Laws of Dragonhold (Fort Alliance, Malidor's Outpost, etc.)

[Jaerc]

((OOG: I'll be prettying up this post as time allows but not changing any text. In the meantime this link has pretty text

Laws of Dragonhold (Public July Edition)

THE FIVE HIGH CRIMES The penalty for these laws is death (at least). Murder This extends to citizen races and includes conspiracy to commit murder. If acting in self-defense you are obligated to take pains to prevent the aggressors' death. Breaking / Entry This includes all forms of unwanted en...

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IG: On the Tavern Board and at each of the Guild Halls a these are posted. Copies are scattered about the public spaces in the Fort and Outpost and through the Emerald Hills and criers make rounds to verbalize the news!

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THE FIVE HIGH CRIMES

The penalty for these laws is death (at least).

Murder

This extends to citizen races and includes conspiracy to commit murder. If acting in self-defense you are obligated to take pains to prevent the aggressors' death.

Breaking / Entry

This includes all forms of unwanted entry into a cart, tent, personal or rented property as well as any removal or reduction of magics or traps protecting one. Should the offender be killed, the victim has not performed murder.

Use of Necromancy / Void Magic

Necromancy is the successful use of any necromantic spell, ritual, or effect (including from use or creation of a magical item, potion or scroll), likewise such objects related to the Void. This includes the creation, control of, or assistance rendered to undead creatures. Speaking with an undead or those tied to the Void to obtain tactical advantage is not forbidden.

Slavery / Kidnapping

No ownership or holding in permanent or secret bondage of a citizen of Malidor's Outpost or Traveler. Estates, Guilds, organizations and similar may not have indentured servants.

Mockery of Nobility

Insulting, degrading, or otherwise not showing proper respect to one's noble title. This includes pretending to a title you do not have. Kneeling and bowing is not required but signs of respect on first and notable meetings with a Noble are. There is room for satire in bardic performance or complaint in casual speech but tread with caution.

THE FIVE OTHER CRIMES

Penalties will be determined on a case by case basis by the Dragonheld Council.

Assault

Causing harm that requires the use of curing magic or items or threats of imminent harm. This includes acts that take away another's free will (i.e. Amnesia, Charm, Intoxicate). Dueling that does not end in death is permitted but only when authorized and witnessed by a member of the Town Guard.

Cannibalism

Consumption of the flesh of creatures that have sentience and the capacity of speech. This may seem odd but is for your own protection from magical curse and disease.

Conspiracy

Agreements of two or more individuals to commit a crime. This includes giving aid or comfort to a wanted criminal or obstructing the investigation or apprehension of one.



Endangerment

Putting a number or people at significant, obviously foreseeable risk of harm through carelessness.

Theft / Robbery

Taking the personal property of another person through subterfuge, force, or threat. This also includes malicious destruction of said property.



INADVISABLE ACTIONS

Actions that fit these words may additionally be considered to be crimes if the Magistrate deems it so or at the recommendation of the Sheriff or Town Council.

Please avoid actions that are obviously against the common good.

Arson, Banditry, Bribery, Burglary, Contempt, Disobedience of Rightful Command, Embezzlement, Extortion, Larceny, Perjury, Ritual Assault, Tax Evasion, Treason.

 

[Jaerc]

TREATISE ON THE SYSTEM OF JUSTICE

Malidor's Outpost, Fort Alliance, and the region called Dragonhold exists as a sovereign realm of Prince Malidor Ironbeard of Be'el Damar.

All power and authority flow from His Highness, who is bound by his own law and the Code of Chivalry.

His appointed Magistrate, at the time of this writing, Lord Rurik Brightstone, or his appointed heir is responsible for dispensing justice to commoners within the Outpost's claimed realm and is empowered to act with latitude in ruling ex aequo et bono (according to the right and good), if he believes it better than acting to the letter of these laws. This manifests as the Lord’s authority to order investigations by the Sheriff and to try cases and mete out justice, if he see fit.

