--- /dev/null
+[za3k](/) > [aldenmarsh](/aldenmarsh/) > [lore](lore) > law
+
+## Government
+
+Legally, the government of Aldenmarsh is a [council](council) of 15 members. Most citizens are aware that the council is a front, and all real power and the majority of council seats are controlled by the Church of Baneth.
+
+## Laws
+
+Laws in Aldenmarsh are clearly written and collected in a single law book. (The party has learned Church law is in a second book.) Most laws are typical for the region, but some are specific to the theocracy.
+
+- The most common primes are property crimes (theft, tax evasion, cheating customers, property damage), and minor fights (bar fights or street fights). Another common crime is not attending mandatory church service (attendence is informally and irregularly taken, and the penalty is a fine).
+- Burglary and violence are common. The most frequent violence is highway robbery and piracy, followed by domestic violence and murder.
+- Loans are typically not offered, so usury or defaulting on loans are uncommon.
+- The church recently raised tax rates to a 10% mandatory tithe each year.
+- Divination magic is an exclusive right of the Church. Possession or use of divination spells is punishable by death. Spell books can be spot-checked (but aren't, except at border crossings). The Steel and the clergy may turn a blind eye to common low-level spells like *detect magic* if not used directly in front of them, but mages have been executed for use of *augury* and the like.
+
+## Foreigners and Citizenship
+
+Foreigners are required to have a visa to stay in Aldenmarsh. They must sleep in one quarter of Canyonport each night, or on water vessels. A travel visa is required even to travel down the King's Highway in and out of the country. Foreigners must carry identifying documents and visas with them at all times. Laws generally treat foreigners equally, but popular opinion treats them as second class citizens.
+
+Citizens can move around freely. There are no identifying documents or citizenship papers.
+
+To become a citizen of Aldenmarsh after birth is extremely rare. Less than ten people would become citizens a year, and only for extreme acts of national or religious service.
+
+## Police
+
+In Canyonport, law is enforced by the [Steel Eye](church_branches) (the military of the Church of Baneth), and the city guard. In the rest of the country, each noble has house troops who arrest criminals.
+
+## Legal Process
+
+- A criminal is arrested by the police (Steel Eye, noble troops, or city guard)
+- The criminal is held in jail until their trial. Jails are not used for long-term imprisonment. Jails are generally somewhat nice (think bad motel room).
+- Before the trial, an investigator (from the [scriptoria](church_branches)) determines what happened. They investigates the accuse, along with any associated events, people, places, or items. The investigator finds and organizes all evidence and decides whether the criminal commited the acts they are accused of. In all by the smallest cases, the investigator puts together a team out other people to help them.
+- At the trial, guilt is decided. A judge (from the [gardeners](church_branches)) presents the charges and reviews what the investigator has found. They decide whether the accused is guilty, and sentences them. Guilt and sentencing is not based only on whether criminal acts have factually happened, but also takes into account the moral character of the accused, and any mitigating or aggravating circumstances. Nobles who are arrested give large bribes to judges and are found to have outstanding moral character.
+
+## Penalties
+
+- Most criminal acts, including all minor ones are punished by a fine and/or corporal punishment like a whipping.
+- Fines are based on personal wealth--a commoner is fined less than a noble. Typically a fine will be something like "2 weeks' wages".
+- Aldenmarsh does not have any form of long-term imprisonment. It's considered dangerous, soft, and expensive.
+- **Marks**: Serious crimes are punished with a "mark", a permanent brand showing the nature of the crime. Anyone who would receive a third mark is executed. Marks are often accompanied by increasing corporal punishment. A first mark might be made painful and accompanied by a whipping. A second mark for theft might be accompanied by removal of the thieving hand, or a second mark for blasphemy by removal of the tongue.
+- Other punishments could include public shaming, payment of recompense to an injured party, forced labor (typically out of the country), or banishment.
--- /dev/null
+[za3k](/) > [aldenmarsh](/aldenmarsh/) > [lore](lore) > church branches
+
+## High Sept
+
+The high sept is the largest Church of Baneth, in the middle of Canyonport. All the head offices of the Church are located there, and a large portion of the Scriptoria. In addition, it's a big church, with a number of shrines to famous servants of Baneth and services every day of the week. People say "The High Sept" did this or that, meaning the Church or the Church higher-ups.
+
+## High Priests
+
+Each branch of the Church is headed by a high priest. There are eight high priests. One the Lord High Priest, the head of the entire Church. Four of the high priests (including the Lord High Priest) are on the Council of Aldenmarsh.
