Death’s Door

Death is strange in the Underworld.

In the depths, powerful magics shackle the souls of the dead to their corpses. If left unattended, these souls become terrifying undead. If healed, however, even fallen heroes may rise and live again. (Trying to understand what magics operate in the Underworld that allow a dead body to be healed is one of the chief reasons that adventurers explore that hateful realm.)

When your adventurer takes another Wound after taking the Injured condition, check the Death’s Door condition. While at Death’s Door, you are unconscious and in a quasi-state of death. After you mark Death’s Door, you will linger there for a single watch afterwards.

If no healing is administered within the span of a watch, someone at Death’s Door will die. If someone dies, there is no return. Death is the final adventure.

• Anyone dying in the Underworld rises as an undead—a zombie (if their body is intact) or a wraith (if their body is destroyed). See page 286 for information on zombies and page 284 for wraiths.

While at Death’s Door, a poultice (p. 168) may be applied to forestall doom. Having a poultice applied allows you to test Wands to survive. This test has favor if the person applying the poultice has an applicable medical motif.

• On a success, you gain consciousness, mark Stressed, and clear the Death’s Door condition.

• On a failure, you die. At the next watch, your body will rise as a zombie.

• On a great failure, you die and instantly rise as a zombie.

While at Death’s Door, anything—alchemy, magic, or talent—that grants the Heal effect will save your life.

• If Healed, you gain consciousness, mark Stressed, and clear the Death’s Door condition.