Justice Systems

Each of the nations that are part of the Federated Nations council maintains their own legal and judicial system. This article lays out the common elements and discusses each nation separately. This is mainly done for the protection of adventurers who may travel between nations. Not all crimes are listed here, but most of the commonly-violated laws are, as well as attitudes toward law enforcement.

Categories of Criminal Acts

For the purposes of this article, there are a few general categories of crimes. Note: a Council Mark is commonly called a gold piece, even if it isn't made of gold.

Minor Crimes

Minor crimes tend to have punishments ranging from a small fine (up to 1 Council Mark) to minor corporal punishment (a few lashes, some time in the stocks). Examples of such crimes are

• Petty theft (of goods worth less than 1 Mark or the equivalent coinage).
• Public intoxication
• Brawling (violence not causing permanent damage). The punishment for this usually involves restitution for any broken items as well as compensation for lost labor time.

Serious Crimes

Serious crimes tend to result in significant fines (more than 1 Mark) or penalties ranging from banishment to forced labor for a term. Major corporal punishment (loss of limbs, maiming, blindness, etc) is possible. These crimes do not include capital crimes. Examples include

• Pre-meditated violence involving permanent injury or impairment but not death. Self-defense is a justification for this. For adventurers, the penalty is usually a fine equal to the cost of hiring a priest to mend the injury if possible, or a fine of a number of years pay for the injured one.
• Grand theft (more than 1 Mark value). The common punishment is recompense of 3x the value of the stolen goods. What happens if you can't pay depends on the nation.
• Petit treason (disobedience of lawful command of a superior).
• Misuse of magic. Definitions vary, but magical compulsions or fraud by magic are almost everywhere in this category.
• Reckless endangerment. An example might be angering a major beast and leading it back to a town. Rises to capital status if anyone is killed by the creature.

Capital Crimes

These are punished by death or magical exile (geas-enforced). Examples:

• Willing blood sacrifice to demonic powers or making willing contracts with such.
• Pre-meditated murder.
• Grand treason (conspiracy or action to overthrow the government).
• Persistent necromancy (specifically raising and maintaining undead for more than one day).
• Repeated serious crimes.

Asai'ka

Justice in Asai'ka depends on a few factors: location, type of crime, and social status. Religious crimes (especially necromancy and demon worship) are handled by the ecclesiastical court of the Queen Ascendant. Landed nobles have the right of lesser justice (for non-capital crimes), and crimes against them are automatically serious in nature. Ba generally have few rights--crimes against them are only punished if the local noble feels like it. Tradesmen are protected more than commoners. Of course, money talks and lets criminals walk free. Unless you've angered the Benevolent Organization, in which case they will send assassins after you.

Byssia

Byssian courts are unique in that they're hierarchical and community based. The death penalty is almost never applied--instead those that merit death are sent out either east (to reclaim the Blood-thirst Wildlands) or west (in exile). Each community elects a judge--the judges in a region elect a superior judge, and these answer to the Tribunal. Appeals are rare, as are serious crimes. One crime that is serious in Byssia but not elsewhere is grave desecration--destruction or misconduct around marked graves/shrines is a serious crime punishable by exile.

Crisial Kingdom

Justice is handled by local lords, with rights of appeal to the Queen's Court. Justice tends to be fair, although idiosyncratic. Accused have right to council and to compel witnesses.

Duarchy of Kotimaa

Justice depends on which portion you're in.

Kotimaa

In the north, justice is in the hands of the clans, or in Godsfall, in the hands of the local council. Crimes against property (destruction, vandalism, etc) are serious, if not capital crimes because of the Landlord's watchful eye.

Dreamshore

Justice in the south is mostly at the town council level for minor crimes. Serious and capital crimes can be appealed to the local lord, who acts at his discretion. Only crimes against the nation as a whole are sent upward to the court at Coldwind Manor.

Holy Kaelthian Republic

Justice in the HKR is community-based for minor crimes and serious crimes (which include breaking consensus and blasphemy). Penalties for minor crimes are monetary and public shaming, while penalties for serious crimes include a time in a re-education camp or exile to the broken frontier in Moon's Fall Vengeance. The death penalty is very rarely carried out, exile is much more common.

Scale Balancers

In cases of demon worshiping, necromancy, or crimes by people with significant power (political or personal), as well as by appeal by the accused, the Scale-balancers take jurisdiction of a criminal case. This is a last resort appeal--the only possible sentence if found guilty is death, carried out immediately. In exceptional cases, the Fulcrum intervenes and channels an avatar of Ytra. Once summoned to an area, the scale-balancers tend to stay to root out any other evil found, usually with significant collateral consequences.

Rauviz

Justice is theoretically in the hands of the priests of Ytra, whose judgements are exceedingly just (and tend to be harsh). Those with money or political power often cut a deal for monetary payment even for serious crimes. Theft is harshly punished here. The Scale-balancers are also active here.

Serpent Dominion

Justice in the Serpent Dominion depends on a few factors: location, type of crime, and social status. Religious crimes (especially necromancy and demon worship) are handled by the priest-bureaucrats of the Queen Ascendant. Landed nobles have the right of lesser justice (for non-capital crimes), and crimes against them are automatically serious in nature. Ba generally have few rights--crimes against them are only punished if the local noble feels like it. Tradesmen are protected more than commoners. Not quite as corrupt as Asai'ka, but a close second. Serpentstrike is the operative criminal group here.

Sha'slar Autonomous Zone

Justice for minor and serious crimes is handled by the local baliff or military officer in charge of a region. Accused in capital cases can appeal to the High Command, but such is rarely done.

Wyrmhold

Every crime is handled by the ruling Clan in the area (with political crimes handled by the royal Clan). Hard labor is a common sentence. Exile to the northern lands is the default for capital crimes rather than execution. Magical crimes are especially frowned upon. Accused usually have strong protections such as the ability to summon hostile witnesses and appeals to higher authorities/recusal of judges with conflicts of interest.

Windwalker Collective

Each tribe's leadership handles criminal acts (rare as those are). Goblins judged dangerous are cut off from their tribe and exiled or killed. Those that have potential, but are malcontent are often seconded to the Federated Nations organizational structure as workers or adventurers.