Liche (MTAs)

A Liche, also known in India as a Yamasattva, is born from a hermetic derivation of the Spell of Life that was contained in the writings of Cabirus, the founder of the Cabiri, and the studying of an etruscan death mage. Because the spell is in itself relativly easy to cast compared to other methods to achieve immortality, it was alluring for members of the Order of Hermes since the days of Rome. The only problem is that the formula itself is forgotten, fragmented, censored and highly forbidden. The task of achieving lichedom can cost an entire lifetime.

The Idran from India found a similar way to achieve a state of necrosynthesis before their destruction and turning into the vampiric Nagaraja.

Becoming a Liche
With the ritual, the mage severs his Avatar from the changing world by finding and reclaiming every external part of it (means destroying every talisman he ever empowered and even the own familiar), preserving it in complete stasis. Afterwards, the mage has to purify himself from external magic (which can last months), dirnk a special potions made from parts of various Bygone and kill himself afterwards with a personally crafted ceremonial weapon that dislodges his own seat of life (the heart, his chakra points etc.). Because of the fragmented nature of the formula, no known liches have ever used the same steps or ritual ways.

When the formula has worked, the mage will forever linger at the boundaries of life and death, untouched by time and oly vulnerable to external magic and Paradox. Their Arete will be frozen and (because of the highly vulgar nature of the rite) they will gain permanent Paradox. He can continue raising his Spheres as a normal living mage (unlike a mage that has been given the Embrace).