+
+# Branches
+
+Branch are presented from largest (most people in the branch) to smallest.
+
+## Brach: Scriptoria
+
+The Church de-facto controls the bureaucracy of Canyonport and Aldenmarsh. The scriptoria is its largest department, controlling almost every aspect of day-to-day government control. The Scriptoria employs many many clerks, but most of them are not actually priests of the Church, only the high offices.
+
+They manage
+- paperwork of all kinds
+- import/export regulations, trade permits, waterway scheduling, import processing, and inspection
+- visas
+- land ownership
+- city planning
+- funerals and graveyards
+- mercantile licenses
+- permits of all kind, such as for public sales, stalls, and gardens
+
+The high priest of the Scriptoria (Blind Mason) is a Council member.
+
+## Branch: Churches and Preachers
+
+Individual churches and preaching clerics make up the majority of the Church itself. This is what most people think of when they think of the Church of Baneth. Many clerics of Baneth do not actively preach, or hold smaller ceremonies with only friends or family. However, most people go to large church gatherings, so this is not something everyone is aware of. So far, the Church has not sent missions abroad.
+
+The Church proper has three high priests.
+
+1. The Lord High Priest (Ser Olivia Goodman) is the head of the entire church, the Chairman of the Council of Baneth, and manages day-to-day affairs.
+2. A second high priest who manages day-to-day affairs when the Council is in session (Mary Sagetrap), so there is always someone available.
+3. The third high priest (Marquess Johann Marshmight) is essentially a political appointment. The current one is a higher-ranking noble, and acts as a liason to the nobility.
+
+## Branch: Gardeners
+
+Although often seen as a branch of the Church, the Gardeners are actually an independent organization.
+
+They do actually do most of the actual literal gardening in Canyonport.
+
+However, gardeners are mostly known because they teach (mandatory) public school to all Aldenmarsh children, so every citizen grew up knowing them. Schooling includes learning to read, write, learn correct moral lessions, and perhaps do sums. The popular view of the Gardeners is that they can do no wrong, and to be a Gardener is the height of moral achievement. However, most Gardeners are quite poor, living on charity, so it's not a very popular profession for those with alternatives (something like how monks would be viewed--it's an honorable last resort).
+
+To become a Gardener requires taking a written and oral examination, which tests moral character and knowledge. Those scoring well enough qualify for special positions like being a judge.
+
+The Head Gardener (Lura Darkness-of-moss) is not a high priest. They attend, but do not vote, in Council meetings.
+
+## Branch: Steel Eye
+
+The Steel Eye is the military of the Church. They are best known for acting as police in Canyonport and some other large cities. Their primary duty, however, is to defend the Church itself from attack.
+
+The high priest of the Steel Eye (Lance Twospell) is on the Council. His predecessor, Johann Humanson, was assassinated.
+
+## Branch: Scholars
+
+The scholars of the church are an institute of higher learning. They study, write, and copy books. The majority of what they study is the Holy Book of Baneth, and comparative religion, but they are widely-spread over most topics. Other popular topics are the nature of the world, history, and natural science.
+
+The high priest of the scholars is Xao Hallowless. She was born a foreigner and is often held up as an example or used in arguments to make a point.
+
+## Branch: Taxes
+
+Council taxes and church tithes are collected by the Church once a year. This is the most-hated branch of the Church, but also the most profitable.
+
+The high priest (Henry Copyist) of the taxmen is on the Council.
+
+## Branch: The Still
+
+The Still are the mystics of the Church. They perform inner rituals of the Church--ones not for services. What exactly they are in charge of, if anything, is not well-known to non-priests. Most high-level clerics are in the Still, or are Still-trained. If you need a miracle, you go to the Still.
+
+<!--Initiates of the church know: Joining the Still is called "entering the Still Pool". The Still don't have any duties beyond inner rituals.-->
+
+The high priest of the Still is Viscount Christopher Rossi.
The current members are:
-- Church. Chairman. Ser Olivia Godman.
-- Church. Henry Copyist (taxes).
-- Church. Johann Humanson (steel).
-- Church. Blind Mason (scriptoria).
+- Church. Chairman. Ser Olivia Godman, [Lord High Priest](church_branches).
+- Church. Henry Copyist ([taxes](church_branches)).
+- Church. Lance Twospell, deceased ([steel](church_branches)). (Johnann Humanson, deceased)
+- Church. Blind Mason ([scriptoria](church_branches)).
