The
Lich King is the ruler of the Undead Armies. He is not a physical being however; he is a spirit-like entity that commands through telepathic messages to his commanding officers. His "spirit" resides within the
Frozen Throne: basically a throne completely frozen within layers of ice, and perched on top of a huge mountain of ice and rock.
In the storyline, a former paladin named
Arthas becomes power-hungry and searches for
Frostmourne, a sword and a powerful artifact that contains the essence of the Lich King. Once having obtained the sword, Arthas becomes possessed to do the Lich Kings biddings, and wants more power.
Soon, after Arthas is able to
squelch the opposing forces, he travels to the Frozen Throne as dictated by the Lich King, breaks the ice away from the throne with Frostmourne, and puts on the crown of the Lich King; The Lich King has returned.