T'liz

T'lizes are undead defilers whose spirits have outlived their bodies. They are extremely powerful undead who seek magical knowledge and power above all else and exist as such to continue their study of magic. They seldom associate with the living except when mortals provide suitable pawns.

Because they appear much as they did in life, t'lizes can move freely among the living. Their only unusual features are their skin, which is extremely pale, and their weight, which often diminishes until they become no greater than average in build. T'lizes must anoint themselves with numerous oils and substances that prevent their bodies from deteriorating. They must also feast upon the life energy of the living to sustain their own energies.

T'lizes may be detected in a number of ways. They cast no reflection or shadow and they move in complete silence.

Combat: T'lizes seldom engage in combat They prefer to use magic against their opponents and allow their minions to do the fighting for them. T'lizes are still fierce combatants. They always have unusually high Strength, which gives them combat bonuses.

T'lizes exist on both the Prime Material and Negative Material Planes at the same time. Their powerful negative essence allows them to drain 2 life energy levels from any living being they touch with their bare hands. Loss includes all hit points, combat abilities, and spellcasting abilities associated with those two levels. The levels may be regained only through a restoration spell or earned again normally. A character slain by a t'liz through its life energy drain becomes an Athasian wraith under direct command of the t'liz. Only a special quest by the character's companions can save him.

All creatures who see t'lizes must make a fear check at -3 when they save vs. spells because these undead radiate an aura of fear. The aura's effects can be nullified by a remove fear, cloak of bravery, or similar spell.

T'lizes can only be harmed by +1 or better magical weapons, by creatures of 8 HD or more, or by creatures with magical abilities. Other weapons do not cause damage to them. T'lizes regenerate 2 hit points per round. Reducing a t'liz to zero hit points does not kill it. It must be burned and its ashes must be spread apart or it will regenerate.

These undead are immune to all sleep, charm, and hold spells and all forms of poison and paralysis. All cold-based and electrical attacks cause only half damage to them.

All t'lizes were defilers in life and retain all their spell casting abilities. T'lizes continue to grow in power through their studies. They range in level from 18th to 30th.

Because of their great power and undead nature, they can control other undead as if they were clerics of the same level as their defiler experience level.

T'lizes receive 6-36 points of damage from a raise dead spell if they fail their save vs. spells, and suffer half damage if their save is successful. T'lizes are also unable to come into any consecrated area dedicated to any good alignment. T'lizes prefer darkness and can see perfectly in it, but suffer -4 to their attack rolls in broad sunlight since they cannot concentrate enough to cast spells in such bright light.

Habitat/Society: T'lizes usually make their lairs underground. They tend to prefer locations near cemeteries or other places of death, as they feel their necromantic studies function best in these locations. Such places also isolate them from the living, whom they dearly hate.

Often, t'lizes have large numbers of undead serving them as minions. These minions protect their lairs, bring them living victims for their experiments, and provide them with the equipment they need for their studies.

T'lizes hate other t'lizes as much, if not more, than they hate the living. Viewing their own kind as rivals, they are known to engage in century-long disputes. Either out of boredom or to annoy other t'lizes, they often pit their undead minions against the undead minions of other t'lizes.

T'lizes are known for their scheming nature. While they occasionally have dealings with the living, they do so only to further some nefarious plan of their own. They are said to dabble in politics and trade, but only if they can make their unseen presence felt as hardship upon the living.

Ecology: T'lizes have no place among the living so they must creep about in the darkest recesses of the night. They are totally evil and dedicated to their own foul schemes. Their unnatural presence will cause all animals to become nervous and to sound a cry of alarm when in their presence and flee if at all possible.

These undead have much to offer foolhardy power seekers in the way of magical lore and historical knowledge, but they cannot be trusted even in the most simple of agreements.