Discussion: Laws and Legalities in Daunton

Tomalak · Feb 17, 2010

Is there a collection or discussion of Daunton's 'Legal code' anywhere? While Daunton's nominally a medieval fantasy city, there are a large number of modern corollaries, and I'm curious what constitutes Crime and Punishment there.

renau1g · Feb 17, 2010

Not sure if we've drilled down to that level of detail, we probably all have our opinions of what the law, or lawlessnes, in the city is. If you have something in mind a proposal would be great. Either way it seems that the guards are overwhelmed by the difficulties going on.

CaBaNa · Feb 17, 2010

I've had Veruzak arrested, put on trial, and placed under house arrest.

Daunton felt like a tyrannical republic, as it happened.

Veruzak was charged with transporting illegal herbs into Daunton from laughing gallows.

Fragsie · Feb 17, 2010

I think the justice system of Daunton is quite disorganised to be honest (and I think that adds character to the setting), The guards answer to the mayors office, which is a separate authority to the Lords council that is comprised of the heads of the founding families (they usually meet four times a year). These two authorities seem to act independently of one another, and have different ideas of what exactly is the law of Daunton. Then there is the Politica who include a lot of the younger members of the noble families and so support the Lords Council, but have been known to side with the mayors office on occasion. All in all, it seems a bit of a mess really, which is no doubt why Brunt is often stressed!

ScorpiusRisk · Feb 17, 2010

Some people recently were arrested in one of my adventures for trespassing and destruction of property.

Dunamin · Feb 17, 2010

It would be nice with one or a few quirky laws to add character and atmosphere to Daunton - and all the other Proximate Isles, for that sake. Nothing imposing on play, of course, unless the players go out of their way or the adventure involves it somehow.

I remember back when DMing Greyhawk games, that the capital of the forest-dominated lands of Highfolk, for instance, had a specific law against offending the central tree in the city - which was actually a huge treant.

The theme is small islands for the setting. Perhaps fresh water isn't that abundant, and there are fees for wasting it?

Tomalak · Feb 18, 2010

Okay, how strict is the definition of 'murder'? Because a wandering band of sociopaths is rampaging through the warehouse district leaving a bloody mess. And I'm curious as to whether is normal for criminals' deaths to go unnoticed by the authorities. I may wind up having to turn them in anyway, and just see what happens...

H.M.Gimlord · Feb 18, 2010

As far as the "Love Bites" crew is concerned, simply being accused is enough to convict you of anything, and I believe the penalty for any crime seems to be death. If that gives you the heebeegeebees, don't worry. Speaking from experience, dying isn't all that bad. Just about everyone in Love Bites has tried it at least once

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covaithe · Feb 18, 2010

Fragsie said:
I think the justice system of Daunton is quite disorganised to be honest (and I think that adds character to the setting), The guards answer to the mayors office, which is a separate authority to the Lords council that is comprised of the heads of the founding families (they usually meet four times a year). These two authorities seem to act independently of one another, and have different ideas of what exactly is the law of Daunton. Then there is the Politica who include a lot of the younger members of the noble families and so support the Lords Council, but have been known to side with the mayors office on occasion. All in all, it seems a bit of a mess really, which is no doubt why Brunt is often stressed!

Do the Lords have actual power? I didn't know that. In Love Bites, I'd assumed that Brunt is the nominal head of government, who has to maintain the approval of the Politica as a sort of parliamentary body. Brunt has a fairly free hand in most of the day-to-day stuff, but if he pisses off the Politica too much, they can toss him out and put up another mayor in his place, sort of thing. The nobility don't have much direct, official power as individuals; they have to work in concert to really accomplish anything governmentally. Which they almost never do; too much squabbling and infighting. On the other hand, the nobility have the power and influence (and money) to go outside the law when they feel like it: private armies, bounties on people they don't like, etc. It's that last bit that had Brunt all stressed in Love Bites.

As for justice, it's on record that Brunt thinks adventurers are a necessary evil, that without them and their unruly ways the city would quickly be overrun by horrors. So he's prepared to bend the rules for them and look the other way if a few dead criminals turn up from time to time. It's when the PCs start killing nobility or roughing up ordinary citizens that things get a little heated.