Death Effects and Instant Death
Some spells and abilities can kill you immediately or bring you closer to death without needing to reduce you to 0 Stamina first. These abilities have the death trait and usually involve profane damage, the antithesis of life. If you are reduced to 0 Stamina by a death effect, then you are slain instantly without needing to reach dying 4. If an effect states it kills you outright, you die without having to reach dying 4 and without being reduced to 0 Stamina.