The Courts of Maal

Known as the courts of Maal, the god’s church has only a few dedicated worshipers (called Maalites), largely due to the rigorous rules its members must follow. Nevertheless, the court is powerful, prominent, and well respected, since the courts and their representatives are known to be unbiased and wise. In nearly every major city or center of government in human, dwarven, and mixed-race societies, there stands a court of Maal. Locals go them to resolve thorny conflicts. Some local governments rely on the courts of Maal to serve as criminal justice systems. Even in cases where a government has its own trial system, leaders consult with the courts to help resolve important issues, especially if they involve powerful nobles. A central court heads a large network of lesser courts. The Four Justices, who comprise the high court, issue edicts for the rest of the faithful about the legal policies of various nations, the goals of the courts, and the status of the search for the Sacred Laws. Maal gave mortals these laws at the beginning of the fourth epoch. If followed, they would create a perfect, harmonious society. These laws were all lost, except for the first: Maal’s doom against vengeance. It is therefore the solemn mission of Maal’s faithful to recover the Sacred Laws, to bring about a new age of enlightenment and peace for all. In all their years of searching, they have not found a single one, and fear diabolical or demonic influence keeps them from being recovered. The faithful do not speak of this mission to outsiders, though some members of other churches know of it. While the faithful search, the courts maintain good relationships with secular authorities, and uphold their duties as legal arbiters and counselors. The courts also maintain fine relationships with other lawful churches, including the Great Church, which sometimes calls upon the courts of Maal to adjudicate disputes between its members when the case requires a neutral third party. In ancient times, the courts were also places where mourners could gather and remember their dead, offering prayers to the King of the Dead to care for their loved ones. The churches of the Mormekim and Narynath have largely taken over these roles, but some still go to the courts to pray that the Judge of Souls will be kind to lost loved ones. Maal depends on his courts to carry out justice in the world. He communicates to his followers through omens, or even direct messages via his Voice, or Wisdom. Maal believes his servants are just but is saddened when some of them fail to mete out justice, or do not understand its true meaning. Those eager to inflict terrible judgments rarely climb high in the hierarchy of his faith, for he makes sure the leaders of the courts know his disapproval.

Tenets of Faith

Justice for All

“Though the world’s injustices may fill the vessel of your heart with rage and hatred, though you may desire with all your soul to destroy those who have wronged you, remember that there is a true and greater law more perfect than any you might ever recite, more beautiful than you might ever hope.”
—The Writ of Maal, holiest creed of the courts of Maal

The doctrine of the courts rests on four principles, which are described below.

There will be Justice

Even before Maal’s first declaration, there were laws against murder and taking justice into one’s own hands. If all involved in the tale of Ceruill and Ophiel had obeyed those laws, much suffering would have been avoided. While the Church of Maal knows mortal laws are fallible, they do not believe all laws are right simply because they are laws, they however know Maal’s law is infallible. Maal promised all crimes would receive justice, so it is therefore a great wrong to commit another crime to see justice done. For instance, killing someone who has harmed your family because you believe it is the only way to receive justice is wrong—Maal has decreed it so, and you only prove you lack faith in Maal and his promise. “Trust in Maal,” the justiciars say, “for he is compassionate, and his justice will be done.”

Maal’s Wisdom is Infinite

Gods see further and understand more than even the wisest mortal can. Maal understands society and the mortal spirit better than any king or holy leader ever will, so his laws and decrees are perfect. His Sacred Laws were lost to the mortal races through ignorance, and failure to obey them. Most in the courts believe they still haven’t been found because of outside interference. A few believe they will be found in sequence, once the mortal races master them in order. Thus, the second decree will not appear until all mortals understand and live by the first, surviving decree: Vengeance is wrong. Believers argue that Maal could give mortal races the laws despite the Compact, but refrains, because he doesn’t want them ignored and lost again. Maal’s faithful debate how many decrees Maal gave mortals, but most agree on twelve: one for each of the mythic leaders to whom they were given.

All People have a Right to be Judged

All people accused of a crime have a right to some sort of trial, and should not simply be executed or punished according to mere whim, so the courts are opposed to low justice, in which a noble punishes a peasant however they like. All mortals have the right to some sort of formal trial before mundane authorities, just as all people, no matter how evil, despicable or chaotic, have a right to appear before Maal, and receive final judgment. Believers therefore abhor any magic that entraps or destroys the soul, or prevents it from ever going to Maal. Transforming oneself into a lich qualifies. They refer to all such magic as “anarchic,” and court officers tirelessly pursue those who use it.

