Faction Regulation

Each Faction has the right to punish and reward its own members as they see fit. This tends to be administered by Ambassadors (who are NPCs) or their appointed representatives (who may be PCs). Punishments tend to include fining the offender their pay for several weeks, putting them under the parole of a senior faction member, banning them from Rituals with other Agents, etc. Rewards might be money, equipment or the authority to call in NPC backup, skills or resources.

In serious cases, matters are taken to trials made from various Faction members.

Although the many unofficial support staff, traders and shipwrecked locals are not officially part of the Factions, they are not without help if they can find an advocate. In particular, Builder, Explorer and Aspirant Priests often find their doctrines encourage them to see certain laws enforced. They are known to sometimes raise cases on behalf of petitioners.

Trials

An Accusation of Crime must be made by a named Individual or Faction (the Accuser). They must name a Suspect and their desired Punishment. The Suspect Faction or Individual is tried by Judges from 3 Factions that are neither the Accuser’s or Suspect’s Faction. Judges are picked quickly by the Suspect, who must pick from those nearby and should pick those who show willing. The Accuser can Veto one choice, disallowing it. The Accuser and the Suspect each have 2 minutes to make their case, then the Judges have 2 minutes to confer. Note that conspiring, or attempting to conspire, with your Judges to avoid rightful punishment is a High Crime (Either interfering with the Trial if spontaneous or Undermining the Treaty if pre-meditated)

Results

All Judges must vote either Guilty or Not Guilty. A verdict requires 3 votes. If all 3 Judges vote Guilty, the Suspect is punished. If all 3 Judges vote Not Guilty then the Accuser is punished for Wrongful Accusation. If the Judges cannot agree, the final Vote may be gained from the result of a Trial by Combat. The combat is seen as a way to test the commitment of both parties to stand by their words, there is no belief the Gods or any other force will intervene. Only the person with the majority support of the Judges may call for a Trial by Combat, otherwise there is no punishment. If there is no Trial by Combat, the case is adjourned as clearly the Accuser was insufficiently commited to the case.

The Accused may request a Champion for this fight. Someone who volunteers as a champion will be punished alongside the Accused if they are found Guilty. If a faction is at fault, they may choose any champion who volunteers. The Trial lasts until one fighter concedes or may no longer fight under their own power. Killing the loser of a Trial by Combat flies in the face of all of Canon Law and is considered a High Crime (so an empowered Representative of the Wronged Faction may come, which is something no-one wants)

Influencing Factors

Judges set the sentence, and if they feel a Wrongful Accusation was justified but ultimately incorrect, they may make the punishment much less severe. If they feel a Wrongful Accusation was particularly malicious, they may make the punishment more severe. If a Faction is found Guilty of a crime, the punishment is increased in proportion to the number of Faction members who took part in the crime.

If a Faction is accused, but can show to the judges that they have already punished the offenders satisfactorily, they may be declared Not Guilty. If a person is Accused but has already been appropriately punished by their Faction this is a valid defence (Punishment removes the Guilt)

Self Defense or prevention of a greater crime is a legal defence unless otherwise noted.

Crimes

Petty

Petty Crimes are things which do one of the following and are punishable by fines, curses, penal servitude, Wounding etc:

• Raising a Revenant without the deceased or their Faction’s consent.
• Assault
• Petty theft (under 256 Ducatto)
• Subversion of Guild Law (i.e. Selling newly acquired loot without one of the parties being an Antiquarian)
• Reckless Endangerment (Any act that is unreasonably risky and could have caused multiple injuries. Usually Exploding Rituals)
• Defacement: destruction of belongings worth under 256 Ducatto
• Breach of Impartially Witnessed Verbal Contract
• Unlawful Imprisonment (Including Slavery).

Capital

Capital Crimes are things which include one of the following and are punishable by up to Mutilation, Deportation or Death. Capital Criminals may be freely reanimated as penal servitude. Only the Ambassador of the criminal’s faction or their representative may perform the punishment.

• Raising a Revenant despite the objection of the deceased or their Faction.
• Murder
• Malsanguino (Preventing a Dying person from receiving medical aid)- Self Defence is often very difficult to justify
• Theft (over 256, under 5000 Ducatto)
• Vandalism: Destruction of belongings worth over 256 and under 10,000 Ducatto
• Forgery or Coinage defacement (destruction of Ducatto)- Self Defence will never be viable.
• Mutilation.
• Breach of Impartially Witnessed Written Contract- It is possible to consent to a duel to the death via contract.
• Repeated and Apparent Criminal Behaviour (Being found guilty of a Petty Crime more than 5 times). For example a fight where you attack 5 people could be counted as this.

High

High Crimes are things which do one of the following- self-defense is never a viable claim. The punishment is as per Capital Crimes, but the perpetrator’s Faction will further be expected to provide reparations unless they can prove they were working to prevent the Crime:

• Interfere with the functioning of a Trial
• Undermine the Treaty of Ozgur Sehir
• Seek to start a war between Factions protected by the Treaty of Ozgur Sehir
• Grand Theft: Involve the theft of over 5000 Ducatto from a Faction recognised by the Treaty of Ozgur Sehir
• Arson: Involve the Destruction of property worth over 10,000 Ducatto