How to remove a PC in game?

[Pinjata]

So, I have a sad duty of removing a PC of departed player from our group.

He's not dead if anyone is concerned regarding that. Last session erupted in alcohol-fueled shouting among the players and two days later (today), I had a long talk with the guy. In part it was my fault as I DM (I messed up some stats but all party members survived), but mostly it was his inability to get along with me and the rest of the party.

Now, ATM party is in a half-explored dungeon. PC in question is a powerful bard and I want to give him a decent goodbye. Even if the guy left in real life, I do not want to be dickish to his character in game. What is a good way to remove him in game?

thanks

[Sigreid]

He receives a magical message that his family/home town/mentor/whatever is in desperate need of him and regretfully he must leave immediately and wishes the party well.

[mgshamster]

A few options I can think of:

1) Keep the bard as an NPC until the dungeon is finished, and then have him leave the party to tell their tale in taverns.

2) Have a messenger find the party and tell the Bard that someone in his family is close to dying and he must come back home to see them - the bard can leave and the party can continue.

[Zman]

NPC him through the rest of the Dungeon, be a touch careless for him and let the Big Bad at the end of the dungeon kill him off.

[Grod_The_Giant]

NPC him through the rest of the Dungeon, be a touch careless for him and let the Big Bad at the end of the dungeon kill him off.
Have him sacrifice himself to save the rest.

[Friv]

Let it be known at the start of the session that you'll be playing the Bard as an NPC, but that monsters are going to tend to target him first this session. Don't overdo it, but let him take an unlikely but not impossible percentage of the fire.

If he dies, it is a tragic loss. If he survives, the experience of how close he came to death leaves him shaken, and he resolves to sell his gear and retire somewhere to run a tavern. You can even have the characters stop by and meet him from time to time. He won't give them his stuff, because he needs it for retirement, but he will sell it to them at a discount.

[mgshamster]

The only issue I see with killing the character off is if they ever decide to apologize to each other and make amends, that player may want to play his old character again.

[Shining Wrath]

DMPC for the duration of the dungeon. Then gets into a drunken brawl with the rest of the party at the post-dungeon tavern, punches the Barbarian / Fighter / Ranger in the nose and winds up pinned face down with a knee in the middle of his back; negotiations result in him leaving the party with all his gear and his share of the portable loot.

If the player comes back and wants his character to come back as well, apologies in game for doing stupid stuff while drunk seem apropos.

[Zman]

Have him sacrifice himself to save the rest.

That works as well, especially if the party ends up in over its head.

[pwykersotz]

The mists of Ravenloft are difficult to predict. :smallamused:

[Tallis]

Run him through the rest of the dungeon as an npc. If he survives then he is summoned by an impoprtant npc when the group returns to civilization. He is offered an important job (which of course he takes). It could be a secret quest, entertaining the king, keeper of history for the realm or just running a tavern. This way you can keep him as a contact for the party and bring him in as a recurring npc if needed.

[Trampaige]

Devoured by giant rats.

[Kane0]

Summons his instrument one time too many, and instead of his trusty lute a set of bagpipes of devouring arrives instead, which promptly eats him. It then proceeds to plays a horrible tune before dissappearing back into the ether.
If at some point the PCs find him again he is leading the quiet life of a retired adventurer, forever on the run from both PTSD and any gilted lovers he may have left in his wake. He steadfastly refuses to play any more instruments as a result.