Previous City Militia
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((wasn't sure how to word the title, so went with that))
_Ariel introduces herself politely to the Spire Librarian(s), asking for information about the City Militia previously within the city before disbandment years ago.
She asks specifically about any available publicly recorded knowledge of:
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Rank and command structure
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The source of the funding for the Militia, whether it was Crown-based, city-based or nobility-based
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Where the location of the barracks or otherwise equivalent headquarters of the City Militia would be in present day Arabel, if such knowledge is known_
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1). Its in a book somewhere in the library if you do a search!
2). It was based on taxes, which were very high and one of the causes of the Phoenix Rebellion.
3). There in the ruined barracks and jail in what is now Old Town. The new barracks are being built at the new East Gate. -
Havestrom Lahl was Myrmeen Lahl's husband. Her exact lineage is unknown, but she is believed to have been born in Calimshan in 1333. According to some vague references found in a book by Hanthen Willowspit, Havestrom Lahl was one of Azoun IV's favorite cousins who married Myrmeen Lahl in 1357, Havestrom was sadly killed in an ambush shortly after the marriage by bandits. Lahl is known to have a daughter named Krysten from an earlier marriage, the daughter's whereabouts currently are unknown.
Lhal is well known to have cleaned up crime in Arabel, serving first as the constable of the militia in 1359, she was appointed Lord of the city by King Azoun of Suzail who was impressed with her leadership, honesty, and courage. This is widely regarded to have been Arabel's most prosperous period in its history, a time when rebellion was at a low tide.
He's a strict, by the book kind of man. He's fiercely dedicated to protecting his men and women in the militia, and resistant to outside influences on the militia from the War Wizards or Purple Dragons.
He is certainly loyal to the Crown, but Arabel is his main concern and keeping it safe his first priority. He will know the names and ranks of all his men and women, and a fair number of the Purple Dragon's stationed in his jurisdiction.
As a militia Commander, Dutharr discovered that the Silvercrowes family had ties to the Fire Knives and the exiled Cormaeril family.
He was instrumental in building a case against them and seeing them exiled from Cormyr. After exposing their plot to aid the Cormaeril family return to Cormyr and slay King Azoun, Dutharr's eventually promotion to Warden seemed assured to many.
Dutharr once served as a personal agent for Azoun before becoming Commander. He was instrumental in hunting down and elminating bands of Zhentarim agents, and its been rumored that he's also a skilled wizard although he rarely demonstrates the power and keeps it hidden.
Dutharr was also very good friends with Baron Thomdar, and Thomdar personally promoted him to the position of Warden. His current relationship with Lord Marliir is unknown.
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Who gave the War Wizards power, looking specifically for the Steel Regeant, or a previous king in the line of Azoun
The Crown of Cormyr.
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Who gave the Knights power, looking specifically for Lord Lady Lhal
Lady Lhal, as the Crown's representative in Arabel, thusly, the Crown of Cormyr.
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Who gave Lord Lady Lhal power, looking specifically for the Crown of Cormyr
The Crown of Cormyr.
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Who gives the Knights their specific power, looking specifically for Pers Sane
Chief Justice Pers Sane succeeded former Chief Justice Norah Jarrien, after her assassination.
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What the Knights can do to Cormyrian enforcement officers for doing their job (i.e. arresting criminals)
Senior Knights, or higher can declare an Inquisition, led by a Veteran or higher Knight, into any officer, assisted by House Fezznick under their new duties, the results of which will be tendered to Lord Lhal as the Crown's representative for review.
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What Cormyrian enforcement officers can do to Knights who prevent them from doing their job (i.e. letting them all out)
A dispute with the Knights, under new laws, can be mediated and investigated by House Fezznick, as well as the Cormyrian officers, and the results tendered to Lord Lhal as the Crown's Representative.
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If Pers Sane actually has any real power, and if so, who does it apply to (in the rankings of power, the militia, PDs, WWs?)
