Lawsworn

The Lawsworn are an organization devoted to Æcepan , the god of law, oaths and punishments. As such, they primarily consist of lawspeakers, judges, and, when circumstances require, executioners. Although they started out as a small cult of worshipers of Æcepan, over the centuries they have grown to be one of the most influential groups in the Kingdom of Ælnea and the surrounding countries, and unlike other religious organizations, the Lawsworn tend to operate rather in a secular manner, differentiating their worship of Æcepan from their practice of studying law and enforcing it.

Tenets of Faith

By the book. The book of law must be followed at all times.
Be Just in Action. Act for the sake of justice rather than personal gain.
Oathbinder. Fulfill the promises you make and ensure others fulfill theirs.
Punish the unlawful. Judge those who steer away from the law and mete out appropriate punishment.

Ethics

By the book

Above all, the code of law is what is most important to members of the Lawsworn. Every Lawsworn spends years studying the ins and outs of the laws of the countries in which they live, and it is said that any Lawsworn is able to recite these laws by memory by the time that they have passed the Coded Trial. Upon passing the Coded Trial, a member truly becomes Lawsworn, as they make their oaths to abide by and enforce the laws without erring. Lawsworn are expected to strictly follow their legal codex to the letter, without room for negotiation. This has earned the Lawsworn with a reputation of being extremely strict and unwavering to the general populace, but they are greatly respected by the general populace, and often feared by nobility, for the fact that they treat everyone equally in their judgements, regardless of social status. The laws by which they conduct themselves do not allow for a Lawsworn to manipulate the laws in their favor, and, in fact, if a Lawsworn were to use an exploitable loop-hole, their title as a Lawsworn would likely be revoked. When a situation arises that is not defined in the laws of the land, judgement will be withheld until the presiding Lawsworn seeks counsel from other Lawsworn, and when they come to an agreement on how the situation should be dealt with, they will codify it in the law, typically after informing and consulting with the rulers of the law.

Be Just in Action

Due to their strict adherence to the law, the Lawsworn are known for their dedication to bringing about justice. While some can find this sense of justice overbearing, most know that a Lawsworn will act not for personal gain or glory, but for the sake of justice in and of itself. They do not approve of disproportionate punishment for an injustice committed, and so the Lawsworn are trusted to give the appropriate punishment to any crime, though rarely do they show leniency in their judgements. A Lawsworn who uses the law for their own personal gain, they will be tried by others of the sect and have their titles revoked. To the Sworn, the law is there to benefit the community rather than the individual, and so they act in such as way that both maintains laws and order, rather than using laws to sow discord in a community.

Oathbinder

Lawsworn are also commonly known as Oathbinders or Oathkeepers. They are known to both follow any oaths that they speak or write, as well as to enforce the oaths spoken or written by others. The Oathkeepers consider an oath to be the fundamental element of the law, asserting that all laws passed and codified are, in and of themselves, started as oaths. To break an oath is to break a law, regardless of whether the oath is predicated on an existing law or just a simple agreement of exchanged services between two individuals. As all oaths are traditionally sworn in the name of Æcepan, it is said that some of the most devote of the Lawsworn know when a person is under an oath, or when someone has broken one.

Punish the unlawful

The Lawsworn are not only judges and lawmakers, but also executioners. When someone has been found to have violated the law, the Lawsworn dole out punishment for that transgression. While everyone knows that the Lawsworn will only ever mete out the appropriate punishment, this has earned them a reputation as being cold-hearted and, sometimes, ruthless. When need be, any Lawsworn is expected to take up the executioner's mantle and slay a criminal who has committed such transgressions of the law that would require death as punishment. As such, the Lawkeepers study combat alongside the law so that they may fulfill the roles of judges and executioners. They believe that it is their duty to dole out even the most violent of punishments so that the layperson does not have to dirty their hands.

Priesthood

Lawspeakers

When most think of the Lawsworn, chances are they think first of those who speak nothing but the law. A Lawspeaker does just that, having sworn an oath in the name of Æcepan that they shall speak only the law and nothing else. Lawspeakers carry with them law books, which they have memorized to the last detail, and recite these books with every word they speak. By the side of a Judge, whether that judge is a member of the Lawsworn or not, there stands a Lawspeaker, who when prompted will recite the exact law, its specified punishment, any policy define the procedure to prosecuting one accused of a law violation.

Judges

Although judges are not exclusive to the Lawsworn, as most countries have their own judicial branches to their government, many agree that the best judges in the field of law belong to the Sworn. Like any other judge, they preside over a trial and determine whether a person is guilty or innocent of a crime. Usually as Lawsworn judge is not accompanied by a Lawspeaker, as Sworn Judges are expected to be able to recite the law just as well as the Speakers, but they do occasionally bring one to oversee a trial.

Oathbinders

While Sworn Judges tend to operate out of a singular court, Oathbinders wander the lands to act as traveling judges. The Oathbinders came as a result of the lack of courts or shrines of Æcepan in smaller countryside villages. Oathbinders are also tasked with establishing shrines to Æcepan in the villages that they come across in their travels, and when they do so, the Oathbinder usually settles in that place to act as the local judge. The Oathbinder sends a letter to the nearest Lawsworn monastery to inform them of the new shrine and their transition to a local judge so that the Lawsworn may prepare to send out another Oathbinder to travel the countryside.

Blades

Some Lawsworn are dedicated to carrying out the more grievous punishments as predicated by the law. These Sworn who take this bloody mantle are known within the orders of the Lawsworn as Blades. Unlike the other roles carried out by the Lawsworn, Blades are generally feared by the people, as they act as executioners. The Blades are the ones who dole out punishments that result in the death of the guilty, from hangmans to the more iconic executioners.

Political Influence & Intrigue

Among the many religious orders and cults found throughout Ælnea, the Lawsworn are the most influential of them. A Lawsworn, whether they be a lawspeaker, Sworn Judge, or Blade, can be found in the courts of kings, queens and lords of any stature. Most nobles believe that the residency of a Lawsworn in their holdings is a sign that they are a just and honorable ruler. A lord with no Lawsworn in their court is sometimes viewed with caution, as other nobles are unsure of whether that lord is to be considered honorable or trustworthy. At the same time, the upper echelons of society know that the presence of a Lawsworn means that no injustice or infringement of the law will be tolerated in the territory in which they reside, and that a Lawsworn will judge even the most powerful of lords, and even monarchs. Many feudal lords in the past have been brought down by the Lawsworn for corruption, forgery (especially of inheritances), conspiracies and various other shady means that nobles are prone to take in order to gain or preserve power.

Speak truth, enact justice

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Alternative Names

Lawspeakers, Sworn Judges, Oathbinders, Blades

Demonym

Sworn

Divines

• Æcepan