rights and races (who is protected?)

[the Jester]

Is that a tax paid by each gnome on themselves -- or is a gnome merchant required to pay duty on every gnome they import? Is it per pound, per head or per beard hair?

Or is it just a small annoying tax that keeps causing problems?

It's a tax on each gnome in the local communities. For decades they caused so much trouble being revolutionary that they were finally struck a deal: they'd pay a tax on each gnome's head, and in return they'd be granted a "semi-autonomous region" of their own.

Any gnome entering the region has to pay the tax and a toll.

 

[WayneLigon]

is there a document in your campaign that details the rights of citizens?

does it extend to all sentient beings? or just humans? just humans elves and dwarves? and half orcs? goblins if they are trading?

do humanoids get any "due"?

does the semiintelligent critter in the kingdom have any rights? is there a group that tries to protect the endangered owlbear?

how does the law deal with all the "monsters" and such? are they recognized as "monsters"?

i think unequal protection under the law could lead to some interesting dillemas, and i would like to hear how and if you have used these themes.

Documents. In general, No; most of the societies in the worlds I've used are semi-feudal in nature, so the king technically owns everything in the kingdom, and that includes all the people. You may have a benevolent king that grants additional rights and privledges to certain classes and peoples, but most people are very aware that the next king could just as easily take them away. Very seldom in fact have I ever run a campaign where the idea of the 'rule of law' (the idea that the law is greater than whoever makes or enforces it) has even occurred to people.

In the campaign world I've spent the most time on, it breaks down like this: Dwarves and humans are on an equal footing. Humans admire Dwarven ingenuity and dwarves admire human creativity. They both 'feed' off each other.

Halflings are desert nomads. They are treated fine by human nomads. Human city dwellers think they are all thieves, but they think that about human nomads as well.

Elves are rare creatures, and so there are not a lot of laws really dealing with them. Humans for the most part keep them at a distance.

Dwarves treat other races save humans with total neutrality, because they are all potential customers.

Half-elves are second-class citizens at best among humans, and barely even tolerated among elves. They won't be harmed by elves, just treated as if they were invisible. Humans will rarely emply them in anything above common laborer, soldier, or servant.

Half-orcs are unskilled laborers, or guards. Generally they're not trusted enough to be servants or soldiers.

Hobgolbins in this world have their own empire, far to the west. Humans are neutral to them. Dwarves fear them. Half-orcs look up to them, even though they treat half-orcs worse than humans do. Elves and half-elves are food.

Semi-intelligent monsters: some might be given rights by individual rulers, some might be treated as beasts and hunted, some might be revered. It all depends on the local ruler and how consistant he is with the power above him.

Human-like Monsters, or monsters that can appear human(ish) live in a kind of underground in the human-dominated kingdoms. Mostly they are either ignored or actively discouraged. Some, such as dopplegangers or vampires, might acquire some status within a human community, though almost never if their true nature is revealed.

Awakened animals, on the other hand, are usually treated with utmost respect and something bordering on awe ( a holdover from the previous religious structure).

 

[barsoomcore]

It's a tax on each gnome in the local communities. For decades they caused so much trouble being revolutionary that they were finally struck a deal: they'd pay a tax on each gnome's head, and in return they'd be granted a "semi-autonomous region" of their own.

Man, being the gnome tax collector has got to be the WORST job in the kingdom.

 

[maddman75]

IMC, the rights different races have will vary from place to place.

Enoch is my typical fuedal society land. The natives are humans, who are subjects of the king, and halflings which are a totally subject people - that is, they don't even have any lords or nobility of their own. they are however recognized as people and given the protection that they deserve.

Elves, dwarves, and gnomes are travelling foreigners, and so long as they don't cause any trouble they won't have many problems. There's been a LOT of conflict with a neighboring nation that uses orcs as their military, so half orcs while not actively persecuted won't have it very nice.

Krall (the above mentioned kingdom) doesn't really favor any race over the others. The Emperor and Imperial family are halfdragons, so they are all inferior in the state's eyes. There's a lot of slavery, so anyone who crosses a wealthy merchant or general may find themselves branded and in chains.

