Does anyone know of any detailed fantasy Legal Systems? The only one I have been able to find was the one printed in the 2E Waterdeep boxed set. Most other campaign sources either only elude to the fact that there IS a legal system or gloss over the topic entirely. How do most of you determine what is or isn't against the law in a given region? What about variances in regional alignment (are the laws different in say a predominantly LG region versus a region more predominantly LE)? Do you "wing it" or do you have a codified legal system? Thanks for any input.
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Legal Systems?
- Thread starter Khaalis
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jdrakeh
Front Range Warlock
I have a stock answer for this question. I once had a PDF document of this capitulary that I had compiled for personal use, but it's gone now 
Anyhow, this is easily the most detailed set of laws for a fantasy setting that I've ever seen and, with only a tiny bit of tinkering, it's easy to adapt to any setting that you fancy.
Anyhow, this is easily the most detailed set of laws for a fantasy setting that I've ever seen and, with only a tiny bit of tinkering, it's easy to adapt to any setting that you fancy.One thing I think would make the question of a legal system more interesting is to bear in mind that more than one legal system could have a plausible claim on any given region. Locals and lesser nobles may well expect to see common law upheld whereas a monarch may seek to have royal decree serve as the law. If there is or has been an established church, then they may seek to have something like Papal law take precedence. The wacing and waning of different legal claims could well be more interesting than some static system of laws which all take for granted as applying to a given setting. And for lawful characters, especially, the potential drama of determining which laws they will follow ...lots of possibilities there.
E.g.: A merchant accuses a 3rd son of a local landlord of theft. The local Justice of the Peace expects to determine the facts for himself and convince a judge of the facts as he sees them. If guilty, he will force the offender to pay a fine to the victim. But a representative to the new monarch is in the area, and he wishes a different judge to make the decision. If guilty, the accused will pay in service to the king. Meanwhile, the resident Cleric reminds everyone that when the church received its proper respect a zone of truth would resolve matters and the accused would have received corporal punishment if found guilty. Each is fully convinced that their own means of resolving the dispute is the proper one, and each regards the other methods as a sort of corruption. It's already a complicated enough situation to givethe players a tough call, and we haven't even factored in ulterior motives and deceipt.
E.g.: A merchant accuses a 3rd son of a local landlord of theft. The local Justice of the Peace expects to determine the facts for himself and convince a judge of the facts as he sees them. If guilty, he will force the offender to pay a fine to the victim. But a representative to the new monarch is in the area, and he wishes a different judge to make the decision. If guilty, the accused will pay in service to the king. Meanwhile, the resident Cleric reminds everyone that when the church received its proper respect a zone of truth would resolve matters and the accused would have received corporal punishment if found guilty. Each is fully convinced that their own means of resolving the dispute is the proper one, and each regards the other methods as a sort of corruption. It's already a complicated enough situation to givethe players a tough call, and we haven't even factored in ulterior motives and deceipt.
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Thanks again for the information. Electronic format is actually perfect for this source of information. Not really keen on it as a full hardbound book, so this works well.
As for details on legal systems for anyone who cared to know... In this particular case, I am designing a legal system with 5 basic levels, each with different levels of severity of crimes and punishments.
Imperial Law: Laws set in place by the Emperor and stands as the high law in all provinces. It deals with crimes such as treason, forgery of imperial documents, impersonation of imperial officials, assault of a noble, theft/vandalism/arson/rape of a noble or their property etc.
Crimes against the Church: The empire has one official religion and these laws are meant to protect the church, its property and its clergy.
Province Law: Laws set in place by the noble house of each province, designed to protect the interests of the nobles in their province and reflecting each noble house's 'average' moral and ethical values.
Civil Law: Laws set in place by the noble house of each province, designed to foster a specific moral and ethical framework for the citizens of the province.
Contract Law: Standard contract law.
As for details on legal systems for anyone who cared to know... In this particular case, I am designing a legal system with 5 basic levels, each with different levels of severity of crimes and punishments.
Imperial Law: Laws set in place by the Emperor and stands as the high law in all provinces. It deals with crimes such as treason, forgery of imperial documents, impersonation of imperial officials, assault of a noble, theft/vandalism/arson/rape of a noble or their property etc.
Crimes against the Church: The empire has one official religion and these laws are meant to protect the church, its property and its clergy.
Province Law: Laws set in place by the noble house of each province, designed to protect the interests of the nobles in their province and reflecting each noble house's 'average' moral and ethical values.
Civil Law: Laws set in place by the noble house of each province, designed to foster a specific moral and ethical framework for the citizens of the province.
Contract Law: Standard contract law.
jdrakeh
Front Range Warlock
Khaalis said:
Note that contractual law and civil law (as you've defined them above) aren't tiers, so much as they are types of law that can occur on any one of three tiers of authority (Imperial, Provincical, or Metropolitan). That said, you've empowered provinces to relegate their own civil issues, so that's the tier that it would fall on in your setting (i.e, Provincial Law). Now, Church Law is usually a special case. . .
In many societies of our own Earth, there were times when Chruch Law (or authority) superceded all earthly rule and was the highest law in the land, with those who failed to adhere to it being threatened with death. There were other times when the Church's authority was specifically ignored by monarchs -- with those who did adhere to it being threatened with death.
Basically, you need to decide what kind of power the Church in your setting wields befoe you can determine what legal authority it wields (if any). Does Church Law supercede Imperial Law, or can the Emperor overrule the Church? If you're merely treating "Crimes Against the Chuch" as being enforced by the Emperor, then (again) your Church Law isn't a tier of its own but a type of Imperial Law (i.e., the Emperor writes and enforces it).
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