completely destroyed. However, if its phylactery is destroyed, the lich will collapse where it stands and crumble to dust as its imprisoned soul moves on. It's for this reason that a lich should carefully protect its phylactery. Anyone who gains possession of it could basically guarantee the lich's cooperation (if not obedience).