Could a phylactery of a lich be a mirror or does it have to be a box?












12












$begingroup$


Today I was thinking of a cool, high-level adventure to create. It involves a lich, and I thought it would be cool if his phylactery was a mirror.



Would such a thing fit the official lore/rules for liches? Or does the phylactery of a lich have to be a box in which their soul is stored?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$








  • 4




    $begingroup$
    What do you mean by "Is this legal?" Since you're creating the adventure, I'm assuming you're not being forced to abide by any rules. Or are you asking if this fits with the lore? (Also, there's a difference between "does it have to be a box?" and "can it be a mirror?". Which are you asking?)
    $endgroup$
    – V2Blast
    22 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    I know that I can bend the rules anyway I see fit, I was just wondering what the rules say since I missed it when I went through.
    $endgroup$
    – Wise Man
    22 hours ago
















12












$begingroup$


Today I was thinking of a cool, high-level adventure to create. It involves a lich, and I thought it would be cool if his phylactery was a mirror.



Would such a thing fit the official lore/rules for liches? Or does the phylactery of a lich have to be a box in which their soul is stored?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$








  • 4




    $begingroup$
    What do you mean by "Is this legal?" Since you're creating the adventure, I'm assuming you're not being forced to abide by any rules. Or are you asking if this fits with the lore? (Also, there's a difference between "does it have to be a box?" and "can it be a mirror?". Which are you asking?)
    $endgroup$
    – V2Blast
    22 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    I know that I can bend the rules anyway I see fit, I was just wondering what the rules say since I missed it when I went through.
    $endgroup$
    – Wise Man
    22 hours ago














12












12








12





$begingroup$


Today I was thinking of a cool, high-level adventure to create. It involves a lich, and I thought it would be cool if his phylactery was a mirror.



Would such a thing fit the official lore/rules for liches? Or does the phylactery of a lich have to be a box in which their soul is stored?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$




Today I was thinking of a cool, high-level adventure to create. It involves a lich, and I thought it would be cool if his phylactery was a mirror.



Would such a thing fit the official lore/rules for liches? Or does the phylactery of a lich have to be a box in which their soul is stored?







dnd-5e undead






share|improve this question









New contributor




Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









New contributor




Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 9 hours ago









Rubiksmoose

56.8k9274426




56.8k9274426






New contributor




Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









asked 22 hours ago









Wise ManWise Man

21928




21928




New contributor




Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 4




    $begingroup$
    What do you mean by "Is this legal?" Since you're creating the adventure, I'm assuming you're not being forced to abide by any rules. Or are you asking if this fits with the lore? (Also, there's a difference between "does it have to be a box?" and "can it be a mirror?". Which are you asking?)
    $endgroup$
    – V2Blast
    22 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    I know that I can bend the rules anyway I see fit, I was just wondering what the rules say since I missed it when I went through.
    $endgroup$
    – Wise Man
    22 hours ago














  • 4




    $begingroup$
    What do you mean by "Is this legal?" Since you're creating the adventure, I'm assuming you're not being forced to abide by any rules. Or are you asking if this fits with the lore? (Also, there's a difference between "does it have to be a box?" and "can it be a mirror?". Which are you asking?)
    $endgroup$
    – V2Blast
    22 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    I know that I can bend the rules anyway I see fit, I was just wondering what the rules say since I missed it when I went through.
    $endgroup$
    – Wise Man
    22 hours ago








4




4




$begingroup$
What do you mean by "Is this legal?" Since you're creating the adventure, I'm assuming you're not being forced to abide by any rules. Or are you asking if this fits with the lore? (Also, there's a difference between "does it have to be a box?" and "can it be a mirror?". Which are you asking?)
$endgroup$
– V2Blast
22 hours ago




$begingroup$
What do you mean by "Is this legal?" Since you're creating the adventure, I'm assuming you're not being forced to abide by any rules. Or are you asking if this fits with the lore? (Also, there's a difference between "does it have to be a box?" and "can it be a mirror?". Which are you asking?)
$endgroup$
– V2Blast
22 hours ago












$begingroup$
I know that I can bend the rules anyway I see fit, I was just wondering what the rules say since I missed it when I went through.
$endgroup$
– Wise Man
22 hours ago




$begingroup$
I know that I can bend the rules anyway I see fit, I was just wondering what the rules say since I missed it when I went through.
$endgroup$
– Wise Man
22 hours ago










3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes


















22












$begingroup$

Not a regular mirror.



