Do you use written laws and/or a written criminal code?

[The Archivist]

Do you use written laws and/or a written criminal code in your various kingdoms?

Have your PC's been involved in wars or intrigue between these kingdoms or is this just the backdrop? How much do you go into this in your campaign?

Which fantasy campaign systems laws do you use the most? Which ones do you like the best?

Do you have any unusual or different laws that you would share with us?

[The Red Baron]

The local ruler's word is law. There is no other.

[Vile Traveller]

A lot of discussions I've come across come from the viewpoint that there is such a thing as a modern legal system and that town guards are a sort of police - like Aelfredus says, if you're in with the local lord, you're good, if you upset him or his hangers-on (he has no friends really) you're in trouble.

[tetramorph]

It is not that I don't care what PCs do, but it is more like previous posts: who would be able to enforce it in the wilderness, on the borderlands, in the dungeon?

And most of my characters are lawful anyway.

But if anything did come up, I would go straight to that juicy stuff in the Ready Ref Sheets.

I read somewhere a reminder that what "outlaw" meant in the old days was "outside of the law," therefore "outside civilization" and the kind of protection and appeals that laws and cities give folks.

Now that is scary. I can see myself making a bunch of (even lawful) characters suddenly "outlaws" to some king or kingdom. That would be pretty fun. (Hey, good way to force a hex crawl!)

[waysoftheearth]

Apr 15, 2015 14:58:16 GMT -5 The Red Baron said:

The local ruler's word is law. There is no other.

This!

In the medieval world possession really is nine-tenths of the law.  And if you don't like it, well, come fight me (and my 300 men). And my seven brothers and twelve cousins and their 2,000 men!


Is it any wonder that wars happened?

[The Bear Hawk]

Yes, I have a basic law of the land that most communities rely on.

[Old Timer]

May 4, 2015 12:13:46 GMT -5 The Bear Hawk said:

Yes, I have a basic law of the land that most communities rely on.

My world has a lot more anarchy and less permanent settlements.

[Hexenritter Verlag]

I voted for unwritten laws, but I'd like to write up law codes in my home brew & enforce them if I can. I loved the Role play in my 5e campaign between the players & the zealot city guard when he caught then dumping bodies in the sewer. Luckily they were wererats that were killed & the candle of truth kept them from being put to death.

[True Black Raven]

Yes, but it is mostly common sense stuff and the places that have odd laws the player hear about them before the get there so they can not go there if they don't want to deal with a particular law.

[Robert the Black]

Yes, in the cities and civilized areas there are all kinds of things you can be fined for, but it is selective enforcement against those that have money and goods, they ignore the poor.

[Yaleric]

Very rarely.

[Warrior Twin One]

Don't use it.

[Warrior Twin Two]

No laws, frontier and you make your own rules and enforce them if you can.

[clooney]

I would enforce the unwritten laws if a group went murderhobo on me. But otherwise it is not a feature in my game.

[Q. F o s t e r]

I have used a written code, it just said, here is a list of ways you can annoy the ref and that is never a good idea.

[Snuffy Smith]

Option three is the way I roll.

[Ibizan Zamway]

The angry villager rule is the one I go with.

[nobody]

Unwritten

[Kujik]

Mostly unwritten

[The Man From Coventry]

Don't use it at all.

[Morose]

Nothing written.

[Bartholmew Quarrels]

Option three is my choice.