Crime & Punishment in the Realms

"For the crime of enchantment, attempted manslaughter, and sedition, Saadine Zeddler is condemned to the bellows of Shadow Bastille where she is to spend her remaining years." -Dragonspeaker Alonz
"Dragonspeaker, if I may suggest a substitution..?" - Lawwrite Olfenheim
"Granted." - Dragonspeaker Alonz
"After many conversations with my client, Ms. Zeddler, whom I believe to be in her right mind proposes that she would take on the Writ of Exile." - Lawwrite Olfenheim
A quiet hush fills the chamber of Judgement. The Archmages of the Magisterium whisper amongst themselves as Saadine Zeddler stands and presses her manacled hands down against the hard surface of the bench where she has sat quietly throughout the precedings.
"Saadine is aware that by taking on the Writ she shall be branded with the Runes of the Iron Lord? That her arcane power will be dampened. That she shall never pass through portal, nor gate to the Outer Planes, and that she shall be sent to the northern lands of Ancorran, to the outpost at the End of the World in search of the mysterious dissapearance of the Rime Realm?" - Dragonspeaker Alonz
"She understands the weight, and gravity of the Writ, my lord Dragonspeaker." - Lawwrite Olfenheim
"The court will take recess to contemplate this substitution, Lawwrite. Saadine will continue her imprisonment in the halls of Mordred until a decision is decided upon." - Dragonspeaker Alonz
The Dragonspeaker strikes his gavel upon the block at the head of his desk, and the court is adjurned.

Punishment in the Medieval by Liudmyla Stoian

Crime, and punishment within the realms of Orr is is largely defined and dictated by the lawwrites and judges from settlement to settlement, with the lone exception pertaining to the Iron Realm of the north, where the King Eternal himself and his avatars serve as a consistent, and resolute conscious in matters of law, and order. There are, however, a number of devious actions which are considered so reviled, and so repugnant that nearly every nation, and society, no matter how far removed, will punish with impunity. This includes sexual miconduct towards children, sexual assault, serial murder, bestiality, incest, and torture. Other crimes, such as a theft, murder, and the enchantment of the mind are often brought to courtrooms, townhalls, assemblies, or punished by what constitutes as the local authority based on the scope, and gravity of their misconduct.
Even in a civilized age with access to alchemical, and magical methods of reasoning, and deduction matters of law and justice primarily serve to enforce the law towards the benefit of the ruling castes of the world, and overarching societal order. A peasant, or farmer in the Realms can hardly be expected to front the gold necessary to acquire an adept lawwrite to defend themselves against the accusations of a baron, or lord of the region. Many members of the ruling castes of the Realms are also deputized (either outright or by matter of public opinion) to enact their own justice with or without proper investigation, or trial. It is an unfortunate, but not uncommon occurance for a poor urchin, or serf to be thrown in the stocks for dallying with a noble paramour whose guardians find their station uncouth, or for a guard of a local business to deal a fatal blow to an aspiring thief in the late hours of the evening.
The matter of frontier justice is also a contingent point among lawwrites of the Realms. It is generally accepted that civilians have no choice but to defend themselves against the highwaymen, vagabonds, monsters-in-mortal-disguise, and rogue practioners of sorcery who stalk the roads and rural places of the world. Many crimes, especially those of murder, occur outside the public domain with few witnesses being present to corroborate the account or provide a meangingful alibi should they be accused by a plaintiff. Investigations may be launched under exceptional circumstances in such matters, but by and large, many matters of frontier justice must simply be accepted as an unfortunate and unreconcilable injustice.

Petty Crimes

Petty crimes in the Realms may vary from region to region, but are generally accepted to be matters in which no outstanding harm has befallen those involved. Pickpocketing, and the general thievery of property of less than five Orrens in value are considered petty crimes. Public indecency, drunkeness, debauchery, or the slander of a lord or mayor, and breaking curfew are also petty crimes. Repeated offenses of petty crimes are more likely to encourage local enforcers to increase their punishments, but justice is often extended in the form of lashings, being thrown into the public stocks, a few days jail time, and the restitution of stolen property.

Magical Crimes

There are many magical crimes in the world of Orr, and the scope of their punishment is often dependent on where such crimes are committed, the damage inflicted by them, and public opinion. While sorcery is a prevalent artform in the Realms, practiced in nearly every society, its misuse is a palpable fear among the denizens of the continent. The worst disasters in all of known history have been the result of the misuse of magic, wars have been fought over the practices of certain magical artforms, and plagues that threatened to collapse society were spread by the miscalculations of alchemy.
While this document cannot list all the crimes associated with the practice of arcana in the Realms or the nuance that may exist from nation to nation, fledgling wizards, and those of sorcererous bloodlines should be ever cautious of how their magic is practiced. Any magical art that inflicts tortorous harm, forces others to perfom actions they otherwise would not commit, or robs the subject of their identity are considered serious crimes.