A standard, silvered mirror doesn't have "an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic" can be scribed, so switch it up, and use an infinity mirror, which very much does.



You have two mirrors facing each other, creating a hollow space, and, conveniently, the sigils have to be scribed in silver, which is also how mirrors could plausibly be made in D&D: silvering glass. If the runes are along the periphery, you would have the neat effect of them marching off into infinity.



enter image description here






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$









  • 9




    $begingroup$
    I guess one of the points of a phylactery is for its nature as such to be hidden. I'm fairly certain that should the heroes make it into the evil lair and find a mirror with arcane symbols floating into infinity in the bedroom, that is the first thing that gets smashed. Points for flair though.
    $endgroup$
    – Suthek
    13 hours ago






  • 2




    $begingroup$
    It is worth to note that, for all effects, the Infinity Mirror is still a box - just a very flat, stretched and specifically-built one.
    $endgroup$
    – T. Sar
    11 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @Suthek Neither Sauron nor Voldemort got that memo.
    $endgroup$
    – T. Sar
    7 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @Suthek: That's why you make the infinity mirror the decoy, and make the actual phylactery an unremarkable wooden box hidden under the floorboards.
    $endgroup$
    – Kevin
    5 hours ago



















21












$begingroup$

From the Lich's description on page 203 of the MM:




A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver.




A mirror probably doesn't count as having an "interior space into which arcane sigils are scribed" but if you're the DM and want to have the lich's phylactery as a mirror then you have the power to do just that. The rules are a guideline; they can be bent of broken as the DM sees fit.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Rule 0 does allow that. But if the characters know about the rules for a phylactery (assuming the players know) then they might ignore the mirror reasoning that it can't be it since it doesn't have an interior space. For that reason, if you do use a mirror, I'd suggest extra hints pointing the players towards it.
    $endgroup$
    – Allan Mills
    20 hours ago






  • 13




    $begingroup$
    Unless the mirror has a secret compartment?
    $endgroup$
    – Kyyshak
    17 hours ago






  • 6




    $begingroup$
    in an esoteric sense, the "universe on the other side of the mirror" could be considered an interior space perhaps
    $endgroup$
    – Nacht
    15 hours ago






  • 10




    $begingroup$
    @Kyyshak Ohhh, so it's a medicine cabinet!
    $endgroup$
    – David K
    13 hours ago






  • 9




    $begingroup$
    @Nacht Man! This gives me an idea! The runes are only seen in the reflection of the mirror, and when they look at the mirror they see runes in the room itself, but the room is not the container it's the mirror! Wheeeee :D
    $endgroup$
    – John Hamilton
    10 hours ago



















5












$begingroup$

Any object can be a phylactery, as long as it has an interior space in which arcane sigils can be engraved. This goes for a mirror as well.



Traditionally, mirror does not have such a space, but with a bit of creativity, you can make sure your mirror does. For example:




  • There can be a hidden compartment in the mirror's frame


  • The bezels of the mirror can be raised, basically meaning that the mirror is at the bottom of a shallow "box". If you want, you can add a lid to the box in the form of a door (which can still be there or have been lost) that can close the mirror


  • Extrapolating from that, the mirror could be the back pane of a "cupboard" that is hanging somewhere


  • The mirror could be the "lid" of some object, the inside of which could possibly even be extra-dimensional (for added spookiness, it could be a one-way mirror if you want, allowing someone on the other side to see through it)


  • Extrapolating from that, the mirror could actually be the door of a medicine cabinet as you often see in the real world







share|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    I like the idea of the mirror being the lid to an inter-dimensional container.
    $endgroup$
    – Arluin
    3 hours ago











Your Answer





StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["\$", "\$"]]);
});
});
}, "mathjax-editing");

StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "122"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});

function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});


}
});






Wise Man is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










draft saved

draft discarded


















StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2frpg.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f142142%2fcould-a-phylactery-of-a-lich-be-a-mirror-or-does-it-have-to-be-a-box%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);

Post as a guest















Required, but never shown

























3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes








3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









22












$begingroup$

Not a regular mirror.



