diff --git a/mrpgi-core/src/state.rs b/mrpgi-core/src/state.rs
index e0a7670..ec4b628 100644
--- a/mrpgi-core/src/state.rs
+++ b/mrpgi-core/src/state.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ use crate::framebuffer::{CTRL_BLOCK, PIC_H, PIC_W};
 use crate::parser::{self, Dlg, VerbDef};
 use crate::render;
 use crate::sprite::{Prop, ScreenObj};
-use crate::view::default_robot_view;
 use crate::world::{find_spawn, ObjDef, RoomDoc, Stroke, World};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
@@ -147,7 +146,7 @@ pub struct GameState {
 
 impl GameState {
     pub fn new(world: World, ai: ai::AiConfig) -> Self {
-        let mut ego = ScreenObj::new(default_robot_view(), 80, 150);
+        let mut ego = ScreenObj::new(world.ego_view(), 80, 150);
         ego.min_x = 4;
         ego.max_x = PIC_W as i32 - 4;
         ego.min_y = 16;
@@ -350,12 +349,14 @@ impl GameState {
             }
             Command::LoadGame { dir } => {
                 self.world = World::load_game(dir);
+                self.ego.view = self.world.ego_view();
                 self.verbs = parser::build_verbs(&self.world.manifest.verbs);
                 ev.push(Event::GameLoaded { name: self.world.manifest.name.clone(), room: self.world.current });
                 ev.extend(self.new_game(None));
             }
             Command::ReloadSprites => {
                 self.world.reload_sprites();
+                self.ego.view = self.world.ego_view();
                 ev.push(self.edited());
             }
         }
@@ -459,7 +460,8 @@ impl GameState {
         for l in &cause_lines {
             ev.push(self.line(l));
         }
-        ev.push(self.line("\u{2020}  You have died. Morp is not cruel; Morp is accurate. The day restarts.  \u{2020}"));
+        let death = self.world.manifest.death_text.clone();
+        ev.push(self.line(&death));
         ev
     }
 
diff --git a/mrpgi-core/src/world.rs b/mrpgi-core/src/world.rs
index 46b24f6..6fc45fc 100644
--- a/mrpgi-core/src/world.rs
+++ b/mrpgi-core/src/world.rs
@@ -203,11 +203,18 @@ pub struct GameManifest {
     /// Total points on offer; 0 = scoring off (no HUD line, no score events).
     #[serde(default)]
     pub max_score: u32,
+    /// The banner shown when the player dies and the day restarts.
+    #[serde(default = "default_death")]
+    pub death_text: String,
 }
 
 fn default_name() -> String {
     "untitled".into()
 }
+
+fn default_death() -> String {
+    "\u{2020}  You have died. The day restarts.  \u{2020}".into()
+}
 fn default_intro() -> String {
     "You blink awake. Type 'help'.".into()
 }
@@ -221,6 +228,7 @@ impl Default for GameManifest {
             verbs: Vec::new(),
             flags: HashMap::new(),
             max_score: 0,
+            death_text: default_death(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -486,6 +494,26 @@ impl World {
         self.bake();
     }
 
+    /// The ego's view. A game folder overrides the default party robot by
+    /// dropping `sprites/ego.png` (feet on the bottom edge, like any prop);
+    /// `ego1.png` is an optional second cel for the walk bob.
+    pub fn ego_view(&self) -> view::View {
+        let cel = |f: &str| {
+            let p = self.base.join("sprites").join(f);
+            p.exists().then(|| assets::load_cel(&p.to_string_lossy(), false))
+        };
+        match cel("ego.png") {
+            Some(c0) => {
+                let cels = match cel("ego1.png") {
+                    Some(c1) => vec![c0, c1],
+                    None => vec![c0],
+                };
+                view::View { loops: vec![view::ViewLoop { cels }] }
+            }
+            None => view::default_robot_view(),
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Sanity-check a room before committing it (the lore-ingestion gate):
     /// exits must point at rooms that exist (on disk, in the overlay, or being
     /// upserted alongside), and the room must have somewhere to stand.