- Guilds. Edwin Quickstone (artificer's guild).
- Guilds. Henry Thatcher (port authority).
- Guilds. Regalia Silk (merchant's association).
# House Rules
- See [Character Creation](build) rules for allowed classes, races, and gods.
- Mostly we're using rules as written, nothing too crazy.
+- "Law" checks are Int (History, Noble Education, or Religion, whichever is best)
- Leveling is XP-based, not milestones. The DM will track it for the group. Generally XP is awarded for achieving goals the DM or party thinks are important, and most of it will be awarded for non-combat.
- Leveling up is in-between sessions, to avoid a long interruption. You can roll your increased HP immediately for level 2 without waiting until the end of the session.
- If the party is using one approach, they make one roll (assisting a player is still allowed of course). The entire party wouldn't roll separate perception checks to look for a secret door. If some players are in a library, but one is researching history and another is researching military tactics, they would make separate rolls.
## [Aldenmarsh](aldenmarsh) Info
- [Baneth](baneth)
- [Canyonport](canyonport)
+- [Church Branches](church_branches)
- [Council](council)
- [Days of the week](days_of_week)
- Prohibited [Divination](divination) spells
+- [Law](aldenmarsh_law)
- [Magic items for sale](magic_items) in Canyonport
- [Military](military)
- [Nobility](nobility)
- [Zen Bound 2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/61600/Zen_Bound_2/) by Secret Exit LLC. Paid. 2009.
- [Minecraft](https://minecraft.net/) by Mojang. Paid. 2009.
- Modpacks (all free)
- - [Tekkit](http://www.technicpack.net/modpack/tekkitmain.552547) by various.
- - [Crash Landing](http://crashlanding.wildwestscifi.net/) by Iskandar.
- - [Better Than Wolves](http://www.minecraftforum.net/forums/mapping-and-modding/minecraft-mods/1272992-better-than-wolves-now-with-blunt-force-trauma) by FlowerChild.
- [Agrarian Skies](http://ftbwiki.org/Agrarian_Skies) by Jadedcat.
+ - [Better Than Wolves](http://www.minecraftforum.net/forums/mapping-and-modding/minecraft-mods/1272992-better-than-wolves-now-with-blunt-force-trauma) by FlowerChild. See also the mod [Better With Mods](https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/bwm-suite).
+ - [Crash Landing](http://crashlanding.wildwestscifi.net/) by Iskandar.
+ - [SevTech Ages](https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/modpacks/sevtech-ages) by darkosto et al.
+ - [Tekkit](http://www.technicpack.net/modpack/tekkitmain.552547) by various.
- Mods (all free)
- - [Computercraft](http://www.computercraft.info/) by dan200.
+ - [Applied Energistics 2 & 3](https://ae-mod.info/) by AlgorithmX2.
- [Buildcraft](http://www.mod-buildcraft.com/) Pipes by various.
+ - [Chickenchunks](http://chickenbones.net/Pages/links.html) by ChickenBones.
+ - [Chisels and Bits](https://github.com/ChiselsAndBits/Chisels-and-Bits) by AlgorithmX2.
+ - [Computercraft](http://www.computercraft.info/) by dan200.
+ - [Dimensional Doors](http://www.minecraftforum.net/forums/mapping-and-modding/minecraft-mods/1287583-dimensional-doors-v2-2-4) by stevenrs11.
- [Ender Storage](http://chickenbones.net/Pages/links.html) by ChickenBones.
+ - [Hopper Ducts](http://www.minecraftforum.net/forums/mapping-and-modding/minecraft-mods/1291075-1-5-x-1-6-x-1-7-x-1-8-hopper-ducts-mod) by FyberOptic.
- [Inventory Tweaks](https://inventory-tweaks.readthedocs.org/en/latest/) by Jimeo Wan.
- [Mystcraft](http://binarymage.com/wiki/) by XCompWiz.
- - [Dimensional Doors](http://www.minecraftforum.net/forums/mapping-and-modding/minecraft-mods/1287583-dimensional-doors-v2-2-4) by stevenrs11.
- - [Hopper Ducts](http://www.minecraftforum.net/forums/mapping-and-modding/minecraft-mods/1291075-1-5-x-1-6-x-1-7-x-1-8-hopper-ducts-mod) by FyberOptic.
- - [Chickenchunks](http://chickenbones.net/Pages/links.html) by ChickenBones.
- [OpenPeripheral](http://openmods.info/) Terminal Glasses by various.
Online Games
projects / za3k.git / commitdiff