Lich

In Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) and derivative games, a lich is a wizard or cleric who seeks to defy death by magical means. They transform theirselves into an undead state by means of various unholy rituals and store their soul in a magical jar called a "phylactery." The name comes from the Old English lic, (pronounced the same) which means "corpse."

A lich retains the abilities he or she possessed in life, but they also have had a virtual eternity to practice new skills and inevitably become very formidable. The most powerful example of a Lich in D&D is known as Vecna.

Another explanation is that anyone who uses magic to greatly prolong their life will eventually turn into a lich, even if that was not their goal.

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Lich is also a city in the district Gießen, Hesse, Germany.