However, as of 419, Lord Brightstone has endowed and specified that The Dragonheld Council to conduct all cases and Trials and mete out all justice that pertains the Adventurers, Nobles, Destined, Forged, and Exalted, in his stead.

That being the case the Sheriff and Town Guard must apprehend suspects, and only if unavailable may this be done by Councillors. The Sheriff may make recommendations for sentencing.

While each case before the Council will be held unique: the burden of proof typically falls upon the accuser. In the face of a preponderance of evidence or a history of prior Guilty verdicts, instead proof of innocence is a burden placed upon the suspect.

Inaction is never prosecuted.

Self-defense is a valid defense but may need to be proved at Trial.

Agency is key and crimes committed under Dominate, Charm, Enslavement, and similar magics transfer to the one who caused/accepted the effect.

Reporting a crime is considered a responsibility among those who have settled in this land and may be done so by speaking with one of the following: a fully recognized Knight, a Dragonhold Council member: (Wizard Askeksa of Our Roots to the Sky, Chapter Master Saoirse of the Company, Chapter Master Bekkur of the White Flame, Chapter Master Frederick of the Hammer & Scales, or Chapter Master Valentine of the Vex Mortis), or the Sheriff (Torrin), a member of Town Guard, Lord Rurik Brightstone, Lord Robert Brightstone or Prince Malidor Ironbeard.

Appeals and pardons are not an element of this Just System; instead, suspects are judged by the Magistrate or Council to be either Guilty or Not Guilty. Only the Prince's word to the Dragonhold Council or a document thus signed by him overruling this judgment can alter this verdict whatsoever. This verdict will always be made public as soon as possible.

Sentencing is almost never dictated by law but rather by the Dragonhold Council’s will, taking into account historical precedent and current context: it may include fines, forfeiture, community service, death or exile.

Intentional Obliteration and indentured servitude are not to be meted out without the Prince's explicit knowledge. In cases where a leveled fine cannot be afforded, a finite sentence of indentured labor can be substituted. This is accorded as worth 1 silver per day toward the debt. Laborers are to be afforded room and board if they have none, the cost of which is deducted from pay and is not to exceed 5 copper.

The manner of carrying out any sentence is left to the Dragonheld Council’s jurisprudence, but should death be the penalty a painless method is preferable due to it’s humane nature. A criminal may offer to suffer execution in place of other judgments levied, though this may be denied.

Crimes committed against Recognized Institutions (specifically including: The Tavern, the five Guilds, or members of Nobility and the Knighthood) will have much heavier sentences.

Should someone be found to be abusing the laws for their own personal gain, their punishment will be magnified by a degree of their station.​

 

[Jaerc]

MALIDOR’S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE COUNCIL


Visitors are not to be permitted in Council Meetings, other than Lord Rurik Brightsone, his heir, Prince Malidor Ironbeard, or those they explicitly authorize to be present.


Note: The Dragonhold Council intends to hold gatherings that are not formally “Council Meetings” for public or private sessions with interested Adventurers, Nobles, Destined, Forged, and Exalted. In the meantime please visit our Council Hall:


Every member of the Dragonhold Council holds the duty to represent and protect the people of the sovereign region. Help us serve you best my communicating!

​

 

[Aden Corso]

It seems strange that to mock a noble is to invite death, but that treason would be relegated to 'Inadvisable Actions'. Surely treason should be considered one of the Five High Crimes, and mockery of nobility would be one of the Five Lesser Crimes. Additionally, I cannot say how often the crime of banditry has been met with a death sentence. Could the Council please explain how they reached their conclusions on this matter?

-A.C.

 

[Jaerc]

Aden Corso,

Across the Baronies and the Kingdoms of Aethera mockery is set at this level of punishment or worse. We have instead made the most lenient law I've laid eyes on to protect those who would make set, or level respectful criticism, or those whose.tongues grow too hot from drink and are the stammer an apologoes when the realize whose names they've cursed aloud or those whos casual speech was rough and meant no harm. Across the Shards of Fortannis better than half say the same. Our mockery law deviates from the ways of the past in it's extreme leniency being explicit in the text.

