Suggested by reader Nick Wright, I just had to do it. You have felled the big-bad-evil-doer. But then what? He just lays there? She says nothing? No, we must have a dramatic death! It is a moral imperative!
Here’s a list of actions and phrases you can drop in as the enemy dies. They may be meaningless ways for your NPC to mess with the players’ heads. It may be the lead to the next adventure. Your call. Remember to change any language to make it appropriate to your setting. Change “you” to “thou” or “thee” and stuff like that.
Remember, you can always re-roll if the result makes no sense.
- “[Deity’s name], watch over me.”
- “A rain of fire shall cleanse the world!”
- “And I shall rise again…even stronger…”
- “And now I shall sleep…”
- “And now my beloved and I will be together at last…”
- “And the dark legions of Hell will embrace me as their new god…”
- “At last, an adventure truly worthy of me.”
- “Beautiful…”
- “Burn! Burn for all eternity!”
- “But…the prophecy said…how could this be?”
- “Can we not talk this over?”
- “Could you keep it down, I am trying to think.”
- “Death cannot contain me!”
- “Death’s sweet embrace…”
- “Death is only the beginning.”
- Disintegrates into dust.
- Dissolves into a pool of slime.
- “Don’t let it end like this. Tell them I said something.”
- Draws a dagger from within their clothing, but dies before they can stab or throw the weapon.
- “Everyone must dance with Death.”
- Exclaims “Of course! I see it now.”
- “It comes to this at last. I am grateful, for this world bores me so.”
- “Fate…has a different plan it seems.”
- “Fools! Fools, jesters, and half-wits…”
- “Filthy peasants!”
- Fumbles a locket out of their shirt and stares intently into the picture therein.
- Gasps then says “It’s me! It’s [insert NPC name here]! I’m trapped inside this body. Help me…”
- Giggles uncontrollably.
- “Go away. You all stink.”
- “Gods, I need a drink.”
- “Gods! That hurts!”
- Goes rigid for a few seconds, then moves no more.
- “Good people are always so sure that they are in the right.”
- Grips their head screaming in agony then suddenly drops and goes silent.
- Holds out a photo/cameo of a little girl and whispers “Watch over her…”
- Howls in fury then falls silent.
- “I am ready.”
- “I fear nothing. Not even death!”
- “I go to my glory!”
- “I have never felt better!”
- “I have so much more to accomplish.”
- “I live!”
- “I shall be avenged.”
- “I shall be waiting for you…on the other side.”
- “I was only doing what I thought was right.”
- “I’ll see you again…in Hell!”
- “I’ll see you all, quite soon.”
- “I’m glad it was you…my son/daughter.”
- “It has been an honor…”
- “Just…just wait one moment…”
- Laughs maniacally.
- Lifts their chin, bearing their throat. “Go on! Finish it, if you have the nerve!”
- Looks at his wounds and mutters “Curious…”
- Looks meaningfully at one of the party members and says “Our work is not yet finished.”
- Lunges at the closest player, but falls short and dies.
- “Justice! Where is my justice?!”
- “Kill them. Kill them all.”
- Makes a complicated hand gesture, then dies.
- Makes a rude hand gesture, then dies.
- “Master…I have failed you…”
- “Mother…” (or Father)
- Mutters something in an unknown language.
- “My ring! Where is my ring?”
- “My work is done. Why wait any further?”
- “No! NO!”
- “No, no. A god cannot be killed.”
- “Oh the pain. The sweet, exquisite pain.” Then shudders, happily.
- Points a finger at a party member and says something in a strange language, then dies.
- Pulls out a ring and tries to put it on, but fumbles it and dies, the ring clattering to the floor.
- Pulls out a vial/device and uses it to immolate themselves.
- “Righteous shall be my vengeance!”
- Smiles happily and says “And now my suffering is, at last, finished. Thank you.”
- “So cold. So very cold…”
- “So little done and so much still to do.”
- Sobs like a child.
- Spits blood into the nearest player’s face.
- Spits on the ground at the player’s feet.
- Stares pitifully at one of the party members and says “But, I did this all for you!”
- “Such is life.”
- “Surrounded by fools and pretenders. What an end.”
- “‘Tis but a scratch!”
- “Thank you…”
- “The curse is now broken. I am free.”
- “The debt…has been paid.”
- Their body dissolves into a foul-smelling cloud of gas, leaving empty clothing behind.
- “This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”
- Throws themselves off the nearest balcony/cliff/chasm.
- “Time to go home…”
- Tosses a coin (or equivalent currency) to a player. “First round is on me.”
- Twitches violently for a few seconds, then goes still.
- “Unbelievable!”
- “Villains! Villains all!”
- “Watch over [NPC name].”
- “Why not?”
- “Why? WHY?!”
- Winks at one of the players.
- “You don’t get it, fools. I’ve still won…”
- “You should be screaming about now…”
- “You still do not understand. And you never will…”
- “Zounds!”
I saw this and something from Dawn of War popped into my head: It is better to die for the Emperor than live for yourself. It really fits here.
Substitute as you see fit. The idea is for the villain to not go quietly. To leave something behind that makes the moment more intense (bitter, celebratory, uncertain, or whatever).
This is really good. Thank you fro coming up with this. A lot of these could pretty much double the length of a campaign!