Post by Cade Helscar on Aug 14, 2021 0:47:20 GMT
WENDIGO
The Shamanic Lich
Wendigo are the Lich variant within the shamanic school of high magic. While necromancers seeking lichdom bind their own souls to their body, allowing them to live on after death. A dark shaman seeking immortality will instead capture and consume the flesh of living creatures. Ritually consuming the primal spirits of animals just to fuel their own. Binding the souls of beasts to their own in such a way that the energy of the animals spirit is merged with their soul. Allowing them to both regenerate from grievous wounds, but also increase their own lifespan. While not truly immortal, even a single spirit binding ritual can grant a dark shaman many years, or even decades of new life, the curse of ravenous hunger slowly taking over them. Enough will never be enough as they spiral into corruption. Over time their bodies mutate as a reflection of their own soul, infused with primal energy. Taking on attributes of the many beasts and animals who's spirits they have stolen. Antlers, claws, horns, fangs, hooved feet, feathers, thick fur, even venom or acidic bile. The more spirit binding rituals performed and the more animal spirits consumed, the stronger they become. Eventually taking on the appearance of a true monster. The intelligent mind of the dark shaman still present, but their every thought bent towards their never ending hunger. Just like undeath leaves a lich vulnerable to fire, so too does the curse of the wendigo. Making the only way to permanently destroy them by burning their mutated corpse.