A standard, silvered mirror doesn't have "an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic" can be scribed, so switch it up, and use an infinity mirror, which very much does.



You have two mirrors facing each other, creating a hollow space, and, conveniently, the sigils have to be scribed in silver, which is also how mirrors could plausibly be made in D&D: silvering glass. If the runes are along the periphery, you would have the neat effect of them marching off into infinity.



enter image description here






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$









  • 9




    $begingroup$
    I guess one of the points of a phylactery is for its nature as such to be hidden. I'm fairly certain that should the heroes make it into the evil lair and find a mirror with arcane symbols floating into infinity in the bedroom, that is the first thing that gets smashed. Points for flair though.
    $endgroup$
    – Suthek
    13 hours ago






  • 2




    $begingroup$
    It is worth to note that, for all effects, the Infinity Mirror is still a box - just a very flat, stretched and specifically-built one.
    $endgroup$
    – T. Sar
    11 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @Suthek Neither Sauron nor Voldemort got that memo.
    $endgroup$
    – T. Sar
    7 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @Suthek: That's why you make the infinity mirror the decoy, and make the actual phylactery an unremarkable wooden box hidden under the floorboards.
    $endgroup$
    – Kevin
    5 hours ago
















22












$begingroup$

Not a regular mirror.



A standard, silvered mirror doesn't have "an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic" can be scribed, so switch it up, and use an infinity mirror, which very much does.



You have two mirrors facing each other, creating a hollow space, and, conveniently, the sigils have to be scribed in silver, which is also how mirrors could plausibly be made in D&D: silvering glass. If the runes are along the periphery, you would have the neat effect of them marching off into infinity.



enter image description here






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$









  • 9




    $begingroup$
    I guess one of the points of a phylactery is for its nature as such to be hidden. I'm fairly certain that should the heroes make it into the evil lair and find a mirror with arcane symbols floating into infinity in the bedroom, that is the first thing that gets smashed. Points for flair though.
    $endgroup$
    – Suthek
    13 hours ago






  • 2




    $begingroup$
    It is worth to note that, for all effects, the Infinity Mirror is still a box - just a very flat, stretched and specifically-built one.
    $endgroup$
    – T. Sar
    11 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @Suthek Neither Sauron nor Voldemort got that memo.
    $endgroup$
    – T. Sar
    7 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @Suthek: That's why you make the infinity mirror the decoy, and make the actual phylactery an unremarkable wooden box hidden under the floorboards.
    $endgroup$
    – Kevin
    5 hours ago














22












22








22





$begingroup$

Not a regular mirror.



A standard, silvered mirror doesn't have "an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic" can be scribed, so switch it up, and use an infinity mirror, which very much does.



You have two mirrors facing each other, creating a hollow space, and, conveniently, the sigils have to be scribed in silver, which is also how mirrors could plausibly be made in D&D: silvering glass. If the runes are along the periphery, you would have the neat effect of them marching off into infinity.



enter image description here






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$



Not a regular mirror.



A standard, silvered mirror doesn't have "an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic" can be scribed, so switch it up, and use an infinity mirror, which very much does.



