The Law

Lore

In Precarious, a dwarf tries to smuggle a portable hole filled with treasures pillaged from Xen’drik past the guards of the Watch. In Clifftop, a patrol of guards calls on two dueling barbarians to throw down their weapons and surrender; the fierce warriors just snarl and fly at each other once more. In the court of Upper Central, a magistrate orders the Eye of Aureon to blind the prisoner in preparation for his sentence of perpetual darkness. The law is everywhere in Sharn. The question is whether adventurers oppose the forces of justice, or fight at their side.

Using the Law

It’s a simple matter to ignore the law, aside from saying that the Watch shows up if adventurers begin to murder people in the street. But the use of law can add a great deal to a Sharn campaign, if the DM wants to go to a little extra effort. Crime, corruption, the black market—all of these things are meaningless if there is no force of law to define them. The threat of the law can force adventurers to rethink rash actions, such as combat on the streets in broad daylight. But there are a number of questions a DM should answer before bringing the law into play.

IS IT FUN?

Before bringing in the law, the DM should think about the situation. Could this happen in an exciting movie? A good book? Will the players have fun?

Or is it simply going to slow things down, spoil the planned adventure, or otherwise ruin the fun for everyone involved?

As long as the situation makes a good story, it’s worth doing. In a battle with the Aurum, dealing with corrupt guards and magistrates may be a central part of the story. Otherwise, the DM may want to give the party a break, describing how they manage to slip away just as the Watch arrives to investigate. There are times when it may be worth dropping the full force of the law on the party, even if it’s not going to be fun for anyone. Ideally, the party should police themselves—taking into account the fact that the Sharn Watch exists, and considering the laws of the land. If they completely ignore the law and take no precautions, it may be worth it to have the Watch or the Redcloaks slap some sense into them. Having a +2 flaming longsword confiscated may be just what it takes to bring an out of control adventurer back to his senses. But having ever adventure end with a trip to court won’t be much fun for anyone—except the barristers, of course.

WHY BOTHER WITH HEROES?

If the DM is constantly bringing the law into play during city adventures, a problem comes up: Why does the city need heroes? Why isn’t the Sharn Watch taking care of all the problems facing the city? This reflects back on the party as well—if the forces of the law are so sharp that they can catch the rogue adventurer every time he picks a pocket, why can’t they help him when his purse gets cut? Here are a few options to work with.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder. Sharn is a very large city, and there’re only so many guards to go around. And those guards have routes to patrol and duties to perform; they can’t simply drop whatever they are doing to investigate a vague rumor. With relatively few guards on the streets, the adventurers (or their enemies) just need to be careful to time potentially illegal acts to occur between patrols.

The Bad Side of Town. There are places in Sharn where the Watch won’t go. The Cogs. Fallen. Hostelhome. If an adventure takes the party down into the Depths, the Watch won’t be there—for better or for worse. To a lesser degree, this is true of any of the lower wards. There may be guards in Lower Menthis, but not as many as there are in Upper Menthis— and a Watch officer who leaps to the defense of a noblewoman might look away when someone beats a flea-bitten goblin in the street.

Love of Money. Sharn is rife with corruption. The captains of the Sharn Watch are largely on the payroll of the Boromar Clan, and half of the members of the Watch have done muscle work for the Boromars. Guards who are on the take look the other way or wander off when something bad happens. This is a case where the guards can do favors for the villains that they won’t do for the adventurers. Just because a guard takes gold from the Boromars doesn’t mean that he’ll turn on them for a platinum piece. The Boromars have reputation and history, and the guard knows that 1 gp a month adds up over the years. Money’s no good to a dead man, and as far as the Watch is concerned, that’s what you become if you cross the Boromars.

Jurisdiction, Trust, and Courage. If an adventurer with no history in Sharn comes in and says “There’s a mind flayer in the Cogs!” he probably receives one or more of the following responses:

“Sure there is. Lay off the mead, pal.”

“Good for him. Maybe he’ll eat a few of those goblins stinking the place up.”

“I don’t have the soldiers to spare, and even if I did, that’s a job for the King’s Citadel.”

Few guards are going to go out of their way to challenge powerful monsters. One reason that the Watch has generally left Daask alone is that most guards are terrified by the thought of fighting a medusa or a troll. Even if the guard captain believes she can defeat the creature, she’ll need to balance the damage it’s causing with the number of guards she’ll lose in the battle. One member of the Watch counts for a lot of Cog goblins, at least to the captain’s mind!

Power. When it gets down to it, the Watch has numbers, but they lack skill. Most guards are 1st or 2nd-level warriors. By the time the adventurers reach 4th level, they are remarkable individuals who can take on enemies who would defeat an entire platoon of guards. While the guards have access to the Redcloak Battalion, this is supposed to be a true weapon of last resort, and a commander who calls them into service will be humiliated and potentially chastised. Likewise, most commanders are loathe to bring the King’s Citadel into their investigations. As a result, most of the Watch commanders look for a few talented independent operators who can quietly solve problems and get things done—basically, a party of capable adventurers.

WHO IS PROTECTED?

