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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tzarevitch" data-source="post: 909185" data-attributes="member: 1792">Didn't this issue come up before? Oh well, it might have been on WotC's boards. Here is a simple solution that i use. If the PCs are operating in the territory of some nation or something then use inheritance/intestacy laws against them.If the PC dies have a relative start a legal proceeding to get his stuff. Remember, "finders-keepers" is not the law in any civilized society. It doesn't matter which relative, nearly any direct relative or spouce can beat out the claim of a non-relation, even if the PC didn't know that that relative existed. Simply have agents of the legal or ecclesiatical authority find them somewhere and demand that they produce the items and the cash that belonged to the deceased. This works even better if the clergy of the god of wealth or death is overseeing the proceedings because they can perform divinations at the family's request to determine exactly what the deceased owned when he died. They can also enforce sanctions if they refuse to comply. The authorities then take the goods and currency for safekeeping until the legal proceeding is over. The PCs are welcome to join in the legal suit for their companion's stuff but they have to wait until the (many month-long) proceeding is over before they can claim anything.Note also that the PCs making out Wills in no way prevents the DM from using this tactic. It is fairly easy for relatives to tie an inheritance up in court for a long time by contesting any point of the will that sounds strange. Do this once or twice and the PCs should quickly stop expecting to see a windfall every time their companions die. Another simple solution is for the deceased PC's ghost to appear in public and accuse the PCs of theft of his property. Like many ghosts destroying it just causes it to disperse for a day or two and then return later with more public accusations. The ghost will not rest until the party settles with it the issue of its "stolen" property. Remember, since the PC chose to start a new character the ghost is an NPC and just because the character was reasonable in life doesn't mean that his ghost has to be reasonable (or even friendly with the remaining PCS) in death. After all, his former "friends" are enriching themselves like vultures due to his death. Tzarevitch</blockquote>

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