I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this one already, but the rules seem to be silent on the issue so I figured I'd ask around a little...
My players will be taking on a lich soon (actually, the Ghostlord from Red Hand of Doom; they want to "mop up" now that the story is over). This particular lich has had bad luck with keeping his phylactery near by as of late, so he has recently hid it deep within a barren, parched earth desert known as the Thornwaste.
The rules say that when a lich is destroyed his body crumbles to dust and is rebuilt at or near his phylactery.
What of his mundane and magic items? Do they also crumble to dust and reappear with him at the phylactery, or are they left behind?
Any opinions? Which is better in terms of fairness and which is better thematically?
Thanks in advance to any who contribute opinions!
A lich is strong, powerful, intelligent, and old. I am very sure that the lich would have come up with some idea to transport his equipment somewhere (perhaps in a room near his phylactery) as soon as he "dies."
Perhaps a teleport combined with contingency or something.
When a lich is destroyed, its phylactery (which is generally hidden by the lich in a safe place far from where it chooses to dwell) immediately begins to rebuild the undead spellcaster's body nearby. This process takes 1d10 days—if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the phylactery merely starts the process anew. After this time passes, the lich wakens fully healed (albeit without any gear it left behind on its old body), usually with a burning need for revenge against those who previously destroyed it.
Whether or not he retrieves them magically later is up to you, but he definitely does not reappear with them on him.
OH! A regenerating XP source that comes back every 1d10 days. =)
As for the gear, the Lich loses that first gear and just digs up the back up gear that he stashed near his phylactery. This guy has had a century to craft additional fall back items since he cannot wear more than two rings at once anyway.
After this time passes, the lich wakens fully healed (albeit without any gear it left behind on its old body).
Now how did I overlook that line?
Yes, that spells it out precisely and unquestionably.
Thank you, sir!
(Edit: corrected typo.)
Bookrat's recommendation for contingent teleport effects on his items isn't bad. As a blighter, the Ghostlord doesn't have access to either of the necessary spells, but he could long have had someone else cast them or simply have purchased scrolls.
And yes Seppuku, with more than 300 years with nothing to do, the creation of "backup" items is practical and crafty.
Personally, I think I like the contingency idea. It fits with the Ghostlord's arrogance and "flashy; just too powerful for you" tactics. The creation of back up items would be a current tactic (now that he has been shaken out of his complacency) and not a former one (as he believed that his sanctum and defenses were all but impenetrable before his phylactery was stolen).
Another idea:
Contigency - summon some servants back at base to the location of the dead lich. They are pre-instructed to gather his equipment and cast the teleport spell (via a magic item) to go back to base.
And just to make sure the servants are around to collect the items, the lich could have multiple bases, and these servents work at a different base than the lich primarily lives.
UMD?