THE ENLIGHTENED LAWS:
TRIAL BY NOBLITY:
In this case, the Local Lord or Lady oversees the crime. He or she renders judgement and then concocts a punishment in proportion to the crime. This power is often abused by corrupt Lords and unless the Lord is favored by his Folk, can lead to grumbling, uprisings, and rebellions.
THE PEOPLE'S TRIBUNAL:
Usually, if a Lord wants to show his fairness he involved both the Church of Whelm and a Priest of Thymos. One representing the Law and one the Common folk with the Lord as the Judge.
TRIAL BY JURY:
Notable in it' relative newness, the trial by Jury is used for a commoner to be judged by his peers. The Jury in Isimiir is limited to 7 Jurors but is much like our modern Jury Systems. If found Guilty of a Criminal offense, the Accused will suffer the following penalties based on the severity of the crime.
CRIMINAL OFFENSES:
LEAST OFFENSES (Stocks or other Shaming Method 1d4 Days): Public Drunkeness, Gossiping, and Fraud.
LESSER OFFENSES (1d4 Weeks or Public Flogging): Drunkeness if a Priest, Cursing on a Holy Day, Public Blasphemy.
MODERATE OFFENSES (1d4 Months or Loss of Hand or Limb): Adultery, Criminal Divination, Abortion 39 days or less, Crossdressing, Impersonating a Noble.
SERIOUS OFFENSES (1d4 Years): Abortion 40 Days or more, Assault, Unlicensed Wizardry, Manslaughter, Fraud by Clergy and Lose Rank.
SERIOUS OFFENSES (1d4 Years): Abortion 40 Days or more, Assault, Unlicensed Wizardry, Manslaughter, Fraud by Clergy and Lose Rank.
DIRE OFFENSES (Death by Hanging - often with extensive torture/ Nobles can choose Poison or Beheading): Murder, Criminal Wizardry, Treason, Rape, Killing a Noble.
UNFORGIVEABLE OFFENSES (Death by Beheading (male Noble), by Gibbet (Male commoner) or Burned at the stake (female) - Creative Nobles can also use other tried and true methods like Drawing and Quartering or whatever catches their fancies): Devil Worship, Heresy, Mass Murders, Criminal Necromancy, Murder of Church official.
TRIAL BY CLERGY:
The act of petitioning the Church is an act asked by the Accused. Either the criminal can ask for a Whelmite Priest to administer justice or he seeks shelter in any of the Churches of Isimiir. From inside the Church he may claim 'Sanctuary'.
Once the Church claims the Accused, they have the power to render judgement from inside the church. The Criminal is automatically considered guilty and must work inside the Church until the 'Penance' is complete. If he leaves the Church he loses that day of penance in addition, a Penitent caught outside of the Church does not have Church Protection and is once again subject to Civil Law. While 'paying Penance' he may only eat the sparsest of meals, must pray for Penance 3 times daily, and must remain chaste and endure monk-like conditions for the duration of his penalty. He is also Branded by the Church as a 'Penitent' and a symbol of his crime is Magically added. Once the Penance is complete the Brand will wear off but not until he has completed his Penance.
EXAMPLE: Brull is guilty of Burglary. He must serve 3 years and only live on bread and water for one of those years. The Brand will go on and last until this is completed. However, if he leaves the church for a month during her service or commits a Sin, that day does not count. Thus a 3 year brand by a man who isn't righteous could last many more years!
CHURCH PENANCES:
The list of actual crimes is long and each of the punishment varies. For simplicity, a roll can be made depending on the severity of the crime:
The list of actual crimes is long and each of the punishment varies. For simplicity, a roll can be made depending on the severity of the crime:
LEAST OFFENSES (1d20 Days): IE: Public Drunkeness, Gossiping, and Fraud.
LESSER OFFENSES (1d20 Weeks): Drunkeness if a Priest, Cursing on a Holy Day, Public Blasphemy.
MODERATE OFFENSES (1d20 Months): Adultery, Criminal Divination, Abortion 39 days or less, Crossdressing, Impersonating a Noble.
SERIOUS OFFENSES (1d20 Years): Abortion 40 Days or more, Assault, Unlicensed Wizardry, Manslaughter, Fraud by Clergy and Lose Rank.
SERIOUS OFFENSES (1d20 Years): Abortion 40 Days or more, Assault, Unlicensed Wizardry, Manslaughter, Fraud by Clergy and Lose Rank.
DIRE OFFENSES (Life): Murder, Criminal Wizardry, Treason, Rape, Killing a Noble.
UNFORGIVEABLE OFFENSES (Death): Devil Worship, Heresy, Mass Murders, Criminal Necromancy, Murder of Church official.
COMMON CIVIL PUNISHMENTS:
Civil Punishments are Fines levied on the Accused if he is found Guilty. It is actually a little easier to resolve things civilly if the accused has the money to pay off his debt to society and his victim. Many rich men simply bribe the poor family if their carelessness injures or kills the men under his care. Obviously, most peasants cannot 'pay off' their crimes and go to criminal courts. Like other crimes, the penance is proportional to the severity of the Crime.
Civil Punishments are Fines levied on the Accused if he is found Guilty. It is actually a little easier to resolve things civilly if the accused has the money to pay off his debt to society and his victim. Many rich men simply bribe the poor family if their carelessness injures or kills the men under his care. Obviously, most peasants cannot 'pay off' their crimes and go to criminal courts. Like other crimes, the penance is proportional to the severity of the Crime.
The payment of a man's death or injury is called a 'Weregild'. This tradition is largely Trakaldan in origin but has caught on in other countries and is popular as well, especially with Zanitarian Primes, Evil Samurai, Evil Lazarian Lords, Guavhardiim Warlords, and Roving Adventurers whose coffers can support a large amount of atrocious deeds.
LEAST OFFENSES (1d20 Coppers): Public Drunkeness, Fornication, and Fraud.
LESSER OFFENSES (1d20 Silvers): Drunkeness if a Priest, Cursing on a Holy Day, Public Blasphemy.
MODERATE OFFENSES (1d20 Gold): Adultery, Criminal Divination, Abortion 39 days or less, Crossdressing, Impersonating a Noble.
SERIOUS OFFENSES (1d20 Platinum): Abortion 40 Days or more, Assault, Unlicensed Wizardry, Manslaughter, Fraud by Clergy and Lose Rank.
SERIOUS OFFENSES (1d20 Platinum): Abortion 40 Days or more, Assault, Unlicensed Wizardry, Manslaughter, Fraud by Clergy and Lose Rank.
DIRE OFFENSES (5d20 Platinum): Murder, Criminal Wizardry, Treason, Rape, Killing a Noble.
UNFORGIVEABLE OFFENSES (10d20 Platinum): Devil Worship, Heresy, Mass Murders, Criminal Necromancy, Murder of Church official.