Life in the city
Law
The laws in Haalkitaine is very harsh, especially for the commoners, it is the heart of the feudal societies and being noble means everything, that in spite that the new emperor has trying to change so the law will be equal for everyone, that is not how it works though.
The representation of the different parties in a civil case is made by magistrates, and they present their different sides to a judge, a noble or in some cases the emperor himself.
To hire a magistrate is the only way to have a chance in a court unless the accuser has no proof at all, it works like hiring a lawyer in our modern world, most people can not afford a magistrate and most nobles can, that is why nobles very rarely get convicted unless there are really hard evidence.
Capital Crimes
- Murder - Punishable by death. Hanging for commoners and the sword for nobles.
- Arranging a murder - That means plot a murder or hiring a murderer is also punishable by death, same as above.
- Rape - Official punishments like the stick, branding or the stock, and then death.
- Arson - Punishable by death, burning alive at the stake for both nobles and commoners.
- Treason against the empire - Punishable by torture and then death for both commoners and nobles. All ranks are stripped for the convicted and all lands etc. goes to the Empire, relatives can loose their estates and ranks too if the Treason is severe.
- Third time serious crime - For example murder in the second degree, robbery, assault on a noble or official, horse theft etc.
Crimes that are not capital are usually punished by forced labor, fines, prison time, forced military service and some different public punishments like branding, the stock, the stick etc.
Duels
Dueling is forbidden unless it is under the great games, but personal
duels have been outlawed since the start of the civil war, most of the
armed cavalry forces is made up entirely of nobles, and one do not want
to have them injured or killed in some civilian disputes.
Most dueling between nobles are held secret, a new weapon from lands
in the south where duels are more common has started to come a lot to
Rhakhaan too, the small sword, essentially a small rapier, the weapon
is very fast for fencing and gives small wounds, perfect for "first
blood" duels.
The traditional weapon for duels are the bastard sword, used as it
is with no left handed weapon and the duelist wearing no armor at all,
this is not so good for duels to first blood, since one of the duelists
are almost for sure to be maimed or killed by the heavy sword.
Another common dueling weapon is the dagger, dagger duels are usually
also to death, or until one duelist are not capable of defending himself
anymore.
In a place with so many nobles there are very many disputes, and not all of them can be settled in any other way then duels, and duels are also a way for some nobles to get known or keep their skills in fencing.
The punishment for dueling is usually not so really harsh, it is no good having a law for nobles not to kill each other if the offence is mortal itself, usual punishment is pretty steep fines, or if the convinced can't meet his fines he will be sentenced to military service for a year.
This page is a part of
by Jonas 'Drac' Cedher.