You have two mirrors facing each other, creating a hollow space, and, conveniently, the sigils have to be scribed in silver, which is also how mirrors could plausibly be made in D&D: silvering glass. If the runes are along the periphery, you would have the neat effect of them marching off into infinity.



enter image description here







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited 18 hours ago

























answered 18 hours ago









Daniel BDaniel B

1,118312




1,118312








  • 9




    $begingroup$
    I guess one of the points of a phylactery is for its nature as such to be hidden. I'm fairly certain that should the heroes make it into the evil lair and find a mirror with arcane symbols floating into infinity in the bedroom, that is the first thing that gets smashed. Points for flair though.
    $endgroup$
    – Suthek
    13 hours ago






  • 2




    $begingroup$
    It is worth to note that, for all effects, the Infinity Mirror is still a box - just a very flat, stretched and specifically-built one.
    $endgroup$
    – T. Sar
    11 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @Suthek Neither Sauron nor Voldemort got that memo.
    $endgroup$
    – T. Sar
    7 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @Suthek: That's why you make the infinity mirror the decoy, and make the actual phylactery an unremarkable wooden box hidden under the floorboards.
    $endgroup$
    – Kevin
    5 hours ago














  • 9




    $begingroup$
    I guess one of the points of a phylactery is for its nature as such to be hidden. I'm fairly certain that should the heroes make it into the evil lair and find a mirror with arcane symbols floating into infinity in the bedroom, that is the first thing that gets smashed. Points for flair though.
    $endgroup$
    – Suthek
    13 hours ago






  • 2




    $begingroup$
    It is worth to note that, for all effects, the Infinity Mirror is still a box - just a very flat, stretched and specifically-built one.
    $endgroup$
    – T. Sar
    11 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @Suthek Neither Sauron nor Voldemort got that memo.
    $endgroup$
    – T. Sar
    7 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @Suthek: That's why you make the infinity mirror the decoy, and make the actual phylactery an unremarkable wooden box hidden under the floorboards.
    $endgroup$
    – Kevin
    5 hours ago








9




9




$begingroup$
I guess one of the points of a phylactery is for its nature as such to be hidden. I'm fairly certain that should the heroes make it into the evil lair and find a mirror with arcane symbols floating into infinity in the bedroom, that is the first thing that gets smashed. Points for flair though.
$endgroup$
– Suthek
13 hours ago




$begingroup$
I guess one of the points of a phylactery is for its nature as such to be hidden. I'm fairly certain that should the heroes make it into the evil lair and find a mirror with arcane symbols floating into infinity in the bedroom, that is the first thing that gets smashed. Points for flair though.
$endgroup$
– Suthek
13 hours ago




2




2




$begingroup$
It is worth to note that, for all effects, the Infinity Mirror is still a box - just a very flat, stretched and specifically-built one.
$endgroup$
– T. Sar
11 hours ago




$begingroup$
It is worth to note that, for all effects, the Infinity Mirror is still a box - just a very flat, stretched and specifically-built one.
$endgroup$
– T. Sar
11 hours ago




1




1




$begingroup$
@Suthek Neither Sauron nor Voldemort got that memo.
$endgroup$
– T. Sar
7 hours ago




$begingroup$
@Suthek Neither Sauron nor Voldemort got that memo.
$endgroup$
– T. Sar
7 hours ago




1




1




$begingroup$
@Suthek: That's why you make the infinity mirror the decoy, and make the actual phylactery an unremarkable wooden box hidden under the floorboards.
$endgroup$
– Kevin
5 hours ago




$begingroup$
@Suthek: That's why you make the infinity mirror the decoy, and make the actual phylactery an unremarkable wooden box hidden under the floorboards.
$endgroup$
– Kevin
5 hours ago













21












$begingroup$

From the Lich's description on page 203 of the MM:




A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver.




A mirror probably doesn't count as having an "interior space into which arcane sigils are scribed" but if you're the DM and want to have the lich's phylactery as a mirror then you have the power to do just that. The rules are a guideline; they can be bent of broken as the DM sees fit.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Rule 0 does allow that. But if the characters know about the rules for a phylactery (assuming the players know) then they might ignore the mirror reasoning that it can't be it since it doesn't have an interior space. For that reason, if you do use a mirror, I'd suggest extra hints pointing the players towards it.
    $endgroup$
    – Allan Mills
    20 hours ago






  • 13




    $begingroup$
    Unless the mirror has a secret compartment?
    $endgroup$
    – Kyyshak
    17 hours ago






  • 6




    $begingroup$
    in an esoteric sense, the "universe on the other side of the mirror" could be considered an interior space perhaps
    $endgroup$
    – Nacht
    15 hours ago






  • 10




    $begingroup$
    @Kyyshak Ohhh, so it's a medicine cabinet!
    $endgroup$
    – David K
    13 hours ago






  • 9




    $begingroup$
    @Nacht Man! This gives me an idea! The runes are only seen in the reflection of the mirror, and when they look at the mirror they see runes in the room itself, but the room is not the container it's the mirror! Wheeeee :D
    $endgroup$
    – John Hamilton
    10 hours ago
















21












$begingroup$

From the Lich's description on page 203 of the MM:




A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver.




