Legal questions

A

AllianceCHI

Exemplar
greetinz,

I am curious about a few legal situations and vould appreciate zee help of anyone who knows zee answer in wayside. Obviously I try to act vith ethics regardless of zee law but I'm curious and figured I could ask.

1- my friends and I are fighting an undead. Zee undead managed to erect a circle of power with a dead friend in it. He promises to release my friend if I swear zat I will not attack him when it lowers zee circle. Iz it legal for me to make zat promise? Ie trade it's life for one or more innocent lives? Vhat would a Knights proper action be in zis case?

2- I am a healer, someone dies at my feet from a goblins attack- am I required to render aid? Can I walk away without fear of repurcussions... I couldn't do zat but I'm curious of zee legality.

3- I happen upon an ancient door vith glyphs of Magic and a warning about a powerful ancient beast trapped inside. Looking for treasure I decide to open zee door and unleash a beast upon wayside. Aside from being a nimcompoop, have I commited a crime? Vhat is zee punishment for said crime?

4- following from zee 3rd story... I know zat someone is about to open a door they think leads to treasure but I know leads to a beast... Am I legally required to warn them or is that not my legal concern... Yes I know zat I should say something.. This is not an ethical questions jest a legal one.

5- is there a law against endangering zee people of wayside at large? Or perhaps just zee adventuring community?

Thanks,

Jehan Wyldweaver
 
By the strictest legal interpretation, none of these is precisely illegal for a private citizen, assuming that such actions are perpetrated through stupidity rather than intent to cause harm. However, if these actions are committed with the intention of causing harm to Wayside or its people, or if you are a member of the nobility and sworn to protect the citizenry, you would almost certainly be punished for failing in your duties.

In the first scenario, you as a civilian are not obligated to bring Undead to justice, so unless you are disobeying a noble by doing so, failing to attack an Undead is not a crime. (It is also not illegal to lie to an Undead, however.) For a Knight the proper course would be to ensure the safety of the citizens in immediate danger, with the understanding that the Undead or other criminal must be brought to justice as quickly as possible.

In the second scenario, while you are not technically obligated to render aid if you are not a noble or otherwise sworn to help those in need... If you had any hand in the goblin attack, or otherwise intended to cause harm through your inaction, this could be construed as murder through negligence, though it is at the discretion of whichever noble hears of the case.

In the third scenario, the case is likewise subjective. If you open the door because you are merely stupid, or because you disbelieve the warning, you could possibly argue that what you did was not illegal. However, if you knowingly unleash some beast on Wayside fully aware that it will endanger its people, you are committing actions with the intent to cause harm to Wayside which could be construed as treasonous. If you merely fail to stop someone doing the same, it could also be seen as treasonous if, again, you intend to cause harm.

The crux of the issue is whether you are aware of the consequences of your actions and are intentionally causing harm through your actions or your inaction. Of course, it is often difficult for law enforcement to determine whether harm is your intent, but I would advise you not to try any of the above hoping that pleading ignorance will let you escape punishment.

Sera Amy Hale
Royal Knight to His Majesty King Kaarl Grimlock
 
Jehan,

A knight is sworn to valor
His heart knows only virtue
His blade defends the helpless
His might upholds the weak
His word speaks only truth
His wrath undoes the wicked

This is the oath of a Knight of Wayside. Your first situation pits certain tenets of this oath against others. Your first scenario is a difficult one and would depend largely on the surrounding circumstances. Is your friend willing to give their life to see the undead destroyed? Will the undead take advantage of its freedom to kill others? You could give your word to the undead that you will let it free if it releases its hostages; keeping your word and upholding the weak, but failing to undo the wicked. You could lie to coax the undead out; defending the helpless and undoing the wicked, but breaking your word. I'm afraid I cannot give a cut-and-dried answer to this question. A Knight in that scenario would have to carefully weigh the situation to minimize loss of life and uphold the good of the Kingdom.

