Ascendant
It’s oft been wondered, what is the true meaning of immortality? What is the nature of so elusive yet alluring a thing, that those who have it still seek it. In some ways, tis a subjective thing.
From a human perspective an elf is immortal, as they endure on the mortal plane many times longer, with seemingly little to no physical degradation til their twilight wane years. Yet they die.
Much the same is to be said of dragons, though even more long lived, they too die. Certainly I’d argue that the lifespans of dragons allow the oldest among them to begin to grasp the timeless point of view that true immortals sport. Again, such things are washed away in twilight as the fear of the eternal looms, and reason is lost to existential dread.
If these long lived creatures don’t possess the secret, then what of essential beings that hail from worlds of swirling thoughts and feelings? The Fae, Demons, Spirits, all present an equally compelling facade of immortality. By the definition of books and dusty old scholars, these things of magic never die of old age and are above many mortal ailments. Yet I fault them on one key point.
Despite their many powers, their tenuous grasp on the title of immortal is stripped away by their failure to conquer death. The end that comes for us all is at the end of the whip wielded indifferently by the cold Goddess of Death. She snatches the young, the old, the brilliant, the loving, should she deem it necessary or appropriate she can take these so-called immortals too.
Though other gods do make it easier for their favorite race to try and weasel away like cockroaches from the looming boot, a bit of assistance will not save them from a crushing end. Through these observations however I have concluded that immortality is truly understood only by the Gods.
The Lesser Gods cheat death, clawing their way back into reality after crushing defeat, and are denied the rest of the Lands Beyond. That is immortality. But true immortality is what is held by more powerful deities, able to evade death by relocating or dissipating their essence to reform later, instinctively avoiding permanent harm.
The question should then be asked, can such a power be achieved through knowledge and study?
That is an answer I’ve worked many lifetimes, many paths, and with many powers to discover. Obviously, a soul is the first weakness. This is what the Death Goddess grasps with her bladewhip, and what is key to damning one to an afterlife. Destroying or taking a soul is tantamount to slaughtering a creature. However, a soul can be linked, even imbued into an object inscribed and treated with the correct mystical symbols and processes.
But this alone is just the first step, more care should be taken to link the soul to a body, thus allowing it to interact. Biological vectors such as bone and flesh are the best for such a transfer, as the mind understands how to operate them more intrinsically. Once a soul is in such a position it must be maintained. The connection can be strenuous, and without care, a soul will snap like a tendon pulled too far that breaks under the strain.
It is then logical to turn to the power of other souls, processed and reduced to a simple sort of energy, they can not only sustain another soul, but increase its power, and thus the power of the vessel by proxy. This is among the last keys one has to grasp to rise to immortality as a mortal. For should one construct themselves a great apparatus that protects and feeds the soul a great quantity of that soul energy. Should one master the rituals and magics to further improve the vessel and the soul’s containment.
This creation, this Eldritch Engine would grant them incredible powers. Given time, enough souls, and along with the correct magic, it is hypothetically possible to change the nature of your own soul, perhaps becoming not just immortal by definition, but immortal by nature. A god in your own right.
This theory is no far fetched guess my dear reader. Perhaps you’ve figured by now. I have some experience dealing with the nature of immortality, the truths of eternity. All I have told you is true. All that I’ve done laid bare, you now see the truth of the Lich, soul bound to an everlasting artifice, a body protected by spells that even when destroyed is restored by the magics built in, all that is asked for in exchange are additional souls.
Though a simplified explanation, a master isn’t obliged to reveal all his secrets. Take this much and know there is much much more to the truths I’ve learned. There is more to teach, and even for me to discover. This long winding path opens the way to true greatness, and to divinity. That is the truth, and you should listen well.
The Lord of Skulls, God-Emperor of the Undead
