Festival of Halina (Orsal Judging)

[El Jefe]

OOC:[SBLOCK]

You don't fine 2 million dollars from the drug lord's impoverished servant Pablo.

Maybe I could have chosen a better example, but my point is that's precisely what they do. First the drug lord's estate is confiscated, and he's now effectively a penniless beggar. THEN they slap him with a $2 million fine. Or he asks Pablo to take an envelope to his partner, Reynaldo. When the operation gets busted, the drug lord and Reynaldo are nowhere to be found, and poor Pablo gets slapped with the $2 million fine for being "part of the conspiracy".

If the jail and hard labour doesn't even add up to as much value as the fine, then they're really being foolish--the fine provides immediate unconditional cash without having to deal with surveilance and upkeep of a prisoner. Ideally, you want them to pick the fine. If you've set it up so that almost nobody is allowed to pick the fine because the labour is for much less time than the price of the fine is worth, you're doing yourself and the girl a disservice--you might as well lower the fine to equal the value of the labour.

Yeah, but if your goal is to provide for the girl and the perpetrator can't do that by way of a fine, having a draconian jail term as a punishment encourages marriage, which will provide for her far better than 200 gp ever will.[/SBLOCK]

 

[Rystil Arden]

OOC:[SBLOCK]

Yeah, but if your goal is to provide for the girl and the perpetrator can't do that by way of a fine, having a draconian jail term as a punishment encourages marriage, which will provide for her far better than 200 gp ever will.

But that only works assuming you're going to work around the law and have a marriage. In a good percentage of cases, marriage is not an option. Thus, choosing a number somewhere between 200 and 500 is more advantageous than 2,000.
[/SBLOCK]

 

[LogicsFate]

"So, are we all done here" Elise asks...chipperly "What time is it?"

 

[Bront]

Sunny says "It looks like I have my hands full. I don't know the first thing about what I need to do to get married."

OOC: LF, that's up to you all.

 

[El Jefe]

Sunny says "It looks like I have my hands full. I don't know the first thing about what I need to do to get married."

Oirhandir chuckled. "Lucky for you, you've got the easy part!", he exclaimed. "Just show up in your best clothes, ready to swear undying love to your new bride. And I guess the custom in these lands is for you to give her a ring as a symbol of your love and devotion." He thought for a moment. "I suppose you'd best spend a good sum of money on that ring, you don't want them to think you are cheap." He thought for a little more. "Oh, and don't worry about whether or not it fits her, the jeweler will take care of that. Um, and there might be a wedding rehersal, some places do that. Don't worry about it, they'll tell you where to stand and what to say and do...you can't mess it up, really."

As they paused while Sunny took this all in, another idea struck Oirhandir: "Oh, and you might want to pick a 'Best Man'. You know, a trusted friend to hand you stuff and help you out. In some lands, he'd be an official witness that testifies that you really got married. I don't know what the custom is here, though, but you can't go wrong by picking someone you trust as a 'Best Man.'"

 

[El Jefe]

OOC:[SBLOCK]

But that only works assuming you're going to work around the law and have a marriage. In a good percentage of cases, marriage is not an option. Thus, choosing a number somewhere between 200 and 500 is more advantageous than 2,000.

I'd argue that in the vast majority of cases where this sort of law was applied, marriage was an option and the desired one at that. Historically, cases that would now be reported as child abuse were typically hushed up or explained away if the girl got pregnant. In the few cases where the case was prosecuted and the perpetrator couldn't marry, either there was a fine that was so low that it was little more than an inconvenience, or else there was a necktie party for the culprit. Now, in moving from historical reality to Bront's game, we're going from speculating about the nature of laws in Covington to speculating about the demographics and social customs there, and at that point I think we're so deep in speculation that I'm not sure we're accomplishing anything of value.[/SBLOCK]

 

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC:[SBLOCK]Yes, the typical real-world penalty was a small fine, though during the anti-adultery religious fundamentalist times, they would sometimes execute the guy and sometimes also girl (those women and their temptations--obviously their fault )[/SBLOCK])

 

[Bront]

Sunny looks at Oirhandir "You seem to know what you're doing, would you be my best man?"

 

[El Jefe]

Sunny looks at Oirhandir "You seem to know what you're doing, would you be my best man?"

Oirhandir was a little taken aback by the young wizard's request, but after reflecting on it for a half moment, decided that he should have been prepared for it. "Why...yes, I'd be honored to", came his hasty reply. "I suppose I could ask what the customs are around here, and help you make preparations. And I have a new friend who might be able to give good advice on such matters. I'll get started right away!"

In his experience, women of all races enjoyed weddings immensely...talking about them, planning them, oohing and ahhing over the ceremony and such. Well, he knew nothing of half-orc or dwarven women, but he supposed what they thought wouldn't matter much in these lands. Perhaps Scarlet would enjoy advising in such matters...at any rate, it would give him a convenient excuse to see her if his duties grew too overwhelming.

Oirhandir approached the mayor. "Your Honor", he said, bowing slightly, "Mr. Sunny has asked me to be his best man, and I'd like to see the lovely couple off to a fine start. Is there someone around here who can advise me on the marriage customs in this locality?" Grinning, he added, "I'd like to get him ready for the big day!"

It then occurred to the elf that in the last three days he'd played matchmaker for an orc, best man for a human, had flirted with two pretty women, and might have found his own perfect match. Halina's influence was strong at this festival, indeed!

 

[GnomeWorks]

Troi shakes his head at the sudden commotion around him. Moments before, he had been detaining a friend of his for the local government, and now he found himself in the midst of a planned wedding.

This whole government thing is too much. I mean, I picked up workin' fer this sheriff because it seemed like the thing to do at the time... but now I remember why it was we all hated the officials. Seems like I've been forgetting everything that went down in Lathirn lately... what would they say, seeing me working for the sheriff here?

Troi looks to the sheriff. "Well, I think my job's done here, y'know? When I signed up wit' ya, I didn't really 'spect ta hafta bring in one a my friends... while I'm glad ta've helped ya out an' all, I don't think workin' fer ya directly is really my kinda thing. Sure, it might be a touch more... mercenary, I s'pose, ta do things my way, I'm not th' kinda guy who wants ta get tied down in all the bureaucratic stuff, y'know? It's been nice workin' with ya, but I hope ya don't need my kinda help again." He smiles.

He then looks to his companions. "Sorry 'bout that, was kinda lost in my own thoughts and workin' with th' flow... tryin' ta figure things out in my head, an' all..." He shakes his head. "Think I'm good now, though." He smiles. "Hell, I don't even know how long we've got 'til we head back ta Orussus... lost track a th' days an' all that. Everythin' seems ta be runnin' together."