Regalian Penal Code: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 02:30, 10 October 2024

The Regalian Penal Code is the general understanding of the judicial system, both with in-character laws and exceptions that apply to all Roleplayers, but also general concepts of what certain groups are or aren't allowed to do. This Page is part of Regalian Law, a category page that contains links to all legal documents in Roleplay.

Militia, Vigilantism, Mercenaries, and Knights

Because MassiveCraft does not have an official "Police" or "Guard" force in Regalia, it is necessary to understand the role of Player Characters in enforcing the State's authority. By default, unauthorized citizens are not permitted to enforce the law, and if doing so, are themselves in violation of anti-violence and chaos laws. There are however some exceptions and special circumstances:

Vigilantes are citizens who take matters into their own hands, and essentially commit crimes to solve crimes being committed. Regalia does not have self-defense clauses for laws. Vigilantism is strictly illegal, though some Knights have been known to turn a blind eye.
Militia: are unofficially sanctioned defenders of residential districts. Militias are Vigilantes but tolerated when they defend their own home from home invaders or enemies of Regalia. In such a context, Militia are not persecuted for defending their own home.
Mercenaries: are soldiers for hire who either protect or attack for coin. Mercenary organizations are legal, but they do not have a legal exception to inflict violence on others. There are some exceptions to this, mentioned further below in the Mercenary section.
Knights: are the only playable enforcers of the law, an extension of the state by imperial mandate. Knights exist for a particular mission statement, but part of that mission statement always includes enforcing state law also, though they are not forced to do it.
Retainers: are bodyguards or mercenaries hired by Nobles specifically to protect them. Much like the Militia, Retainers are allowed to use reasonable violence to protect their master from harm though may never be used to attack someone outright.

Laws

This section covers all Laws, split into subsections. Keep in mind that laws can change (infrequently) because of who is in control of the Palace Court. Different courtiers want different policies, and so the Laws swing back and forth between progressive and repressive regimes every so many months. Consult Staff Announcements/World Progressions in the Roleplay Discord for more information and up-to-date alerts on Law Changes.

Low Law: covers non-lethal violent actions like theft, contraband, trespassing, impersonation, fraud, refusing titles/pronouns, and collaboration with the Afflicted. Low Law usually has some fine-based punishment, or short time-skipped prison sentence.
Magic Law: covers how Magic is used in general. Magic casting in the street is illegal, and permitted in businesses/homes only with permission of the owner. Magic Law violations are considered Low Law, meaning a fine or short time-skipped prison sentence.
Occult Law: covers more severe illegal magical things, like being Undead/Vampire/Mortisphage, interacting or owning Spirits, interacting with Arken, or interacting/bargaining with Death Gods. These often result in long time-skipped prison sentences of years.
Marken Law: covers laws pertaining to Marken. Marken are currently under toleration. If they can prove their self-control and take efforts to be non-infectious, Marken are permitted to live in their own home. If they lose control however, they face long prison sentences.
Religious Law: covers faiths. This covers: Unionism, Estelley, Fornoss, Khama, Draconism. Evolism is technically illegal, but no actions are taken against its worshipers. Most Minor faiths are similarly tolerated, the Mortis Cult however is very illegal, with long prison sentences.
High Law: covers severe crimes that can result in Character death. This is a very specific list: treason against the Empire, being a horrendous Monster, aiding and abetting foreign powers and hostile entities (like Arken), murder, and blasphemy against the Emperor.

Application of the Law

Keep in mind that prison sentences tend to be cumulative. If a Character commits 20 Low Law crimes, that can become judged just as severely as a single High Law violation. In most cases, no records are kept of minor crimes, prison sentences are time-skipped, and fines are paid off-screen. Players are expected to roleplay out the negative consequences of having been imprisoned/fined to their finances. If execution is ever warranted on a Character, the Player will be warned in a ticket or in-game warning, that their current trajectory leads to Kill-perms being released on their Character. This would mean that Lore Staff permits any player to execute a Player Character for the crimes they have committed. In some rare instances, Lore Staff may also release Kill-perms for non-Criminal Characters, or Characters who have not explicitly been caught. Before this happens, the Player will always be informed and warned to change course, but it is generally only used as a last resort if the player is being unrealistic and constantly using the lack of Kill-perms to powergame out of really bad situations for their Character.

Legal Trials

In some instances, if all Players involved in an arrest and sentencing would like it, they can roleplay out a civil trial. Civil trials involve a judge hearing evidence and counter-pleas from the defense, and ruling through a court trial on guilt or innocence. The Regalian court system is advanced but considered rather corrupt, due to its strong lean on assumption of guilt. The judges will always be a panel of at least 2 Viridian Knights who must agree in order to render judgement. They can do so for anything except High Law, which can only be judged by Lore Staff.

