Finally got around to returning to menu on death or exit. I shouldn't have put this off for so long, was painful. Also quest system future proofed if I decide to add anything that might cause death in one of them.

src/crafting/craft_barricade.nvgt

@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ void run_barricade_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/crafting/craft_buildings.nvgt

@@ -98,7 +98,9 @@ void run_buildings_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/crafting/craft_clothing.nvgt

@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ void run_clothing_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/crafting/craft_materials.nvgt

@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ void run_materials_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/crafting/craft_runes.nvgt

@@ -98,7 +98,9 @@ void run_runes_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;
@@ -154,7 +156,9 @@ void run_rune_equipment_menu(int rune_type) {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/crafting/craft_tools.nvgt

@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ void run_tools_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/crafting/craft_weapons.nvgt

@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ void run_weapons_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/crafting/crafting_core.nvgt

@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ void run_crafting_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;
@@ -86,7 +88,9 @@ void simulate_crafting(int item_count) {
         timer t;
         while(t.elapsed < 800) {
             wait(5);
-            menu_background_tick();
+            if (menu_background_tick()) {
+                return;
+            }
         }
     }
     p.play_stationary("sounds/crafting_complete.ogg", false);

src/fylgja_system.nvgt

@@ -136,7 +136,9 @@ void run_fylgja_menu() {
 
     while (true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
 
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             return;

src/menus/action_menu.nvgt

@@ -263,7 +263,9 @@ void run_action_menu(int x) {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/menus/altar_menu.nvgt

@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ void run_altar_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/menus/base_info.nvgt

@@ -56,7 +56,9 @@ void run_base_info_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/menus/equipment_menu.nvgt

@@ -160,7 +160,9 @@ void run_equipment_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/menus/inventory_core.nvgt

@@ -81,7 +81,9 @@ void run_inventory_root_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;
@@ -124,7 +126,9 @@ void run_inventory_menu(bool allow_deposit) {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/menus/menu_utils.nvgt

@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 // Menu utility functions
 // Helper functions used across multiple menu systems
 
-void menu_background_tick() {
+bool menu_background_tick() {
+    if (return_to_main_menu_requested) {
+        return true;
+    }
     if (!menuBackgroundUpdatesEnabled) {
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
     // Keep this list in sync with the main game loop to avoid pausing ambience/weather/time.
     update_time();
@@ -47,9 +50,12 @@ void menu_background_tick() {
         if (!try_consume_heal_scroll()) {
             speak_with_history("You have died.", true);
             wait(2000);
-            exit();
+            return_to_main_menu_requested = true;
+            return true;
         }
     }
+
+    return false;
 }
 
 void play_menu_move_sound() {

src/menus/storage_menu.nvgt

@@ -305,7 +305,9 @@ void run_storage_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/player.nvgt

@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ int last_adventure_day = -1;
 // Pause state
 bool game_paused = false;
 bool menuBackgroundUpdatesEnabled = true;
+bool return_to_main_menu_requested = false;
 
 // Restart all game timers when resuming from pause
 // Prevents time from accumulating while paused

src/quest_system.nvgt

@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ int get_quest_chance_from_favor() {
     return chance;
 }
 
-void quest_menu_background_tick() {
-    menu_background_tick();
+bool quest_menu_background_tick() {
+    return menu_background_tick();
 }
 
 void quest_boomerang_hit_sound() {
@@ -163,6 +163,10 @@ void run_quest(int quest_type) {
     else if (quest_type == QUEST_ENCHANTED_MELODY) score = run_enchanted_melody();
     else if (quest_type == QUEST_ESCAPE_FROM_HEL) score = run_escape_from_hel();
     else if (quest_type == QUEST_SKELETAL_BARD) score = run_skeletal_bard();
+    if (return_to_main_menu_requested) {
+        p.resume_all();
+        return;
+    }
     apply_quest_reward(score);
     p.resume_all();
 }
@@ -178,7 +182,9 @@ void run_quest_menu() {
 
     while(true) {
         wait(5);
-        menu_background_tick();
+        if (menu_background_tick()) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE)) {
             speak_with_history("Closed.", true);
             break;

src/quests/skeletal_bard_game.nvgt

@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ int select_note_count(int minNotes, int maxNotes, int startValue) {
 
     while (true) {
         wait(5);
-        quest_menu_background_tick();
+        if (quest_menu_background_tick()) {
+            return selection;
+        }
 
         if (key_pressed(KEY_UP)) {
             if (selection < maxNotes) selection++;
@@ -72,6 +74,9 @@ int run_skeletal_bard() {
         wait(400);
 
         int guess = select_note_count(5, 20, 5);
+        if (return_to_main_menu_requested) {
+            return 0;
+        }
         int diff = length - guess;
         if (diff < 0) diff = -diff;
 
@@ -82,6 +87,9 @@ int run_skeletal_bard() {
         speak_with_history("You entered " + guess + " notes and the actual number was " + length + ". " + points + " points. Press Enter to continue.", true);
         while (true) {
             wait(5);
+            if (return_to_main_menu_requested) {
+                return 0;
+            }
             if (key_pressed(KEY_RETURN)) {
                 break;
             }