Writ of Martial Exception
Formal Permission Granting a Human The Right To Bare Arms
Following the defeat of The Traitor King, Marcius Lesnar and the fall of the Eastern Kingdom's rebellion against the Alvain, The Eternal Empire was forced to take the necessary action required to ensure human aggression was tempered in the eastern kingdoms. One of the most effective, and perhaps infamous, reparations taken against the kingdoms was the banning of all martial weapons and organized human militias without the express written consent of the empire. A human found breaching these rules is to be punished by the local magistrate or judge to the full extent of the law - up to and including imprisonment, confiscation of land and assets, and even execution.
Alwaus is a dangerous world however, and the need for trained and armed combatants has not diminished since the end of The Inheritance War. To ensure the roads are cleared of monsters and bandits, and that the ruling noble class is not completely without protection, The Eternal Empire issues special permission in the form of a "Writ of Martial Exception" to certain humans within the eastern kingdoms to permit them to carry martial weapons and perform limited duties with these weapons in service to the greater empire.
Purpose
To clearly outline if a human is permitted to carry weapons in restricted martial zones, and outline the expected behaviors and activities performed by this individual. In areas where humans are not permitted to bear martial weapons and form militias; the very sight of a human carrying a sword or crossbow is enough to cause a small panic and alert the guard attention. Upon request by any citizen in good standing, a human carrying a weapon must present their Writ of Martial Exception to the view for their inspection. If the bearer of a weapon is unable to produce a writ that permits them to bear arms in their current location they are to be immediately arrested by local authorities and brought to the local magistrate for judgement. Needless to say, a writ is a very serious piece of legal paperwork, and evne the most mundane writs are worth a considerable amount of gold on the black market.
Document Structure
Clauses
A Writ of Martial Exception normally contains the following information:
- - The name, residence, and physical description of the legal bearer of the Writ of Martial Exception
- - The region that the bearer is able to carry weapons and legally operate in
- - The date the writ is issued and the expiration date of said writ
- - The sponsoring person who has vouched for the bearer
- - The general purpose behind the administration of the writ
- - Any specific restrictions on the type of weapons the bearer is permitted to carry
- - The approving official's signature, approving the writ on behalf of the empress herself
Caveats
Most Writs of Martial Exception are drafted with a specific time frame and region in mind, often limiting the bearer of the writ to only operate within a specific region or city for a period no longer than a year. In the case of a noble's guard or even the city watch, the writ is simply renewed every year with the renewal of the guard's contract with the noble or city. For those who are granted permission to carry weapons outside of city limits (most often to hunt down bandits or patrol The Imperial Highway) they are typically granted permission to carry weapons within a region or two that specifically related to the task described in their letter. In rare cases a bearer may carry more than one writ of exception in order to have permission to carry weapons in multiple locations in circumstances, and in even rarer conditions a writ can be drafted to allow it's bearer permission to carry weapons anywhere in a specific kingdom, or even the empire at large. These writs are exceedingly difficult to be gained however, and normally reserved for humans operating as guards or servants to an Alvain, although some are also granted to support limited services performed by The Collegiate Arcane and The Pantheon Of The Goddess.
Publication Status
With few exceptions, Writs of Martial Exception are recorded in the regional capital of the issuing territory, where the sponsor, bearer, purpose, region, and expiration date are recorded for posterity and to ensure a back up record is recorded should the original writ be destroyed, lost, or stolen. Access to the formal ledgers listing the writs is restricted to regional representatives of the empire and public inquires into the list are rarely considered.
Legal status
The application process for a writ is not open to merely anyone who wishes to carry a sword or axe with them on the roads of Alwaus however, and applications require sponsorship from specific people within the region, most often a local lord or representative of one of the many guilds. The sponsor of a write must have complete and utter confidence in the bearer as they are placing their own reputation on the line if the application is approved. If a bearer of a Writ of Martial Exception is found in violation of imperial law, then the sponsor will often find themselves held just as responsible as if they had committed the acts themselves.
While the administrative burden of processing and reviewing applications for writs falls within the regional jurisdiction of each lord or king's domain, the writs themselves are issued and signed on behalf on The Empress herself, and therefore their legality is valid and enforced anywhere within Alwaus. That being said, is a bearer of a writ is found carrying weapons outside of their described jurisdiction there are often persecuted as if they were in possession of no writ at all - with exceptions made only in the most dire circumstances.
Historical Details
Public Reaction
The initial reaction to the ban on martial weapons was exceedingly negative, especially in The Kaldari Highlands where martial might and displays of bravery and strength are such vital components to human culture. Many critics of the law pointed to the aggressive nature of beasts in the more rural regions of Kaldaria as a reason to permit some of the citizens to carry arms and armour. In the end however, the Writ of Martial Exception was designed as a compromise between The Eastern Kingdoms and The Eternal Empire; one made possible largely due to the discomfort the ruling noble class expressed at being without the personal guard they were so accustomed to.
There was still some violent push back form the initial implementation of the order however, especially in rural Kaldaria where many claimed they would sooner die with a sword in their hand then give up their right to self defence and capitulate even further to the alvain they had rebelled against. Imperial response to these outbursts was harsh but effective however, and after the loudest protesters did indeed die with swords in hand, the rest of the dissidents agreed to give up their weapons.
In the end the long end years of The Inheritance War had done a toll on the morale of the eastern kingdoms and most were happy to finally give up their swords and pick up the plow once again.
Term
The length of time that a writ is authored varies dramatically from bearer to bearer. Most commonly these writs are issued to personal or city guardsmen, to ensure they have a consistent (albeit limited) form of protection for the economic and political assets of region. These writs are most commonly issued for a year and renewed on an annual basis, however higher ranking guards and more influential politicians can secure longer terms for their retinue, albeit with an additional administrative cost.
Term lengths tend to be longer for those granted permission to operate outside of a city's boundaries. Rangers operating within the eastern kingdoms are often bearers of the longest writs, with their terms being upwards of ten years in most cases. This is due largely to the nature of a ranger's work however, as they often go many months or years without returing to population centers and having their writs renewed should not prevent them from perusing a dangerous and elusive beast in the wilds of The Kaldari Highlands
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