A mirror probably doesn't count as having an "interior space into which arcane sigils are scribed" but if you're the DM and want to have the lich's phylactery as a mirror then you have the power to do just that. The rules are a guideline; they can be bent of broken as the DM sees fit.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Rule 0 does allow that. But if the characters know about the rules for a phylactery (assuming the players know) then they might ignore the mirror reasoning that it can't be it since it doesn't have an interior space. For that reason, if you do use a mirror, I'd suggest extra hints pointing the players towards it.
    $endgroup$
    – Allan Mills
    20 hours ago






  • 13




    $begingroup$
    Unless the mirror has a secret compartment?
    $endgroup$
    – Kyyshak
    17 hours ago






  • 6




    $begingroup$
    in an esoteric sense, the "universe on the other side of the mirror" could be considered an interior space perhaps
    $endgroup$
    – Nacht
    15 hours ago






  • 10




    $begingroup$
    @Kyyshak Ohhh, so it's a medicine cabinet!
    $endgroup$
    – David K
    13 hours ago






  • 9




    $begingroup$
    @Nacht Man! This gives me an idea! The runes are only seen in the reflection of the mirror, and when they look at the mirror they see runes in the room itself, but the room is not the container it's the mirror! Wheeeee :D
    $endgroup$
    – John Hamilton
    10 hours ago














21












21








21





$begingroup$

From the Lich's description on page 203 of the MM:




A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver.




A mirror probably doesn't count as having an "interior space into which arcane sigils are scribed" but if you're the DM and want to have the lich's phylactery as a mirror then you have the power to do just that. The rules are a guideline; they can be bent of broken as the DM sees fit.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$



From the Lich's description on page 203 of the MM:




A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver.




A mirror probably doesn't count as having an "interior space into which arcane sigils are scribed" but if you're the DM and want to have the lich's phylactery as a mirror then you have the power to do just that. The rules are a guideline; they can be bent of broken as the DM sees fit.







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited 22 hours ago









V2Blast

23.4k375147




23.4k375147










answered 22 hours ago









Purple MonkeyPurple Monkey

39.2k9162244




39.2k9162244












  • $begingroup$
    Rule 0 does allow that. But if the characters know about the rules for a phylactery (assuming the players know) then they might ignore the mirror reasoning that it can't be it since it doesn't have an interior space. For that reason, if you do use a mirror, I'd suggest extra hints pointing the players towards it.
    $endgroup$
    – Allan Mills
    20 hours ago






  • 13




    $begingroup$
    Unless the mirror has a secret compartment?
    $endgroup$
    – Kyyshak
    17 hours ago






  • 6




    $begingroup$
    in an esoteric sense, the "universe on the other side of the mirror" could be considered an interior space perhaps
    $endgroup$
    – Nacht
    15 hours ago






  • 10




    $begingroup$
    @Kyyshak Ohhh, so it's a medicine cabinet!
    $endgroup$
    – David K
    13 hours ago






  • 9




    $begingroup$
    @Nacht Man! This gives me an idea! The runes are only seen in the reflection of the mirror, and when they look at the mirror they see runes in the room itself, but the room is not the container it's the mirror! Wheeeee :D
    $endgroup$
    – John Hamilton
    10 hours ago


















  • $begingroup$
    Rule 0 does allow that. But if the characters know about the rules for a phylactery (assuming the players know) then they might ignore the mirror reasoning that it can't be it since it doesn't have an interior space. For that reason, if you do use a mirror, I'd suggest extra hints pointing the players towards it.
    $endgroup$
    – Allan Mills
    20 hours ago






