If Medusa dies, do petrified players/NPCs come back from stone?

[BookBarbarian]

The medusa description in the MM is very specific about how to end the petrification: The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.

In my current campaign, one of the PCs was turned to stone by a Medusa and after the rest of the group killed the Medusa they took some of her blood and found an alchemist to make a potion to restore the stoned PC. Something like that could work.

Let them make medusa blood stone-to-flesh potions.

Edit: Technically "oils".

I'd let potions brewed from medusa remains fall in the "other magic" category specified in the monster text, but not go for the killing it ends the effect option.

 

[Blue]

I had a TPK with a medusa boss some time ago.

The players made new characters, leveled up, and ultimately took out the medusa...which is fine, of course.

They want thier old characters back, which i am not totally against, but the players think that killing the medusa would un-petrify everyone the medusa has ever petrified..including thier old characters, NPCs, and all other creatures.

Im not entirely sure about this, but i cant find a rule against it.
The players want my DM judgement to supercede and allow it, but im not so sure it makes sense entirely.

im not trying to hamper them or ruin their fun or anything, and dont mind if they Greater Restoration thier old characters, i just not sure if they automatically come back from stone if the medusa boss dies.

let me know what you think
thanks in advance

In general, killing a Medusa does not return the characters to life. It is a permanent transformation, requiring something like a Stone to Flesh spell to return.

Another way to think about it is that if it did turn them back, it would remove all fo the fear from combat with a Medusa. In most cases, it will be defeated. If that undid everything if had done there would be no tension.

Now, if your party fo players wants to retire the new characters and bring back the old party, let them. You can spin the narrative as the new party found a patron who was willing to cast stone to flesh to bring everyone back ... but they need this quest done. Give them a hook and get them going immediately. Happy players, happy DM.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Sounds like you have an expectation clash in your group. If your players thought all along that killing the medusa would bring their old characters back to flesh, then not having this happen at the moment of their triumph will be a disappointment, even if it's their own fault that they never bothered to research how medusa petification actually works.

There's not really a good solution for this kind of problem, either you have unsatisfied players or you have to mess with the lore. The ancient Greeks used to solve such a conundrum by having a god show up and put things in order. Maybe the medusa was cursed by a god, and now that she's dead the god shows up and undoes all her petrification?

 

[MostlyHarmless42]

According to the rules as written, no. That said, it is not unheard of in various versions of fiction or mythology revolving around medusa for their victims to become unpetrofied when the medusa that turned them is slain. That said, whether or not the statues are still in one piece is the question. Creatures dont generally survive being split into multiple pieces.

 

[RhaezDaevan]

Find a snake oil salesman! Maybe removing petrification after a medusa is dead is the one thing it IS good for.

Alternatively, they could go on an adventure to gather ingredients for a cure. Unicorn tears anyone?

 

[Satyrn]

In a very early episode of Hercules the Legendary Journeys, Iolus gets turned to stone by a monster. It's not a medusa, but close enough.

Hercules saves him (and a lot of villagers) from the petrification by killing the monster. I think that's precedent enough to have it work that way. Especially since it provides a neat story to save not just the stoned heroes, but also all of the Medusa's other victims.

It also gives other villains a reason to want to protect the medusa. The first thought that leaps to mind is an evil king who only hold the throne because his older brother is petrified. I'm sure there's a thousand more possibilities.