What happens to players who "die?"

[Mayonaka 0]

Thanks for the help.. You can delete this now!

[Erroneous 0]

I know this may be a rather stupid question but one of my friends' names just turned black.

Shouldn't, black isn't a color anymore. It should be gray for dead, this "black" isn't an account at all.

Their picture is a starter one and I can't click the name.

The "black" name you see is a deleted account, their whole account is gone usually via direct message from the account holder requesting for it to be deleted. Depending on my mood, I may or may not retain all their posts so you would see their posts still.

I'm pretty sure they had hard mode on, which enables them to "die."

Which opt'ed for deletion.

All of the users posts are still here but I can't contact them or anything.

Because the account doesn't exist anymore. Their username is now available, all their PM's are gone, posts (depending on my mood) may or may not be around still. The avatar they won and other event related items gone.

I want to find out what happens to them!

Quit, making new accounts, banned, take your pick or ask them directly on Skype if they're still around or one of their alt accounts if you know them.

I would also like to know if they made another account....

That would break our privacy agreement, we will not inform you of this.