The Law (Den Recht)

Perrenland’s legal system (called Den Recht) is compensatory, not punitive. That is, the focus of the law is to see that the wronged party is compensated for whatever injury they have received, and not to punish the person who committed the offence. While a convicted criminal usually receives some form of punishment, it is typically in the form of service or payment to the person or persons they committed the crime against. From an outsider's perspective it may seem like the outcomes are similar, but the process, the spirit of the judgment, is quite different.

Judges (Rechters)

Not every community has an authorised judge, but there will always be one in the district. Judges in Perrenland wield considerable power, as they have the right to call an investigation into anyone's affairs. That said, a novice judge would think twice about calling an investigation into a Pfalzgraf or the Voormann.

Judges are highly respected and are accorded great courtesy. Few Perrenland residents would dare to harm a known judge or impede their investigations. Conversely, the position carries heavy responsibilities, and judges found to be misusing their powers are quickly in considerable trouble.

Membership of the Rechters is available as a metaorganisation.

Kopprijs

Den Recht is based around the kopprijs, literally the head-price, a payment of coin or material in compensation for crime. The average person's kopprijs is around 1000 marks (gold pieces), but more important and prestigious people have a higher value. The severity of the crime determines the proportion of the victim's kopprijs that must be paid - 100% if the victim is killed. Items also have a kopprijs, used when they are stolen, damaged or destroyed.

The basic form of compensation is a monetary payment, which the convicted person can change to other forms of punishment (such as a judicial duel, exile, flogging, or indentured servitude) if they prefer or if they cannot provide the amount required. While there is a known list of what kopprijs is levelled for what offence, the final value of the kopprijs is determined by a judge (rechter) and may vary for a number of reasons. For example, kopprijs is routinely doubled for "secret" crimes, where the perpetrator does not promptly notify the appropriate authorities of what has occurred. Conversly, if the rechter believes the evidence is incriminating but not convincing beyond doubt, or that there are mitigating circumstances, the kopprijs may be reduced.

Usually a convicted character's family, clan, or employer will help meet the costs of any kopprijs incurred by committing a crime. If the crime is committed in the course of carrying out orders, there is a strong social expectation that the person who gave the orders will meet the costs of the kopprijs incurred. This indirect punishment is how people who hire assassins or robbers are dealt with by Den Recht: while it isn't a crime to solicit a crime like murder or theft, rechters routinely support private lawsuits for "unpaid debts" brought by convicted criminals against employers who fail to pay the kopprijs they made the criminal incur on their behalf.

Crimes

The crimes most likely to be encountered by adventurers are:

Assault: 10% of kopprijs for beating someone unconscious, a proportion of that amount for a lesser beating. The kopprijs rises if the assault inflicts a permanent injury.
False accusation: Falsely accusing someone of committing a crime incurs double the kopprijs that would have been paid by the other party if they had actually committed that crime.
Killing: 100% kopprijs at a minimum, but can be increased up to tenfold at the judge's discretion.
Theft: 100% kopprijs of the item (not the owner).
Trespass: Someone trespassing on the territory of another person may be legally attacked and captured or forced to surrender. Sometimes, trespassers are killed or wounded, but such ferocity is rare and most trespassers are ejected without recourse to the law. A captured trespasser must pay 10 marks kopprijs for their liberty.
Unlawful damage: A proportion of the kopprijs of the item, based on the amount of damage caused. Anything that sustains more than 75% damage incurs 100% kopprijs, as if it had been stolen.
Unlawful incarceration: 1% of a person's kopprijs per day of captivity.

Other recognised crimes include arson, falsely declaring bankruptcy, oath-breaking, rape, sedition, slander, theft of heads and unpaid debts.

Metagame information: Possession of poison is not a crime in Perrenland, but players should note that both purchasing and using lethal (Constitution draining) poisons are considered evil acts, and may lead to your character being removed from the campaign. Also, players should note that using poisons or drugs in carrying out a crime is considered dishonourable, and thus the kopprijs for any crime committed using poisons or drugs (such assault, killing, or rape) is doubled.

Criminal Investigations and Warrants

As is common across the Flanaess, the town guard or local watch stops crimes in progress but doesn't investigate crimes that have already occurred. There are two types of lawful investigations carried out under Den Recht.

A public investigation is carried out by a rechter, who gathers the evidence personally, determines whether an offence has been committed, and publicly imposes any due kopprijs.
A private investigation is carried out by anyone who isn't a rechter, who gathers the evidence, then takes the evidence to a rechter and makes an accusation against another person that they have broken Den Recht. The rechter then determines whether an offence has been committed, and publicly imposes any due kopprijs (possibly including kopprijs imposed on the person making the accusation if it is proven to be false). Note that any official who is not a rechter who carries out an investigation is actually carrying out a private investigation, no matter how senior or important the official is - even the Voormann initiates investigations into crimes against the state as a private individual, and not as a rechter.

In either type of investigation, authority to carry out the investigation can be delegated by the person initiating the investigation. As with any delegated authority, the person who has received the delegation is treated as if they were the person making the delegation for all matters relating to the investigation. Formal proof that the delegation has been given takes the form of a legally-binding document called a warrant (warrants are also issued as formal proof that kopprijs is to be imposed on someone). The most famous warrant in Perrenland is the Common Warrant of the Voormann, which reads:

The bearer of this warrant is given authority by the Concatenated Council of All Perrenland to take any lawful action necessary to ensure that the Voormann's peace is upheld, and that justice is done. To impeed, or hinder, the bearer of such a warrant is a criminal offence. Any assistance that the bearer requests that can reasonably be given must be given. At the bottom of the document is the seal and the signature of the Voormann.

The Common Warrant is known to be a magical document that bursts into flame and destroys itself if it comes into the possession of anyone not lawfully authorised to bear or use it.

Further information on Den Recht, including crimes, kopprijs, other punishments and game rules is available in the Perrenland Law Document (151Kb).