Today I ran an event which had momentous consequences for the shape of the EfU module. I can easily judge that by the fact that I'm still sitting here in the toolset making the many changes to the module that has happened.

Although I announced several times that participants were risking perma-death, that didn't end up happening. People didn't seem to hesitate to respawn, and many who died got raised later.

After several hours straight of DM'ing I tend to get so tired that I don't ask people to keep their PCs retired, since often times that involves considerable unhappiness and displeasure from a player that I always dread.

However, looking back on it I regret not asking people to keep their characters dead. The fact is, if I'm going to spend hours figuring out which NPCs survived, removing the ones who got knocked off, changing quests around, etc. etc. it seems inconsistent that Pcs who died will only end up down a little XP. The NPCs who died aren't going to come back, after all.

In the future, I will be more firm about enforcing perma-death. But the message I'd really like people to come away with this post is that they should really embrace a good ending for their characters. Characters tend to get stale after a certain period of time, and a good ending beyond a simple quest death seems like something to be sought after. Self-enforced endings to characters is vastly more preferable than DM enforced endings to me, and is something I hope people will consider as a way to give more meaning to events of this kind.

Skree got a res, and had plans to regain his strength and continue, but in light of a grand death defending his tribe (adopted),and Howlands post, he is retired. I believe it is the right thing to do. He will never grace the underdark again. As it should be.

-Jaws was a great film, the second-et all-...not so much..-

I agree with howland I saw many players who died but respawned after!

To be fair, I asked to res Fen (if you said no I was gonna go perma too hehe), and I lost two chars that day! Rinn was murdered just before the fight, and Vana was killed by goblins while looking for dead to loot. But I think the huge change to the module might be enough shock :)

I don't think it was Howland's intention to point fingers at anyone in particular. No need to defends yourselves!

it's a habit :D

I think it was more about having those kind of conversation afterwards:

"This will be a day that we shall remember forever as a day of liberation! Remember those that fell to the enemies to support your freedom!" said Grand Mayor Bhast.

"Dude, they got ressurected and having a party right now." said Joe.

"Fair enough, lets go quest." said Moe.

The point is, if your head is gonna get bashed in with a giant with +14 strength, you outta perma in my opinion. Earier barely survived, and is now gonna be dazed for the rest of his life.

If it makes you feel better Thomas, Fen and Jenner were both eaten by goblins later on :P

just wondering was it just the people respawning that was the problem or people getting raised? Just asking because i thought the secound option was okay long as they have the body.

Dilandau Kale Just asking because i thought the secound option was okay long as they have the body.

The way I see it, when you fall below -10 HP, one of two things has happened IC. Either you got knocked on the head really hard and once the dust settles might wake up...

Or you're dead.

If it's the first, that explains all the people who just respawn and explain it away IC as a 'close call' or 'near death experience'.

If it's the second then you should only come back to life if the Gods themselves decide you should continue to live, via a rez.

If a DM says that it's a perma-death scenario, then one shouldn't respawn. It's not your fault, though, if the Gods want you to continue to live...

So, in my mind, if I'm told something is a perma-death situation, I default to standard DnD ressurection rules and don't just respawn. This includes CvC interactions as well.

That said, if the DMs further say that not only is it perma-death, but no priest is gonna ressurect you either... *shrugs* guess it's time to roll up a new PC.

damn...i must of missed this whole event...typical...

My post wasn't addressed to any individuals at all, the point of it was to encourage players in the future to embrace meaningful deaths and endings for their characters as a self-enforced way.