Breland adheres to the Galifar Code of Justice. Currently, the protection of the law is extended to all citizens of the 12 nations recognized by the Treaty of Thronehold and all members of the dragonmarked houses. This notably excludes Droaam and the Shadow Marches, although Marchers or Droaamites in the employ of House Tharashk are protected. As a result, creatures from Droaam are not protected by the law unless they are working for House Tharashk. All beings are expected to abide by the laws of the city, so while there is technically no legal penalty for killing a Droaamite gnoll, the gnoll is held accountable if he murders a Brelish citizen.

Undead are also excluded from the protection of the law, regardless of whether or not they are intelligent. Once a creature has died, he no longer has any status in the eyes of the law.

The warforged are protected due to rights granted them by the Treaty of Thronehold, but getting the representatives of the law to always enforce this protection is tricky.

Breaking the Law

As a civilized city bound to the basic tenets of the Brelish law and the Galifar Code of Justice, Sharn has a fairly typical set of laws. While many crimes are obvious, a character can always make a DC 10 Knowledge (local) check to establish the legal status of a specific action.

Common crimes are described below. The DM should use these as guidelines if he wishes to expand the list.

CRIMES OF AGGRESSION

Some of the most serious crimes under the law are those actions that bring direct, physical harm to another person.

Assault and Battery: The consequences of unarmed brawling depend on class. In lower class districts, the law completely ignores brawling. An innkeeper may throw a rowdy barbarian out of the inn, but the guards simply don’t have time to follow up on every bar fight. In a middle-class neighborhood, the consequences depend on who is involved in the fight.

If two laborers get into a fight, the guards don’t care—but if a seedy adventurer punches a respectable barrister, that’s another story. Officers of the Watch break up any fight involving respectable citizens. This is a minor offense that can be handled by a sergeant of the Watch. A mark is made on the identification papers of the guilty party. He is fined 5 sp for each assault charge shown on his papers. Finally he is escorted out of the district and ordered to stay away for at least one day. If the character doesn’t have gold or identification papers, he is taken to the local garrison and assigned to labor detail. Generally guards do not investigate any sort of assault that they did not personally observe.

An upper-class district follows the same guidelines as middle-class. There are more guards on the streets of an upper-class neighborhood, so a brawl is more likely to be spotted and stopped.

Armed Assault: Once people start inflicting lethal damage on one another, a brawl becomes more serious. Guards rarely investigate armed assault in lower-class areas, provided that both parties survived (if not, it’s murder). But they certainly do break up fights that they observe and fine the aggressors. The fine increases to 10 gp per offense, and a character with three or more marks on his record may be sent to the garrison and held for trial. It is also common policy to confiscate the weapon of the aggressor, which could be a far more serious loss to a high-level adventurer.

Assaulting an Officer: Attacking an agent of the law is always a bad idea, and anyone captured after such a battle is held for trial.

Murder: Murder—the theft of life—is a serious offense. A murderer who is taken by the Watch is held for trial, and execution is certainly a possible punishment. However, this assumes that anyone reports the crime, and that the guards consider it worth the time to investigate. Self-defense is a strong mitigating factor; if the party is attacked by a group of Daask gnolls and kills them, the Watch won’t try to track them down and hold them accountable. Likewise, the identity of the victim plays a major role in determining punishment. The murder of a city councilor likely results in execution; the death of a goblin gambler probably never reaches court.

Dueling: There is a long tradition of dueling in Khorvaire, especially in Karrnath and Thrane. In adventurers’ quarters, duels are taken quite seriously; people help the combatants find a safe place to duel, and people who refuse what is seen as a valid challenge suffer a significant loss of face in the district. Most duels are fought to first blood (10% of a duelist’s hit points) or until a combatant chooses to yield, but duels to the death are not unheard of.

However, the Galifar Code of Justice provides no exceptions for dueling. The Sharn Watch considers duels to be assault with two guilty parties, potentially armed assault or even murder depending on the nature of the duel and whether it is interrupted in time.

While most duels are centered on combat, duels based around displays of skill or magical prowess also occur. Thieves may select a single wealthy target and see who can steal the richest jewel without being noticed.

CRIMES OF DECEPTION

Deception is stock in trade for criminals, almost a prerequisite for any other sort of crime. In some cases, however, the deception itself is the crime.

Forgery: Counterfeit coins and false identification papers are the most common forms of forgery, but there are many others. For minor offenses, a guard simply confiscates the counterfeit goods and applies a fine with a value appropriate to the damage caused by the crime. Using forged identification papers carries a standard fee of 10 gp. Participation in a counterfeiting ring or forgery of a more serious nature results in the character being held for trial, with major fines, branding, and exile as possible punishments.

Fraud: Technically, fraud is “deliberate deception with the intent to cause injury to another.” This covers a wide array of crimes, from oath breaking to selling false goods to what the Galifar Code of Justice calls “Counterfeit of Identity with Criminal Intent”— a charge typically brought against changelings.

There are a few factors that determine the degree to which the Sharn Watch pursues a fraud investigation. First, how much damage was done? The guards won’t bother with a charlatan selling supposed beholder eggs for 5 cp apiece, but a false alchemist selling worthless “healing potions” for 750 gp may run into trouble. If some form of concrete damage cannot be shown, the case certainly won’t be investigated.

The next questions that need to be answered are where the crime took place and who was involved. Scams that occur in the lower wards are rarely investigated; people who stay in Dragoneyes or Hostelhome are asking for trouble. And as is usually the case in Sharn, the guards typically protect the wealthy at the expense of the poor.

