Other Laws - A SummaryThis is a featured page

THE LAWS OF MILL-EN (A brief primer)
Compiled by Finzant Lammergeier

KEY
Y – this crime also gives rise to a right of civil action on the part of the victim
N – this crime does not give rise to a right of civil action on the part of the victim, but lesser crimes included within the crime may yet do so, as in the case of an action for Assault following an Injurious Assault.
O – this action is purely a civil action and not a crime

R – A defence of Right, in that the perpetrator was authorised to commit the act, exists for this crime
D – A defence of Defence, in that the perpetrator was acting proportionately to defend himself, others or property, exists for this crime.
J – A defence of Justification, in that circumstances were such as to force the perpetrator to act as he did, exists for this crime
I – A defence of Ignorance, in that the perpetrator acted as he did because he was ignorant about certain relevant facts, from which position of limited knowledge he had no reason to believe his actions criminal, exists for this crime. This does not cover ignorance of the law, which is no defence.
N – A defence of Negligence, in that the perpetrator’s act was in whole or part caused by the negligence of the victim, exists for this crime.

Severity– the Severity of the crime, as a guide for sentencing. Note of course that High Court sentences are always harsher, and crimes committed against nobles by commoners are also subject to harsher penalties. Likewise crimes committed by foreigners against Millenese citizens are similarly more harshly sentenced. The severity guide is: trivial, mild, moderate, serious, severe, vile, monstrous. The last two are extremely harshly sentenced, usually attracting the death sentence.

CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON

Brawl (N RDJIN trivial)
A participation in a common brawl, loud public argument, publicly drunken behaviour, raucous minstrelsy beyond fair hours or undisciplined gathering, that falls short of an Affray.

Assault (Y RDJ mild)
An attack or attempted attack of physical force by the perpetrator without employing weapons

Going Equipped for Villainy (N RDJ moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator, being a commoner, goes abroad from his dwelling possessing items for which it has been decreed a licence must be possessed, and for which no licence has been granted, or items for which no lawful purpose may be found.

Aggravated Assault (Y RDJ moderate)
An Assault by the perpetrator employing weapons, or an attack on a Human or Avian by gnolls, wemics, dracoscions or similar races possessing of natural armaments. Precedent has been set that whether or not an individual, as opposed to other member of his race, possesses such armaments is not relevant.

Affray (N RDJI moderate)
A participation in a public affray, being a Brawl at which violence is committed and/or mild damage to property is incurred, being short of Riot.

Robbery (N RDJ moderate-serious)
An Assault or Aggravated Assault with the intent or result of depriving the victim of his possessions. An Aggravated Robbery is more severe.

Injurious Assault (N RDJ serious)
An Assault or Aggravated Assault causing actual injury to the victim, in the form of blood shed or lasting harm, by the court’s discretion.

False Imprisonment (Y RDJIN serious)
An action by the perpetrator that deprives the victim of his rightful liberty.

Criminal Mortal Duel (N J serious)
An arrangement to conduct a duel without sanction of law, in that it is not a recognised trial by combat and that the Majeste has granted no right of duel, which arrangement is carried out, and the intent of the duel, or the result of said duel, is the death of one of both participants

Riot (N RJI severe)
Participation in a riotous Affray whereby the property of nobility is serious damaged, the lives of nobility are endangered, or the dignity of the Majeste is compromised.

Rape (N J severe)
An Assault or Aggravated Assault with the intent of enforcing the perpetrator’s sexual desires upon the victim

Assault with Intent (N RDJ severe)
An Assault or Aggravated Assault with the intent of depriving the victim of his life, whether in wrath or by design.

Murder by Negligence (N RDJN severe)
An action of the perpetrator that, without an intent on behalf of the perpetrator to cause death, but in circumstances more than mere misadventure, deprives the victim of his life

Murder by Wrath (N RDJ severe)
An action of the perpetrator, enacted in the heat of the emotions or under the influence of substances (so long as such substances were not consumed following an intent to murder being formulated) by which the perpetrator intends to, and does so, deprive the victim of his life

Murder by Design (N RDJ vile)
An action of the perpetrator, having previously come to the intent of causing death to the victim, by which the perpetrator intends to, and does so, deprive the victim of his life.

CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY

Trespass (Y RDJI trivial)
Whereby the perpetrator enters onto the land of a noble without due authority or permission, or makes use of any property or buildings of said noble similarly without due authority or permission

Wanton Destroyment (Y RDJ trivial-moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator causes damage to the property, land or buildings of another, save in the matter of damage to land or buildings by fire.

