medieval detective "agency"

[Quickleaf]

I've been reading some period mystery novels that got me thinking about how an order of detectives would look in D&D. How would they interface with the courts? What legal powers would they have and would they recieve exemption from any laws? I'm thinking Eberron must have a good example though I'm leaning toward less film noir and more "witcher" (I am still searching for the right word).

 

[jaerdaph]

You should check out Medieval Murder Mysteries from Beyond Belief Games - it's really well done. It's d20/OGL, but a complete game.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In fiction, you could do worse than reading the light fantasy detective novels of Glen Cook, covering the adventures of Garrett.

What powers the detectives had would depend, just as in RL, on their affiliations and local laws.

 

[Umbran]

I've been reading some period mystery novels that got me thinking about how an order of detectives would look in D&D. How would they interface with the courts? What legal powers would they have and would they recieve exemption from any laws?

That would rather depend upon the local authorities, now wouldn't it?

In a "lords and vassals" feudal system, you might expect no such thing to come up, unless it was under direct control of a lord or major church organization - Brother Cadfael, or "Name of the Rose" style...

In a highly political city state (a pseudo-Venice, say), you might get such a thing more independent (with a sponsor, perhaps), but their investigations might be a bit of a political football.

It also depends a great deal on what divinitory magics you are allowing, and how high level most of the people in the world are.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

You may also want to look up late Roman Public Investigators. Licensed investigators for hire....

But mostly, in a mediaeval world the rights of privilege (literally 'private law') and rank would be held above all - better to be the agent of the nobility or the Church, and using the lord's voice.

The Auld Grump, part of the reason I like Eberron.

 

[Klaus]

I think they'd be akin to the Pinkerton Agency.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

You may also want to look up late Roman Public Investigators. Licensed investigators for hire....

"Ey- wossyour badge nombre?"

"DCCCLXXVI, sir."

 

[ajanders]

You may also want to look up late Roman Public Investigators. Licensed investigators for hire....

But mostly, in a mediaeval world the rights of privilege (literally 'private law') and rank would be held above all - better to be the agent of the nobility or the Church, and using the lord's voice.

The Auld Grump, part of the reason I like Eberron.

That doesn't eliminate the concept of criminal investigators, it just means they don't have an office with a sign and take private commissions.

Anyone charged with administering justice or managing a large organization has agents they use to investigate things in varying levels of discretion: religious faiths have inquisitions, political lords have thief-takers. Even the wizards guilds probably have a few people who specialize in ensuring the 1000 gp gems they need for their rituals aren't actually 950 gp gems which will be unable to contain the demon lord you're binding.

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

I've long thought that the old English style of grand juries/juries of presentment would make for a great concept for a medieval fantasy investigatory game. Basically, the original concept of a jury was a group of important men of an area who the crown charged with reporting all crimes committed in the jurisdiction within a set time period and indicting people to be tried for those offenses. So they would then bring their own knowledge, what they had heard, and the results of their investigations to bear. Because of the investigatory responsibilities, it would set up nice gameplay options.

To me, a "detective agency" per se feels decidedly unmedieval, but people who are investigating crimes make perfect sense.

 

[Umbran]

T
Anyone charged with administering justice or managing a large organization has agents they use to investigate things in varying levels of discretion: religious faiths have inquisitions, political lords have thief-takers.

Well, I would imagine that would depend upon how frequently they're actually called on to administer justice, the size of the population, and what concepts of justice and jurisprudence are in the area.

Frequently enough, I would imagine a small local lord would simply delegate the job of figuring out what happened to some trusted retainer, rather than having a dedicated force for the purpose. Investigation might well be down simply on the level of an accuser and defendant showing up in court (not a modern court of law, but the time the local lord sits down and does business with the populace and announces stuff), and each stating their piece, and the lord making a decision.