forget Good and Evil, what about Law
- Thread starter Skade
- Start date
NoOneofConsequence
First Post
At various times in various countries it has been illegal for anyone other than a noble to ride a horse.
In the Roman empire it was illegal for anyone other than the Emperor to wear the colour purple.
In many medieval countries church law could be enforced by secular courts of law. (the film The Advocate is fantastic for showing the practice of late medieval/early renaissance law in France).
Catholic France would execute both the animal and the human if a human was found to be guilty of bestiality.
How's that for a start - more as I think of them.
In the Roman empire it was illegal for anyone other than the Emperor to wear the colour purple.
In many medieval countries church law could be enforced by secular courts of law. (the film The Advocate is fantastic for showing the practice of late medieval/early renaissance law in France).
Catholic France would execute both the animal and the human if a human was found to be guilty of bestiality.
How's that for a start - more as I think of them.
I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
Just a note -- keep in mind Lawful doesn't nessecarily mean Leagal. 
To actually contribute:
*No spellcasting without a licence. The locals have a lot to worry about without some yobbo summoning hells into their living rooms willy-nilly. A license can be aquired in the coure of a month, and costs about 150 gp. A licensed spellcaster can cast spells that do not impinge on any unwilling citizens, and can authorize the casting of spells by others. Violating the terms of this license results in the revoking of all spellcasting powers instantly (by a specialized Geas placed on the spellcaster when signing the license). Churches often have a lisence for all priests of the religion within the walls of the church. Wizards do likewise for accademies.
*No wild beasts within the walls. This can extend to monstrous PC's, to make a bit of trouble for 'em, or to basically anything if it's an elf city.
*Elf City: No open flame. No sense in burnin' down the place.
*Dwarf City: No beard-tugging. Punishment results in having your hand cut off.
*Halfling Settlement: All arguments are subject to judgement by the Big Momma of the area.
*Gnome-holes: It is illegal to tinker within the city limits. (too many lives have been lost...)
*Orc tribe: "The only law here is my greataxe, meat!"
To actually contribute:
*No spellcasting without a licence. The locals have a lot to worry about without some yobbo summoning hells into their living rooms willy-nilly. A license can be aquired in the coure of a month, and costs about 150 gp. A licensed spellcaster can cast spells that do not impinge on any unwilling citizens, and can authorize the casting of spells by others. Violating the terms of this license results in the revoking of all spellcasting powers instantly (by a specialized Geas placed on the spellcaster when signing the license). Churches often have a lisence for all priests of the religion within the walls of the church. Wizards do likewise for accademies.
*No wild beasts within the walls. This can extend to monstrous PC's, to make a bit of trouble for 'em, or to basically anything if it's an elf city.
*Elf City: No open flame. No sense in burnin' down the place.
*Dwarf City: No beard-tugging. Punishment results in having your hand cut off.
*Halfling Settlement: All arguments are subject to judgement by the Big Momma of the area.
*Gnome-holes: It is illegal to tinker within the city limits. (too many lives have been lost...)
*Orc tribe: "The only law here is my greataxe, meat!"
Kichwas
Half-breed
I've got a long list of guidelines for laws in my own world on my site listed below.
It's under:
Nations-Lomyr-Law
It's not a typical -fantasy- world though, because my base is the classical era of the mediterranian and not medieval north western europe (But then most fantasy is actually not based on anything near medieval either anyway).
One favorite for the medieval feel is trial by water.
Especially if you get players who get all uppity about their rights or don't fall into place around nobles.
In trial by water, you tie em up and toss them in the river. If they sink, you pull them out -hopefully before they drown- and they were innocent.
If they float, they're guilty and you chop off a hand.
I got that one from an historical detective drama set in England. One of those things you see if you watch PBS.
I've been waiting for a chance to use it in game ever since.
It's under:
Nations-Lomyr-Law
It's not a typical -fantasy- world though, because my base is the classical era of the mediterranian and not medieval north western europe (But then most fantasy is actually not based on anything near medieval either anyway).
One favorite for the medieval feel is trial by water.
Especially if you get players who get all uppity about their rights or don't fall into place around nobles.
In trial by water, you tie em up and toss them in the river. If they sink, you pull them out -hopefully before they drown- and they were innocent.
If they float, they're guilty and you chop off a hand.
I got that one from an historical detective drama set in England. One of those things you see if you watch PBS.