Dealing in Stolen Property (N RDJI mild)
Whereby the perpetrator knowingly handles, retains, stores, passes on or trades in property that has been obtained by a third party by means of another crime.

Theft (N RDJI mild-moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator usurps the right of ownership of the victim’s property

Fraudulent Deprivation (N RDJ moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator by false assurances, false promises, lies or invention takes wrongful possession of the victim’s property

Burglary (N RDJ moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator effects entry onto the land or into the buildings of a victim and therein usurps the right of ownership of the victim’s property by removing said property from the victim’s land or buildings.

Wrongful Seizure (N RDJ moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator by demands or threats wrongfully induces the victim to give or grant title over the victim’s property

Breach of Promise (O RDJN moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator, having given written or verbal assurances that he will undertake a deed, upon which assurances the victim has relied and acted upon, fails to perform said obligations.

Encroachment (O RDJIN moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator has falsely stated the boundaries of his land, or his rights over land, to the detriment of a noble.

Insolvency (Y J moderate)
Whereby any individual is found unable to pay monies rightfully owed by him, most especially those sums ordered at court. This is an unusual crime – it is a criminal matter, but most often commenced by civil suit. The luckless accused can look forward to having his property confiscated and sold or, if he has no way of settling the debt, himself being sold into indenture, and also potentially his family as well, if he is a commoner. In fact, if the debt is large, the court may continue to take and sell further and further relations and their possessions. For nobles, although they are never indentured, the debt is passed from family member to family member and entire families can be bankrupted by one rash gambler. The powers of the court are absolutely rapacious in this respect, and the Millenese insolvency laws have been criticised for decades, often by philanthropic nobles as much as deprived commoners. A review and investigation of the powers of the court had been ordered by the Majeste before the revolution, but had not begun at the time of the uprising.

Aggravated Burglary (N RJ serious
Whereby the perpetrator commits Burglary whilst also exercising or attempting to exercise violence upon the occupants of the building thus entered.

Usurpation (N RDJI serious)
Whereby the perpetrator by whatever means usurps the right of ownership of the victim’s buildings or land.

Arson (Y RDJ serious)
Whereby the perpetrator commits Wanton Destroyment of the victim’s buildings or land by means of fire

Piracy (N RDJ severe)
Whereby the perpetrator, being equipped with a vessel and upon the seas, does overtake, molest or seize another vessel with the intent of depriving her owners of their property

CRIMES AGAINST THE REPUTATION

Wanton Blasphemy (N J trivial)
Whereby the perpetrator voices opinions offensive to the Teacher or other gods. This crime is very seldom actually prosecuted, but it remains on the books.

Disprespect (N J trivial)
Whereby the perpetrator fails to show due deference as befits the station of a noble.

Negligent Falsehood in Common (Y RJ trivial)
Whereby the perpetrator, being a commoner, makes harmful public statement concerning a commoner that is untrue, and that the perpetrator has not sufficient reason to believe the truth thereof.

Insolence (N J mild)
Whereby the perpetrator, being a commoner, makes direct insult to a noble.

Negligent Falsehood on High (Y RJ mild)
Whereby the perpetrator, being a noble, makes harmful public statement concerning a noble that is untrue, and that the perpetrator has not sufficient reason to believe the truth thereof.

Malicious Falsehood in Common (Y RJ mild)
Whereby the perpetrator, being a commoner, makes harmful public statement concerning a commoner that is known by the perpetrator to be untrue.

Contempt in Law (N J mild)
Whereby the perpetrator, being within a courtroom, fails in due respect to the Justice or to any officers of the court, in the manner of his address, action, conduct or in any other way.

Idolatry (N JI moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator does give worship, homage, sacrifice or otherwise honours an idol, person or entity, which worship, homage, sacrifice or honour belongs rightfully to the gods. This law has seldom seen use in recent centuries.

Impersonation of Erudition (N RJ moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator, being not qualified or licenced for the trade, does claim for his own gain to be a doctor, professor or learned man, or otherwise owns to professional qualifications unfitting to him.

Malicious Falsehood on High (Y RJ moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator, being a noble, makes harmful public statement concerning a noble that is known by the perpetrator to be untrue

Obstruction in Law (N JI moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator takes any action to impede an officer of the law, being duly appointed by the crown or the representatives of the crown, in the pursuit of that officer’s lawful duty.