Cases of fraud generally need to be resolved in court; fines, branding, or exile are the usual punishments.

Slander: Currently, slander is not a crime under the Galifar Code of Justice. If a bard pens a satirical song about Kalphan Riak, he won’t have a lawsuit on his hands, though he might have to deal with the wrath of the merchant prince.

CRIMES OF PROPERTY

It is far more common for criminals to steal, harm, or smuggle property than people. Crimes of property are both more common in the city and less serious under the law.

Theft: Theft is the most common form of crime in Sharn. It’s said that every minute someone picks a pocket or cuts a purse, though this is undoubtedly an exaggeration. For minor offenses where the stolen property is returned, the thief must pay the victim twice the value of what he stole. If the item cannot be returned, the fine may rise as high as ten times the value of the item that was lost, with hard labor if the fine cannot be paid. Branding and exile are common punishments for repeat offenders.

Smuggling and Contraband: Characters who sell or possess prohibited goods can find themselves in trouble with the law. Typically, contraband goods are confiscated and the criminal is ordered to pay a fine of up to twice the value of the contraband. Large smuggling operations may result in greater fines, along with branding and exile.

Treasure Hunting: Under the Galifar Code of Justice, it is illegal to plunder and sell the relics of past civilizations for personal gain. So, treasures recovered from Xen’drik, the Depths, or similar locations are actually contraband goods, and the Wharf Watch searches all vessels returning from Xen’drik for treasures.

There are a few ways that adventurers can avoid having their hard-won treasures confiscated. If they wish to work within the law, they can purchase a letter of marque from the Wharf Watch. A letter of marque costs 500 gp and lasts for one year. A letter of marque covers a single region, such as Breland or Xen’drik.

When an adventurer attempts to sell recovered goods or passes through customs, he must produce a valid letter of marque for the region where he obtained the recovered goods. Characters who wish to keep these treasures must purchase a record of legal acquisition, a notarized resilient document that provides a brief description of the object and its owner; a single record can describe up to six different objects.

The need for letters of marque is one reason that adventurers may seek patrons to sponsor their expeditions; Morgrave University has standing letters of marque for almost anywhere adventurers might go. However, an adventurer could choose to avoid the law altogether. Fences throughout Cliffside and the city are happy to make contraband treasures go away, and a good forger can produce letters of marque at a far more reasonable price (typically 25 gp). An adventurer found using forged letters of marque is fined 1,000 gp and blacklisted by the Wharf Watch, which prevents him from acquiring letters of marque in the future.

MISUSE OF MAGIC

The Galifar Code of Justice includes strict guidelines for the use of magic, as laid down by the Arcane Congress in ages past. These include the following:

Use of any spell that can inflict physical harm on another being—from magic missile to finger of death—is considered to be armed assault. This includes spells that permanently incapacitate a target, such as flesh to stone. Careless use of fire magic is treated especially harshly, due to the significant threat of property damage. If a summon spell conjures a dangerous creature that harms another person, the conjurer is liable for the actions of the beast.

Spells that incapacitate a target—such as sleep— are treated as simple assault.

Spells that tamper with the thoughts of another being—charm person, suggestion, fear—are considered to be a form of fraud.

There are also a few more obscure laws. House Ghallanda has the sole right to make use of heroes’ feast or Leomund’s secure shelter within the city limits. Rope trick and Leomund’s tiny hut can only be used in private rooms. Knock can only be used by or on behalf of the legal owner of the locked item.

The problem with magical crimes is that the burden of proof falls on the accuser. Can she prove that she was charmed? The Blackened Book only investigates high-profile cases that have resulted in major damages. Otherwise, if spell use cannot be proven, the crime is not prosecuted.

The forces of the law are authorized to use any form of magic in pursuit of their duties.

TREASON

The accusation of treason against the Brelish Crown or the city of Sharn is a serious matter. The Guardians of the Gate handle the investigation of treason, and the King’s Citadel generally becomes involved if the accusation is serious. Treasonous behavior can include:

Conspiracy to harm a city official or member of the Brelish Parliament or Royal Court.
Conspiracy to steal or damage property of the Crown or the government of Sharn.
Espionage on behalf of a foreign government.

While these are the most common categories, the agents of the King’s Citadel can extend the umbrella of treason to cover any activity they see as threatening the security of Breland. Crimes of Treason are tried under the authority of the King’s Citadel, without access to a jury. Depending on the magnitude of the crime, treason can result in exile, indefinite imprisonment, or even execution.

LOCAL LAWS

Occasionally individual districts or wards have their own laws. Upper Tavick’s Landing has a substantial set of local laws, described on page 87.

The Fugitive from Justice

Even if an adventurer commits a crime, it may not be investigated or prosecuted. Activities in the lower wards are generally ignored, as are the actions of the major criminal powers in the city. However, if the party performs a major crime or enough small crimes, the forces of the law may choose to hunt them down.

Initially, all branches of the Watch receive descriptions of the characters. The inquisitives employed by the Watch use Investigate, Urban Tracking, and their network of contacts to try to identify and locate the fugitives. For major crimes, experts from House Phiarlan or House Tharashk are brought in and scrying or locate creature are employed.

