The Lich Queen Faerlak

More than 2000 years ago, the human female who would one day become a lich and call herself Faerlak was born in a small village in the Confederation of Uth. Her original name is unknown, but it's believed she showed an unusual talent for magic early on, and was taken to the old Citadel of High Magic for training. She became in time one of the Citadel's most powerful Archmages. Even though wizards normally live longer than average lives by the influence of their magic, she greatly feared her inevitable death as her time approached, and refused to accept it.

So she studied the forbidden magic of lichdom in secret, eventually completing the vile rituals necessary and becoming a lich. She was soon discovered by the mages, who attacked her en mass and drove her out. She vowed revenge, travelling the world in search of magic to make her strong enough to destroy the Citadel. It took hundreds of years, but she found it.

Now calling herself Faerlak the Lich Queen, she assaulted the Citadel with devastating magic no one had ever seen, blasting it to the ground and killing most of the mages. However, channeling that much power (some say it was a portion of Qulphine's own power) greatly weakened the lich. A few mages were able to escape, come back with reinforcements, and, after another hard battle, defeat and bind Faerlak. But they could not destroy her permanently, as no one could find her phylactery.

Instead, the mages chose to confine her on a remote island far to the north, within a magical prison which has held to this day, despite several Cult of Faerlak efforts to free her. Eventually the Citadel reformed and rebuilt its fortress, starting the current dating system.