Law¶
"The laws are designed to allow the best to win (as opposed to what others might consider the morally right to win)." — on Sancturi criminal law
Law in Terrun is best recorded for the Sancturi Imperium, whose holy text doubles as its constitution, and for the officers who enforce it in Proturas. Elsewhere the sources record customs rather than codes: trial by combat among the Naher, the Boreal Elves and the dwarves, the Grudge of the dwarven runepriests, the Four Laws of the Necromancer's land, and the rules by which thieves and assassins govern themselves. The governments that make the law are Factions pages; this page is the law itself, people by people.
The Sancturi Imperium¶
Principles¶
The second section of Elysium's Gate, "the principles of righteousness", sets out rights and crimes (S321). Sanctity gives the clergy "judicial immunity" ("they conduct their own internal investigations and trials") and puts holy sites off limits "under penalty of Desecration at best, Blasphemy at worst". Eminent Rights give citizens "the right to property, safety, life and privacy so long as these do not infringe upon the community's rights", and freemen the same except land. Blasphemy is "the ultimate crime with no defense. Those convicted of Blasphemy have the same rights as slaves." Disagreeing with or disrespecting the emperor's decision on the granting of lands is blasphemy, "a capitol offense that also brings great dishonor on your house" (S323).
Criminal law¶
"Most criminal laws apply when the perpetrator and victim are of the same caste. If there is a caste difference, a multiplier is applied to increase the penalty if the perp is a lower caste or lower the penalty if the perp is of a higher caste" (S323).
- Non-capital crimes are punished by fines, and "if the fines cannot be paid then indentured servitude".
- Capital crimes are punished by death or enslavement.
- Citizens may pay a fine in suns "in lieu of most major penalties", though a judge can revoke the right in egregious cases.
- "Slaves (and Undead) are property and have no rights. Property damage laws apply."
"Traditional laws apply for theft, property damage, murder and rape. The laws are very straightforward and minimalist. Laws such as libel, copyright, slander and fraud do not exist. There is a focus on individual responsibility and natural selection" (S323). Prison is hardly a sentence: "Imprisonment as a sentence does not really exist except for Immortals. Monetary reparations, slavery and death are the most common sentences" (S321). The ranks and marks of caste are on Social Order, the tax laws on Currency & Trade.
Mord'ivarus¶
Mord'ivarus is "basically trial by combat, but also encompasses duelling for honor", a right of citizens and the religious caste only (S323). Its principle in Elysium's Gate reads: "In a contest between the faithful, the gods will reward the most honorable with victory" (S321). Freemen have no right of Mord'ivarus, but a judge may grant one to a freeman against the perpetrator of a "particularly heinous" crime as part of the sentence. Both sides may substitute a champion; champion and challenger then wear a matched pair of bonding runes and share their strength, so that "if the champion dies, the challenger dies as well." Every bout is overseen by religious observers, and only a member of the provincial conclave can be a valid witness to it.
Sup'advena¶
Sup'advena "can be invoked by any citizen or freeman of the empire. It is essentially a surrender and request for help" (S323). Citizens and freemen must give aid until the one who asked is self-sufficient or can be taken home; "it is a great dishonor to ignore or refuse Sup'advena." The one aided customarily pays for it, and a suit for poor repayment is "a pretty big insult". When invoked in defeat, the captors may hold their prisoners up to twenty days while a court decides "whether a ritual sacrifice of some of the leaders is required to restore honor". By law a citizen need not aid a freeman, "but by custom (and honor) they usually do".
Courts and officers¶
Judgement belongs to the clergy. The eleven Qeokrati are "the chief religious and judicial authorities of the empire", one to a province; they can hand down judgements of dishonour that strip a house of election tokens or a person of succession or citizenship, and "ritual suicide is often granted as a option to avoid these losses and regain honor" (S323). Only members of a provincial conclave may pass judgement on a citizen, alone or as a court of three.
The Projura Magisters are the judiciary branch of the clergy, with three tiers of courts: Projukrati for regions, Justices for citizens and Jurors for non-citizens' local courts. Citizens may appeal capital and serious judgements to a regional court, a process that "normally takes less than a week". Projura Wardens keep the few holding jails and Projura Inquisitors bring the accused to judgement (S321).
