Theros: Crime and the Legal System

Government

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The continent of Theros is governed by the council of nine, a secret organization of men and women who are appointed as representatives of their particular nation.This democratic council has a largely secret membership. The face of the nine is the sole member of the Council of Nine whose identity is publicly known. There is only one “Face” at any one time, but when the previous one dies or steps down, he or she is replaced by a new one. While there is rampant speculation as to who else sits upon the Council no one who actually knows the identities of the other council members for certain has made them public knowledge.
The penalty for impersonating a council member is death; on the spot, without delay, with speak with the dead magics employed later to find out why, as time permits. While holding the office each member of the nine are magically bonded to each other such that while the populace only knows of the face each member of the council can recognize the other when not at Council.

Laws

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The Lands of theros are, by and large, a law-abiding places – when so many of the lands inhabitants earn their living by trade, respect for property is high, and support for a strong, objective police force even more so. The wearing of weapons is allowed in most cities and towns, as is using them in clear self-defense, but duels are allowed only in specific places , and must be witnessed by an by an Alestorian, or Azorian officer of the Watch or a Elocutor. A duel must be for reasons of a specific, unprovoked injury, allowed by the Elocutor; simply killing citizens because you covet their money or don’t like their faces is not sanctioned. Nobility, Elocutors, Azorian and Alestorian members, and Ambassadors (even visiting ones) are exempt from challenges, and the Nobility usually forbid any duellings involving the heads of the Guilds, noble houses or priesthoods, too, although rank-and-file members of all of these organizations can and do duel, sometimes with great enthusiasm. Duels are seldom to the death; more often, they are to yield or first blood, whichever first occurs; and clerics usually attend to heal (upon payment of temple donations) the loser, and sometimes the winner too.
If an alestor patrol makes an arrest, two of its four members must accompany an accused to a Elocutor immediately, the other two remaining on patrol, or if necessary assisting or protecting victims or abandoned property. If a vendor is arrested, the two Watchmen who remain must guard his goods and conduct business for him to the best of their abilities, although they are not responsible for lost business or losses to monies or property in the arrested person’s absence. One officer will be with each half of a split patrol, never staying together while their two subordinates go elsewhere together. In cases of great danger to officers (such as an angry mage wielding wand, rod, or staff, or a fighter attacking with an apparently magical blade), the patrol will slay to defend themselves and employ speak with the dead later to determine guilt or innocence. Innocent parties are always raised at the City or town’s expense, if possible. Officers who must kill in the line of duty are never charged, nor held financially responsible, for the deaths they bring about. In a case where it is unclear if the death was in the line of duty speak with dead or a command spell will be used to determine fact from fiction. An officer who is found to be taking the law into his own hands without just cause will be tried by a Elocutor who is not of the offended city and in extreme cases one of the Isperia will be called and they will cast the final judgement upon the offender. Much of the laws of Theros remain unwritten, within the “reasonable discretion” of the Elocutors (and ultimately, of the Rulers who may overrule them), and therefore cannot all be set down here. A summary of sentences, the “Code Legal”, is provided below.

CODE LEGAL

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Crimes and their corresponding sentences, as administered by the Rulers and Elocutors of Theros can be summarized as set forth below. This system is known as the “Code Legal”, and is only a basis for sentencing, not absolute rules. Note that both Rulers and Elocutors are free to determine absolutely guilt and innocence, and set any lesser sentence they consider fitting (or none at all) if a crime is deemed justified or largely harmless and unintentional.
A single act can result in multiple charges, under one or more of the four “Plaints”. Elocutor justice may be appealed to the Rulers by anyone, but such appeals must be within nine days of the initial sentencing, and non resident of the particular town or city must persuade a citizen of the area to appeal on their behalf.
The four plaints are the four different classes of aggrieved parties; that is, those who are injured by a crime. They are Crimes Against the Council, Crimes Against the Settlement, Crimes Against the Gods, and Crimes Against Citizens. Under each Plaint are four classes or crimes. These four types of offenses are Severe, Serious, Lesser, and Minor. The sentences have been set forth below in a chart to save space. After the letter that denotes a type of punishment, an amount (of time or money) usually follows. The commercial nature of a settlement, with its emphasis on mercantile trade and property, is clearly reflected in these “typical” punishments. The settlement is empowered to seize and sell the property of a convict to realize the money needed to satisfy the payment of fines or damages, without the consent of a convict. The family, clan, guild, or business partners of a convict are never liable for the payment of a convict’s fines or damages, unless they can be proven to have aided, abetted, ordered, or coerced a convict into the criminal activity in question.
Temples and priesthoods are not permitted to pass or carry out sentences under the Third Plaint; only officers of the Settlement may do so on their behalf. Convicted beings may owe fines to the Settlement and pay as they can over time, but only upon permission of a ruler or Elocutors, who will typically demand at least a partial payment immediately.