Royals, Nobles, and Legal Structure in Travance

Posted: September 02, 1219

Updated: July 30, 1220

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THE LAWS OF THE KINGDOM OF KORMYRE

Intention of the laws: people are responsible for the consequences of their actions. If their actions only affect themselves negatively, the law is not concerned with it; the law is only concerned with actions that negatively affect Kormyre or Her Subjects.

Crimes Bearing a Minor Punishment

•None shall steal, damage, or destroy the property of a Subject.

•None shall invade the domain of a Subject uninvited and with malicious intent.

•None shall deceive a Subject with malicious intent. This includes Forgery.

•None shall cause mass disruption of Subjects or act as a public nuisance.

Crimes Bearing a Standard Punishment

•None shall bring harm to a Subject or the Kingdom, nor inhibit anyone in the course of preventing harm

or death to a Subject, excepting in the virtue of defense.

•None shall control the mind, body, or emotions of a Subject excepting with the explicit sanction of a

Lord or higher, or if the Subject be - of free and clear spirit - willing.

•None shall hold or confine a Subject without the Subject’s direct consent or as requested by the legal

authority of the area.

•No Subject shall mint any currencies not authorized by the Bank of Kormyre.

•No Subject shall refuse the Royal Guard or Inquisition in the courses of their duties, nor interfere in their

conduct.

•None shall intentionally withhold valuable information from the Kingdom when this information is

deemed important by the gentry.

•None shall engage in blackmail or extortion.

•None shall worship, nor preach, nor serve any forces or entities that are declared enemies of the Barony

and Her physical or metaphysical stability. None shall summon nor call forth powers granted by these

forces or entities, including but not limited to: aberrant magic; true warlock symbiotes; and blight. This

may be considered a Major Crime based upon the severity of the crimes committed in association.

Crimes Bearing a Major Punishment

•None shall commit murder upon a Subject.

•None shall buy, sell, or keep slaves. Whosoever serves another unwillingly and without compensation is called a slave.

•None shall take arms against the Kingdom, nor commit espionage against the Kingdom, nor hinder another in the pursuit of an enemy of the Kingdom. None shall commit treason or sedition against the Kingdom of Kormyre.

Crimes Adjusting Existing Punishments

•None shall conspire to break with a law of Kormyre. Whosoever breaks with this law shall be punished according one tier of punishment below the law that the convicted conspired to break with.

•None shall attempt to escape from lawful detainment or punishment. Whosoever breaks with this law shall be punished at one tier of punishment above the law that the convicted initially broke.

THE LEGAL SYSTEM OF TRAVANCE, THE BARONIAL GUARD, AND THE BARONIAL INQUISITION

The Baronial Guard

The Baronial Guard is the section of the Royal Guard dedicated to upholding the safety of Travance. They are led by the Captain of the Guard, who may structure the Baronial Guard as they see fit. Individual guards may be vassals or residents of any Land, or remain neutral, by their choice. The Captain must remain unvassaled to any single Land, and reports directly to the Great Council as a body and the Count himself.

Guards swear an oath to serve and protect all subjects of Travance, and uphold the law in the Court of Commons and Criminal Court. They are expected to defend the people of Travance from external threats, hazardous environmental/metaphysical effects, immediate violent danger, and other such situations. They are not expected to stop people who voluntarily choose to engage such things, nor do they have the authority to order people away from those situations, unless so directed by the Great Council.

A Guard is always able, and encouraged, to bring matters up the chain of authority if they feel they are not able to handle a situation on their own.

The Baronial Inquisition

The Baronial Inquisition is dedicated to ensuring that matters of law, crime, and punishment are handled according to the legal system as set forth in this document. They are led by the Magistrate. As with the Guard, individual Inquisitors may be vassals or residents of any Land, or remain neutral, and the Magistrate may structure the Inquisition as they see fit. The Magistrate must remain unvassaled, and reports directly to the Great Council as a body and the Count himself.

The Inquisition’s primary duty is to help the populace understand the law and navigate the legal system. They may also, in cases of uncertainty, be requested by anyone on the Great Council to investigate incidents . The Magistrate serves as arbiter in any case brought to the Great Council, or as requested by any Lord or Lady. Individual inquisitors may also be called upon to serve as arbiter during any cases held in the lower Courts, in keeping with their role as protectors of the law, depending on the severity of the case.

Legal Definitions

Subject of the Barony/Kingdom - Anyone present within the Barony/Kingdom that is a sapient, self-aware being.

Enemy of the Kingdom - A person(s) who bears Malicious intent toward a Subject(s).

Malicious - With intent to inhibit, harm, or disable another Subject for purposes outside of the defense of another.

Treason - An act that would undermine the governing structure of the Kingdom or would aid an Enemy Faction of the kingdom. Disobeying an order is not treason.

Arbiter - The person presiding over a criminal case. The arbiter does not actually decide the punishment, though they can make suggestions and remind others of punishments listed in that tier of crime. The arbiter makes sure the proceedings go smoothly, that all sides get a chance to speak, that the proper laws are applied, and helps carry out the sentencing.

