CITY LAW

While the degree of enforcement and the severity of the law varies from city to city, the legal system and its agencies are a major part of the urban setting.

LAW RANK AND LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Dungeon Master’s Guide II provides in-depth information on courts, crime, and punishment in D&D cities. For those without access to DMG 2, consider the following version of those systems.

Law Rank: The degree to which a city enforces and upholds its laws. It is a measure of the fairness and impartiality of its magistrates and its legal system, as well as their effectiveness. A positive number indicates a reasonably just and fair society, while a negative number indicates rampant corruption or discriminatory practices. Assuming a starting law rank of 0, use the following modifi ers to determine the city’s law rank.

Table 5–2: City Law Rank Modifiers

Power Center1	Modifier
Good-aligned power center	+1
Lawful-aligned power center	+3
Evil-aligned power center	-1
Chaotic-aligned power center	-3

Legal Code1	Modifier
No written legal code	-3
Written legal code	+1
Written legal code has existed for 100+ years	+2

Law-Enforcement2	Modifier
Very strong efforts at law-enforcement	+2
Moderately strong efforts at law-enforcement	+1
Weak efforts at law-enforcement	-2
Very weak or nonexistent efforts at law-enforcement	-4

Governmental Corruption2	Modifier
Almost no governmental corruption	+1
Little government corruption	+0
One-third of officials corrupt	-2
Two-thirds of officials corrupt	-5

Social Standing of Citizens2	Modifier
Is never an issue in legal proceedings	+3
Is occasionally an issue in legal proceedings	+1
Is usually an issue in legal proceedings	-1
Is always an issue in legal proceedings	-2

1 Modifiers in these categories are cumulative.

2 Modifiers in these categories are not cumulative; choose one only.

To determine the result of a legal proceeding, roll 1d20 + city’s law rank against DC 10. If the party who deserves to win is of high social standing in a city where social standing usually affects legal proceedings, add 2; if this is the case in a city where social standing always affects legal proceedings, add 4. If the check succeeds, the case is judged in favor of the deserving party. If it does not, the case is judged against the deserving party.

All this assumes, however, that the PCs do not take steps to alter the outcome. This system lets the DM determine what will happen if and only if the players do not get involved.

Law Enforcement

While the city watch is a staple of many fantasy cities, the truth is that only a few cities make use of organized police forces. In other cases, the city relies on adventurers and private citizens to apprehend criminals. The government might issue a writ of outlawry against an individual, posting notices in public places. Anyone capturing or killing an outlaw is entitled to keep the outlaw’s possessions, and could earn other rewards as well. Some writs might be issued retroactively, if a criminal is apprehended or slain in the commission of a crime.

Trials

Most cities do not make use of anything resembling a modern trial by jury. Trials are overseen by magistrates or local lords, who have almost total power (within the bounds of the legal code). Some trials are argued, with the confl icting parties or their advocates presenting precedent and evidence until the magistrate makes a decision. Others are decided by mystical interrogation, or trial by ordeal.

Ordeal by Fire: The defendant is thrown onto a pyre, forced to walk across coals, or otherwise exposed to great heat, under the assumption that the gods will protect the innocent from harm.

Ordeal by Water: The defendant is dunked or thrown into deep water, often with weights. Again, the assumption is that the gods will not permit an innocent to drown.

Trial by Combat: The defendant must battle a chosen champion of the court. The winner is declared victorious in the eyes of the gods.

Sentencing

Only a few cities make use of prisons as punishment. In most cases, prisons serve primarily as a place to hold the accused until trial.

Fines: Many petty crimes are punished with fi nes, often amounting to several times the value of properties stolen or damaged.

Forced Labor: The criminal must serve the city, the victim of his crime, or some other power for a period of months to years. A few must serve for life, becoming little more than slaves.

Exile: Citizens of high standing convicted of serious crimes are often exiled from the city, or even the kingdom.

Execution: Serious crimes (or even petty crimes, in some harsh cultures) are punished by execution. Upper-class convicts are beheaded, while most others are hanged.

Again, see Dungeon Master’s Guide II for more details on all these topics.

WEAPONS, ARMOR, AND SPELLS

Many cities pass laws restricting the use of weaponry and offensive spells. Specific details might vary beyond the categories presented here, but these provide a baseline from which to work. The DM should decide which of these apply to his city (or cities), regardless of the city’s law rank. Use the law rank to determine how thoroughly these laws are enforced and punished.

Some cities allow exceptions to these laws in the case of self-defense, but truly dictatorial systems do not.

Weapon and Armor Laws

Far more common than spell-related laws, statutes restricting the use of weapons exist across most communities and cultures. These laws, obviously, do not apply to city watch, soldiers, or bodyguards licensed to nobles or other important citizens. It’s also possible that they don’t apply to the PCs, depending on the characters’ relationship with the local authorities, but in particularly restrictive cultures—any city where the default is “moderate” or higher on the list below—they might require special permission to carry their gear. Player characters can secure such permission in advance by taking the Special Dispensation feat (see Chapter Two).

None: The city does not restrict the carrying of weapons or the wearing of armor, though people still fi nd themselves in legal trouble if they use those weapons inappropriately.

Lax: Anything larger than a light weapon must be peacebonded (magically bound to its scabbard or sheath). Wearing heavy armor in the streets is inappropriate.

Moderate: All weapons must be peacebonded. Wearing medium or heavy armor in the streets is inappropriate.

Strict: Light weapons must be peacebonded, and no other weapons can be carried in public. Wearing medium or heavy armor in the streets is inappropriate.

Harsh: No weapons or armor can be worn or carried in public.

Spell Laws

Most cities do not restrict spellcasting specifically, instead punishing casters who cause death or destruction just as any other lawbreaker would be. In some instances, however, the government passes laws to moderate the use of spells just as they do weapons.

None: The city has no laws regarding the use of magic.

Lax: Destructive area spells, such as fi reball, are forbidden, but other spells are permissible.

Moderate: The use of any damaging spell, or any spell that affects another individual against his will, is forbidden.

Strict: No spells can be cast in public without advance permission or a special permit.

Harsh: No spells can be cast in public; even carrying a component pouch or spellbook is illegal.