Those Who Deny the Right to Judgment are Enemies

Be it a king who gives legal protections to nobles, but allows peasants to suffer the chaotic whims of hetman and gangs, or a sorcerer who traps souls in a magical well to power his spells, the courts oppose those who seek to deny others their right to procedural justice from their own societies, or from Maal, at the cusp of the afterlife. At the very least, courts issue edicts and arguments against those who bar the way to judgment, but in the worst cases, the courts might take up arms. The courts are not egalitarian, however, and do not require a kingdom to treat all its subjects equally, or issue virtuous laws. A lawful evil empire might escape the courts’ opposition, if all its people have access to some formal justice system.

Worship

The justiciars and the officers of the courts of Maal pray to their Lord often, particularly when they wonder if a decision they made was correct or ethical. Most often, common folk pray to Maal in three cases: when they need the wisdom to make an important decision, when they’re wronged and crave justice, and when a loved one has died.
The prayer recited most fervently is called the Entreaty, and it is a cry to Maal for justice, when wronged. While spoken from the perspective of one murdered, its meaning stands beyond any one crime, for any offense committed against the mortal races. The Entreaty is not said lightly, as it is a solemn plea to Maal. It is usually invoked by someone who knows who has wronged them, is desperately trying to control their rage, and wants to avoid taking matters into their own hands.

“Father Maal, Judge of Souls, King of the Dead, Hear me in my need. My blood runs in rivers, And with it mingle my bitter tears. I lay dying yet no crime have I done, No man have I wronged. My innocent blood I offer to you, Father Maal, My angry tears are my libations; I pray to you that those who wrong me will find Justice, By your hand or another’s. Let not my blood be washed away, Let not my life be forgotten.”

Priesthood

Justiciars of Maal

The justiciars are the clerical order of the courts of Maal. They keep the court systems operating, with the high justiciars overseeing the individual courts. They are looked to for their wisdom, good judgment, and counsel. The deepest purpose of the order is the recovery of the Sacred Laws, and this is what concerns most prolocutors, who are generally wandering, powerful clerics seeking these ancient artifacts of their god. The largest contingent of the courts foremost concern is finding the twelve laws of Maal. While their complete dedication to legality makes them excellent judges, they often allow unfortunate outcomes by the standards of goodness, as they feel the preservation of the law is of paramount importance. For this reason, in cases where someone has broken the law but has done so for a good or very understandable reason, justiciars still condemn the criminal, and are uninterested in vague concepts such as “right” or “context.” Some people complain these justiciars do evil by adhering to law so completely, but the justiciars respond that the anyone who breaks the law for some short-term good will likely do a profound evil, in the end. A different mindset of justiciars, however, are much beloved, for they believe that law exists to better the lives of people. They are the “live and let live” sort, associating themselves with people who, perhaps, bend the letter of the law to achieve great good. While they themselves do not stray from the law, and while they certainly try to explain to such people the importance of maintaining laws. Such justiciars are paragons of virtue, seeking to aid others through their wisdom and strength. They do not lie, do not swear, do not strike others in anger, and do not raise their voices. All in all, they seek to be exceptional figures of morality, temperance, and wisdom, as Maal is. These freer thinking justiciars typically do not rise far in the court system, and it is rare for one of them to sit as one of the Four Justices.
Forms of address for the justiciars are varied, but all are introduced by name and position among the justiciars, such as, “Wilhelm, prolocutor of the courts of Maal.” When referred to without his name, a member of the order is called “a justiciar of Maal,” regardless of his personal title, or more formally, “a justiciar of the courts of Maal,” since the most important detail about them is that they serve the courts and can mediate disputes. They represent the faith and their order first, in all things.

Justiciar

New justiciars keep busy. Several justiciars operate in even the smallest courts, as running one involves a fantastic amount of work, given that most courts hear daily petitions from local people asking for help in serious matters such as resolving disputes and remedying cases of injustice. Justiciars operate as assistants to high justiciars and must obey their superiors. New justiciars rarely adventure far from home, but it can happen when it involves court business. The courts consider it acceptable for justiciars not suited to minding the courts to defend the principle of organized laws abroad. Justiciars are addressed as “honored justiciar.”

