<aside> đź’ˇ The server logs every player's death in-game. But even with logged evidence, we ask that players take screenshots and save their chat logs.
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Cassus mortem (lit., "empty death") is simply when a player's character has suffered Permadeath under less-than-ideal situations. In most cases, so long as the underlying framework for the death had an in-character rationale, the resulting Permadeath is final.
For example, a player idling in Buckle Under Wood or a character "lagging out" (or going AFK) in the sewers is unlikely to be resurrected.
When cassus mortem involves potential misconduct there are three types of “traffic lights”:
Player-on-player assassination which has been approved by a Dungeon Master is considered a Green Light cassus mortem.
Green Light Example: Player A has been approved to assassinate Player B. The circumstances surrounding the assassination did not allow for Player B to set Player A Hostile in time. Player B had the "right to flee" but was not able to make it out. There may have also been some path-finding issues which prevented Player B's character to successfully navigate to an escape. Either way, the assassination was approved because there was exceptional in-character rationale and the framework for the PvP was founded on roleplay. Player B had a keen understanding that one day Player A would come looking for him.
Read more about assassination in Player vs. Player (PvP).
In most cases, the result of Yellow Light cassus mortem will be Permadeath, even when the circumstances surrounding PvP weren't ideal. However, so long as the death was warranted within the framework of roleplay, the players have accepted the consequences of entering into trial by combat. Yellow Lights are still investigated by Dungeon Masters as time allows.
Yellow Light Example 1: two characters duel one other because of a competing claim over "hunting grounds." Player A's !subdual settings were set to full damage while Player B was appropriately set to sparring. Player A accidentally kills Player B, even though Player B never intended to kill Player A.
It appears these two players never ensured their !subdual settings were appropriately set with one another (via TELL). In this case, the players will not be penalized, however, the resulting Permadeath of Player B is final, even if it was a cassus mortem.
Yellow Light Example 2: two characters duel one other because of a competing claim over "hunting grounds." Both player's !subdual settings are set to sparring. Somehow, Player B was able to kill Player A. Both players kept screenshots and logs.
The resulting cassus mortem of Player A is likely to be remedied by a Dungeon Master in the form of resurrection because of a script, build, or server error rather than one formed by the players' actions.