Goblin Squad Member
|
Obakararuir brought up a great point in another thread. There exists a loose set of "laws" (more an understanding, really) between the people of the River Kingdoms. These are known as the River Freedoms.
Given that this is our sandbox, and we can do as we wish with it, are these rules that you'd like to see stand?
Or, given that the number one rule encourages people to take what they want by force, do any of the other freedoms really exist?
|
Goblin Squad Member
|
Sounds like according to the River Freedoms, banditry is fair game, stealing from homes is not.
I'd personally like to see these rules be a foundation for our community. Mind you, I'll make a special effort to go hunting bandits, but I see such acts as perfectly fair in the game.
|
Goblin Squad Member
|
I believe as a community we should at least start with these in play and try to adhere to them some what as they in part make up why the River Kingdoms is the perfect place for the game. Just enough so everything isn't utter chaos, but loose enough to fulfill a vast majority of wants and needs. I'll go more in-depth of these later. Until then, what is everyone's take on each freedom. That may lend to a bit more interesting conversation.
|
Goblin Squad Member
|
Say What You Will, I Live Free
I like the inclinations that this has on the actual game play. Deafness, silence, anything that prevents someone from speaking their mind could be considered illegal, depending on the government.
Oathbreakers Die
I’m interested to see what classifies as an Oath. Is it “live by your word” or “crime: lying = punishment: death”. When I think of Oath, I think of the Oath of Office, Oath of Enlistment a significant statement with known intent. If I ask the farmer how much for the produce one week, I don’t expect that price to stay the same forever.
Walk Any Road, Float Any River
So if it isn’t the Kingdom that is blocking or tolling the given path, what then? If an armed force blocks the road are they not committing the same infraction? If every time someone ventures on a trail and they get robbed, is that not the same as tolling someone? When looked at in conjunction with the sixth freedom, it is ok to rob someone but not to charge for passage. So why would anyone even consider tolling? I see a lot of “unsanctioned” banditry happening that happens to be in the same realm of interests as the kingdom government.
Courts Are For Kings
This one is the easiest to see. My kingdom, my rules… except if they violate the freedoms… but this is one of the freedoms.
Slavery is an Abomination
This sets an interesting back drop. A safe haven for those who were slaves makes it the region a melting pot and thus gives legitimacy to certain aforementioned contradictions in the law. Kingdom policy could swing from one extreme to the other. This kind of reminds me of the Little Italy/Little China’s that some larger cities have. You tend to stick to what you know.
You Have What You Hold
Only the strong survive. Survival of the fittest. The distinction between robbery and stealing is actually quite interesting.
All in all, it seems the River Kingdoms tolerate all walks of life for the most part. You can do whatever you want, say what you want, go where you want as long as you take the laws of the kingdom into account. Cheating, lying, stealing, trying to prohibit the expression of others all seem to be faux pas. You can, however, kill in the name of robbery and commit robbery as long as you are honest and up front.
Lawful evil here I come!! j/k
|
Goblin Squad Member
|
To me, the last freedom (You have what you hold) seems to trump everything else in a very realistic way.
For example, if you're able to charge a toll for crossing a bridge, and no one is strong enough to *make* you stop, then what?
That's why these are just guidelines or general social understandings. Law is the language through which government speaks, and government is nothing more than a societal monopoly on the sanctioned use of force.
In other words, it all comes down to force. If there's nothing in place to enforce the other freedoms, it ends up being all about strength of arms. I think the people of the River Kingdoms understand that on some level, and that's why "You have what you hold" is listed as the most important freedom.
|
Goblin Squad Member
|
Obakararuir brought up a great point in another thread. There exists a loose set of "laws" (more an understanding, really) between the people of the River Kingdoms. These are known as the River Freedoms.
Given that this is our sandbox, and we can do as we wish with it, are these rules that you'd like to see stand?
Or, given that the number one rule encourages people to take what they want by force, do any of the other freedoms really exist?
If they've chosen to set it there, then I want to play there. So, yes to "laws".
|
Goblin Squad Member
|
The Oathbreakers die part makes me think of Norse and Germanic cultural norms about the seriousness of oath-taking. Beowulf doesn't just intend to save Hrothgar's people, but rather makes a solemn oath. When he dies, his last words are to claim that he was never an oathbreaker, something he is glad for:
At home I bided
what fate might come, and I cared for mine own;
feuds I sought not, nor falsely swore
ever on oath. For all these things,
though fatally wounded, fain am I!
Any oath sworn upon the spear point of Gugnir cannot be broken; Vara, Frigga's attendant and one of the Aesic punishes oathbreakers and rewards those who are faithful; in Njal's Saga just characters like Njal and Kari keep their oaths while Gunnar and Skarp-hedin break their oaths, etc.
Essentially, in Norse and old Germanic culture, oaths and oathkeeping are the basis of personal honor, political relationships, and the law.
Be interesting if we have Warlocks in the game--the O.E. wærloga is faith-liar, i.e. an oathbreaker.
|
Goblin Squad Member
|
The Oathbreakers die part makes me think of Norse and Germanic cultural norms about the seriousness of oath-taking. Beowulf doesn't just intend to save Hrothgar's people, but rather makes a solemn oath. When he dies, his last words are to claim that he was never an oathbreaker, something he is glad for:
At home I bided
what fate might come, and I cared for mine own;
feuds I sought not, nor falsely swore
ever on oath. For all these things,
though fatally wounded, fain am I!
Any oath sworn upon the spear point of Gugnir cannot be broken; Vara, Frigga's attendant and one of the Aesic punishes oathbreakers and rewards those who are faithful; in Njal's Saga just characters like Njal and Kari keep their oaths while Gunnar and Skarp-hedin break their oaths.
Essentially, in Norse and old Germanic culture, oaths and oathkeeping are the basis of personal honor, political relationships, and the law.
Be interesting if we have Warlocks in the game--the O.E. wærloga is faith-liar, i.e. an oathbreaker.
|
Goblin Squad Member
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Perhaps the Necronihimonicon will suffice?
<Being lifts a massive tome which, though he is careful, falls flat upon the stone slab with a heavy 'whump'! Motes of dust swirl in the light. After a moment the book's great pages fall open to an obscure passage unseen for millenia>