High Justiciar

With sufficient experience, justiciars can attain the rank of high justiciar and might be given authority over a court. In major population centers, several high justiciars work in a single court. They form a council and ponder their decisions, but one justiciar is given supreme authority over the court from the Four Justices. High justiciars rise from the ranks of the justiciars after a time automatically, and without needing approval from higher church officials, but they must petition the Four Justices in order to run a court. Petitions can take a great while to grant, with some waiting up to five years before receiving an assignment. If a high justiciar can build a court with her funds, or funds raised, she automatically gains authority over the court. High justiciars are addressed as “lord justiciar,” or “lady justiciar.”

Prolocutor

High justiciars who distinguish themselves are eventually hailed as prolocutors and are henceforth placed above day-to-day matters, such as operating a court. Prolocutors travel the world, quest for the Sacred Laws, visit distant lands, and bring law to the world, speaking the will of Maal to any who would listen. Prolocutors speak for Maal. When they declare something unjust, anyone with a shred of sense listens. Those prolocutors who prefer not to wander find the Four Justices interceding, instructing them to put aside their mundane labors and do Maal’s work abroad. It is rare for this admonishment to be required. A prolocutor is addressed as “most honored justiciar.”

Four Justices

When one of the two Justices from the order of justiciars steps down or dies, a prolocutor receives a mysterious spiritual call to sit on the council of the Four Justices. They simply know it is their time. No more than one prolocutor has ever answered the call; the faithful believe Maal chooses the Justices. The call doesn’t always summon the strongest justiciar, and some join the Four Justices just months after being named prolocutors. The call can sometimes tell a Justice to step down, too. A Justice from the order of justiciars is addressed as “supreme justiciar” and might be introduced as, “Supreme Justiciar Mord, one of the Four Justices of the courts of Maal.”

Joining the Justiciars

Prospective members must undergo years of legal training before they can join the justiciars. Those already familiar with the law could become a justiciar without additional training, but otherwise a character would have to stop adventuring for two to four years while he learned the law. Upon completing training, they become clerics of Maal. Most justiciars favor the longsword to symbolize the sword Justice, which Maal has wielded since the war with Kador.

Sects

Officers of Maal

It is one thing to pass judgment or to demand that the law be followed, but quite another to enforce that judgment, or those demands. When criminals must be pursued or judgments enforced, the officers of Maal perform such duties. They do so because of an abiding belief that laws make the world better for everyone. It is not possible to become an officer if one secretly harbors a perverse pleasure in punishing people, or has too much love for her authority. Officers of Maal must not lie, cheat, or in any way knowingly allow an injustice—great or small—to be done. The exception is in cases of tragedy, where an injustice would occur no matter what the officer does. In such cases, the officer must minimize damage to the innocent. Officers of Maal obey legitimate laws, and bring them to the lawless. Officers of Maal oppose anarchic magic or anything else that takes away the rights of mortals to stand before formal justice, or Maal’s presence after they die. Officers of Maal tend to be most interested in their companions’ goodness. They do not expect everyone they know to be tireless champions for law, or the rights of the downtrodden. However, they stop associating with anyone who uses anarchic magic, and do not work with those who flaunt just laws. A rogue who ceaselessly violates the laws of a corrupt city to overthrow their tyranny, while using methods the officer might not use herself, is certainly an appropriate companion. Members of the order are introduced with title preceding name, followed by, “an officer of the courts of Maal.” So, a shield named Gwaithin would be introduced as “Shield Gwaithin, an officer of the courts of Maal.”

Sword

New officers of the court of Maal are called swords, and addressed as “sword.” Having gone through exhaustive training, swords serve courts. Most courts have five swords, each given a separate duty. The high justiciar might say, “You, Sword Pavel, serve as bailiff, to keep order and escort prisoners to and from proceedings,” or “You, Sword Hellyne, serve as a bodyguard to young justiciars whenever they journey beyond this court.” The swords serve and obey the high justiciar of the court, or any lesser justiciars they’re ordered to serve. More mystical members of the court system refer to each sword as a “finger,” with each of their duties likened to the duties of the fingers of the hand. The sword who serves the bailiff is like the thumb, the anchor of the hand. The sword who helps victims find and prosecute their attackers is like the index finger, which indicates evil, and so on. This is an old-fashioned way to think of such things, but what remains of this tradition is that when five swords go out to capture a dangerous criminal, they’re called “fists.” The courts of large cities employ several organized fists, alongside a few unassigned swords. Some of the most promising swords don’t belong to fists. They go on adventures that, while not lofty enough for shields, still serve the courts of Maal. These “unsheathed swords,” as they are called, are the envy of other young officers of Maal, and are usually the very best of the order, allowed to wander because it would be wasteful to shackle them with bureaucratic work at a court.

