Law and Order, Crime and Punishment.

I haven't done much with this, but I have been toying with a Paladin path related to this idea.

These Paladins would be like traveling barristers or judges. In my concept, they arise in a time of many small kingdoms all in conflict, all with different laws, mores, and punishments. These judges form a society to bring a common justice to the people and to work for the greater good (the idea is inspired by the Amyr from the Kingkiller Chronicles books).

They would start small; first only bringing justice to small villages, the common folk. They would settle disputes fairly, seek criminals or trouble makers, and generally bring justice to places that the powerful nobles ignore. Over time, they would gain power and eventually even the nobles of many kingdoms would come to fear their justice. They consider themselves above the law and above the order of any kingdom; they seek true justice.

I would write a rigid code of justice for this order, with guidelines for punishment. I was thinking of adding a schism in the ranks; some see their purpose as enforcing the code, other seek to enforce an idea of "the greater good", with the code being a guide for behavior and punishment.

Anyway, doesn't answer your question, but its an idea I've had along these lines that I'm rather fond of.

I haven't put a lot of thought into the legal system for my setting, so when matters of crime and punishment comes up, I just fall back on medieval/fantasy tropes in film and books. One of the exceptions is for crimes involving magic. A "mage guild" in my setting is responsible for many functions of the judiciary body in one nation. They are primarily concerned with crimes involving magic users, but occasionally oversee a difficult mundane trial. One of the departments in the guild also acts as a spy (foreign and domestic) and law enforcement agency, as well, though they are tasked only with magic-related goals. Punishment may include incarceration and/or shattering the Drigen (analog to third eye), which is a sort of spiritual lobotomy. Execution is almost guaranteed if magic was used to murder someone.

The god of justice also has a roaming cult of paladins and clerics who travel from city to city. They are generally well received by heads of state, though local law enforcement sometimes resents their presence (kind of like the FBI taking over a sheriff's office), and many commoners worry they'll get snatched up for petty crimes from their pasts. However, the cult deals almost exclusively with major crimes and criminals. That said, if they bear witness to a lesser crime, they may very well take the time to correct it.

Zone of Truth

Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]

Level: Clr 2, Pal 2

Components: V, S, DF

Casting time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Area: 20-ft.-radius emanation

Duration: 1 min./level

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: Yes



Creatures within the emanation area (or those who enter it) can’t speak any deliberate and intentional lies. Each potentially affected creature is allowed a save to avoid the effects when the spell is cast or when the creature first enters the emanation area. Affected creatures are aware of this enchantment. Therefore, they may avoid answering questions to which they would normally respond with a lie, or they may be evasive as long as they remain within the boundaries of the truth. Creatures who leave the area are free to speak as they choose.

www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Zone_of_Truth

This is what I found on the subject of 3.5

I'll return later with a actual response to the original post.d

I lean towards Nevvur's method, in that, I use the traditional medieval style. If anything I think I might avoid it so as to not let it clog things up, but don't know that that is the right way to go about it. I think implementing something along the lines of our system in the US could be very interesting. Imagine if a PC skipped out on their jury duty and were then hunted to be brought to jail. You could even use the idea that the judicial system and juries are merely the illusion of choice, and the person "in charge" just decides however they want regardless of the jury. The PCs could simply try and run, or change things on a grander scale.

Overall using a crime/punishment system could do very well as a session or campaign basis. So many different methods are i use and have been used throughout history, and could very easily be turned into some awesome inspiration for role playing. Especially if it splits the party in some way.

I have never even thought of putting tax in a game. That actually is a great idea! I bet your players weren't to happy!

I really like the taxation idea. There are a lot of ways that that could be justifiably implemented. It could be as simple as the nation, state, county, city having taxes on adventurers because of the surplus of adventuring areas available to that region. Or the church could be asking for tithe from everyone in the area they consider their patronage. The varied group of people you could send after the party is great to think about too. Inquisitors from the church indiscriminately hunting them down. Bounty hunters from a mercenary state that will get money one way or another regardless of anything the PCs do. The idea I like more is putting them into the moral situation of good just doing their job, and what they are willing to do to get out of it, or just accept it. Too much fun. Great idea Tinzien!