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Pardan
Acolyte
31 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 08:37:19
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Just a quick question...
How does the judicial system in Waterdeep and along the Sword Coast work? I mean in places like the North and the Western Heartlands. Are criminals entitled to a fair trial?
I am asking because I now play a Paladin of Sune (see my last question) who has been transported to Ravenloft and is totally appaled at the way things are handled there, especially the free use of torture by the guards, not just to gain information but as a punishment in itself. Without a fair trial beforehand, of course.
What of torture? As far as I know, most good realms do not use it and every good church - even the often slightly zealous Helmites or Tyrrans - would never condone it.
Am I right there?
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Do not knock on Death's door - ring the bell twice and run away.
He hates that. |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4689 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 09:28:39
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Well the Watch in Waterdeep locks up drunks for te night or tends to. The next day may be subject to fine. Ed spoke some about the Watch and drunks in 05 answers, IIRC.
A single legal system does not exist along the Sword Coast AFAIK, however more lawful communities will indeed hold trails of some kind or anothe, some using zone of truth or other magical means to determine guilt or inocence. Torture is unlikely to be used in any of such communities as a policy, however it is posible individual guards might indeed be brutal to some prisonors. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 09:30:51
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Nearly every sourcebook on Waterdeep has provided lore on the judicial system at play in the City of Splendors. Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast provides some basics on the ways in which laws are applied and interpreted along some areas of the Sword Coast. Power of Faerun touches on this as well -- law in general -- as does Ed's comments here at Candlekeep.
As for torture, regardless of whether it is to provide important and/or crucial information or is simply just for the pleasure of the person or persons inflicting it... it would simply not be accepted in any lawful/good-aligned society or a realm supported by a lawful/good church in Faerun -- member-cities of the Lords' Alliance in the North would be examples of such locales. As such good-aligned churches would never condone torture as a practice for their clergies. Dictatorships and regions in the Realms where evil powers hold sway or where evil-aligned clergies hold most of the power would likely see quite a extensive use of torture on those considered heretics, slaves, traitors, or POWs for example -- Zhentil Keep or any of the places of ill-repute around the Moonsea would be effective examples of this. The clergies of Bane, Cyric and Loviatar all likely practice torture in various forms and almost always for different reasons.
That's not to say that torture WILL not occur in Waterdeep or LG locales however... it is just not an official or government/clerical enforced practice. Evil powers, fiendish clergies, or sinister cults operating in the back alleys of lawful realms or beneath city streets can and probably do employ methods of torture on those they capture. But it is important to note that it is never an official practice in a lawful realm, but rather something sinister and underlining evil groups at work in a LG region.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
Edited by - The Sage on 08 Apr 2006 09:35:29 |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 19:19:44
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| Also see "Law of the land" in Dungeon #65. |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 19:53:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
Also see "Law of the land" in Dungeon #65.
Dragon #65, actually. |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 20:03:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Arivia
quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
Also see "Law of the land" in Dungeon #65.
Dragon #65, actually.
No, it was #65. You're completely wrong. |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 20:05:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
No, it was #65. You're completely wrong.
Just looked in Dragon #65 and found an article called Lay of the Land by Ed there. If that isn't proof, I don't know what is. |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 20:08:25
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 20:10:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
*starts breathing again*
Phew.
I was sitting here thinking "how the hell did I get into a fight with Faraer?"
Good to see all's alright.
Phew.
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4689 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 22:24:13
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Hmm some search appears to indicate the "Law of the land" appears in Dungeon #123 and also appears in Dragon #65 (Law of the Land: Advice on Making your World "Legal" by Ed Greenwood (AD&D)), they clearly might be different text and/or aurthor.
"Lay of the Land" does not appear to be in Dragon 65, however this appears (as part of a title) to be in _Silver Marches_ and titled "The Lay of the Land" a title of a chapter.
Fun what search engines can do, and how a simole word selection can result in confusion.
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"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 22:34:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
Hmm some search appears to indicate the "Law of the land" appears in Dungeon #123 and also appears in Dragon #65 (Law of the Land: Advice on Making your World "Legal" by Ed Greenwood (AD&D)), they clearly might be different text and/or aurthor.
"Lay of the Land" does not appear to be in Dragon 65, however this appears (as part of a title) to be in _Silver Marches_ and titled "The Lay of the Land" a title of a chapter.
Oops, I did mean Law of the Land. |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2006 : 00:25:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Pardan
Just a quick question...
How does the judicial system in Waterdeep and along the Sword Coast work? I mean in places like the North and the Western Heartlands. Are criminals entitled to a fair trial?
I am asking because I now play a Paladin of Sune (see my last question) who has been transported to Ravenloft and is totally appaled at the way things are handled there, especially the free use of torture by the guards, not just to gain information but as a punishment in itself. Without a fair trial beforehand, of course.
What of torture? As far as I know, most good realms do not use it and every good church - even the often slightly zealous Helmites or Tyrrans - would never condone it.
Am I right there?
I actually asked Ed a similar question on this topic, Ed hasnt answered it yet so you might want to keep an eye on Eds thread in the next month or so |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2006 : 00:26:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
I actually asked Ed a similar question on this topic, Ed hasnt answered it yet so you might want to keep an eye on Eds thread in the next month or so
It is covered to some degree on page 18 of Power of Faerun. |
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Judicial system of Waterdeep and surrounding lands