It is quite possible that the party is too powerful for a Watch patrol to engage and defeat. Initially, patrols that encounter fugitives call on the criminals to surrender; resisting arrest adds to the severity of the charges. If the Watch does not have the power to bring fugitives to justice, more powerful forces are brought to bear. The Redcloak Battalion is an elite unit that can be employed against major threats to the city. The Blackened Book is an arm of the Watch trained to track and contain dangerous spellcasters. However, guard commanders often prefer to use their own agents, and more often than not the Watch hires adventurers to capture adventurers. Most commanders maintain contacts in Clifftop and Deathsgate, and there are many adventurers who appreciate the gold to be gained through bounty hunting.

JURISDICTION

The Sharn Watch and its subordinate branches have the authority to enforce the laws of Breland throughout the city of Sharn. The agents of the King’s Citadel stand above the Watch, and can assume control of any criminal investigation at any time. Members of the Watch are expected to provide agents of the Citadel with their full support. The Citadel generally only takes control of cases involving treason or espionage, but anything that could pose a threat to Breland falls under their domain.

Beyond the Watch and the Citadel, there are a number of forces that can enforce the law under special circumstances. The dragonmarked houses are extranational entities, and a house has the authority to investigate crimes that have damaged its property, members, or interests. However, once a criminal is brought to justice, he must be turned over to the Watch and given a trial in the Brelish courts. House Deneith has a greater mandate; its Sentinel Marshals are empowered to enforce the law across all of the nations recognized by the Treaty of Thronehold.

Finally, the churches have limited jurisdiction. The knights and paladins of the church templars of the Silver Flame are allowed to “do battle with inhuman forces of darkness as it is necessary to protect the peoples of Khorvaire.” This is a privilege as opposed to a right, and local law enforcement agencies are not required to acknowledge the authority of the Flame; the exception to this is in the actual churches of the Silver Flame, where the word of the Church Ministry supersedes all local law. Priests and paladins of the god Aureon have no official authority, but they are generally respected by officers of the law and are excellent candidates when the Watch is looking for help.

LIVING ON THE LAM

When a character is up against the wall, he has a number of options. Assuming he doesn’t intended to give himself up, he can flee, hide, or assume a new identity.

Most crimes are only prosecuted within Sharn. If the criminal flees the city, he is safe. The guards posted at Terminus, Wroann’s Gate, and Cliffside watch for reported criminals, but the Cliffside guards are particularly susceptible to bribery. It is up to the DM to decide how much time must pass before the character can safely return; a minor crime may be forgotten within a week, while the guards may continue to watch for the murderer of a city councilor for years. In the case of a particularly vile crime, the Citadel brands the character as an outlaw and sends descriptions out to all of the major cities in Breland, so the character must avoid large cities and metropolises or leave Breland. In the case of treason or truly terrible crimes, the Citadel may send House Deneith Sentinel Marshals or House Tharashk bounty hunters to track the character across Khorvaire. Darguun, Droaam, and Q’barra are the most common havens for fugitives, as these nations are notorious for harboring criminals.

Within Sharn, there are many places to hide. The Watch avoids Lower Dura and the Cogs, and Khyber’s Gate and Fallen are two districts that provide safe havens for fugitives from justice.

If the character can afford it, the best option is to create a new identity. This is a specialty of the Tyrants, and a character in need of a new life can seek it out at the Shifting Hall in Dragoneyes. In addition to a physical transformation, the Tyrants can provide a character with new identification papers or other forms of documentation, and can even supply changeling hirelings to play supporting roles in the character’s new life. These supporting characters cost 15 gp/day, increased to 50 gp/day if the position places the hireling at risk of physical injury. The Tyrants take great pride in their work, and never reveal the secrets of a transformed client; they do not even keep written records of his original identity.

Facing the Music

The officers of the Watch can levy fines on the spot and thus deal with minor crimes. In the case of a major crime, a character is transported to a garrison and held as a prisoner until a trial can be arranged. A criminal who is considered to be a significant flight risk is taken to the Citadel of Central Plateau, the headquarters of the King’s Citadel and a maximum-security prison. There is no system of bail, but the character is allowed to make arrangements to acquire a barrister.

EVALUATION

Each of the garrison districts of Sharn contains a courthouse where cases are tried. It usually takes 1d6–1 days for a character’s case to come to the attention of the local magistrate. At this time, the character is brought before the magistrate and placed upon an eye of Aureon (see page 169); the magistrate reviews the facts of the case and asks the witness to confirm or deny her role in the crime. The magistrate has the power to dismiss the case or to offer a deal to the accused, typically a fine or the option of exile; if the character refuses the offer, the case proceeds to trial.

TRIAL BY JURY

Under the Galifar Code of Justice, the courts of Sharn presume innocence, and allow for a trial by jury. Jury members are selected from among the citizens of the ward and serve for a week at a time, earning 1 sp/day for their services. A Brelish jury is comprised of nine people, and the majority rules; a unanimous verdict is not required.

During the course of a trial, witnesses are called to stand upon an eye of Aureon and recount the events surrounding a crime. The barristers for both parties present their claims and appeal to the jury, which makes the final decision. The magistrate then sets a punishment in accordance with the Galifar Code of Justice.

When a witness testifies, he is asked to remove all rings or jewelry, along with anything else that could provide magical protection against zone of truth. The magistrate is advised by a perceptor, a low-level magewright equipped with a pendant of mystic warning (see page 170); the perceptor monitors the court for any use of magic, warning the magistrate if anyone attempts to use magic to disrupt the proceedings.