  • 13




    $begingroup$
    Unless the mirror has a secret compartment?
    $endgroup$
    – Kyyshak
    17 hours ago






  • 6




    $begingroup$
    in an esoteric sense, the "universe on the other side of the mirror" could be considered an interior space perhaps
    $endgroup$
    – Nacht
    15 hours ago






  • 10




    $begingroup$
    @Kyyshak Ohhh, so it's a medicine cabinet!
    $endgroup$
    – David K
    13 hours ago






  • 9




    $begingroup$
    @Nacht Man! This gives me an idea! The runes are only seen in the reflection of the mirror, and when they look at the mirror they see runes in the room itself, but the room is not the container it's the mirror! Wheeeee :D
    $endgroup$
    – John Hamilton
    10 hours ago
















$begingroup$
Rule 0 does allow that. But if the characters know about the rules for a phylactery (assuming the players know) then they might ignore the mirror reasoning that it can't be it since it doesn't have an interior space. For that reason, if you do use a mirror, I'd suggest extra hints pointing the players towards it.
$endgroup$
– Allan Mills
20 hours ago




$begingroup$
Rule 0 does allow that. But if the characters know about the rules for a phylactery (assuming the players know) then they might ignore the mirror reasoning that it can't be it since it doesn't have an interior space. For that reason, if you do use a mirror, I'd suggest extra hints pointing the players towards it.
$endgroup$
– Allan Mills
20 hours ago




13




13




$begingroup$
Unless the mirror has a secret compartment?
$endgroup$
– Kyyshak
17 hours ago




$begingroup$
Unless the mirror has a secret compartment?
$endgroup$
– Kyyshak
17 hours ago




6




6




$begingroup$
in an esoteric sense, the "universe on the other side of the mirror" could be considered an interior space perhaps
$endgroup$
– Nacht
15 hours ago




$begingroup$
in an esoteric sense, the "universe on the other side of the mirror" could be considered an interior space perhaps
$endgroup$
– Nacht
15 hours ago




10




10




$begingroup$
@Kyyshak Ohhh, so it's a medicine cabinet!
$endgroup$
– David K
13 hours ago




$begingroup$
@Kyyshak Ohhh, so it's a medicine cabinet!
$endgroup$
– David K
13 hours ago




9




9




$begingroup$
@Nacht Man! This gives me an idea! The runes are only seen in the reflection of the mirror, and when they look at the mirror they see runes in the room itself, but the room is not the container it's the mirror! Wheeeee :D
$endgroup$
– John Hamilton
10 hours ago




$begingroup$
@Nacht Man! This gives me an idea! The runes are only seen in the reflection of the mirror, and when they look at the mirror they see runes in the room itself, but the room is not the container it's the mirror! Wheeeee :D
$endgroup$
– John Hamilton
10 hours ago











5












$begingroup$

Any object can be a phylactery, as long as it has an interior space in which arcane sigils can be engraved. This goes for a mirror as well.



Traditionally, mirror does not have such a space, but with a bit of creativity, you can make sure your mirror does. For example:




  • There can be a hidden compartment in the mirror's frame


  • The bezels of the mirror can be raised, basically meaning that the mirror is at the bottom of a shallow "box". If you want, you can add a lid to the box in the form of a door (which can still be there or have been lost) that can close the mirror


  • Extrapolating from that, the mirror could be the back pane of a "cupboard" that is hanging somewhere


  • The mirror could be the "lid" of some object, the inside of which could possibly even be extra-dimensional (for added spookiness, it could be a one-way mirror if you want, allowing someone on the other side to see through it)


  • Extrapolating from that, the mirror could actually be the door of a medicine cabinet as you often see in the real world







share|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    I like the idea of the mirror being the lid to an inter-dimensional container.
    $endgroup$
    – Arluin
    3 hours ago
















5












$begingroup$

Any object can be a phylactery, as long as it has an interior space in which arcane sigils can be engraved. This goes for a mirror as well.



