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Iliph Thraun was a spellfire wielder and lich lord. He was involved in the hunt for Shandril Shessair in late 1357 DR.[1]

Description[]

Iliph Thraun had been reduced to a mere skull; while white, it was yellowed. Its eyesockets harbored two pale, flickering lights. Its voice was hollow, punctuated by its chittering teeth.[1]

Personality[]

It was disdainful of the Harpers.[3]

Abilities[]

Iliph Thraun was most unique in his ability to wield spellfire, which he possessed in life; in death, he was able to drain spellfire from fellow wielders, making their control of it more tenuous in the process.[1] As a lich, he could cast a number of spells, presumably including disintegrate, magic missile, lightning bolt, at least one acid-based spell,[3] and at least one spell to render itself invisible, almost certainly invisibility.[4]

Of note, there were ways of controlling the lich that were not available for use against other liches.[5] Spells that drained lifeforce or those that created fire or lightning could be used to feed the lich by turning them into spheres, and centering them on the skull; a spell of governance over undeath, almost certainly control undead, and a masking charm, presumably nondetection, could be combined with the word "Calauthas"; such a combination allowed anyone to control the lich from anywhere through the use of a skull-shaped charm carved from its thighbone. However, the lich became aware of the identity of whoever controlled it.[1]

Iliph Traun could also be controlled with a brass cage holding a fist-sized black gem hanging from a neck-chain. The device allowed a wielder to see out of the lich's eyes and control it completely, without it being aware of any influence upon it.[5]

Activities[]

The lich lord maintained itself through spells which required him to regularly train apprentices on their casting.[1]

Relationships[]

Iliph Thraun was known to a number of beholders; at least two of them, Zulthondre and Xarlraun, had baubles that granted complete control of the lich.[1]

History[]

In the mid-14th century DR, Iliph Traun's memories went back a thousand years.[6]

In late 1357 DR, Manshoon was introduced to Iliph Traun by Zulthondre, who offered him as the ideal hunter for Shandril Shessair, thanks to the lich lord's ability to absorb her spellfire and then wield it; after the lich departed for the task, the beholder brought up the lich lord's controllability due to flaws in the process of its construction.[1] Soon after it caught up with Shandril Shessair, at Hullack Forest.[7] Xarlraun, another beholder, offered a similar control to Fzoul Chembryl shortly after that.[5]

Iliph Thraun continued to watch Shandril since at least her arrival to Tethgard.[8] He fed on Shandril, invisibly, both after Tethgard, while still in Hullack Forest,[6] and while she was at the Stonelands.[4] It continued to tail her stealthily through the battle at Irondrake Rock.[9] Throughout this chase, Thraun was controlled directly by Manshoon, who preferred the lich lord not reveal itself; after his death, Iliph sought out Shandril directly to confront her and consume her spellfire.[10]

The lich lord struck Eveningstar, seeking Shandril; it broke into Tessaril's Tower, slaying many of the guards and the watch before reaching her. In the process, it severely injured Narm Tamaraith, all but killing him, and severely injured Shandril Shessair, stopping only briefly when Sarhthor attempted to control it using Manshoon's tokens and methods.[3] Finally, after Elminster and Storm Silverhand intervened, Shandril was able to overload the skull with spellfire, and slew it.[2] After the fight, Shandril learned her unborn child had perished in the fight, due to the lich's draining.[11]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Novels & Short Stories

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Crown of Fire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 2, pp. 45–47. ISBN 0-7869-2749-6.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Crown of Fire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 14, pp. 224–227. ISBN 0-7869-2749-6.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Crown of Fire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 13, pp. 213–221. ISBN 0-7869-2749-6.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Crown of Fire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 10, p. 165. ISBN 0-7869-2749-6.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Crown of Fire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 4, pp. 83–84. ISBN 0-7869-2749-6.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Crown of Fire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 6, pp. 121–122. ISBN 0-7869-2749-6.
  7. Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Crown of Fire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 4, p. 74. ISBN 0-7869-2749-6.
  8. Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Crown of Fire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 6, pp. 112–113. ISBN 0-7869-2749-6.
  9. Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Crown of Fire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 11, p. 182. ISBN 0-7869-2749-6.
  10. Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Crown of Fire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 13, pp. 205–206. ISBN 0-7869-2749-6.
  11. Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Crown of Fire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 14, p. 234. ISBN 0-7869-2749-6.
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