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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 Low 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.