I've been waiting for a chance to use it in game ever since.
the Jester
Legend
There's a place imc where the gnomes live in the Gnomish Autonomous Region but must pay a "gnome tax" on each gnomish person.
I figure that most places, things like assault, kidnapping, arson, theft, etc. are against the law. Not all places have written codes of law, though; a lot of (what we'd consider) more primitive cultures have oral traditions or the rules decided on a case-by-case basis.
Don't forget the possibility of trial by combat or ordeal, either!
I figure that most places, things like assault, kidnapping, arson, theft, etc. are against the law. Not all places have written codes of law, though; a lot of (what we'd consider) more primitive cultures have oral traditions or the rules decided on a case-by-case basis.
Don't forget the possibility of trial by combat or ordeal, either!
Azure Trance
First Post
Edit.
Teach me to post that late at night.
Teach me to post that late at night.
Last edited:
Here are two...
Law of Evil Items - it is against the law to sell items (weapons, rods, staffs, rings, amulets) that are known to be evil. Doing so will result in at least two years of hard labor and the confiscation of all properties.
Law of Fire - it is illegal to endanger public and private properties with magic or mundane means.
I also have some basic rules on life in areas and while not laws are lawful, some characters know these more than others (rogues urban, rangers rural, barbarians wilderness):
Urban: people are respectable to anothers home/property, you obey/know local laws.
Rural: You don't sleep in someones barn unless you ask, you don't kill farm animals, you share news of the road when asked, you help others on the roads.
Wilderness: You always annouce yourself when entering a camp, you do not leave a fire unattended, you don't ruin water, you don't take anothers mount (note: barbarians will raid others for horses as a right of passage but it is a raid on a herd not taking a mount).
Law of Evil Items - it is against the law to sell items (weapons, rods, staffs, rings, amulets) that are known to be evil. Doing so will result in at least two years of hard labor and the confiscation of all properties.
Law of Fire - it is illegal to endanger public and private properties with magic or mundane means.
I also have some basic rules on life in areas and while not laws are lawful, some characters know these more than others (rogues urban, rangers rural, barbarians wilderness):
Urban: people are respectable to anothers home/property, you obey/know local laws.
Rural: You don't sleep in someones barn unless you ask, you don't kill farm animals, you share news of the road when asked, you help others on the roads.
Wilderness: You always annouce yourself when entering a camp, you do not leave a fire unattended, you don't ruin water, you don't take anothers mount (note: barbarians will raid others for horses as a right of passage but it is a raid on a herd not taking a mount).
We shoulld perhaps not that in the Renaissance or Dark Ages, there wasn't generally a system of "licensing". You might petition the local lord for permission to do a thing, but they didn't have standardized forms you'd fill out in the Department of the King's Forest to get a licence to hunt the king's deer.
That, by the way, is a good one - hunting rights were often left in the hands of one lord or another. Hunt in the King's Forest without the king's permission, and you lose a hand, or an eye. Depending on the telling, the enforcement of just such a law is what sets off the whole Robin Hood incident...
That, by the way, is a good one - hunting rights were often left in the hands of one lord or another. Hunt in the King's Forest without the king's permission, and you lose a hand, or an eye. Depending on the telling, the enforcement of just such a law is what sets off the whole Robin Hood incident...
Drawmack
First Post
In order to build a law system for an area you have to look at why laws are passed. Here is my take on it.
Democracy: Laws are passed for the common good. Laws keep society in order and help weed out those that would bring society down. The laws are simple, decide what would bring society down and outlaw it with various punishments starting at severe and going to rediculous.
Monarchy: Laws are passed to keep the peasants down and the nobles on their roost. The laws are also passed on the whims of the noble in charge. This is a bit more difficult. Figure out who is making the laws then make laws that seem like things this person would say. Again punishments start at severe and go to rediculous but they are based on how opposed the ruler is to this.
etc.
Democracy: Laws are passed for the common good. Laws keep society in order and help weed out those that would bring society down. The laws are simple, decide what would bring society down and outlaw it with various punishments starting at severe and going to rediculous.
Monarchy: Laws are passed to keep the peasants down and the nobles on their roost. The laws are also passed on the whims of the noble in charge. This is a bit more difficult. Figure out who is making the laws then make laws that seem like things this person would say. Again punishments start at severe and go to rediculous but they are based on how opposed the ruler is to this.
etc.
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