Enforcement is layered. A prefect's magistrates execute the law locally and hire the Watch; the Arbitori Bannerguard police capital crimes involving citizens and "any magic-use"; and the Covenant, the clergy's secret police, hunts "corruption, disobedience, rebellion and heresy", operating "largely outside the law" (S321, S323). These bodies are on Sancturi Clergy.
Frontier law¶
"Conflict between houses is not managed on the frontier" (S323). Open warfare between houses is permitted only in the colonies, under rules of its own (S132): slaughtering citizens and faithful slaves is forbidden "(Outside ritual sacrifice)"; allying with apostates against the faithful is "blasphemy and treason against the gods"; pillage is encouraged after a battle but desertion during it; unbelievers are usually enslaved rather than killed, "as it provides more honor"; captured loyalists are enslaved and ransomed back to their house; and "ritual sacrifice of the captured leaders is the traditional victory ceremony." Other captured citizens cannot be held and must be released (S323).
Executions¶
"All executions are performed under the supervision of the Sancturi Clergy", who mark heathens so that they pass on instead of rising, and witches are burned under the watch of Namakan Runecasters who trap their souls (S318). See Death & Burial.
Proturas¶
Proturan law enforcement runs from the High Lord Councillor down through the nobility and its administrators (S106):
| Office | Duty |
|---|---|
| Sheriff | Manages magistrates across a wider region; reports to a count, or a baron or lord with vast holdings. |
| Lord Mayor, Mayor | Administers a city or town. |
| Magistrate | Investigator and judge within a jurisdiction; "the watch is usually required by local law to enforce their warrants." Where several share a town, a High Magistrate divides the work. |
| Reeve | "A combination of Mayor+Magistrate", for small towns and villages. |
| City and Town Watch | "A mixture of light paramilitary units and police" who handle unrest and dangerous creatures and serve warrants. |
| Lord High Arbiter | The provost "responsible for federal law and order", head of the Proturan Arbiters. |
| Arbiter, Lord Arbiter | Magistrates with federal jurisdiction over "murder, treason and other serious crimes"; "only Lord Arbiters can investigate nobility". They work in pairs, as enforcers, augurs, Nyxian wardens against magical crime, and specialists. |
| Lord High Sentinel, Sentinels | The provost and agents of intelligence and counter-espionage, who share information with the Arbiters. |
Since the reorganisation under Harald Pallidine, "judges and magistrates appointed by the council had the final say on most topics" (S107). Land is granted by writ: the Riverdale War began when the Countess of Wrighthall "petitioned the High Lord Councillor and was awarded a writ allowing the lawful settlement and annexation of all unforested areas of the eastern bank", which "amounted to a declaration of war on the elves" (S107). The government itself is on Proturan Council.
Crime status flags¶
The Arbiters grade their cases by flag (S106):
| Flag | Status |
|---|---|
| Black | "Notices posted, Checkpoints created, all hands on deck to apprehend. Full-time Arbiters assigned." |
| Red | Severe. Notices sent to magistrates across Proturas; a larger reward for information. |
| Yellow | Active. A case for a set of Arbiters, who may work with the counties. |
| White | Watch. Handled by local authorities but monitored by the Arbiters. |
| Blue | Backlog. A cold case, which "will show up when cross-referenced with any other serious crime". |
In practice the law is bought. In Spillwater the watch protects the warehouses "to a point", and "magistrates and Chief Constables tend not to last long (they either retire wealthy … die … or are jailed for corruption)"; one of the district's councillors is suspected to be in the pay of the Dockside Cutters (S103).
The Riven kingdoms¶
Each of the five great Riven Kingdoms sets its own law on magic, slavery and outsiders (S319):
| Kingdom | Law |
|---|---|
| Alghert | "Strict laws against magic use of any sort other than from the Priests of the patron God Kalar", harshest for outsiders. "Slavery and the Undead are not tolerated." Outsiders must carry papers, checked on the king's roads; refugees are turned away. |
| Brusau | Magic is permitted, "but the penalty for any serious crime committed with magic is death." Sancturi worship and proselytizing are punishable by death. Slavery is illegal, but existing slaves and undead are tolerated. |
| Miydal | "Witchcraft, Fae Magic and Hollowcasting is forbidden. Divine casting, including Runecasting is permitted. Slavery and Undead are legal." Sancturi, Oesterkull and orcs need a sponsor to enter, on pain of execution or deportation. |
| Ozaustein | As Brusau on magic and slavery; clerics of all faiths welcome; papers required for travel. |
| Uthein | "The most liberal around": as Ozaustein, with open borders. |
Gap
No source records a court, a trial procedure or a list of punishments for Proturas or any of the kingdoms beyond these lines.
