Of course, as it was Star Wars I had John Williams playing, the ending music of The Empire Strikes back. There’s also no ressurections

The player’s body, I had the players say a few words about the character and what they had done before the body was launched into space and floated away.

It is a big city called the Necropolis Litharge where the population are undertakers. They make it their job to learn the funeral rites of a multitude of peoples and worlds. This means that people from all over the “multiverse” bring their dead to them and the people from the necropolis will hold the last rites, rituals or other ceremony (embalming or special treatment of the body included) appropriate to their religion or customs.

Since they only offer a service, they do not produce goods and ask in exchange some offering of food, money, clothing etc.

I have always found it a very cool place where interesting things could happen. Of course, the one in a fantasy world does not have to cover multiple planes but could simply work for the whole prime material plane.

It also raises questions of warring races or factions. Do creatures that hate each other uphold the peace if they meet there? Is there something that forces the peace? In D&D 4th, maybe the Raven Queen punishes severely those who disturb the peace in such a place.

(This is also a test to see if I’m free of the spam trap. Edit: Huzzah! Looks that way! Stupid firewall.)

Playing Arcana Evolved I have a great deal of ritual in my home game, this cemented the fact that when a major npc dies my players will have to attend the funeral and preform the eulogy.

I love the grim reaper idea! (good call)

I have often thought of a community that had religious precepts against raise dead, and likely they would have legal ones as well, you are no longer a citizen you have no rights and they treat you just like you were one of the undead, with thier turning power actaully effecting the raised or ressurected character (using the planescape ideal that religion is based on belief, and belief creates reality). Nice place to visit would not want to be reborn there.

also if your playing 3.0 or 3.5 don’t forget reincarnation; all I can think of is the scene with Nordwick from Gamers 2. Let the PC try to convice the tax collecter that he is the same guy and has already paid his taxes.

Because undead are a community problem, the goverment of my game gets involved in all death rites, regulating what must be done. The local graveyard (necropolis) is desinged to stop undead for being created and if they are created to keep them trapped in the graveyard.

I have done the reading of the will, it is a very good starting point for a game. I have also enjoyed the inheratice hooks: my players found a very dangerous room with a Living Wall (2.0 MC) in thier new house, they closed it off, bricked it up and put a big sign: Do Not Enter.

Azmo: Wills are great– particularly for murder mysteries! I know Shadowrun had a fun supplement, Dunklezahn’s Will, with lots of short adventure ideas funded by the Draco Foundation.

Coolcyclone: That is interesting. I wonder if being raised is enough to be a crisis of faith for her clerics… and what god they migrate to thereafter. Or maybe their experience is enough to convince them to fight to change their faith’s doctrines…

Kurt: I was afraid that statement would be “TMI”, but… I’m a geek and wear it on my sleeve. Everyday events are interesting to imagine translated into games– you know the core is the same [people gathered and grieving, distribution of goods], but small twists can really make a fantasy world feel coherent.

I’m not sure if I am impressed or embarrassed by this statement.

Cool topic, however. It makes me wonder what other milestones in life can be effectively used in an RPG.

What happens (in DnD) if you bring back from death a paladin or cleric of the Raven Queen?

Its kind of interesting where you could go from there.

Exploring the environ, coupled with strange visitors and packages can arrive, thus acting as plot hooks for episodic style play. Estranged spouses or relatives can arrive feeling they are owed a cut of the inheritance, Police investigators can knock on the door with questions the party cannot answer.

Depending on story needs, the patron need not even stay dead. Good crossroads for plots.

I think i might add a few goblin funerals just to put my group in that awkward spot. Very good post.

Edit: I’m glad you were freed from the spam trap Darth K; that sounds like a great way to shine the light on a neglected part of your character. Sounds like a great excursion.

http://darthkrzysztof.blogspot.com/2007/10/deep-forest.html