Ancient Lich Development

[Valkier]

This thread is dedicated to the development and refinement of an ancient lich concept. Since LordBob and I are having our fun with ideas and concepts, I thought it would be fun to open the floor up to any and all who wish to submit their own artwork and ideas to this endeavor.

First some guidelines. There must be a recognizable human skull in any design. While ancient lichs may incorporate just about anything they want in to their forms, we need the skull there so that the viewer knows they are human to some degree. Much past that, just about anything flies. Here is a description graciously written by TSI.

Ancient Liches are artisans of necromantic power, consummate masters of the dark magics they wield. It can take centuries of study and difficult experience to achieve the level of ability and sadly, inhumanity, needed to abandon the bones one was born with, though some manage the process much more quickly. Once a Lich reaches this point, it can leave most of its human bones behind, and begin to incorporate parts of other creatures. This can have high costs for the former necromancer's sanity, however.

Many have said that no two Ancient Liches look alike, since each tailors its body to its own desires and the necessities of its existence. Few, however, have lived to tell the tale of seeing one such creature, let alone two, so it is difficult to be sure. The only certain constant is a human skull, the one piece the Lich always retains from its original body, and usually at least one pair of hands, for the casting and preparation of spells.

All Ancient Liches are powerful and potentially deadly opponents. Their magics and unusual bodies make them unpredictable and supremely dangerous.

My goal with this thread is to have any and all capable artists to have some fun and create some ancient lich concepts. I encourage the concepts to be kept somewhat loose so that alterations and the like can be made on a whim, while also keeping the time on their development short. The reason for this is we can crank out multiple concepts each, and then possibly mix and match certain features (or tweak existing ones) to eventually come up with a final concept. Portraits that get more attention than others should be refined in progressively greater detail as interest rises.

Feel free to add descriptions with your submissions, or tiny back stories if you will. My only request is that if you cannot draw your idea, do not simply post a description and hope one of us artists picks it up for you. Feel free to post ideas or changes you'd like to see to existing portraits however. The reason for this is sometimes what you see in your head is either impossible for anyone to ever draw, or it simply would not translate well on to canvas anyhow. We cannot read your mind, so we ask that you just help us make up ours.

I hope this is fun for everyone involved, and may the good bones roll!

[Lord-Knightmare]

Looking at The Ancient Lich base image in core, Sadly none of them can seem to fit its portrait.


But I have to say the third one closely resembles the Ancient Lich.

[StandYourGround]

Did you even read the post? The Ancient Lich is being redone to have a less human-like, and a much more creepy and twisted feel. As portrait styles are figured out, base images for mainline will be on the way (eventually).

[thespaceinvader]

The sprite will be replaced as part of this project.

[Lord-Knightmare]

Oh, I'm sorry about that but the third one will resemble the Ancient Lich

[Valkier]

Another concept. Went for more of a shadowy incorporeal twist to this one.

[Lord-Knightmare]

What is that thing?! Is this the pure being of Necromancy?!

Sorry to tell you this but this resembles a Shadow, not an Ancient Lich

[cretin]

these are WIP, he's just experimenting with different styles of what the lich could look like. If you had read farther up the Lich will be changed to match the final style they want to use.

[Dixie]

I personnally like all your sketches, they have potential. The first one looks like some voodoo-shaman-descended lich, while the second has some kind of long-dead celtic warrior look or something. And I don't see why the 4th looking more like a shadow would be a problem: if they can graft just any bone to their bodies and use their magic to defy death, why wouldn't they be able to have a more ghostly shape? I think it can turn out cool. But yeah, maybe you could add a few trinkets so that people don't mistake it for a ghost alt: some blue ice-flames his his left hands or some purple bolts of energy crawling around/all-over it, perhaps?

Keep it up!

[Valkier]

What is that thing?! Is this the pure being of Necromancy?!

Sorry to tell you this but this resembles a Shadow, not an Ancient Lich

I'm not sure you're understanding what this thread, or the purpose is about. This thread is meant to figure out a new concept for ancient liches. It doesn't matter what they look like right now. It doesn't matter what they're made of. It doesn't even matter what they resemble. The entire point is to find something that works and to improve upon ideas.

Try to keep comments more constructive in the future. Saying "this is not an ancient lich" does not aid this project in any way, and doesn't even make sense to say. We don't KNOW what an ancient lich is. We are creating them. Re-read my first post again, and then read what the other fine gentlemen have told you twice in this thread now. We've made it VERY clear at this point. If you're not willing to be constructive, or indeed, read the thread, then I don't see the need for you to post further comments here.

[thespaceinvader]

Lord Knightmare: please keep your uninformed comments to yourself in future, or you will lose the ability to post in the Art forums.

EDIT: my first concept:

EDIT: and another. This time a fusion of a drake head and chest with the lich inside, using it for armour.

NB, most of the concepts I'm likely to provide will probably be skeleton only, but if used would need some gear and covering.

[Lord-Knightmare]

Okay, How about this:

If I was any good in these portraits, My portrait would have:
1. A skeletal dragon's body and huge two or three pairs of skeletal wings
2. A long bony tail (I just think it looks cool)
3. Two dragon heads coming out of each side of his neck.
4. A pair of normal human hands (One holding the staff, while the other glowing with intense dark energy)
5. A pair of bony troll-fists.
and last but not the least,
6. Four pairs of spider legs.

[StandYourGround]

I don't think you understand, Lord-Knightmare. This topic is not about what you think an Ancient Lich should look like. The Ancient Lich is being re-created in a new and unique way, and they are not about to simply follow a set of demands on their appearance. The idea is that no two Ancient Liches look alike, and these are concepts as to what some could look like. While your idea might make an interesting Ancient Lich, that doesn't mean anyone has to draw it for you. Please stop your comments if you have nothing truly helpful to say.

[Skrim]

my first concept:

That looks neat. It's as if the original Lich's bones got damaged/broken over time, so it used the bones of its victims and its mastery of necromancy to repair/augment its body. I like the idea.
So, will the Ancient Lich get several different sprites too, or will it have one (new) sprite and several alt portraits?

[thespaceinvader]

I don't think we have a firm word yet on that Skrim - the way I'd play it would be to have one generic sprite and portrait, then use these concepts to come up with portraits for campaign ALs, which might also get unique sprites too if the artists and particularly animators are feeling like a challenge.

Lord K: most of those are reasonable ideas, and could probably be taken into account, however relative sizes must be borne in mind.

On which note, I think that we should specify that the size of the unit shouldn't exceed much more than double human dimensions in any given direction.

EDIT: nother speedpainted concept: this time an elongated spine supports two sets of shoulders, the first a human set, which had altered lower arms, the right a serpent tail, used as a whip, the left a blad fashioned from a giant rib of some sort. The second set is from a larger beast, and ogre or drake, giving the Lich working hands. The long neck supports a number of snake heads, whilst the long lower back supports hips to which more snake or serpent tails are attached as legs.