Traditionally, mirror does not have such a space, but with a bit of creativity, you can make sure your mirror does. For example:




  • There can be a hidden compartment in the mirror's frame


  • The bezels of the mirror can be raised, basically meaning that the mirror is at the bottom of a shallow "box". If you want, you can add a lid to the box in the form of a door (which can still be there or have been lost) that can close the mirror


  • Extrapolating from that, the mirror could be the back pane of a "cupboard" that is hanging somewhere


  • The mirror could be the "lid" of some object, the inside of which could possibly even be extra-dimensional (for added spookiness, it could be a one-way mirror if you want, allowing someone on the other side to see through it)


  • Extrapolating from that, the mirror could actually be the door of a medicine cabinet as you often see in the real world







share|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    I like the idea of the mirror being the lid to an inter-dimensional container.
    $endgroup$
    – Arluin
    3 hours ago














5












5








5





$begingroup$

Any object can be a phylactery, as long as it has an interior space in which arcane sigils can be engraved. This goes for a mirror as well.



Traditionally, mirror does not have such a space, but with a bit of creativity, you can make sure your mirror does. For example:




  • There can be a hidden compartment in the mirror's frame


  • The bezels of the mirror can be raised, basically meaning that the mirror is at the bottom of a shallow "box". If you want, you can add a lid to the box in the form of a door (which can still be there or have been lost) that can close the mirror


  • Extrapolating from that, the mirror could be the back pane of a "cupboard" that is hanging somewhere


  • The mirror could be the "lid" of some object, the inside of which could possibly even be extra-dimensional (for added spookiness, it could be a one-way mirror if you want, allowing someone on the other side to see through it)


  • Extrapolating from that, the mirror could actually be the door of a medicine cabinet as you often see in the real world







share|improve this answer











$endgroup$



Any object can be a phylactery, as long as it has an interior space in which arcane sigils can be engraved. This goes for a mirror as well.



Traditionally, mirror does not have such a space, but with a bit of creativity, you can make sure your mirror does. For example:




  • There can be a hidden compartment in the mirror's frame


  • The bezels of the mirror can be raised, basically meaning that the mirror is at the bottom of a shallow "box". If you want, you can add a lid to the box in the form of a door (which can still be there or have been lost) that can close the mirror


  • Extrapolating from that, the mirror could be the back pane of a "cupboard" that is hanging somewhere


  • The mirror could be the "lid" of some object, the inside of which could possibly even be extra-dimensional (for added spookiness, it could be a one-way mirror if you want, allowing someone on the other side to see through it)


  • Extrapolating from that, the mirror could actually be the door of a medicine cabinet as you often see in the real world








share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited 11 hours ago

























answered 12 hours ago









JasperJasper

563315




563315












  • $begingroup$
    I like the idea of the mirror being the lid to an inter-dimensional container.
    $endgroup$
    – Arluin
    3 hours ago


















  • $begingroup$
    I like the idea of the mirror being the lid to an inter-dimensional container.
    $endgroup$
    – Arluin
    3 hours ago
















$begingroup$
I like the idea of the mirror being the lid to an inter-dimensional container.
$endgroup$
– Arluin
3 hours ago




$begingroup$
I like the idea of the mirror being the lid to an inter-dimensional container.
$endgroup$
– Arluin
3 hours ago










Wise Man is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










draft saved

draft discarded


















Wise Man is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.













Wise Man is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.












Wise Man is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
















Thanks for contributing an answer to Role-playing Games Stack Exchange!


  • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

But avoid



  • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

  • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.


To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




draft saved


draft discarded














StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2frpg.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f142142%2fcould-a-phylactery-of-a-lich-be-a-mirror-or-does-it-have-to-be-a-box%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);

Post as a guest















Required, but never shown





















































Required, but never shown














Required, but never shown












Required, but never shown







Required, but never shown

































Required, but never shown














Required, but never shown












Required, but never shown







Required, but never shown







Popular posts from this blog

"Incorrect syntax near the keyword 'ON'. (on update cascade, on delete cascade,)

Alcedinidae

Origin of the phrase “under your belt”?