As Chief Justice, Pers Sane can overturn an arrest by any law official within the city limits, although this power is used infrequently, and is the highest appeal short of Lord Lhal on a Trial decision.
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If there is any specific proof that any of these "Knights" are granted powers by their deity
All Knights manifest divine gifts of varying strengths, as proven as any cleric.
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If the Knights can be kicked out of the city, and the method as to remove them from power
The Crown, or it's representative in Lord Lhal would have to nullify the current Treatise with the Knights, an unlikely event, unless the entire Order was proven faulty.
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If the Knights can do anything if a fireball, or any other deadly spell, should randomly happen to hit and kill a member
A death by misaimed magic would consitute manslaughter, a lesser variant of murder. If by an enemy force, it would be ignored as a normal battlefield risk
Mercenary companies with over 20 men are required to have permits from the Crown.
Establishe adventuring companies with over 5 men are required to have special permits from the Crown. But the law is often loosely enforced.
Between 5 and 20 men, law officials generally use their own judgement.
The difference between "mercenary band" and "adventuring company" is largely based on size.
Militias may only be raised by chartered villages or noblemen acting on behalf of the Crown. Any force calling itself a militia without a charter will be treated as a hostile mercenary band.
Race is irrelevent unless a city character takes it into consideration.
The difference between a militia and a mercenary company/adventuring band is that a militia claims to guard a specific territory owned by the Crown. Mercenaries/Adventurers do not claim to protect anything in the name of the Crown.
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Civil Affairs:
Authority over Civil Affairs is granted to the Judges of Arabel, appointed by Lord Myrmeen Lhal. City Officials possess the authority to overrule any judgment made in any Civil Case being overseen by the Judges. Civil affairs include contractual disputes, disputes with wills, arguments that are non criminal in nature, etc.
If there are criminal elements involved in a Civil Affair, the Criminal elements supercede the Civil elements, and the trial will be seen in a Criminal Court.
Process of Filing a Civil Claim
The Plaintiff of a Civil Affair must issue a preliminary request to the Judges to review a case. This can be done either orally (in game, which is preferable) or in written form (in forum). The approached Judge may also request a written request if they wish. Plaintiffs must use the following format in a written request:
@Request:
Name of Plaintiff:
Name of Defendant:
Grievance being filed:
Damages sought:
Current evidence:The Judge may review the preliminary request and choose whether or not they wish to hear the claim.
If a preliminary request is accepted by a Judge, a hearing date will be arranged. This can be done immediately, or set for another time. Once a judgment is reached the Judge will make a log of the verdict. Appeals are permitted and can be submitted to any Judge of higher ranking than the one whom made the verdict. Appeals need not always be granted.
Levels of Civil Court:
1. Inquirer : Maximum 1000 Gold Lyons (Without Approval)
2. Magistrate : Maximum 5000 Gold Lyons (Without Approval)
3. Governing Authority : No limit.Not In Our Realm: A History of Torture in Cormyr by Sir Francois Hamm
Cormyrians rightly pride themselves in knowing that torture is, and has always been forbidden in Cormyr. Although, history shows that this is a comfortable lie based only on a strict definition of torture. The Grand Dictionary of the Realms defines legal torture as "the act of inflicting excruciating pain, as punishment or revenge, as a means of getting a confession or information, or for sheer cruelty." While, Cormyr has long legally forbidden this measure, there are powerful exceptions.
Prior to this legal prohibition, torture was permissible when a writ was issued by any member of the royal family. The writ of terq was used traditionally by the Kings only when the "convincing and damning guilt of the accused was beyond all question in crimes beyond the pale of human comprehension". In practice, this meant so long as the Throne saw torture as a useful device in gaining a confession or forcing a recalcitrant suspect to speak, it could be legally used. Traditionally, anyone who broke the King's Law was considered an outlaw, which in the old legal tradition physically placed them outside the protection of the King's Law they had violated. This often provided another legal loophole for the use of torture in the Realm.
