Death

Death is a mechanic employed when a creature drops below 1 HP.

Overview
When a creature drops below 1 HP, it enters a dying state for a period of time. If the creature was dropped to exactly 0 HP, they have 16 seconds, otherwise if the killing blow dealt 9 damage or more, the creature will have 4 seconds, otherwise they will have 12 seconds. During this time, if the creature has less than the negative value of its Max HP, it will die instantly, however the creature may not take any more physical damage while in this state. While dying, the creature is unable to perform any Actions, or recover any stats, and it will be unconscious. If the creature is not saved within this time, they will permanently die.

Saves
If the creature is aided though live-giving shifting while dying, it will gain a temporary state of Voidwalker-, which is removed if the creature returns to life. This is a way that permanent death can be avoided, however if the Voidwalker- requirements are not met, they will die as normal. If the creature cannot be physically touched, it cannot be saved against death.

Applying this effect to a dying creature will cost half of the giving creature's current HP and all of its EP, and then the creature will need to win against the dying creature's -Recovery contest with a +Spirit check. If that is successful, the dying creature is granted the HP and EP lost from the giving creature as HP, and if that brings the creature above 0HP, that creature is saved. If the check fails, the giving creature will still lose its HP and EP, as this is a cost of the shifting, however the dying creature will have 1 more DD on any death resist check until it fails.

If the giving creature truly dies while the creature that it aided is still in the void, the creature that it aided will also die.

Certain situations may prevent saves, such as proximity to a Mata, save-preventing weapons/shifting and age, where the younger a creature is, the harder it will be for that creature to perform a save. Additionally, a death-save is not possible if Mera has been involved in the death, including a death from old age.

Consequence
In most situations, death will result in the permanent end of a creature, as their very essence is scattered through the void. In that case, it will result in one of three outcomes: Certain traits, such as Voidwalker, may avoid death, but they have no outcome on how an actual death is resolved.
 * Nothing - The creature simply dies, and becomes a part of The Cycle once more.
 * Birth - If the creature is of a high enough tier and/or it dies in the right way, it may directly give birth to another creature, such as a cluster of Fae being born from a Belladon.
 * Distortion - The creature has a strong enough tie to the world that it remains in some form. This may be in the form of a ghost, such as an Undone or Ascene, but the creature will lose some of who it was.