A lich is a powerful undead person, often a king or magician, with a rotting or skeletal body. A lich keeps their intelligence, unlike zombies, and they come from early fantasy fiction from the likes of H.P. Lovecraft. The word comes from a term used in the Catholic and Anglican churches, "lychgate," which is the place where the casket waits for the clergy member before going into the cemetery. "Lich" comes from the old English "lic," which means "body" or "corpse."
I learned something new! Never heard of this word before, nor lychgate. I haven't read any of H.P. Lovecraft, which doesn't help. it's on my TBR though!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read enough H.P. Lovecraft, either--just a few stories! So you're not alone... :)
DeleteI've never heard of a lich before. Not sure that I'd want to run across one . . . is intelligence in the undead better or worse than zombies? :P
ReplyDeleteI guess it depends on how evil the intelligent undead is? Maybe? This is an excellent question that I shall have to ponder. It's more interesting than the tree-in-the-woods-with-no-one-there question, I think! :)
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