The Wages of Sin

A party of adventurers clashes with an Aurum mastermind and sends him to a richly deserved grave. But another member of the Platinum Concord sees to it that the heroes are brought to trial for this so-called murder and ultimately they are convicted. What happens next?

This section describes a few of the more common forms of punishment used by the courts of Sharn. It is up to the DM to decide how severe the punishment should be based on the nature of the crime. As with any use of the law, the challenge is to find a way for the punishment to enhance the adventure and challenge the party as opposed to ruining the story.

IMPRISONMENT

Long-term incarceration is rarely used as a form of punishment in Breland. Prisons are primarily used as holding cells, keeping criminals contained until a case can go to trial and a final punishment can be decreed. If a prisoner is deemed too dangerous to be allowed to roam free, she is usually executed; Breland has just emerged from a century of war, and death is a reality of the world. There is only one situation in which an extended prison sentence would be warranted: If the prisoner cannot be allowed to go free and if his death would have major repercussions. For example, if a cousin of Queen Aurala of Aundair committed a serious act of treason, his execution could provoke Aundair to renew the war; instead, he would be held in the Citadel, while King Boranel contacted Aurala and demanded reparations for the crime. A lengthy prison sentence could also occur if a trial fails to resolve doubts about the crime; the magistrate can rule that the accused be detained while a further investigation occurs.

FINES

Fines are the most common form of punishment used by the courts of Sharn. The fine is based on the nature of the crime, but the magistrate has leeway to raise the amount of the fine to ensure that it actually serves as an effective punishment. For a commoner, a 10-gp fine is crippling; for an experienced adventurer, it is trivial, and the magistrate ensures that the criminal feels the loss. What may hurt adventurers more than fines of gold is confiscation of items; weapons, armor, wands, and similar treasures may be taken away if a character is convicted of using them in a criminal manner. This can allow the DM to force a party to rebuild its strength after losing powerful items— or the characters can make an adventure out of breaking into the vaults of the Citadel to reclaim their impounded goods!

HARD LABOR

If a convicted criminal can’t afford to pay a fine, he is assigned to work off his debt in a chain gang. There are a number of city-owned workhouses throughout Sharn, including the Bazaar of Dura and the Ashblack foundries. The work is extremely unpleasant, and the prisoner pays off his debt at a rate of 1 sp/day.

BRANDING

Repeat offenders are often marked with a symbol that warns others about their criminal tendencies. In the past, these marks were made with branding irons. In this more civilized age, a House Sivis heir inscribes the mark using a pen of the living parchment (see page 169). Marks are either placed on the forehead or on the back of the right hand, and guards often demand that suspicious strangers remove their gloves and show the backs of their hands. A criminal’s mark causes most law-abiding citizens to have an unfriendly reaction to the character, and he may be refused service at respectable businesses.

However, in the bad parts of Sharn a criminal mark is a badge of honor, and other criminals often treat marked men with more respect.

MYSTICAL PUNISHMENT

The clerics of Aureon may be called upon to use magic to punish wrongdoing. A few spells are often used as punishment.

Bestow curse is a common form of magical punishment used against repeat offenders. A –4 penalty to attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks can prove to be a serious setback to muggers, con artists, and pickpockets alike.

Blindness/deafness is occasionally used as a form of punishment. Most often blindness is applied to dangerous prisoners who are going to be incarcerated in the Citadel; the magical handicap is simply one more way of preventing escape.

In high profile cases, High Priest Phthaso Mogan may be called in to place a mark of justice on the criminal. This is often used as an alternative to prison when guilt is still in question; if the accused character stays on the righteous path, the mark is never triggered.

EXILE

Exile is considerably more common than longterm incarceration. Depending on the severity of the crime, the character may be exiled from Sharn or from Breland itself. In either case, the victim is marked with a pen of the living parchment (see page 169) to indicate his status, and if he returns after exile he may be executed or sentenced to an extended period of hard labor.

OUTLAW

A criminal who has proven himself unfit to be a member of society, yet who is not deemed worthy of execution, may be branded as an outlaw. An outlaw is stripped of the protection of the Galifar Code of Justice, and anyone may do anything they like to him without fear of legal retribution. He may be beaten, robbed, or even killed with no consequence. While the status of exile generally only affects the character in one nation, the mark of the outlaw is recognized in all of the Five Nations, and any nation that respects the Galifar Code of Justice looks suspiciously on exiled outlaws. As a result, outlaws usually congregate in Darguun, Droaam, the Shadow Marches, Xen’drik, the Lhazaar Principalities, and Q’barra—nations that either ignore the Galifar Code or that believe a man can overcome a criminal past.

EXECUTION

Executions are rare, but the magistrates are always prepared to eliminate a criminal who is seen as posing a serious ongoing threat to the community. Typically, the death sentence is only invoked for murder or treason of the highest degree. Hanging is the standard form of execution, but criminals (notably warforged criminals) have been beheaded in the past.