Shield

After serving many years as a sword, officers go forth and protect people. The high justiciar of the court administers a mystical test involves strange visions and mysterious questions. The high justiciar casts a spell called the test of souls on the promising sword, and delves deeply into her very being to affirm she is ready to serve Maal independently, protecting the innocent and preserving the right to justice. If the sword fails, she can never become a shield, though she maintains her status and powers as a sword of Maal. It is no great shame to fail the test; Maal simply wishes the failure to remain a sword. One who passes becomes a shield, expected to fight against lawlessness and anarchic magic, under the guidance of Maal himself. Shields obey high justiciars and, certainly, any edicts set down by the Four Justices, but are no longer subservient to a single court, and do not have to be involved in day-to-day legal affairs. Several shields often band together and form minor holy orders, though these are culturally specific and left to the GM to create. A shield is addressed as, “shield.”

Hand of Maal

After a shield survives many adventures, she might be moved to make the journey, no matter how far, to the Court of the Four Justices. There, she is tested by the Justices to see if she’s ready to be a hand of Maal. This time, the test of souls ritual includes fifteen hours of interrogation, culminating in the ultimate question: Is the shield prepared to stand before Maal? If so, she is given a drink of deadly poison. Upon her death, she goes before Maal for judgment. Four days after, the Four Justices bring her back from the dead. While no officer who has experienced this speaks of her time in Maal’s kingdom, it is clearly excruciating to return. The restoration to life works only on willing participants, and by the time one is a ranking officer of Maal, the rewards of the afterlife must be rich indeed. A hand of Maal puts those awards aside to walk once more in this imperfect world, so profound is their desire to better mortals’ lot. Sometimes officers refuse to return, though such occasions are rare and spoken of sadly. Once brought back, the shield is elevated to the title hand of Maal, because it is said she is now the sword, shield, and hand of the King of Souls on Earth. She receives rich gifts from the Four Justices. Hands act as living agents of Maal’s will. They lead armies, topple evil kingdoms, slay terrorizing dragons, and perform other epic works of heroism in the name of law and justice. A hand is addressed as “grim lord,” or “grim lady.”

Four Justices

When one of the two Justices from the officer order dies or steps down, a hand is supernaturally called to sit upon the council of the Four Justices, exactly as happens for the justiciars. A justice from the order of officers is addressed as “supreme lord” or “supreme lady,” and might be introduced as, “Supreme Lady J’oinelle, one of the Four Justices of the courts of Maal.”

Joining the Officers of Maal

Officers are selected by Maal himself, it is said, for their goodness of heart and their courage to do what must be done. Thus, nearly all officers are Paladins.

Talesmen

The courts sometimes refer a third order, the talesmen. In ancient times, when Maal delivered his first laws to the mortal races, some cultures gave criminals a right to trial by jury. Whenever a jury needed to be convened, the lord of the area would issue a “writ of tales,” or an order commanding all those capable of appearing at the lord’s court to serve as a potential jury member. Once the candidates responded to the writ, lots were drawn and twelve talesmen, or jurors, were selected to hear the case. While the writ of tales is now rarely used, the talesmen remain. From time to time, a crime happens that is so profound, the gods cry out for justice. It might be a crime somehow hidden from them for millennia through powerful magic, or it might be a recent atrocity committed against the worshipers of several of the gods, such as if a major city was wiped out by an evil sorcerer. When such an event occurs, the gods petition Maal for justice, demanding he find an impartial champion, or several such champions, to right the wrong. These champions must not serve any of the gods as clergy. Upon selecting a champion, Maal sends a writ of tales through one of his servants. If the champion accepts they become a talesman, and courts of Maal throughout the Material Plane consider it a duty to aid them in any way possible. A member of the order receives no titles, and none but members of the courts are likely to even know what a talesman is. When seeking aid from the courts, a talesman need only say “I serve the writ,” and whatever they might need will be provided.

Becoming a Talesman

One does not choose to become a talesman; rather, Maal scours the world for a worthy champion to right a grave wrong. Maal selects only those he judges non-evil who do not cast spells from a divine source. Candidates must demonstrate exceptional skill in the areas necessary to battle the injustice. If this wrong can be righted by stealing a powerful ring, Maal would choose an exceptionally gifted rogue. Since these requirements depend on the specifics of the wrong, there is no one path to receiving a writ of tales, but those selected must be powerful enough for the gods to have noticed them.