Imprisonment Rules

Vigilantes and Criminals alike are permitted to imprison captured hostile Characters within their Clandestine Bases, Keeps, and Rental Regions, as long as a sufficient cell area and-or guards to roleplay with them are available. Captors should show courtesy of releasing someone within 24 hours of imprisonment unless there is a planned and agreed ransom or the player desires to be held for longer. Players should generally negotiate a beneficial outcome amongst themselves, with the responsibility of providing a solution being put on the instigating party. "Instigators" are generally considered characters who started the conflict, whether that is by attacking someone, or by being somewhere they shouldn't be, breaking the law, or being excessively annoying/a nuisance. The instigating party also depends on the location a player is in. For example, a non-disguised Vampire that goes to Main Street or any other place where the Law applies, would be the instigator if Law-abiding characters try to capture them. Conversely, a Knight who enters the Sewers would be the instigator.

Mercenaries

Mercenaries exist in a somewhat dubious legal position. Mercenary charters are legal in the Regalian Empire, and do not need to be issued by the state. Anyone can at any point start a Mercenary Company and charge money for their services. The Regalian State itself also buys mercenaries for its wars, and so it is a viable occupation. However, since most of the Roleplay takes place in Regalia, Mercenaries don't have as much to do. Mercenaries in Regalia can be hired as bodyguards, which means they would fall under Retainers in the legal exceptions created at the beginning of the page. This does not allow them to actively go out and beat people up for their master, however, which is where the complication comes in. Every action of a Mercenary is legal, short of them attacking and inflicting harm on someone, or trying to murder them. That being said, any self-respecting Mercenary is not afraid of the law and would accept contracts to beat someone up under the table, and simply not get caught. There is a whole host of disguises, Magic, and other tactics a Mercenary could use to avoid being identified or caught, and still make good coin beating people up for their master who does not want to get their hands dirty.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The Regalian Penal Code is the general understanding of the judicial system, both with in-character laws and exceptions that apply to all Roleplayers, but also general concepts of what certain groups are or aren't allowed to do.
+The Regalian Penal Code is the general understanding of the judicial system, both with in-character laws and exceptions that apply to all Roleplayers, but also general concepts of what certain groups are or aren't allowed to do. This Page is part of [[Regalian Law]], a category page that contains links to all legal documents in Roleplay.
 ==Militia, Vigilantism, Mercenaries, and Knights==
 Because MassiveCraft does not have an official "Police" or "Guard" force in Regalia, it is necessary to understand the role of Player Characters in enforcing the State's authority. By default, unauthorized citizens are not permitted to enforce the law, and if doing so, are themselves in violation of anti-violence and chaos laws. There are however some exceptions and special circumstances:
-* '''Vigilante:''' Vigilantes are citizens who do not have the authority to enforce the law, but do so anyway because of a sense of duty, patriotism, or just because they like violence and think it's better to be violent on the side of the state, than against it. Vigilantism in all its forms is illegal. A citizen attacking another citizen to stop a crime, is in themselves committing a crime. If nobody else (for example Knights) is present to stop them, or arrest them, then Vigilantes can usually get away with committing crimes to stop crime. Some Knights may also choose to turn a blind eye to Vigilantes if done well.
+* '''Vigilantes''' are citizens who take matters into their own hands, and essentially commit crimes to solve crimes being committed. Regalia does not have self-defense clauses for laws. Vigilantism is strictly illegal, though some Knights have been known to turn a blind eye.
-* '''Militia:''' A Militia is an unofficially sanctioned self-defense force attached to specific locations. Militias are inherently Vigilantes, but since they are defending their own home, the law is usually not applied to them so long as they acted within reason to defend their home. A Militia is only recognized in so far it is entirely populated by people who own a House in a district, and may only act to defend their homes from illegal activity, in said district. If Rose Court were to establish a Militia for example, they could apply reasonable violence against home invaders of Rose Court, but could not interfere with law enforcement in the Qadir District.
+* '''Militia:''' are unofficially sanctioned defenders of residential districts. Militias are Vigilantes but tolerated when they defend their own home from home invaders or enemies of Regalia. In such a context, Militia are not persecuted for defending their own home.