SPECIAL SERVICES

Adventurers are generally remarkable, highly talented individuals. People in power—city councilors, guard commanders—often keep an eye on skilled adventurers. Such people often have jobs they need done—often shady tasks they can’t afford to be openly associated with—and adventurers seem ideally suited for this sort of work. As a result, a party charged with a crime may be approached by an influential personage before trial and given a choice. If they perform the requested task, the slate is wiped clean. If not, the VIP uses her power to ensure that the upcoming trial goes poorly for the adventurers. Shadier individuals—such as Councilor Thurik Davandi of Upper Menthis or Commander Lian Halamar of Upper Dura—may frame the party as a way of forcing them to perform a special service.

Papers, Please

Written documents play a significant role in the Five Nations. Because the Notaries Guild of House Sivis makes it possible to create certificates whose authenticity is virtually unimpeachable, the people of Khorvaire have come to rely upon contracts, licenses, and other official documents to help commerce and government run as quickly and smoothly as possible. Of the many types of documents that facilitate society functions, the following are among those most likely to be encountered or needed by adventurers. Arcane Signet Ring: The dragonmarked houses of Khorvaire use these rings extensively for identification purposes. They resemble ordinary signet rings, but are set with gemstones like decorative rings. Inside a large central gemstone, an intricate runic pattern—actually an arcane mark—becomes visible when worn by the person for whom the ring was constructed. These rings are only given to members of a dragonmarked house or one of its most trusted retainers.

If you are a member of a dragonmarked house (particularly if you have the Favored in House feat), you can buy an arcane signet ring with no difficulty from any house enclave at a cost of 150 gp. If you are not a member of a house, you might be able to acquire an arcane signet ring that identifies you at a cost of 200 gp or more, but it requires both working with a jeweler to build the ring, then persuading House Sivis to impress its mark into the stone. Acquiring an arcane signet ring that would identify you as someone else is extremely difficult, if not impossible. As a first step, you would need false identification papers to “prove” your identity to a house enclave or House Sivis.

Business License: Each country in Khorvaire takes a slightly different attitude toward commerce and industry. Some governments, such as Breland’s, require all business owners to buy a business license of some sort, with the cost and difficulty of obtaining the license increasing depending on the value of the business and what danger it might pose to nearby people and property. Other nations, such as Zilargo, take a more hands-off attitude and allow most businesses to operate with minimal restrictions and interference. A business license consists of a simple parchment that must be displayed somewhere in the place of business.

Typically, a town or city has a licensing office that issues business licenses. Smaller settlements rarely have offices devoted to this activity, but magistrates issue licenses in addition to their other duties. It can take considerable time to process a business license, though the cost is usually less than 1 gp (depending on location and the type of business). Identification Papers: Most people of the middle and upper classes, at least in central Khorvaire, carry identification papers with them at all times. Issued by national governments and notarized by House Sivis, these papers present a detailed physical description of a person (sometimes with an accompanying small portrait), the person’s name and residence, and some additional information about the person’s affiliations (particularly including any connection to a dragonmarked house, royal or noble family, or a large institution). The papers are usually kept in a durable container of some kind—a leather folder, metallic case, or other decorative holder.

In some areas, individuals must carry identification papers with them at all times and be prepared to show those papers to officials at a moment’s notice. This is particularly true in border areas (especially when the borders are not quite clear or some dispute persists about the lines established in the Treaty of Thronehold), and also in Throneport itself, which is governed by an international council of representatives from the Five Nations.

Identification papers are issued by the same facilities that process business licenses: dedicated licensing offices in larger settlements, or local magistrates in smaller ones affiliated with or operated in conjunction with House Sivis. It is only possible to obtain identification papers in the nations recognized by the Treaty of Thronehold, and it becomes increasingly difficult outside the Five Nations. The Mror Holds and Zilargo readily issue papers, but applicants elsewhere might have to travel some distance to find a magistrate or House Sivis enclave that is willing and able to assemble such documents.

Standard identification papers typically cost 2 gp, while a portrait raises the price to 5 gp. Forged papers cost around 10 gp.

Letter of Credit: House Kundarak, the house that carries the Mark of Warding, operates banks throughout central Khorvaire. A character who has funds on deposit in a Kundarak bank can request from the bank a letter of credit, which allows her to withdraw funds from a different branch. For many characters, this system is a convenient alternative to carrying wealth around in the form of precious gems, jewelry, or coins. House Kundarak does not charge a fee for issuing letters of credit.

House Kundarak is the only organization that issues letters of credit. Occasionally, an employer secures a letter of credit for an employee—such as an adventurer—who is expected to incur large debts in the course of his work for the employer. The letter specifies a maximum amount available to the bearer, and any sum up to that total amount can be drawn from the issuer’s bank account. When funds are withdrawn, the clerks at the bank update the letter to reflect the new available balance, notarizing the change to the letter or issuing a new letter.

Letters of credit are always notarized with arcane marks, making them difficult to forge. Even if a document can be successfully reproduced, however, it is nearly impossible to acquire funds from House Kundarak using a forged letter of credit, since the house keeps records of every such letter it issues and makes those records available to all its banks. If a clerk at a bank has any reason to suspect that a letter of credit is forged, it can be checked against house records to verify its authenticity. Letter of Dispensation: Each nation in Khorvaire has its own set of laws and regulations. In some cases, however, the leader of the nation might want to grant specific individuals the right to act outside the law. In these instances, the government issues a letter of dispensation. Such letters always closely detail exactly what permissions the bearer is given—for example, the right to seize and destroy property belonging to suspected seditionists, or the right to kill any monsters found within certain geographical boundaries. Letters of dispensation cannot be bought. They are issued by a high-ranking government official only to select and trusted parties. The letter always bears the seal of the nation along with an arcane mark, and it specifies to whom the dispensation is granted. (The document is not considered valid without matching identification papers.)