Judge - The person(s) who is responsible for making the final decision of guilt or innocence and what the punishment will be.

The legal system can be easily navigated by asking these three questions:

1) What crime was committed?

2) Who was the victim of the crime?

3) What is the appropriate punishment?

The immediate circumstances of the crime and vassalship status of the victim(s) determines which Court is applicable. Once the crime is determined and the Court chosen, the punishment is decided and executed. If any subject feels that they have been charged and punished in error, or that someone has abused the legal system, they may bring this up to a higher Court for further investigation.

The first court, and the one which most subjects of Travance will deal with most often, is the Court of Commons. This is the court of immediacy and self-defense and protects the actions of subjects who need to take swift action to prevent harm to themselves or someone nearby. Any recognized subject of Kormyre in good standing with the local government is automatically considered a just and legal authority in Court of Commons and may dole out an appropriate sentence to any crimes as they are being committed against them. The crime and sentencing must then be reported, as soon as the victim is able, to the appropriate authority. Note that this Court does not apply if the crime has happened some time in the past; it is only for when swift action is necessary and no higher authority can be found.

In Travance, crimes tried in the Court of Commons can be reported to a Guard, an Inquisitor, or any Travancian noble. Failure to do so may be taken later as evidence of guilt in abuse of the legal system should the sentenced criminal decide to elevate the crime to a higher Court.

The second court is the Criminal Court. In cases where a crime was witnessed or strongly suspected to have occurred, but the immediacy has passed or the witness did not feel safe in confronting the criminal at the time, the subject may bring the case to the Criminal Court. This Court is intended to deal with quick cases, and to clear out “he said, she said” arguments.

If the victim is a sworn vassal to a land and the perpetrator is not, or is also a vassal of the same land, the Lord or Lady of that Land or their duly-appointed representative has full authority as judge. If the victim is not a sworn vassal, then the Guard or any noble can serve as judge, with an Inquisitor serving as arbiter if deemed necessary. Any authority to whom crimes in this Court are brought may choose to ask that a case be forestalled and brought to a higher court for further investigation and arbitration. A Lord or Lady of a land always has the right to forgive any crime that was committed solely against their person, their vassals, or their lands.

A report should be filed by the presiding arbiter with the office of the Inquisition .

The third Court is the Noble Court. This Court primarily deals with crimes that require extensive investigation, occurred between vassals of two or more lands, or affected vassals of two or more lands. The presiding authority is the Great Council, sans any Lords or Ladies whose vassals are currently on trial. The Magistrate or other temporarily-appointed representative of the Count serves as arbiter.

A scribe or clerk must always take account of proceedings in the Noble Court and file them with the office of the Magistrate.

The final Court is the High Court, and all proceedings in this Court are controlled directly by the Count as he sees fit. This Court is reserved for extreme situations, situations where the accused is a Lord or Lady, or any situation for which the Count desires to take direct control.

Inquisitorial Tribunal

When it is believed that the legal system of Kormyre has been abused, misappropriated, wielded in poor faith or in any way falsified, a Inquisitorial Tribunal is to be sent to investigate the matter with all due force, in order to protect the integrity of Kormyrian Law and find the truth in whatever proceedings have transpired. These cases and the dispatching of the Inquisition are directed by the Court directly above the one which covered the initial crime.

Sample Cases

A bandit has jumped you on the road and is trying to stab you! You stab them first. This is the Court of Commons, and you have just executed a criminal for attempted murder. Report it to a Guard when you get a chance.

A bandit has stolen your sweet roll. This is still the Court of Commons, because it is in the process of occurring. You can try to apprehend them, but as theft is a Minor crime, you may not kill them, because execution is not an acceptable punishment for a Minor crime. If the bandit gets away, report the crime to a Guard, who can then bring the accused in to Criminal Court.

You are a vassal of a land and have been stabbed by a vassal of another land. This case automatically moves up to Noble Court. The accused’s Lord or Lady does not have the right to forgive their vassal for a crime against you.

Suggested Punishments

This is not a strict list so much as a set of guidelines. Punishments may be adjusted according to the circumstances.

Minor Punishments

Fine of 10 Gold

Order of Inaction - An order to avoid a situation, location, or behavior for a period of time.

Transcription - Clerical work such as making copies of Guard reports, information from scholars, or meeting minutes.

Cool Your Heels - Stay quietly in one spot for 15 minutes ((PC)), or take a walk to the jail ((NPC)).

Standard Punishments

Fine of 50 Gold

Protective Duty/Patrol - The sentenced is assigned to guard a person, location, or object, or to join the

Baronial Guard on a patrol of the Proper.

Execution

Small Geas - A compulsion to perform a task. The task should take no more than one or two Feasts to complete.

Major Punishments

Execution

Permanent Brand

Outlawed

Large Geas - As Small Geas, except that the task may be longer or more complex and may take several Feasts to see through.

Seizing of Wealth