Crimes, Wergild and Outlawry
When a crime is committed, the custom is to call the offender to the court of the King. The injured man, or the relatives of the dead one, give their evidence and have at least 12 supporters make an oath that it is true. Then the defendant gives evidence and has 12 supporters swear a similar oath. The defender has 3 possible pleas: that he did not do the deed, that the fight was an honest one or an accident, or that the dead man was an outlaw. If either party cannot get the dozen oath-men, then he automatically loses the case.
If the king finds that the attack fight was an honest one or an accident, then the defender must pay wergild for the deed. If the defender is found to be not the killer, or if the dead or injured party is found to have been engaged in outlawry, then the defender pays no fine.
Some offenses, however, require a sentence of outlawry.
· If a man uses poison,
· kills a freemen by magic,
· steals from the church,
· kills or injures a churchman,
· summons demons,
· commits secret murder,
· kills by arson, attempts to use violence against a king or his reeves
· aids foreign enemies against the kingdom,
· Allowing an Old One, orc, goblinoid, or black-haired sheep, goat or pig to live if discovered in the borders of the kingdom.
If declared an outlaw, he can offer triple wergild to the family of a victim or to the king or church, if they accept, the sentence is set aside. If they refuse the settlement, then the offender is declared an outlaw and can be killed with impunity by anyone. Outlaws are branded with an “O” on their foreheads.
Theft is punishable by a payment of triple the value of the goods stolen. If the thief cannot pay, he will be branded on the forehead with a large “T”. If convicted a second time, a thief who cannot pay the fine will be declared an outlaw.
That's how the man's always trying to keep you down, branding you.
ReplyDeleteNot that I would ever think of performing an illegal act in a game, but what are the parameters of determining wergild? Also, would I have to pay somebody when I killed (or maimed) somebody in self defense?
ReplyDeleteI'll put the wergild fees up in a new post. If you killed or maimed someone in self-defense, you would have to either plead "honest fight" in which you'd pay wergild, or you could claim the attacker was an outlaw, and prove that he was committing an outlawable offense when you defended yourself, thus you owe no wergild.
ReplyDeleteThe guy was screaming 'I got a black haired goblin in my pants!' as he was attacking me, your honor. That's why I had to kill him.
ReplyDeleteGet 12 men to swear you're telling the truth and you're half way home.
ReplyDelete