The Maelstrom Noble House and Laws System
Oct 23, 2007 6:48:30 GMT -5
Post by Northen Light36 on Oct 23, 2007 6:48:30 GMT -5
THE LAWS
In Maelstrom, the law is broken into two categories – generally referred to as the new laws and the Old Law. The new laws outlaw such things as slavery and such things as harsher penalties for commoners then nobles.
Many of the Old Laws are still in practice though, creating a different punishment system for nobles then the common people of the city. While both classes are subject to the same laws, a noble accused of a serious crime can chose to undergo a trial by combat, with their opponent being their accuser. As such, many commoners – not being trained in the fighting arts or able to hire a skilled fighter to stand in for them – are less likely to accuse a noble of any serious crime.
If a noble accuses another noble of a crime and trial by combat is chosen, the accused is deemed innocent if they win the combat – no matter what evidence may be against them. Should a House’s Lord be found guilty or die in the combat while the Heir to the House is still under age, it is the duty of the King to support the family of that Lord until the Heir is old enough to take responsibility.
THE HOUSE SYSTEM
Noble Houses in Maelstrom tend to be made up of (in order of importance) the Lord of the House, The Lady of House, the Heir of the House and then any following children.
The first duty of any House’s Lady is, naturally, to produce an Heir for her husband. After that duty is done, the Lady of the House’s duty becomes keeping the general affairs of the household in order and playing hostess to her husband’s guests.
The Heir of the family has the responsibility of supporting his father and finding a suitable girl to marry and continuing on the family line. At the age of three, the Heir to the family begins to be trained in their family history and receives an heirloom ring. At this age, the ring is worn on a chain, but may be worn on the Heir’s left hand when they reach an age where the ring fits.
The only change the new laws have made to the Noble House system is that a girl may be declared a family’s Heir if there is no male in the family.
If the Lord of a Family is killed before the Heir to the family reaches their third year, or before there is then the child is fostered into another family and the family line is declared to have ended. If there is no Heir, the family line is declared to have ended.
Both Lord and Heir wear gold rings from the time they are officially acknowledged in their position. Each ring is marked with the House symbol, however the Lord’s ring is also set with jewels in the family colours. The Lady of the House wears a silver ring with the House symbol and two gems in the colours of their original house, which is given to them when they marry into the family. All other members of the family were copper rings with the family symbol.
If a member of the family is disowned, they are stripped of their family ring as well as titles, therefore cutting them off from all status as a noble and the right to call on the Old Laws. Should a disowned member of a House be able to retain their ring, they may use the Old Laws to challenge the decision to disown them through a trial by combat or adopt a new Heir by passing the ring to another. In this event though, the Lord of the Family may overrule the adoption by going before the King and accusing the former Heir of theft. However the disownment must be found to have a legal cause.
In Maelstrom, the law is broken into two categories – generally referred to as the new laws and the Old Law. The new laws outlaw such things as slavery and such things as harsher penalties for commoners then nobles.
Many of the Old Laws are still in practice though, creating a different punishment system for nobles then the common people of the city. While both classes are subject to the same laws, a noble accused of a serious crime can chose to undergo a trial by combat, with their opponent being their accuser. As such, many commoners – not being trained in the fighting arts or able to hire a skilled fighter to stand in for them – are less likely to accuse a noble of any serious crime.
If a noble accuses another noble of a crime and trial by combat is chosen, the accused is deemed innocent if they win the combat – no matter what evidence may be against them. Should a House’s Lord be found guilty or die in the combat while the Heir to the House is still under age, it is the duty of the King to support the family of that Lord until the Heir is old enough to take responsibility.
THE HOUSE SYSTEM
Noble Houses in Maelstrom tend to be made up of (in order of importance) the Lord of the House, The Lady of House, the Heir of the House and then any following children.
The first duty of any House’s Lady is, naturally, to produce an Heir for her husband. After that duty is done, the Lady of the House’s duty becomes keeping the general affairs of the household in order and playing hostess to her husband’s guests.
The Heir of the family has the responsibility of supporting his father and finding a suitable girl to marry and continuing on the family line. At the age of three, the Heir to the family begins to be trained in their family history and receives an heirloom ring. At this age, the ring is worn on a chain, but may be worn on the Heir’s left hand when they reach an age where the ring fits.
The only change the new laws have made to the Noble House system is that a girl may be declared a family’s Heir if there is no male in the family.
If the Lord of a Family is killed before the Heir to the family reaches their third year, or before there is then the child is fostered into another family and the family line is declared to have ended. If there is no Heir, the family line is declared to have ended.
Both Lord and Heir wear gold rings from the time they are officially acknowledged in their position. Each ring is marked with the House symbol, however the Lord’s ring is also set with jewels in the family colours. The Lady of the House wears a silver ring with the House symbol and two gems in the colours of their original house, which is given to them when they marry into the family. All other members of the family were copper rings with the family symbol.
If a member of the family is disowned, they are stripped of their family ring as well as titles, therefore cutting them off from all status as a noble and the right to call on the Old Laws. Should a disowned member of a House be able to retain their ring, they may use the Old Laws to challenge the decision to disown them through a trial by combat or adopt a new Heir by passing the ring to another. In this event though, the Lord of the Family may overrule the adoption by going before the King and accusing the former Heir of theft. However the disownment must be found to have a legal cause.
