Of necromancers in the Elder Scrolls series and in Skyrim, it’s the lich that is perhaps the most feared among them, especially since they’ve tapped into the power of lichdom to preserve their souls as they grow in undeath power. Among the liches in Tamriel, it’s the Ayleid Lich that is the most powerful, given the Ayleid’s deep study of aetherial magic. As such, it makes sense for Skyrim to have Ayleid Liches as one of its most dangerous creatures.
Interestingly enough, player characters with enough skill and the right equipment can actually force an Ayleid Lich to fight by their side, giving them unprecedented access to an ally against even the fiercest foes. In this Elder Scrolls game, players can tap into the assistance of an Ayleid Lich with a few nifty steps.
Conjure Ayleid Lich
At its core, the only way to summon an Ayleid Lich is through the Conjure Ayleid Lichspell, which is learnable via the “Conjure Ayleid Lich” spell tome, which gives them access to this Conjuration Magic spell. Players can only attain the “Conjure Ayleid Lich” tome through an extended questline. At its core, the Conjure Ayleid Lich spell has the following properties:
- Cost: 358 Magicka
- School: Conjuration
- Level: Expert
- Duration: 60 Seconds
Perk Interactions
Players can further improve the potency of Conjure Ayleid Lich by having the following Perks:
- Summoner: Having this perk will increase the range of Conjure Ayleid Lich by as much as 48-feet in the first rank and 72-feet in the second rank.
- Atromancy: Having this perk increases the duration of Conjure Ayleid Lich to 120 seconds.
- Twin Souls: Having this perk will let players cast two Ayleid Liches instead of one for every cast.
Crafting The Spell
Players can only get the Conjure Ayleid Lich spell tome through crafting since it’s one of the newest spells added in Skyrim Anniversary Edition. They need to do the following things in order to successfully acquire the spell tome:
- Use the Atronach Forge, which is located in the Midden placed deep within the College of Winterhold.
- Combine: Great Welkynd Stone, Ruined Book, Salt Pile. The Great Welkynd Stone in particular is only obtainable through a particular questline.
What Is An Ayleid Lich?
Before fans get into the act of summoning an Ayleid Lich, it’s important to understand the context of what makes them some of the most potent summons in Skyrim. This is extremely important, especially for players who want some background on the Ayleid Lich compared to other variants, as well as for lore lovers who want to make their summon match their own headcanon. At its core, it helps to understand the two aspects of the creature:
An Ayleid First
The most important distinction of an Ayleid Lich compared to others is its origins as an Ayleid, essentially a Wild Elf or a Heartland High Elf. In Tamriel’s history, the Ayleid were the first Mer to have established their own empire in Tamriel and were the first inhabitants of what’s known as Cyrodiil in the modern-day. In fact, such was the power of the Ayleid that they were the founders of Imperial City before the enslaved Nedic peoples rose in rebellion against them.
Unlike other Mer, the Ayleid have a grasp on the mystic arts. Such was their devotion to their craft that they often contacted Daedra for deals in exchange for power, and their magical systems follow the same fundamental elements but replace the “weaker” fire with light.
An Undead Necromancer Second
Second to the nature of the Ayleid Lich is its nature as an UndeadNecromancer. Unlike other practitioners of the dark arts, a Lich in Tamriel is a necromancer that transforms into an undead by mastering the most dangerous and potent forms of undeath magic. Only a necromancer with access to a Phylactery can become a Lich.
In the lore, a Phylactery is usually a jar or a chest that contains the soul of the Lich. For as long as that Phylactery is safe and sound, the Lich continues to subsist for centuries. It’s through this method that Liches manage to live for hundreds or even thousands of years, free from the constraints of mortality while at the same free to pursue as much knowledge as they want.
Why The Ayleid Lich?
Similar to other summons, the Ayleid Lich has its own set of stats as well as unique abilities to use in combat. However, while other humanoid creatures can use their own equipped weapons, the Ayleid Lich has the unique advantage of being spellcasters.
The Stats
Unlike other summons, the Ayleid Lich is surprisingly a potent creature. At Level 50, the Ayleid Lich isn’t exactly a pushover even without its base spells. Here are the stats of the Ayleid Lich:
- Level: 50
- Health: 1490
- Magicka: 545
- Stamina: 100
The Spells
Since Ayleid Liches are spellcasters, they boast their own set of spells that they’ve accumulated through years of study. As such, players who summon them can take advantage of the spells the Ayleid Lich contains. The Ayleid Liches have the distinct advantage of summoning powerful creatures on behalf of the player, such as a devastating atronach. This is the spell list of the Ayleid Lich:
- Raise Zombie
- Summon Storm Atronach
The Drops
Similar to other creatures, killing an Ayleid Lich will yield drops. And similar to other humanoids, an Ayleid Lich will most likely drop the items it’s wearing and carrying. Players who get to kill an Ayleid Lich can expect these items as part of its drops:
- Ayleid Helmet
- Ayleid Maia
- Ayleid Staff
- Bone Meal
However, it helps to note that the player’s own Ayleid Lich will have an ash pile that cannot be looted upon death.