• Reckless Destruction -- The use of spellcraft that causes significant destruction to public, or private property (such as animating a castle tower or casting a explosive burst of energy inside a home or shop) is considered a serious crime. In addition, spells with destructive or dangerous properties are often forbidden to be cast within most towns and settlements except in life-threatening situations (in the same way that weapons are required to be strapped, or sheathed in public areas).
• Enchantment -- It is generally believed that any magical art which alters the will of the subject is a serious crime.
• Curses -- The creation of cursed objects, or the casting of curses upon a subject is considered a crime worthy of hanging.
• Necromancy -- While the practice of necromancy is admissable in many realms (such as Dalair), zombies, skeletons, and other undead constructs are considered abominations by the vast majority of societies. The raising of the dead itself, however, is not the crime that is punished: If the bodies of the undead can be identified by members of the citizenry, or their graves and tombs were desecrated by the wizard who raised them, then it is considered a serious crime. Undead are also forbidden from being brought to public areas, if for no other reason than their ghastly appearance, and the likelihood that they might spread disease.
• False Prophecy -- Due to the relationship between the Endless and mortal belief, those who practice false prophecy, blind augeries, or crooked soothesaying are considered to have committed a serious crime against the Endless. Such charlatans are often made into public examples.
• Illusionary Disguises -- It is considered a serious crime to use the arts of illusion in order to impersonate another individual. Due to the significant damage that can be inflicted on someone's reputation, their personal relationships, or the crimes which they may be held accoutable for, those discovered to practice illusionary disguises to harm others often receive a sentence of hanging.
• Polymorph -- It is considered a serious crime to inflict the polymorph spell, or any variation thereof, upon a citizen of the Realm. Being transformed against one's will can have lasting dysphoric sensations, and has been known to be a source of traumatic stress to many who experience the effects of such spells.

Contraband & Illegal Substances

There are a number of substances, and items within the world which are outright dangerous enough, or whose proliferation on the black markets have such dire consequences, that their purchase, sale, or possession is considered a crime. Below is a list of some of the contraband and illegal substances which exist in the world of Orr.

• Dragonpowder -- The ingenius black powder of the Iron Realm is a commodity that is often smuggled out of Drin to the southern lands at significant risk. Black powder is an exceptionally loose, and violent alchemical reagent, and kegs of dragonpowder, if left unattended can spontaneously explode if exposed to dry enough air.
• Arkazaran Grimoires -- These cursed grimoires were scribed in the Zarcania deserts by Yuan-Ti, and Geth sorcerers in the first age. They describe many means of achieving immortality through necromantic arts, destructive rituals requiring blood sacrifices, and speak of many of the minor Endless that were cannabalized in the times of Deus Gloria.
• Dracolisk Eggs -- The Dracolisk is a mutant hybrid between a Drake, and a Basilisk created by a sorcerer of the Freelands in the fifth age. They're highly intelligent creatures which can be trained to guard specific areas and possess the unique eyes of their six-legged parent. Only one out of every thirty Dracolisks may possess the mutation that allows them to reproduce but those that can will lay clutches of up to fifty eggs each year, and can easily leave a settlement overrun with stone-gazing half-dragons.
• Wyvern Poison -- This is one of the most deadly poisons to manufacture in the world of Orr and illegal due to the horrific death which it inflicts. Being struck by a blade baring this poison sends the body into catatonic shock followed by violent seizures, and hemorrhages in the brain that lasts for several hours. Those that survive a brushing with this poison are usually left severely disabled and robbed of their cognitive capabilities. It is considered one of the least honorable weapons in the world, and even the guild of assassins known as the Thirteenth Rib of Kharj forbid its use by their agents.
  
• Golden Wind -- An Infidian drug that takes the form of a golden powder that is often inhaled or used as a spice in certain foods. Its effects give a mild euphoric sensation, and an extreme boost of energy that can last for several hours. Golden Wind is a highly prolific drug on the continent of Oerth, but its illegal status is due to the gold surrounding its sale and trade returning to its sources in Infidia which funds the operations of the Iron Halo (slave traders).
• Silvercat -- The favored drug of students, and soldiers. Silvercat is a liquid drug that is quaffed. Its effect is to highly concetrate the senses, dramatically increase attention, and improve the user's focus. It is extremely useful both in a battlefield environment, and a classroom, however it is incredibly addictive, and if used over a long enough period of time it often becomes impossible for the user to function without it.
• Mindcrown Mushrooms -- Mindcrown mushrooms are a recreational drug which produces hallucigenic effects, however, it can also produce wild magic surges in non-magic users. Unable to control these surges, the power that an uninitiated wielder of the arcane arts can unleash often is fairly benign and harmless, but can result in dangerous (sometimes fatal) displays of power.

Judgement by Tomasz Ryger

The laws and edicts of mortals do not represent the values, nor the virtues of the Endless, the deities of Orr. Such beings are ideals made manifest. They represent the true, and unbridled heart-soaked covenants of mortals. They are living aspirations of mortal belief, and thus their judgement is within a classification solely of its own. Where penitents on the world of Orr may receive a chance for absolution from their crimes, the Endless shall judge them with eyes that pierce the very soul.
It falls upon the shoulders of the Endless, Karthus, to deliver these judgements. A soul that treads the long, and winding river of death to the tree of life resting upon a mountain of moulding skulls is met by his aspect, and a court of Angels known only as the Vigil Anima, the same angels said to watch, safeguard, and steer the souls of the world towards their proper destinations. Upon this hallow ground the souls of mortals are weighed upon a scale against a platinum flower. If their hearts are filled with the heavy, staining ink of dark purpose, they are cast into the depths of of Hades, and if it is lighter, they are brought to Atrium Sol in Elyssium to have their souls drawn through the baths of the Solars, washed of its memories, and born again into the world in ages to come.