-* '''Mercenary:''' The occupation of Mercenary is illegal in the Regalian Empire by ordinance (except for Solvaan who have a legal exception). This means any form of contract hire to either attack, abduct, steal, or kill anyone, is by default illegal. However, many ex-Mercenaries (for those who didn't become regular enlisted soldiers) have slid into contract-work or bludgeon-for-hire for the wealthy and undercity denizens. Just because Mercenary work is illegal, does not mean it cannot be profitable, and does not mean that an ex-mercenary now thug-for-hire cannot make a living just by taking contracts and not getting caught doing violence.
+* '''Mercenaries:''' are soldiers for hire who either protect or attack for coin. Mercenary organizations are legal, but they do not have a legal exception to inflict violence on others. There are some exceptions to this, mentioned further below in the Mercenary section.
-* '''Knights:''' Knights are the next best thing to an actual Guard force, they are in form an extension of the State, but not strictly forced to enforce the Law. All Knights are at all times permitted to enforce the law and temporarily hold suspects or criminals in their Knights HQ prison Cells, but it is important to note that they are not forced to do so. To each and every Knight is afforded the choice whether to enforce State Law with considerations of their own morals and ethics, principles, and whether they have time at all. Some Knights choose to enforce all laws, some Knights enforce only laws on murder, and some do nothing at all.
+* '''Knights:''' are the only playable enforcers of the law, an extension of the state by imperial mandate. Knights exist for a particular mission statement, but part of that mission statement always includes enforcing state law also, though they are not forced to do it.
-* '''Retainers:''' Retainers are bodyguards, personal guards, and Noble House Guards specifically hired for the protection of their payer/owner. Retainers are similar to Militia, tolerated to perform some acts of violence, but only in the strictest protection of their liege/client. Someone who is a Retainer (for example a House Guard) may never inflict violence without the client being present, and only if the client is in any harm's way (insults are not valid harm). If Retainers break the law, their clients are usually held responsible and tried by legal forces as if they were the ones who committed the crime instead.
+* '''Retainers:''' are bodyguards or mercenaries hired by Nobles specifically to protect them. Much like the Militia, Retainers are allowed to use reasonable violence to protect their master from harm though may never be used to attack someone outright.
 ==Laws==
-This section covers all Laws, split into subsections. Keep in mind, Laws can change (infrequently) because of who is in control of the Palace Court. Different courtiers want different policies, and so the Laws swing back and forth between progressive and repressive regimes every so many months. Consult Staff Announcements/World Progressions in the Roleplay Discord for more information and up to date alerts on Law Changes.
+This section covers all Laws, split into subsections. Keep in mind that laws can change (infrequently) because of who is in control of the Palace Court. Different courtiers want different policies, and so the Laws swing back and forth between progressive and repressive regimes every so many months. Consult Staff Announcements/World Progressions in the Roleplay Discord for more information and up-to-date alerts on Law Changes.
-* '''Low Law:''' Low Law covers most illegal activities like stealing, non-lethal violence, illegal good possession, magic casting in public, trespassing, impersonation, fraud, emotional harm, refusing to title nobles, refusing to use pronouns, abduction, destruction of property, association with the illegal Occult and collaboration with the Afflicted (for example feeding them or harboring them) etc. Low Law would generally result in a short prison sentence or a fine (most prison sentences can be avoided by paying a heavy fine), and would usually be time-skipped in favor of keeping roleplay going without interruption. As Knights are considered part of law enforcement, when Knights are in armor enforcing the law, they are immune to Low Law.
+* '''Low Law:''' covers non-lethal violent actions like theft, contraband, trespassing, impersonation, fraud, refusing titles/pronouns, and collaboration with the Afflicted. Low Law usually has some fine-based punishment, or short time-skipped prison sentence.
-* '''Magic Law:''' Magic Law covers how Magic is used in general. The State's understanding of magic is very infantile, and it tends to brush all forms of Magic with one big brush. The legality of Magic frequently oscillates between progressive and repressive, currently the law is repressive. All forms of Magic Casting is illegal in any public area or public venue, unless specified by the venue owners. Magic usage in private property is legal, as well as businesses, and Headquarters of special orders and groups if they were specifically granted property by the State. Violation usually defaults to Low Law violations. As Knights are considered part of law enforcement, when Knights are in armor enforcing the law, they are immune to Magic Law.
+* '''Magic Law:''' covers how Magic is used in general. Magic casting in the street is illegal, and permitted in businesses/homes only with permission of the owner. Magic Law violations are considered Low Law, meaning a fine or short time-skipped prison sentence.
