original_query: What happens to a player's character when they die in the game?
query: What happens to a player's character when they die in NetHack?
answer: In NetHack, the game features permadeath;  dead characters cannot be revived.  The cause of death and score are recorded, and the player is given the option to identify their possessions before starting a new game.  The game may also save the level on which the character died in a 'bones file', integrating it into a later game.