1d20 Deals with Death

A friend wants to run a game in which resurrection is possible in return for making a deal with Death. These deals should be tailored to the character, but a request was made for inspiration. With that in mind, I present to you:

1d20 Deals With Death that may or may not apply to your game

I'll return you to the world, but in return...

1. You must act in absolutes. No middle ground, no indecision.
2. You must leave me with your artistic craft. No song can leave your lips; no painting may part your brush.
3. You leave your deceits and lies behind you. You can no longer tell a lie.
4. You walk amongst your peers as an echo of life. You will have no pulse, your skin will give no warmth.
5. You may no longer extend your life with magic and elixirs. No potions, no healing spells.
6. You must break your ties to oaths and promises, and leave this world free of obligation.
7. You must forsake material goods. You may not own property or trade in coin.
8. Your beauty remains with me. You will not be disfigured, only made plain. A face among thousands.
9. The beasts and plants will recognise you as one who has departed from the natural order.
10. Your words will carry no sway, for they've all been heard before.
11. I have need for your skills. You will be a layman in your craft.
12. You must walk in the footprints of another. You will awaken in a new body.
13. You must accept that the Chase is on. I am but one face of Death, and others will pursue you and try to bring you back to me.
14. Your ties to this world will be... reset. To your loved ones, you will be a stranger once more.
15. You will spend half of your life with me. You will die at sunset and be resurrected at sunrise, each and every day.
16. I will take your voice, to keep me company in these quiet halls.
17. You will send the living down to me. When in battle, your enemies must leave the world of the living.
18. Fiends and celestials will have nought to do with you. You won't be worth their time or their gratitude.
19. Another life must be taken. I choose...
20. Another life must be taken. You must choose between...

The Industry of Death

Underworld by Dragos Jineau

(based on an idea of duergar being dwarves that dug too far down into the earth, breaking into the underworld and being claimed by death's domain. Also heavily influenced by listening to Hadestown a lot recently.)

Death's job used to be easy. Few things died in the old days, and the passage of those souls was a short duration. Many of the first children of the gods were made without an end of life in mind. For Death, existence was simple.

Then the mortals turned up.

A mortal soul lasts longer post-mortem than that of a worm or tree. Throughout life their soul accumulates debris- quirks, habits, tastes, personality, uniqueness. This keeps it tethered to its last life, and makes their souls restless.

To solve this, Death gave the souls purpose. Death gave the souls work to be done.

The underworld is an expansive factory of subterranean bridges and workhouses. Oil, steam, and work are the currency of this land, where the restless dead toil away at the Great Machine.

The Great Machine has many components, many functions, many forms. If asked, no one knows what the true purpose or end goal of the Great Machine is, only that it will eventually be done and that it will be done sooner if they work harder. The passages of the underworld echo with the work chants of the dead, all focused on the continuation of the Great Machine.

Those that enter the underworld come to find it technologically more advanced than the surface world. Thousands of souls all working towards one goal have achieved much through plundering the earth's core resources and putting them to work. Adventurers may seek to bring these technologies to the land of the living, but Death guards them fiercely.

Death has few guards in the underworld. There are wardens that ensure the work is done and that the workers do as they're told, but few warriors. Instead, adventurers face the opposition of Death themselves. Death chooses the slain and cannot themselves die- few require this to be explained to them before they realise the fight is already lost.