If one's Mockery was sufficient to draw the attention of a report, and investigation and trial, then it was no casual thing. Lastly, should one accused of Mockery come before the Council for a Trial, and wished to make their case for why free words deserve no punishment, logic dictates that there will be

~
Inadvisable Actions do not indicate the severity of their inadvisabiloty. In the interests of having short, essily graspable laws (you can fit it on one standard page), whose intent was clear to those of all education levels, and contained (next to) no room for loopholes, we spared greater context.

In short many of the Inadvisable Actions, like Treason, are complex ideas whose definitions could fill pages and who penalties will be most grave. These are deeds so full of nuance in their identification and definition or are actions that become crimes only with wicked intent ... that the touch of five living minds (Trial by Council) is more likely to find justice than twenty words of dried ink tried to spell out the eternal nature of betrayal.

I have yet to see an instance of Banditry performed by those who live in these lands as opposed to those with whom we are at Declared War. Should some farmers from the Emeralds Hills decide to take up the blockage of roads for ransom they will be treated with mercy, yes, but also the force of the law. Should foreign companies try their hand at plundering our young realm through similar tactics and have bounties issued against them or force our own folk to defend themselves to the death than so shall it be.

Even so, though I speak personally and not for the Council in these next words: I prefer the capture of a bandit in uncertain situations because it is a heavy weight on the Spirit to end the life or Cycle of another and it would be a terrible thing indeed to learn the seeming bandit one's vigilantism might take out, had a native family eager to have the Council take up a Murder trial.

Hopefully these expounding and examples have been clarifying. Though within my expertise my words here should not be taken to change the underlying meaning of the Laws of Dragonhold as written above. No changes are forthcoming in 419.

Let it be known that in the High Winter there will be day set aside for feasting: where everyone and anyone who wishes to speak before Council, on any matter will be heard.
A 'moot' in Oathsworn terms where proposals for alteration would be appreciated, and if it is the will the Council to take such ideas to the Prince and find he mandates them be scribed, then let us rejoice at the progress that will represent.

Councilor Askeksa Firstforest

 

[MondayMcGee]

Councilor Askeksa,

For those of us who are visitors to your lands, can you please enumerate which of the races of Fortannis you consider to be Citizen Races for purposes of these laws?

My thanks,
Tribune Pluvianella Charbonneau

 

[Aden Corso]

Councilor Askeksa,

On the subject of Inadvisable Actions (which has a most unfortunate and understated name), I would say that those crimes should indeed be as well defined as any of the Higher or Lesser crimes, nuance notwithstanding, if not in this publication then at least in the official rolls of the realm, so that the realm's subjects may know exactly how the law applies to their actions, and what is expected of them as subjects.

Additionally, I find the lack of a definition of what exactly defines a 'subject' of Prince Malidor to be somewhat concerning. It is a loophole that would make an Umbrasan barrister swoon. I suggest a clause which defines a subject as any individual who has permanently dwelt within the borders of Dragonhold for at least a year and a day, and an edict which makes all inhabitants of Dragonhold, regardless of their status as an official subject of the Prince, to be beholden to the laws as they have been set forth.

I certainly do look forward to presenting further input and ideas at the High Winter Moot, though for the sake of clarity, I would highly recommend the ideas I have presented here be considered. I am ever at the service of the Council.

-A.C.

 

[Jaerc]

Tribune Pluvianella Charbonneau

At minimum

• Biata
• Dark Elves
• Dryads
• Dwarves
• Elves
• High Ogre's
• High Orcs
• Hoblings
• Humans
• Oathsworn
• Selunari
• Stone Elves
• Sylvanborn

And probably to I'd personally want to include, but I'd need to speak with the Council & the Prince about:

• Anyone sworn to Dragonhold
• Dragons
• Elementals
  • Sentient, Non-Voidspawn
• Fae
• Goblins
  • That aren't from our shard​
• Gryphons
• Lizardmen and Gorgons
  • Obviously ones were not at war with​

Councilor Askeksa