-* '''Occult Law:''' Occult Law covers illegal things Magical in nature, but not specifically Magic itself. These are a set of very specific laws: It is illegal to be a Mortisphage, Undead, or Vampire, it is illegal to consort, own, or associate with Spirits, and it is illegal to use Theurgy. It is currently Legal to be a Marken only if the person can be certified to control themselves or undergo therapy, it is currently Legal to be Arkenborn and Godborn in any and all circumstances, though citizens are requested to be on the lookout for Arkenborn who profess loyalties to their Arken parents (see High Law hostile entities). It is currently legal to be Archon in any and all circumstances. Transforming as Marken in public partially or wholly, falls under this also. Marken retained by Lothar are excluded from this.
+* '''Occult Law:''' covers more severe illegal magical things, like being Undead/Vampire/Mortisphage, interacting or owning Spirits, interacting with Arken, or interacting/bargaining with Death Gods. These often result in long time-skipped prison sentences of years.
-* '''Religious Law:''' Religious Law covers what Faiths are legal in the Empire: Unionism, Estelley, Fornoss, Khama, Draconism. This also covers that using weapons or drawing blood on Holy Ground (Temples, Burial Sites, Graveyards, the Palace, Dragon Sites, Homes of Priests) is illegal, as well as an anti-Blasphemy Law that makes it illegal to speak ill of the Emperor, and that either such offenses are judged by Lancyon Chapter Members of the Viridian Order.
+* '''Marken Law:''' covers laws pertaining to Marken. Marken are currently under toleration. If they can prove their self-control and take efforts to be non-infectious, Marken are permitted to live in their own home. If they lose control however, they face long prison sentences.
-* '''High Law:''' High Law covers highly illegal activities that may result in a character being maimed or executed if caught, or caught on repeat-offense. This includes but is not limited to: treason against the Empire, being a horrendous monster, aiding and abetting foreign powers or hostile entities, pre-meditated murder, etc. These usually involve very long prison sentences, or special trials. Players should be aware that committing these crimes will have serious consequences for their Characters.
+* '''Religious Law:''' covers faiths. This covers: Unionism, Estelley, Fornoss, Khama, Draconism. Evolism is technically illegal, but no actions are taken against its worshipers. Most Minor faiths are similarly tolerated, the Mortis Cult however is very illegal, with long prison sentences.
+* '''High Law:''' covers severe crimes that can result in Character death. This is a very specific list: treason against the Empire, being a horrendous Monster, aiding and abetting foreign powers and hostile entities (like Arken), murder, and blasphemy against the Emperor.
+==Application of the Law==
+Keep in mind that prison sentences tend to be cumulative. If a Character commits 20 Low Law crimes, that can become judged just as severely as a single High Law violation. In most cases, no records are kept of minor crimes, prison sentences are time-skipped, and fines are paid off-screen. Players are expected to roleplay out the negative consequences of having been imprisoned/fined to their finances. If execution is ever warranted on a Character, the Player will be warned in a ticket or in-game warning, that their current trajectory leads to Kill-perms being released on their Character. This would mean that Lore Staff permits any player to execute a Player Character for the crimes they have committed. In some rare instances, Lore Staff may also release Kill-perms for non-Criminal Characters, or Characters who have not explicitly been caught. Before this happens, the Player will always be informed and warned to change course, but it is generally only used as a last resort if the player is being unrealistic and constantly using the lack of Kill-perms to powergame out of really bad situations for their Character.
+==Legal Trials==
+In some instances, if all Players involved in an arrest and sentencing would like it, they can roleplay out a civil trial. Civil trials involve a judge hearing evidence and counter-pleas from the defense, and ruling through a court trial on guilt or innocence. The Regalian court system is advanced but considered rather corrupt, due to its strong lean on assumption of guilt. The judges will always be a panel of at least 2 Viridian Knights who must agree in order to render judgement. They can do so for anything except High Law, which can only be judged by Lore Staff.
 ==Imprisonment Rules==
-Vigilantes and Criminals alike are permitted to imprison captured hostile Characters within their Clandestine Bases, Keeps, and Rental Regions, as long as a sufficient cell area and-or guards to roleplay with them are available. Captors should show courtesy of releasing someone within 24 hours of imprisonment unless there is a planned and agreed ransom or the player desires to be held for longer.  Players should generally negotiate a beneficial outcome amongst themselves, with the responsibility of providing a solution being put on the instigating party. "Instigators" are generally considered characters who started the conflict, whether that is by attacking someone, or by being somewhere they shouldn't be, breaking the law, or being excessively annoying/a nuisance. The instigating party also depends on the location a player is in. For example, a non-disguised Vampire that goes to Main Street or any other place where the Law applies, would be the instigator if Law-abiding characters try to capture them. Conversely, a Knight who enters the Sewers would be the instigator. Players should only contact Lore Staff through a ticket if the other party is being unreasonable, and may result in surrendered Kill or Maim perms.
