diff --git a/server/src/routes/initiative.ts b/server/src/routes/initiative.ts
index f826ba0..cc8720b 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/initiative.ts
+++ b/server/src/routes/initiative.ts
@@ -103,6 +103,55 @@ async function insertRollLog(
   return saved[0];
 }
 
+// ── Death timer ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+async function tickDeathTimers(io: Server, campaignId: number): Promise<void> {
+  // Find all living characters in this campaign with a Dying condition
+  const [charRows] = await db.execute<RowDataPacket[]>(
+    "SELECT id FROM characters WHERE campaign_id = ? AND is_dead = FALSE",
+    [campaignId]
+  );
+  if (charRows.length === 0) return;
+
+  const charIds = (charRows as RowDataPacket[]).map((r) => r.id as number);
+  const placeholders = charIds.map(() => "?").join(", ");
+
+  const [dyingRows] = await db.execute<RowDataPacket[]>(
+    `SELECT * FROM character_conditions WHERE name = 'Dying' AND character_id IN (${placeholders})`,
+    charIds
+  );
+  if (dyingRows.length === 0) return;
+
+  for (const condition of dyingRows) {
+    const newRounds = (condition.rounds_remaining as number) - 1;
+
+    if (newRounds <= 0) {
+      // Timer expired — remove Dying condition and mark permanently dead
+      await db.execute("DELETE FROM character_conditions WHERE id = ?", [condition.id]);
+      await db.execute("UPDATE characters SET is_dead = TRUE WHERE id = ?", [condition.character_id]);
+    } else {
+      await db.execute(
+        "UPDATE character_conditions SET rounds_remaining = ? WHERE id = ?",
+        [newRounds, condition.id]
+      );
+    }
+
+    // Broadcast updated character to the campaign room
+    const [charRow] = await db.execute<RowDataPacket[]>(
+      "SELECT * FROM characters WHERE id = ?",
+      [condition.character_id]
+    );
+    const [updatedConditions] = await db.execute<RowDataPacket[]>(
+      "SELECT * FROM character_conditions WHERE character_id = ?",
+      [condition.character_id]
+    );
+    io.to(`campaign:${campaignId}`).emit("character:updated", {
+      ...charRow[0],
+      conditions: updatedConditions,
+    });
+  }
+}
+
 // ── Handler registration ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 export function registerInitiativeHandlers(io: Server, socket: Socket): void {
@@ -291,6 +340,12 @@ export function registerInitiativeHandlers(io: Server, socket: Socket): void {
       });
       await saveCombats(data.campaignId, updated);
       broadcast(io, socket, data.campaignId, updated, true);
+
+      // Tick death timers when the party's turn begins
+      const flippedCombat = updated.find((c) => c.id === data.combatId);
+      if (flippedCombat && flippedCombat.current_side === "party") {
+        await tickDeathTimers(io, data.campaignId);
+      }
     } catch (err) {
       console.error("[initiative]", err);
     }