Lich: which types it suits

A lich is a mage who became undying in pursuit of eternity. The name comes from an Old English word for 'body', and the idea of hiding one's soul in another vessel echoes the Russian folk tale of a deathless sorcerer who hid his death at the tip of a needle, the needle in an egg and the egg in a duck. A lich's tower is stacked floor upon floor with centuries of research notes.

Read as a personality: the tenacity to dig into a single subject all the way down, and a cool head while doing it. Not swayed by feelings, and once a long-term plan is set it gets pursued steadily for decades. Time alone is how they recharge; they prefer the silence of the study to the noise of a crowd. Deep in research, though, a few generations can pass outside without them noticing.