From: MOBTOTRM@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au
Date: Sun 15 Dec 1996 - 15:10:36 EET
G'day all,
__________
High Noon
Martin Crim, Attorney at Law wrote:
>Sounds like an invitation to me. The challenge is to make them interesting,
>comprehensible to a non-specialist, and (most of all) capable of being plot
>drivers.
I concur absolutely (and I hope I managed to accomplish this in the
forthcoming scenario in Tales #16).
Here's a legal snippet:
In several of the Dara Happan cities, the following is a time-honoured
legal tradition -
"If a verdict is for acquittal it may be spoken today; if for death, it
cannot be pronounced until tomorrow."
There are several explanations for this tradition:
*so that the accused has time to make his peace and prepare himself;
*so,in certain cases (usually involving the high born) the accused can
'accidentally' kill themselves and thus avoid family dishonour and
confiscation of assets - though note that in Red Fish City the only
the only acceptable way to do this is by staging an apparent spontaneous
human combustion;
*so that the judge (who, in the guise of Yelm Imperator is required to be
infallible) can reflect upon his judgement, which must be correct because
there is no appeal and sentence is carried out immediately after it is
pronounced;
*and, in recent Lunar times, so that the accused can crave the indulgence of
Moonson and beg for mercy. This is rarely bestowed, if only because unless
the Emperor is close by (or it is Sacred Time), the time frame is probably
too short to present the petition to him. (Note that unsuccessful
petitioners are likely to be thrown into the Crater or designated
'Bat Meat')
Here's a plot idea:
PC/important person is framed and at the trial, the judge announces he
will give his verdict on the morrow - the other PCs then have until High
Noon tomorrow to find the real culprits and bring them before the court!
MOB
Bachelor of Laws (failed)
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>From the Notes From Nochet files:
(XXIX.13-42)
A translation from the Code of Enkidu, co-founder of this city: "He who is
convicted of the abominable crime of marrying his own grandparent shall
lose his foot and his roof."
A marginal note by Telgonius, law-master: The un-named commentator has, I
fear, made a mistranslation of the punishment. In reality, the malefactor
loses his foot and his *liver*.
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