Although you hope it doesn’t happen, death comes to all, especially in a fantasy/sci-fi genre and can be almost guaranteed in horror. But, for many, this may not be “the last great unknown”. The characters, players and NPCs alike, can sometimes come back via spells or rituals.

But death is a major event in a beings life and being returned, sometimes against your will, from beyond the Veil will have consequences…

  • Flashbacks – Every so often, the one who died gets a flashback to the moment of their death. The more their current situation matches the moment of death, the greater the chance of it occurring
  • Removed from Paradise – When the subject is brought back, it turns out they were in, would basically be called paradise. They had been granted peace and rest and you just dragged them back into a world they didn’t want to return to.
  • Removed from Hell – The flip side to the above, some “thing” had claimed then and when you brought the subject back, not only are they in shock, time has been said to stretch on longer in hell than in the prime material plane, with a thousand years being in hell being equal to a day back home. Oh, and you just pissed off whoever was in charge of the place as well.
  • Something went wrong with the reintegration of your mind/soul back into your body. The subject becomes unhinged and mentally unstable
  • Something else comes back – The body lives, but something else has come back in place of the soul you were trying to revive
  • Something has hitched a ride – You have brought your friend back to life, huzzah! But it seems like something else took the opportunity to cross the veil as well
  • Personality reversal – Dieing and being brought back is a traumatic experience. So much so that for some people it can flip their personality. A noble paladin, having seen the void that awaits beyond death may now become a hedonistic brawler. The dour, yet powerful mage now celebrates in the beauty of this life as they have been given a second chance and so on.
  • A price is demanded – The ones who control life and death and those who pass through the Veil demand payment. Rarely is it gold or gemstones. They require a task to be performed and it would be most unwise to upset the being that allowed you to live once more.
  • Tainted Aura – Your aura is now tainted by death. As such, magic and holy effect now work on you as well, just slightly. Holy symbols may repulse you, blessed water stings a bit and sunlight seems ever so brighter. You are not undead but are showing a few signs that you may be one of them.
  • Unlocked potential – Being killed and then reborn has somehow made you…better… than you were before. Your mind is clearer, your body feels fresh and new, everything just seems to be working at 100%.
  • Weaker – Mentally you are fine, for the most part. But your body is weaker. Those aches are stronger, your eyesight is now worse. It’s like you have aged 10 years or so.
  • Seeing beyond the veil – Being returned to your body you can now see the spirits, energy patterns, or souls left behind by those departed. You have become sensitive to the energies of death.
  • Deathwish – Related to “removed from paradise” but you now know for sure that death is NOT the end. As such, you no longer fear it like you used to and have a tendency to rush into situations that before you would have avoided. The flip-side to this one is “Fear of Death” – Most sentients fear death, but you now work to avoid it like never before
  • No-mercy – Now you are back on the material plane, your sense of mercy has become…warped. If before you would have spared a life before, now you send them on their way, almost gleefully as you know that it’s possible for them to come back if they really wanted to…

There are many more possible consquences? If you got any good ones, share them in the comments below

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