Letter of Marque: The concept of letters of marque originated during the Last War, when the rulers of the warring nations granted adventurers permission to attack ships and assets belonging to other nations. The Treaty of Thronehold declared void all letters of marque that existed at the time, but the idea survives, though in a rather altered form. The King of Breland now issues papers granting adventurers permission to explore and plunder the ruins of Xen’drik. Though such permission is not technically necessary, wise adventurers secure a letter before using Sharn as a launching point for expeditions to Xen’drik. Those who try to sell treasures from Xen’drik on the open market in Breland must produce a letter of marque or face stiff fines—on top of forfeiting the treasure in question.

When adventurers are hired to explore Xen’drik as part of an expedition (such as one sponsored by Morgrave University or the Wayfinder Foundation), it is common practice for the employer to secure a letter of marque for the expedition, so that characters don’t need to worry about the expense or the frequently considerable difficulty. Characters who must secure a letter for themselves most likely do so at the Bureau of Antiquities in Sharn’s Highest Towers district. Filing an application can take the better part of a day and involves both answering extensive questions from the staff at the bureau and enduring their long, musing recollections of their own expeditions to Xen’drik years before. A letter of marque costs 500 gp.

It is not particularly difficult to forge a letter of marque, and it is certainly possible to sell goods from Xen’drik on the black market or outside Breland to avoid the need for one. A forged letter of marque can be purchased for about 25 gp.

Letter of Proxy: On occasion, illness, distance, or scheduling conflicts keep a political, military, or industrial leader from attending an important event. In these cases, he might want to send a representative to speak for his interests at one or more occasions or gatherings. This person receives a letter of proxy to verify that she does, in fact, have official sanction to speak for the leader in question. Traditionally, a letter of proxy is drafted by House Sivis on the issuer’s personal letterhead, notarized with an arcane mark, and carried in a leather billfold bearing some sign associated with the issuer. The letter clearly identifies the name and physical description of the intended bearer. If there is any uncertainty, these details are compared to that person’s identification papers for corroboration. A letter of proxy costs 8 gp.

Securing a letter of proxy is usually a simple matter of contacting House Sivis and arranging the service. The sorts of people who have need of such a document have ready access to the means of acquiring it. Should a person want to acquire a letter of proxy under false pretenses—having assassinated or otherwise removed a designated proxy and wanting to take her place, for example—the process is much more complicated. Professional forgers are loath to venture into the realms of high politics, so they make sure the reward is commensurate with the risk, charging around 100 gp for the service.

Pardon: Just as every nation has regulations and strictures defining certain acts as criminal, each nation also has prescribed penalties for breaking its laws. However, a government might decide to forgive even a lifetime of criminal activities when extenuating circumstances can be proven or when the criminal performs some other mitigating act. (This happened more frequently during the Last War, when a convicted criminal could earn his freedom with meritorious service on the battlefield.) Such forgiveness comes in the form of a pardon—a parchment that describes the acts committed, the original sentence imposed, and a statement of clemency, which is affixed with the seal of the government and an arcane mark. A pardon is usually carried with or attached to the individual’s identification papers in case word of his misdeeds carried more widely than word of his reprieve.

A written pardon is issued by the government—usually by the law enforcement system that is releasing the pardoned person, but sometimes by higher authorities (even the king of a nation, or at least in the ruler’s name). Forging a pardon is difficult, but many people would pay well for a clean forgery that clears their names. The best kind of forged pardon is one that purports to be issued in one of the Five Nations, but not where the character lives and operates. In cases where the crime and supposed pardon took place some years ago, a pardon from the Queen of Cyre is the best bet because its authenticity cannot be verified. Any forged pardon runs the risk of being investigated if an individual is taken into custody for a new crime. When the pardon is revealed as a forgery (presumably by checking against the records of the issuing court), two more crimes are added to the charges against the captive—forgery or possession of a forged document, as well as whatever crime is supposed to have been pardoned. A forged pardon costs at least 100 gp.

Royal Decree: When the head of a royal family or ruler of a nation makes an official proclamation, word is spread by disseminating a royal decree. This is a large, ornately decorated parchment detailing the announcement in clear, easy-to-read script. Royal decrees are read in town squares, reproduced in printed chronicles, and hung on the walls of government buildings and other places where people gather. During the Last War, royal decrees were issued whenever a decisive battle was fought, when allegiances shifted, and when the Thronehold Accords were signed. These days, royal decrees are used to announce births and deaths in the royal family, changes in tax policies, or other matters of state. Although there is no monetary value attached to the documents, some people save royal decrees of historic or personal importance.

Royal decrees cannot be purchased and are difficult to forge for any useful purpose. The issuance of a royal decree is typically a matter of such public notice that it would be hard to present a forged decree as authentic without the accompanying gossip, rumors, anticipation, and officious goings-on.

