What’s a lich?

In chapter 7 of Ready Player One, Wade is on the planet Ludus in the OASIS. He must find the Tomb of Horrors, which is part of Dungeons and Dragons, to look for the Copper Key. Wade knows that he may face the evil demi-lich once he is inside the Tomb of Horrors. He defines a lich as an "undead creature." It could be a wizard or king that "uses dark magic" to connect his intellect to his own dead body. Since they are often present in video games and fantasy books, Wade is familiar with liches. He believes that he must acquire magical items in order to stand a chance against the creature. As he works his way through the chambers, he fortunately collects some of these magical items. When Wade reaches the Pillared Throne Room, he sees the "demi-lich Acererak." It turns out that Wade must battle the creature by playing a 1980s video game called Joust.

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