When an NPC dies, they are gone forever. Their name is stricken from the server's list, and they will never spawn again. Named mobs (such as King George III) drop literally unique gear. Their items are displayable, and will never drop again on that server. When a player kills certain rare NPCs, they are flagged by the computer for their deed. The server remembers that they are a “Kingslayer”. Ever after that, certain NPCs will react to them differently. As the player walks by, an NPC on the street will tell his son, "That man is the hero who killed Saladin! To think he walks among us.” Other NPCs might walk up to a player and fall on their knees, begging for a blessing from one who is so richly favored by the gods that they can even fell hundreds of demons. These flags will also allow or restrict access to certain places. For example, a player who had killed Saladin would be let into the Frankish King’s throne room.
Other things can get the player lesser flags, like beating an NPC ruler of a great city at Diplomacy. These sorts of deeds will be appropriately less recognized. In the previous example the Aristocracy of the city would be the only ones to remember what the player had done. Some merchants will add something in the text when the player talks to them and even give the player discounted wares, “for being a hero out of legend, one that I tell my children stories about.”
Some other unique flags will be available for special accomplishments, such as Inventing the trebuchet, being the first player to kill 10,000 of the Zulu race, or being in the first raid to successfully steal from a Justicar caravan.
Additionally, there are special titles to be unlocked. These are very rare, and will be a representation to other players of great deeds that a player has done.