+Vigilantes and Criminals alike are permitted to imprison captured hostile Characters within their Clandestine Bases, Keeps, and Rental Regions, as long as a sufficient cell area and-or guards to roleplay with them are available. Captors should show courtesy of releasing someone within 24 hours of imprisonment unless there is a planned and agreed ransom or the player desires to be held for longer. Players should generally negotiate a beneficial outcome amongst themselves, with the responsibility of providing a solution being put on the instigating party. "Instigators" are generally considered characters who started the conflict, whether that is by attacking someone, or by being somewhere they shouldn't be, breaking the law, or being excessively annoying/a nuisance. The instigating party also depends on the location a player is in. For example, a non-disguised Vampire that goes to Main Street or any other place where the Law applies, would be the instigator if Law-abiding characters try to capture them. Conversely, a Knight who enters the Sewers would be the instigator.
-==Enforcement of the Law==
+==Mercenaries==
-On Massivecraft, general 'punishments' and 'enforcements' of the laws should almost always be done off-screen unless the player specifically wants to do that kind of RP. In any case where, for example, a Knight catches someone breaking the law, they are expected to hand off the actual punishment to an off-screen NPC Metropolitan Member. Below is a list and explanation of what the Metro Members would do for each crime, and players can talk about how their characters paid their fines or served their times, etc.
+Mercenaries exist in a somewhat dubious legal position. Mercenary charters are legal in the Regalian Empire, and do not need to be issued by the state. Anyone can at any point start a Mercenary Company and charge money for their services. The Regalian State itself also buys mercenaries for its wars, and so it is a viable occupation. However, since most of the Roleplay takes place in Regalia, Mercenaries don't have as much to do. Mercenaries in Regalia can be hired as bodyguards, which means they would fall under Retainers in the legal exceptions created at the beginning of the page. This does not allow them to actively go out and beat people up for their master, however, which is where the complication comes in. Every action of a Mercenary is legal, short of them attacking and inflicting harm on someone, or trying to murder them. That being said, any self-respecting Mercenary is not afraid of the law and would accept contracts to beat someone up under the table, and simply not get caught. There is a whole host of disguises, Magic, and other tactics a Mercenary could use to avoid being identified or caught, and still make good coin beating people up for their master who does not want to get their hands dirty.
-* '''Theft:''' When the Metro handles Theft, they generally impose a fine for petty theft, and prison sentences for stealing large amounts of goods, family heirlooms, and irreplaceable items. Punishments are reduced if the stolen objects are returned to their owners.
-* '''Magic Casting:''' Magic casting almost always involves the Metropolitan just fining the caster. Note, that the Metro does not discriminate between Sinistral, Radiant, Dragon Magic, etc, and the only exception that it considers 'not magic' is Unionist God Magic. Magic Casting used to harm others is judged under violence and assault.
-* '''Violence and Assault:''' Attacking others usually involves a fine, public humiliation, or a prison sentence depending on the severity. Note that the Metro does not punish individuals for fighting to just defend themselves, but, does punish individuals who inflict excessive harm onto their attackers.
-* '''Kidnapping:''' Kidnapping, especially involving extortion or harm done to the person kidnapped, always involves a prison sentence for an extended period of time.
-* '''General Low Law:''' All other Low Law infractions not covered are generally just fines, community service, public humiliations, or short prison sentences. Repeat offenses to a severe degree may require Lore Staff Intervention. Individuals who are caught after many repeated offenses require consultation with Lore Staff onw hat to do. Please make a ticket in RP Comm discord with the character captured, and under what circumstances they were captured.
-* '''Occult Law:''' Individuals who are Mortisphages or Vampires are expected to be cured by Players, and usually subjected to a short prison sentence to help prevent re-infection. Undead, Marken, and Spirits who are caught may require additional negotiation between both parties to reach a mutually beneficial outcome.
-* '''Religious Law:''' Due to the severity of Religious Law, individuals who are caught would require negotiation between both parties for a mutually beneficial outcome. For crimes such as these, the instigator is assume to be the one guilty of breaching Religious Law.
-* '''High Law:''' Due to the severity of High Law, individuals who are caught would require negotiation between both parties for a mutually beneficial outcome. For crimes such as these, the instigator is assumed to be the one guilty of breaching High Law.
-Regalian Law is the general understanding of the judicial system, both with in-character laws and exceptions that apply to all Roleplayers, but also general concepts of what certain groups are or aren't allowed to do.