Title Deed: Possession might be nine-tenths of the law in the wilder parts of the world, but throughout the Five Nations a deed is required to prove ownership of buildings, land, airships, and other property of significant size and value. Title deeds are not carried by the owner, but are rather kept under lock and key in a safe location. They are large documents prepared by House Sivis on oversized sheets of parchment, bearing a detailed description of both property (particularly identifying marks or measurements) and owner, a history of the property’s previous ownership, plus a pair of arcane marks. Title deeds are considered extremely difficult documents to forge.

Title deeds are issued by national governments— sometimes through local or regional offices, sometimes by courier from the national capital. The cost is 15 gp, plus any appropriate courier fees.

Traveling Papers: Anyone who travels across national borders is usually required to carry traveling papers identifying them, their residence, their destination, and their reason for travel. Traveling papers consist of a parchment sheet with the appropriate information and an arcane mark, carried in a leather folder. House Sivis, House Orien, House Deneith, and House Lyrandar all offer traveling papers that are recognized throughout central Khorvaire.

A set of traveling papers typically costs 2 sp, and can be purchased at Sivis and Deneith enclaves, lightning rail stations, and Lyrandar offi ces located in the ports of major cities. A forged set costs about 5 gp.

Warrant: In civilized Khorvaire, the city guard, militia, constabulary, and all others charged with keeping the peace have the power to detain those they suspect of wrongdoing. However, this power is somewhat diminished if the suspect is a member of a royal family or a dragonmarked house, or is suffi ciently wealthy. This is especially a problem for rural offi cials and deputized citizens, whose authority could be questioned. A warrant is an offi cial document stating that the bearer has the authority to arrest a specifi c individual or impound a specifi c item. A warrant includes identifying details of the person or item it covers, the reason it was issued, the signature of the local lord or magistrate, plus both an arcane mark and a wax or printed seal.

Warrants are issued by law enforcement authorities and cannot be purchased.

August 12th, 2019 August 12th, 2019

Keith

We’ve generally suggested that Eberron is at a rough level equivalent to late 19th century earth, NOT 20th century. When you get into magical wards you can have more advanced forms of identification. But when it comes to ID papers, it’s NOT supposed to be on par with our modern day systems of databases, biometrics, or anything like that.

House Sivis fills the role of the notary in Eberron. Originally, arcane mark was one of the powers of the Mark of Scribing. The idea is simple: each Sivis heir can produce a unique arcane mark—a sort of mystical signature. A Sivis heir goes through training and testing to become a notary, and their mark is on record in the house. Like a modern notary, a Sivis notary would make a record of all documents they notarize and this would be held by the house. So: ID papers would be notarized by a Sivis scribe, who would review all materials before placing their mark. An arcane mark is difficult (though not impossible) to forge. A border guard is primarily just going to look at your ID papers and say “This appears to be you, and you’ve got a valid Sivis mark.” IF there was some reason to question things, the papers could be confiscated and referred to a Sivis enclave, who could use a speaking stone to check with the primary house records to confirm that ht papers were legitimately notarized. But that’s a very big step. Generally it’s a question of if you have a valid Sivis arcane mark.

Fifth Edition doesn’t have arcane mark, so instead we added in the scribe’s pen as a dragonmark focus item that allows a Sivis heir to inscribe mystical symbols. This would still work the same way: a Sivis heir would have to go through a process to become a notary, their personal mark is recorded, and records are made of every document they notarize.

So getting all the way to the point: 95% of the time, verification will essentially be on a level of what could be done in the 19th century: a cursory check for obvious signs of forgery, confirming that the material in the document is accurate (IE, it says you’re a dwarf but you’re clearly an elf), and that it has a Sivis mark. Forgery is thus entirely possible; the challenge is forging the arcane mark, because that’s a glowing magical symbol and you’d have to have some sort of magical tool to pull it off.

What is the path to citizenship in the Five Nations?

Galifar is based on feudal principles, and most nations retain that basic foundation. To become a citizen of such a nation requires an audience with a local noble. The applicant swears fealty to the nation and its ruler, and also direct allegiance to that local noble; the noble in turn formally accepts them as a subject. This means that the noble is accepting responsibility for that individual, and the individual is promising to obey that noble, pay taxes, and answer any call for conscription, as well as to respect the laws of the land. The noble doesn’t HAVE to accept an offer of fealty, and most won’t unless the potential subject intends to reside within their domain. So it’s entirely valid for a Brelish noble to refuse to accept the fealty of an ogre from Droaam because either they don’t believe the ogre will uphold the laws or they don’t believe that the ogre intends to remain within their domain. Likewise, back before Droaam, the Barrens were considered to be part of Breland but the inhabitants of the region weren’t Brelish citizens, because they’d never sworn fealty to any Brelish lord; legally (from the perspective of Galifar) they were outlaws squatting in Brelish land.

In the modern age, much of this process is handled by bureaucracy, especially in the case of children of existing citizens. In some regions there are annual ceremonies where each child swears an oath to the local lord before being recognized as an adult. But in a populous region like Sharn, the parents will file paperwork when the child is born, and when the child becomes an adult they’ll file their own statement. But the underlying principle remains the same: someone needs to make a decision on behalf of the local lord as to whether to accept the offer of fealty, and this will be based on the applicant’s residence, reputation, family, and other factors.

Source: http://keith-baker.com/ifaq-lightning/

September 2nd, 2019 October 31st, 2020