The Cause: The Beginning
With the basic stats of the Ayleid Lich out of the way, now is the best time to explain the best way to get its Conjure Ayleid Lich spell, which is through the Great Welkynd Stone in The Cause storyline. At its core, this will have players investigate the activities of the remnants of the Mythic Dawn, a cult worshipping the Daedra Lord Mehrunes Dagon and was the principal antagonist organization in Elder Scrolls 4.
Players can start “The Cause” when a courier sends the “Stranger’s Plea” to the player, which directs them to the Shrine of Stendarr. This is located around the center of Whiterun Hold’s tundra, northeast of Broken Fang Cave and south of Swindler’s Den. Players know they’re in the area if they can spot the Shrine of Zenithar around the west.
The Cause: Ambush By The Mythic Dawn
By the time players arrive in the Shrine of Stendarr, they will see the body of Skorvild, which will then prompt an ambush courtesy of two Mythic Dawn assassins. While this will be odd at first, killing them will allow the players to search them for “Mythic Dawn Orders” and Skorvild for his “Journal.”
Players will learn from the assassins that a “traitor” has been found within the Mythic Dawn, and they need to search for the missing Priestess Enakain and Acolyte Skorvild. They also have to be “destroyed” if they’re found to be traitorous. The assassins are to travel to their excavation camp afterwards for instructions but have to stay wary of “the Vigil of Stendarr.”
The Cause: Investigation, The Plan
Players should go to the Alchemist’s Shack and then head northward until they reach the Mythic Dawn Camp. The place will be home to three hostile Mythic Dawn explorers, whose bodies contain the “Excavation Leader’s Journal.” This will reveal to players that the Mythic Dawn are in search of an ancient artifact capable of “holding” an Oblivion Gate long enough for Mehrunes Dagon to return.
It’s soon revealed that the Ayleid were known for Welkynd Stones made of meteoric glass that can hold great magic. The team’s next destination is Rielle, an Ayleid ruin, where the Mythic Dawn hopes to gain access to a powerful Great Welkynd Stone. This will lead players to Varlais Cavern, a cave south of Arcwind Point.
The Cause: Rediscovering Rielle
When players get inside the Varlais Cavern, they’ll notice that it’s not like the usual cave systems in the game. Rather, it leads to an excavation site, which in itself leads to the Ayleid ruins of Rielle. There are various Ayleid urns and casks that can be looted, but players have to be prepared to fight wights that patrol the area around scattered corpses of Janus and other cultists.
After players read the journal from the corpses, they’ll need to locate four elemental stones, which they need to place in certain holders:
- Elemental Shard – Wel is found with a Mythic Dawn Explorer and goes in the North holder.
- Elemental Shard – Sercen is found with a Wight Lord and goes in the South holder.
- Elemental Shard – Nen is found with a Wight Lord before the Rielle Crypt door and goes in the West holder.
- Elemental Shard – Alata is found with a Wight Lord in Rielle Crypt and goes in the East holder.
The Cause: Great Welkynd Stone
Players who manage to place the shards in the right areas will open a secret door that leads them to the location of the Great Welkynd Stone. They need to take this stone to prompt Norion the Undying to burst out of his coffin, which prompts a mini-boss fight. Looting his body will give players the Rielle Key and the Staff of Ehino Ede, which lets players cast Wall Of Storms and Drain Stamina.
Afterward, players need to go back to the main area of the map to see Mythic Dawn agents fighting with Vigil Enforcers. They need to search a Vigil Enforcer’s corpse near the entrance for a journal, which will then give them the location of an Oblivion Gate in Red Scar Cavern.
The Cause: Beginning The Consequences
Players may wear Mythic Dawn robes outside the Red Scar Cavern to trick the Mythic Dawn Guard protecting the entrance. This will help players avoid conflict, as the disguise works with other members inside the cave. This cave system will lead them to the Mythic Dawn Temple, which will eventually have players go face to face with an inactive Oblivion Gate.
The mission comes to an end when players manage to kill Vonos, but this will unfortunately prompt the opening of the Oblivion gate. This begins “The Consequences” quest, which will have players enter the Deadlands and fight Dagon’s champions. Players may want to have the Conjure Ayleid Lich before beginning this quest.
Skyrim is available on PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.