In the second scenario, you are not necessarily required to risk your life to save another, but if you willfully allow another to die it is no better than murder. To hide that malice behind a facade of fear would only compound your crimes - I cannot believe that any member of the adventuring community would truly be challenged by a single goblin.

Whether or not releasing that creature causes harm to the lands or peoples of the Kingdom, along with the extent to which the person releasing it should reasonably have known better, would likely determine the charges that might be levied in such an instance. Releasing the creature with full knowledge of the danger it poses would definitely be much worse than if you opened the door with the genuine belief that the creature was long dead.

Scenario 4 implies that the person opening the door legitimately believes it will pose no significant danger, and you know full well it leads to a dangerous beast. This could absolutely be considered a crime; again, the specifics of the situation would determine the exact charges.

Willfully or knowingly endangering the citizens of Wayside would be Treason, and endangering a specific group or person would at least be considered an indirect form of Assault or Murder.

Jehan, why are you asking these questions? Do you see a flaw in the laws of Wayside? Are you looking for a loophole to exploit, or trying to keep someone else from doing the same? I assure you the officers of the law and the courts can work through these issues should they arise. Some of these scenarios sound very pointed and others just sound ridiculous. If you have something to report and you're unsure of whether or not a crime was committed, a Sheriff, Magistrate, or Knight can make that judgement if you bring it forward.

You say you have served as a Knight of Valdanis in the past. Surely as part of your path to Knighthood you were presented with questions like these to test your knowledge of the law, your honor, and your morals. Think on those lessons you learned and you should be able to answer these scenarios on your own. I know very little of Valdanis, but I have to imagine it didn't differ so wildly from Wayside that you can't apply those lessons here. If you have any private concerns, please feel free to bring them to me personally.

Ser Kurzon Silverleaf
 
Thank You both for your very vell thought out answers.

My reasoning in asking is manyfold, depending on zee lands I've travelled zee law has often had differing interpretations of these things and it's best to know up front but it's also fodder for good discussion on ethics vs laws. In zee case of the undead situation, I've had it come up and it's best interpreted in zee moment so I agree vith both of you, yet I've also seen people strongly feel one way or another and oftentimes judge zat way. It's a good question for discussion amongst adventurers. Zee others came up in good discussion on a recent journey across zee mists vhere I read zee ancient laws of Valdanis and was surprised to find some of these things directly codified. For example: There once was a "Good Samaritan" law in Valdanis which required healers to heal and cast life spells making it a crime to withhold healing and life. I agree vith the sentiment... But not zee practice and I was curious as to its extent here.

As for zee questions about the unknowing release of a powerful creature it has been bothering me for some time... some adventurers vould like to see us held to such standard as to make no mistakes, others would like to accept less responsibility for their actions. I don't know the exact absolute answer and I've seen it done both ways and not always felt alright with it in my heart.

No finger pointing, just good discussion material and its never a bad idea to know zee minds of those you work with and understand their reasoning... Especially as zee adventurer community grows.

Sera Hale,

I assure you Its not my intent to act in an unlawful or unethical fashion in either case...I vould try to find a way to remove zee innocent from danger and zee undead from causing harm... Baring zat it becomes a risk/reward issue. I also always try to render aid to people in need regardless of danger to myself...unless I think zat trying to help vill simply cause more bodies... I rarely walk away.


It is difficult to find absolutes in such cases and I appreciate you spending even this much effort entertainming my questions.


Ser Kurzon,
You mention my Knightly training and past in Valdanis, I agree and I vould feel confident answering you were I in authority but I am not and should act in that ways.

Part of my traini involved learning to ask rather than assuming parity in laws before acting and if information was unable to be had in timely fashion to act by my oathes and by my heart. I have often forgotten zis important lesson and it has in zee past been a costly mistake. Much better to act armed vith knowledge and respect towards zee learned nobles who guide us.

To both of you,

If I've offended vith my inquiry, please accept my apologies It was my hope to engage and learns


Jehan Wyldweaver
 
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