Impersonation of Clergy (N R moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator claims for himself any right of priesthood, or enacts any duties or responsibilities thereof, not being duly authorised by the Teacher or another god.

Blasphemous Procurement (N RJI moderate)
Whereby the perpetrator, by threats, persuasion, falsehood, impersonation, or any other way, not being a priest of Teacher or another god, does wrongfully obtain the True Name of another person.

Disrespect of Majesty (N I serious)
Whereby the perpetrator makes direct insult or disrespect to the Majeste, or the office of the Majeste, or the Dauphin, or the office of the Dauphin.

Blasphemy by Action (N JI serious)
Whereby the perpetrator by intent and deed does take action to frustrate the manifest designs of the gods or to give offence direct unto the gods or otherwise to act against the will of the gods. This offence has not been prosecuted for many centuries, although during periods when the church has been very strong it has been used against those acting directly against the clergy. It has also been levelled at ship's captains attempting to sail into the Maelstrom, as the gods had clearly put the impassable barrier there for a reason.

Perjury in Law (N JI serious)
Whereby the perpetrator, being in a court of law, does give false witness and knowingly mislead the court.

Impersonation of Nobility (N R serious)
Whereby the perpetrator claims for himself any right of nobility, not being entitled thereto

Perversion in Law (N JI severe)
Whereby the Perpetrator does attempt, by any means whatsoever, to obscure evidence pertinent to a case in law, to dissuade witnesses or to incite false witness, or in any way to obscure the truth in order to cause a court of Mill-en to come to a false conclusion.

Malicious Conjuration (N I severe)
Whereby the perpetrator does wilfully raise a spirit, monster, demon or other creature of the Maelstrom to enact any malevolent or negligent intent. There has not been a recorded case of this offence being prosecuted in the last 700 years at the very least.

Impersonation of Majesty (N R severe)
Whereby the perpetrator claims for himself any part of the Majeste’s authority, including the position of any of the Majeste’s court or officers or servants, not being entitled thereto

Treason (N - monstrous)
Whereby by action, conspiracy, thought or deed the perpetrator is considered to have forsworn the Majeste and the Nation of Mill-en in any way whatsoever, whether against the person or reputation of the Majeste, his court, his officers or servants, or against the honour of the nation, its interests, its reputation or its advantage.

CRIMES OF ACCESSORY
These crimes hold a special place in the laws of Mill-en as they refer to actions that, while not crimes in themselves, are inextricably linked with such crimes. No severity is given for these crimes as they are usually sentenced in line with the crime itself. However, justices generally sentence more harshly if the perpetrator was particularly incompetent in his attempt at the crime, especially in the High Court. Historically, poor form is viewed as worse than malevolent intent. Defences against crimes of accessory usually match those available for the crime itself, but the defence of ignorance is also generally available.

Engagement on a Venture Negligent (N - -)
Whereby an individual is a member of an undertaking which, without thereby necessarily encompassing an intent to do harm, commits, by way of any, some or all of its members, any act that is recognised as criminal.

Engagement on a Venture Malevolent (N - -)
Whereby an individual is a member of an undertaking which, with the direct intent of members of that undertaking, commits, by way of any, some or all of its members, any act that is recognised as criminal. This is a famous loophole of Millenese law as the law does not specify that the accused individual needs to be one of those that had the criminal intent, only that it is proved to the justice’s satisfaction that someone in the assembly did.

Attempted Criminality (N - -)
Whereby an individual is shown to have made an attempt at a criminal act albeit that he did not, for whatever or any reason, succeed therein.

Conspiracy to Commit (N - -)
Whereby an individual does join an undertaking with one or more others the purpose of which is knowingly to engage in any criminal act. This law is stricter than that of Engagement of a Venture Malevolent. The justice should be satisfied that the accused knew of the aim of the conspiracy.

Criminal Procurement (N - -)
Whereby an individual, by way of promise, threat, recompense, persuasion, misinformation or any other means engages a third party to commit a criminal act other than murder.

Mortal Procurement (N - vile)
Whereby an individual, by way of promise, threat, recompense, persuasion, misinformation or any other means engages a third party to commit murder. This crime is traditionally punished extremely harshly in Mill-en, more harshly even than murder itself. The rationale is that it is cowardly to hire assassins. Of course it is also a standard tool of dispute resolution, but it is extremely bad form to be caught doing it.


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