Laws of the Great Western Empire

Crimes

Non-Execution Worthy

• Stealing something minor, is punishable by the perpetrator running a circuit around the settlement's town square (or closest approximate) on the next Washesday after Court while local lowborn pelt objects at them. Failing to throw anything at the perpetrator during their circuit, will result in a fine being placed on that person. The amount of the fine is decided by the local lord. If there is some time until the next Washesday, the perpetrator will spend the time in jail.

• Stealing something major, is punishable by having fingers of the perpetrator being cut off. The amount of fingers is dictated by the severity of the item stolen.

• Mercenary bands of any nature - but a size of more than ten (10) - are illegal, no matter their purpose. Any bands found will be ordered to disband and a fine be placed on every member. The fine will be the same number as the amount of mercenaries found in the band. Refusing disbanding will result in each member being branded as bandit.

Execution Worthy

• Marshal desertion is punishable by hanging from a tree until death.

• Any smith that willingly chooses to provide weapons or resources to a known enemy of their local lord, will have their face burned in their own fires. If the smith survives having their entire face burned then they are allowed to live but legally unable to practice any craft for the rest of their days and allowed to pass to the afterlife.

Defence of the Realm

• Any registered adventurers or sellsword, no matter their previous reasons for being in the settlement, are permitted to defend it wherever they are if it comes under attack.

• Any boat, state or private, with a capacity to hold at least 3 people will be commandeered for the defence of the port they are moored at.

• Any Wizard's services are considered free to use for any local Captain of the Guard.

• All of these if refused are punishable by summary execution for marshal desertion. Corpses are treated as criminals and so will be carted off to Cryptcities. (Further notes on Corpses and the Afterlife are featured later.)

Customs

• All authority runs from the Emperor, who is empowered by the Survivor Gods. (Now, he is believed to be empowered by the One True God of the Order of Saint Vortarius.

• Highborn nobility have more rights and responsibilities than the lowborn. Nobility are born into their status.

• Inheritance law is a key issue among the nobility. First-born sons are the legitimate heirs, followed by their brothers. Sisters - no matter their rank in birth order - only inherit if no sons exist to do so.

• A bastard child of a highborn lord may legitimise their offspring, but they are forbidden to inherit land or take the name of their father's House. Instead, they will be referred to as having the surname as the name of the father with a prefix of 'Fitz'. (A bastard child may earn their own lands and titles, but may become in line of their father's inheritance if they bear no legitimate children or none survive long enough to inherit.)

Miscellaneous

• The head of every animal killed on any marked noble hunting lands are, by right, the property of the local lord. This has been disputed in Imperial Courts that the rest of the body, meat and spoils, are property of the hunter or poacher unless local laws state otherwise.

• If a settlement has a bell tower, it must chime at sun up, mid day, and sun down without any delay. If the settlement has no bell, then they must have one or more criers to take it's place.

Corpses and Afterlife

• It is illegal for anyone, no matter their faith or status, to die on sacred or holy ground of any religion. These corpses - along with their killers if there were any - are transported to the closest Cryptcity.

Korg Law

For the most part, through history Human and Alfar laws and customs started to merge, mix and share over the years and cultural integration after the Dragon Crusade. However, the Korgs - for the most part - avoided and resisted the armies of early Losalfar. As such, the Korgs developed their own laws that are still recognised under the GWE as their own rights open to all lowborn living under a Korg lord, as well as any Korg outside of these lands. Some of these have, over time, become Imperial Law also and so listed here are those that are still unique by the late Third Age.

Crimes

Non-Execution Worthy

• Cowardice, including refusing a fight, is punishable by a week in jail.

Execution Worthy

• Accepted religions include only faiths that worship a pantheon of Survivor Gods. Any others are not permitted to be worshipped in the open and if caught doing so, will be hung from a tree until death and their shrines or holy artefacts burned in a pyre.

• Individuals that respect this law, will have to inform their local lord of their differing faith. A monthly tax will be imposed on such individuals to have the right to worship their faith in private. If an individual misses this tax for three months, or is caught lyng about their faith will be hung from a tree until death and their shrines or holy artefacts burned in a pyre.

Customs

Miscellaneous

• A child must be of sixteen (16) years of age before they can live in property without a guardian to look over them.

• There is no education provided by the state, and it is at the responsibility of the child's parents or guardians.

Ignorance of the law is no defence. Be forewarned that the following are but the most universal of Imperial Laws and regulations within the The Great Western Empire. Your own local province or principality may have unique laws of its own. As a citizen of Empire, it is your right and responsibility to know and follow these laws of the land.