The Naher¶
Naheric law decides contested elections by combat: when the election of a king or an Eorl "is not decided by a decisive majority (greater than 2 to 1), the winner can be decided by combat" (S372). An Eorl's judgements can be challenged too. Under Naher tradition the Aethlings "have the right to challenge an Eorl's judicial decision"; a decision such as an execution is challenged by trial by combat, the Eorl usually naming another Aethling to defend it, and "other decisions such as Land seizures or extra levied taxes/fines can be challenged by a trial by hunt (the Eorl picks the creature to hunt and the first back with the dead creature wins)" (S524). "To abuse a horse can be a capitol offense" (S372). See Naher.
The Boreal Elves¶
"Legal disputes are settled through physical trials or duels", under a code with "a strong emphasis on honor, loyalty, and the word of an oath" (S100). See Boreal Elves.
Dwarves¶
In Dru'Bazan, "clan Kings and their Magistrates mete out justice within their clan, though serious disputes are often settled in the arena" (S372). In the Thyssal Empire, after the conquest of the Olboc, "it is currently illegal for a Dwarf to own property or possessions inside the empire."
The Grudge¶
The dwarven runepriests swear Grudges. "You may only ever have 1. It can be an individual (strong), a group/organization (moderate), or a class/race (weak)." A Grudge "cannot simply be changed or removed. The grudge must be fulfilled by exacting justice on the grudge" (S240). The rune magic that empowers it is on Khardic Runes.
Clans of the Aeseans and the old kingdoms¶
Among the Aesean clans, "internally, politics and law are dictated by the clan leadership" (S372). The Danari law of serfs lets a noble contract his serfs to another landowner, binds him to protect them, and bonds "a child born to a serf ... to the same noble as their mother"; serfs may buy their freedom. The Curci do "not recognize Serfdom" (S372). These tiers are on Social Order.
In much of the Age of Magic, "overt magic use is generally frowned upon, feared, or outlawed and in many places a capitol offense" (S372). In Rhovun, after the Necromancer Vinias's fifty-year rebellion, "magic was outlawed across the kingdom".
The Silek¶
The Councils of Belos, chosen from the ruling caste at local, regional and national levels, "assume the role of administrators and judges for their jurisdictions" (S025). Rebellious slaves are "tortured and killed or part of the next ritual sacrifice". See Silek.
Delvarn¶
The Necromancer who rules Delvarn keeps "a simple code of laws - known as the 4 laws" (S153):
- No fighting.
- No stealing.
- No religion.
- Obey the Dead.
The living may not go armed: anyone "holding or carrying a weapon larger than a knife will be attacked" by the undead patrols, though weapons may be carried in carts, and "smiths have to operate in undead free areas". Towns must offer the Deathmongers a panel of "worthy sacrifices" from which they choose, and "a town that refuses will be destroyed." The Necromancer's Deathpriests "act as arbiters and judges" for anyone who "DESPERATELY thinks they are right"; "their judgements are harsh and final."
Codes of the underworld¶
The rules of the meet¶
When Berek, overboss of the Stone Syndicate at the Pale Pit, was killed during the Proturan campaign, its crews chose his successor by the rules of the meet (S038). Each boss may nominate up to three candidates, and the two with most nominations stand. Only crew bosses attend, unarmed, "no placeholders, no lieutenants". Each attending boss gives two prominent hostages, one held by each candidate's crew, whose lives guarantee his peace. "In the case of a tie or not nearly unanimous, it will be determined by a fight in the pit between the two bosses." Every boss must swear loyalty to the winner at once, on pain of "imprisonment, death as well as the death of your hostages"; a crew that stays away must go into exile or swear within a day, "otherwise the entire crew will be exiled and marked for death."
The contracts of Ghoresh¶
The Assassins of Ghoresh work by contract, kept secret: "only the coins know the customer's identities" (S545). A member is told when there is a contract on a relative or friend and may buy it out or claim the first refusal. A contract "may be 'bought out' by paying the contract price which negates the contract", after which a client who still wants the target must escalate to a bound contract, "negotiated for 10x the price (min around 100k)", which "cannot be bought out except by a Fist."
Gap
No law of the Fourth Age is recorded, and no written code of any people other than the Sancturi.