I just lost a really cool companion. Her name was Devsem Finderelbow (the Silky Liberty of Palisades) and she was a pikewoman. She stabbed six enemies to death before dying and she saved my adventurer's life at least once--when he took an iron bolt to the ribs and another one to the left lower leg, she murdafied the guy who shot him and watched over him while he recuperated. If it wasn't for her, he would've been pulp.
A little while later in a dungeon somewhere, she ended up getting a fracture someplace from another crossbowman and keeled over. I figured, "now's my opportunity to repay her favor," so I started standing over her and fending off the maul-swinging bandit boss and his crossbow crony. But then the crossbow guy decides to fire once at her while she's down, even though the guy with the great axe who just pushed him over (me) is still perfectly fine.
He killed her.
His name was Dem Winepassion. And it wasn't even a glorious kill either. He just snuck up on her while she was unconscious and put a bolt in her head. That kinda ticked me off, so I finished him off before I killed his boss. I spilled his guts and let him watch himself bleed to death.
Then I started planning Devsem's funeral. I was going to put her corpse between two trees along with her weapon, the weapons of her victims, and two gold pieces for the ferryman. The usual.
Then I had an idea.
I decided to take not just her corpse, but everyone else's corpse too and a few random peasant skeletons I found lying around. I'd be adding them and all of their stuff to a separate funeral pyre next to hers--I'm not just going to give her the toll for the ferry, I'm going to give her a whole damn rowing crew. And more cash in case if the ferryman asks for a tip. And a few dozen fisher berries in case if she gets hungry on the way. And the clothes from the guys she killed in case if anything gets dirty and she wants to look her best for the ferryman.
And finally, as a last comfort, I'm going to take Dem Winepassion's bloated corpse (at least I'm assuming it's bloated, passionate wine-induced beer belly and all) and I'm going to plop him down next to the pyres, but not in them. He gets to watch, but he doesn't get a burial. He gets to wander the afterlife nekkid and alone. It's times like these I wish I could attack corpses and mutilate them as a sort of ritual humiliation.
Good night, sweet princess.
Edit: I just had another great idea: I'll carry Dem Winepassion's corpse around (or at least store it in a lair somewhere) until I learn necromancy. Then I'll resurrect him and mutilate him, maybe with either the bolt he killed Devsem with or Devsem's pike.