It was Iltharl Obarskyr in 243 who actually ended the official use of the writ of terq. Often famed for his love of arts and poetry, but his inability to make decisions, real credit for ending torture goes to Lord Jefyrl Dauntinghorn who was accused of murdering his wife. Dauntinghorn refused to speak, supposedly afraid of implicating himself in the crime and King Iltharl's advisers recommended the use of the writ whereupon Dauntinghorn stated "My honest and dear Lord, my respect for the Land of Cormyr, its beloved King and his wise advisers is heartfelt and intense. Thus I must warn you, that should I be put to the devices of torture this land employs, I most certainly will spill forth the truth in all its terrible glory thereby implicating several Lords in this room including several of your own advisers." After careful consultation, the King instead placed Jefyrl under permanent house arrest.
Although the legal definition of an outlaw remained useful for centuries, rarely were cases of torture brought before the Crown's Magistrates or the Kings themselves for judgment. Many Royal Records indicate that the infliction of pain was utilized only to force the recalcitrant to speak and answer questions. In those few cases where torture was used to validate a previously given confession or statement, the Crown often would pardon the victim and seek recompense against the perpetrator.
Thus in 629, King Draxius Obarskyr pardoned a petty criminal who had earlier confessed verbally to the torture and mutilation of several cats which are a protected animal under Cormyrian law in what appears to have been an infernally motivated crime. Yet, word reached Draxius that the signed confession presented in Court was obtained only when the guilty man had been tortured to force his signature onto a verbatim copy of his verbal confession. Draxius Obarskyr, who favored hounds over felines for their clear devotion to their masters created a large controversy when he pardoned the suspect.
Yet, in a number of famous cases War Wizards accused of torturing suspects used the clear "convincing and damning guilt of the accused" to establish the victim as a legal outlaw. These cases are conveniently, and perhaps comfortably forgotten by the majority of Cormyrians. The average citizen is simply pleased to have a criminal off his streets, regardless of how it is handled.
Over the centuries, several riots have occurred in Arabel, always an unruly city at the best of times due to allegations of torture. In 1268, reportedly an extremely hot summer, the ring leader of a gang was accosted in the street by patrolling Purple Dragons who wished to search his packs for contraband. The gang leader, Gino Cain refused to submit to a search and was badly beaten when patrolling militiamen responded to the scene. Cain was very popular with the locals due to his generous nature, and the militia arrested the Purple Dragon patrol for engaging in "torture". Arabel's Lord exonerated the Purple Dragons stating that refusal to submit to a legal search or seizure placed a citizen in an "outlaw" status. His ruling set off a civil uprising led by an unknown militia sergeant, and to this day Arabellians favor a strong alcohol named after Gino Cain.
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@Simultaneous:
All the towns follow the laws of Cormyr which you can read in the library, the differences are few and far between. Outside the major cities, they are enforced by purple dragons, not militia. No mayors are paladins.
Summary of Cormyran and Local Law in the vicinity of the City of Arabel.
This document is a publicly available summary of the laws of Cormyr and the City of Arabel. The laws are approved by Lord Lhal – Ruler of Arabel, Baron Marliir – Lord High Warden of the North and Warden of the East Marches, Alarphon Gallin – Alarphon and High Wizard of Arabel, and Warden Dutharr – Commanding Officer of Arabel Militia.
Local law is enforced primarily by the local Militia. These soldiers are identifiable by their golden colored and purple accented uniforms. They can be found patrolling or stationed throughout the City proper and its outskirts.
Assisting the local militia, due to their garrisoning in Arabel, is the Army of the North under command of Lord Marliir. They hold general police powers of enforcing Cormyran law in the name of the Crown of Cormyr.
The War Wizards of Cormyr have a small enclave within Arabel and enforce local law in addition to maintaining the security of Cormyr.
Deputies may be appointed for short terms to handle specific incidents where law enforcers are unable to adequately handle a situation while waiting for reinforcements.