Li'Teria is the elven nation, and they actually do have the concept for the Rule of Law. They're loosely based on Plato's Republic. Unfortunately, only Elves are full people. Other races are degenerate and can be jailed, exiled, or even killed depending on the offense and the worth of the accuser. Frex, a dwarf accusing a human of murder would warrant an investigation. However a human accused by an elder of the elves of profaning one of the elven gods might see summary exile.

 

[silentspace]

As others have pointed out, most laws have their basis in a desire to maintain the status quo, or to keep the people with power in power. English Common Law was more concerned with resolving the disputes between property owners than about 'rights'. Women, for example, had very few rights. Greek and Roman concepts of democracy were very limited. Only a very select few had the right to vote. To keep with the 'flavor' of a medieval-type world, I would keep to something similar. I think no one would have rights that are specifically spelled out. It's more about being noble-born or having power. There might be something like a Senate, but they would be voted in by a very small pool of nobles. Or something like that.

 

[mmadsen]

One area of my campaign world is infamous for the gnome tax- a tax on each gnome.

This reminds me (a bit) of the kharaj, the tax on dhimmi (Jews and Christians) in Muslim lands. (Before I'd read about the kharaj, I'd never heard of a tax tied to group membership. Other restrictions certainly, but a tax seemed...unusual.)

 

[alsih2o]

taxed for race or group...very much usable

i keep tossing around the idea of somehting like a modern ankle doohickey that people on house arrest get for certain races of nefarious reputation.

"welcome to the city, please extend your right leg"

 

[Silveras]

The modern concept of human rights and civil rights is just that -- very modern. Post 17th-century, stemming from the secular humanist views of the enlightenment, dignity of man, and Locke's Social Compact. As such, they are much out of place in a Medieval-esque world.

That being said, there is also room to argue that the pursuit of wizardry is an academic model (the use of the school specialists as educational disciplines) that would tend to promote the growth of some of these ideas faster than in the real world. Likewise, greater literacy would promote the faster spread of ideas and the recording of principles.

Fundamental to some of this is the question: How active are the deities in your world ?

IF they are very active, they will have much power. Much power means that strong dogmas will slow the growth of secular ideas -- deities whose sphere includes Rulership, for example, may promote the notion if divine right of Kings and the special qualities of royal bloodlines. With such religious pressures, the value of the "common man" and his inherent rights is very much downgraded.

Also, if there is a strong "mystical"/"divine vs. infernal" spin to your world, there may be strong belief in the doctrine that humanoids are "born evil", can't change, and thus can't be allowed to run free in good lands. They will turn to crime; they can't help themselves. If, on the other hand, your world espouses a more "free will" type of theme, cities would often have Orc or Goblin neighborhoods that would be treated like "the bad part of town" in many cities today.

I tend to run a campaign with strong good-vs-evil themes and archetypes. The races *are* mystically good or evil, inherently. Humans have free will, and are the only race that can really change their "allegiance" easily. However, with strong inducement, good can be corrupted and evil redeemed; it is just VERY difficult.

There are no documented rights in my world. I *do* make some laws governing the use of magic, however. Use of charms is prohibited in most Lawful lands, except by the authorities. The use of magic is considered an armed attack under most circumstances.

Incident: I once had a PC cast "know alignment" from his tavern table while checking out the band of PCs he was to join. They noticed. That PC was asked to take a walk, and the player had to make a new character.

 

[DM_Matt]

This reminds me (a bit) of the kharaj, the tax on dhimmi (Jews and Christians) in Muslim lands. (Before I'd read about the kharaj, I'd never heard of a tax tied to group membership. Other restrictions certainly, but a tax seemed...unusual.)

You sure that the tax isn't called rthe "jizya." Thats what I seem to remember...

 

[mmadsen]

You sure that the tax isn't called rthe "jizya." Thats what I seem to remember...

Ah, you're right, DM_Matt. The kharaj is the other special tax dhimmi had to pay, a property tax. The jizya is the "head" or "poll" tax.