Laws of Laws of the Land
Landed Nobles of Title (Landed Titles)
Most landed nobles have a portion of land that they are commissioned to reign over. It is their duty to establish law and order within their lands.
Queen (alternatively: the King): As a matter of law, the rule of the Queen is not to be questioned. The decree of the crown is absolute. She is to be directly addressed as "Your Royal Majesty" or more simply "Your Majesty" and may be responded to as "My Queen".
Grand Chancellor: The Grand Chancellor is the only Landed Noble that in fact controls no land. He is the first advisor to the Queen and, in official functions, speaks with all the authority of the Queen. He is to be directly addressed as "Your Eminence".
Royal Family: The Royal Family refers to any siblings, direct off-spring, or nieces and nephews. It requires a Landed Noble in good standing to accuse any member of the Royal Family of wrongdoing. Members of the Royal Family are to be addressed as "Your Highness" and my be responded to as "My Prince/My Princess".
Duke: A Duke is an appointed Noble to preside over a Duchy of no less than two Baronies. They would be addressed as "Your Grace".
Count: Much-changed from what is was under Dalkani rule, a Count is an appointed Noble that presides over a County, which consists of at least two Baronies. In general, any title from Count on down may be referred to in oral address as "Your Lordship".
Baron: A Baron an appointed Noble to preside over a Barony.
Lord: A Lord is a noble that may or may not be granted a personal Estate by the Crown.
Nobles of Titles of Service(Noble Titles)
By Tanaryn Law, Noble Titles of Service only have authority so far as they pertain to acting in the name of their direct liege lord. So a Knight to a Baron would only have authority as it pertained to performing duties for their Baron, while a Knight to a Duke would have greater authority, inasmuch as it pertains to matters of the Duchy.
The Chancellor's Council: The Chancellor's Council is comprised of the King's highest advisors. Each member is considered an expert in one field concerning the kingdom. The council is lead by the Grand Chancellor and membership on the council is controlled by his whim. Members of the Council are addressed as "Counselor".
Lord Knight: A Knight of the Queen or member of the Royal Family. Such a Knight may be assigned to another noble, and as a normal matter of administration would be subservient to that noble's authority, a Lord Knight does have the authority to speak for the Crown when it comes to matters of national security, and is generally seen as the Crown's strong right arm.
The distinction in authority between a counsellor and a royal knight would be one of civilian day-to-day adminstration versus matters of military importance.;
Lord General (or Lord Knight General): This refers to a Knight or higher who is placed in charge of the amassed military forces of noble. Their authority is the voice of the noble under whom they serve in all military matters.
Knight: Any landed Noble may designate any number of their Vassals to be a Knight. A Knight serves as the protector of their superior and his interests. A Knight's authority is overridden by a Knight of a higher ranked Landed Noble in all circumstances except on the private estate of their Landed Noble. Knights are addressed as "Sir".
Guildmaster: At one time, Guildmasters were top ranked members of the Dalkani Trading Company, highly regarded Merchants who bring with them thousands of gold per year in revenue. Under Queen Shibboleth's rule, however, the title has changed to signify a sort of ambassadorial role between the Council and assorted guilds of trade. At this time, only four Guilds are recognized by the crown: The Trades Guild, under which most manufactured goods are produced, imported, and exported; The Guild of the Scholastic University, which organizes both schools of magic and includes public education; the Worker's Guild, which represents menial physical laborers; and the Guild of Cups and Caskets, which represents alehouses, brewers, and tavern workers. Guildmasters are referred to as "Good Master", and, as a recognized noble title, "your Lordship".
Commoners of Title (Common Titles)
May be appointed by any Landed Title
Magistrate: A Magistrate is an appointed commoner with the duty of trying and punishing other commoners.
Warden or Reive: One individually charged with keeping the peace and bringing criminals to justice. They are often the ones to carry out punishments declared by the Magistrate.
Officer: This broad term refers to a member of any commoner militia with the rank or rank-equivalent of Lieutenant or higher.
Captain: This term either refers to the person in charge of an entire battalion, usually under a Lord General, or the person in charge of a commissioned sea-going vessel.
Lieutenant: This term refers to a person beneath a Captain, usually as a matter of organization for a group within a battalion.
Ensign: This term is strictly used on a sea-going vessel and refers to a junior officer of the ship, the liason between the crew and the officers.
Corporal: This term is the highest non-officer rank held by a team leader within an armed force.
Sergeant: This term refers to a team leader within an armed force.
Squire: An apprentice and servant to a Knight. Also considered to be a Knight-in-training. Additional Knights are usually chosen from the ranks of the Squires of current Knights.
Tanaryn Laws
These are the laws by which Queen Shibboleth Varik guides us to the Right and True.
Rights of Accusal
Commoners may bring complaints and accusations to a Magistrate or local Knight.
Magistrates may bring complaints and accusations to a Knight or local liege.
Any Titled person may bring complaints and accusations to higher ranks within their line of ascension.
Rights of Trial and Justice
Any Titled person may be stripped of their title at the discretion of any Noble higher up within the line of ascension.
All Titled persons hold authority to dispense justice upon anyone within their authority beneath their title.
If a Titled person bears witness to a crime or is asked to act on the behalf of someone of lower rank in a land not their own, the Titled person may, at their own discretion, hold prisoner any such transgressor until the appropriate authority can be located to decide on matters of justice.
All who stand accused of a crime are held neither as innocent nor guilty until a trial has been held or a decision made by the appropriate authority.
Crimes and Common Punishment
Those empowered to dispense justice hold the authority to mete punishment as they see fit to any degree within their ability. It is the wish of the Crown that all persons so empowered keep in mind that while punishment is intended both to correct a wrong as well as dissuade both the perpetrator and all who bear witness from future commission of a crime, Mercy shall be the anvil upon which the hammer of Authority tempers the Sword of Justice.
Theft and Loss/Destruction of Property - Including such crimes as Arson, most often this is repaid by five times the cost of the items stolen, damaged, or destroyed.
Assault - This includes the placing of a curse or unwanted ritual on a person, as well as the more common definition of attacking without provocation. Punishments tend to range from a fine for five times the cost of healing or removal of the curse, up to an including death.
Necromancy - the most common punishment for the use of necromancy is death.
Treason - A commoner found guilty of acting in subversion of the authority of the Crown is most often punished with death. Nobles found so guilty are most commonly Obliterated. Disrespecting a noble has, in some instances, been treated as acts of Treason, but typically carries a significantly lesser sentence.
