On the day of the 29th Day of Hammer in the year of 1355 to be precise, the City Watch of Baldur's Gate travelled to the various gates of the City, accompanied by Flaming Fist Captains, to oversee the posting of Laws decreed by the Council of Four, otherwise known as the Dukes of Baldur's Gate. Bold and easily read script replaces any previous documentation, with large banners posted at every avenue in which to enter the Lands that the Dukes of Baldur's Gate have claimed...and are occupied by the mercenary company of the Flaming Fist.
The Rules read as the following:
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Let it be known throughout the lands surrounding the city of Baldur's Gate, that the Council of Four, the Grand Dukes of Baldur's Gate, list the Laws and Crimes that govern both Citizen and Visitor to the namesake of the renown Balduran, seafaring explorer and protector of this harbor. Herewith, the Gate will retain its tolerance and focus on fair trade and merchant activities, so that it remains a safe settlement for all that abide by Rules listed.
Justice in Baldur's Gate — City and Environs
The Council of Four herewith decrees that the City Watch and the Flaming Fist are deputized representatives of the Law of the Duchal Court, thus able to arrest, seize, apprehend and detain any person or persons that violate the will of the Council of Four. Shall a crime be committed outside the eye or ear of the City Watch or Flaming Fist, and should ample evidence be presented, it is hereby granted that authorities may seek out and capture those that violate the Peace and Prosperity initiated by Balduran himself.
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Violence, involving harm to persons, murder, and all-but-Lawful Dueling, will result in imprisonment and possible banishment from the Lands residing under Duchal Law (
as has been decreed). Violence in self-defense will be judged by the appropriate authority. Violence against the Grand Dukes, Officers of the Court and the City Watch and Flaming Fist, shall be punishable up to death.
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Impersonation of any Dukes, City Officials, or members of the Flaming Fist, or the forging of false identity, will result in a penalty befitting the severity of the crime - from hefty fines to the beheading of the individual in question.
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Withheld Identity, often in the case of masked or full-helmeted individuals, must present their full appearance to any and all City Watch or Flaming Fist officers when requested. Failure to do so shall result in imprisonment or banishment from the Gate.
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Bribing any public official, member of the City Watch, or member of the Flaming Fist, will result in jailing or public punishment.
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Disorderly Conduct, including disobedience, brandishing a weapon, disruption of official business, harmful spell casting, and summoning creatures, will result in fines or jail time depending on the severity, as determined by a Captain of the Flaming Fist.
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Vagrancy including loitering, sleeping in the streets, and begging, will result in immediate escort to the slums of the Wide, and possibly a fine.
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Treason, against and while in service to the Council of Four, also involving espionage or sabotage of Citizens of Baldur's Gate, is punishable up to a sentence of death.
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Sedition against the Dukes, and any foreign ambassadors or lords, will result in incarceration and punishment fitting the crime.
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Illegal Distribution such as slave trading, smuggling, and the selling of banned drugs, arms, and contraband, will result in heavy fines, or banishment from the limits of the city.
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Theft & Vandalism will result in fines, with further punishment of the loss of fingers, in cases of repeated offense.
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Damage to Property, including registered personal property, livestock, dwellings and objects determined as owned by any said individual, will result in incarceration and possibly further punishment.
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Spell casting — forms of arcane or divine usage of magic that result in physical harm or manipulation of the other, are forbidden.
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Summons of Elemental or Companion in nature are forbidden, and such action will result in punishment fitting the crime. Summons of all other means, such be it undead or planar in nature, shall result in banishment or death of the summoner, as determined by judicial ruling.
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Creating undead, and those Arts that are known as Blood Magic are strictly forbidden on Duchal lands, punishable by banishment or death, as determined by judicial ruling. Creation of items or trade of such magic in any form is equally punishable. Any citizens of Baldur's Gate that are found to be aiding and abetting with the dark practices with such sinister dark arts users on Duchal Lands, unless officially sanctioned to do so by the Grand Dukes of Baldur's Gate, are committing treason, punishable up to a sentence of death. The consorting provision of this law only applies to individual beings, not organizations or polities. The definition of consorting will be up to the discretion of Baldurian magistrates of the law on a case by case basis. The consorting provision of this law is only for offenses that took place on or after the 29th day of Hammer, 1355 DR.
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Those who hold pacts with or agreements with fiends including those who practice eldritch magic deriving from fiends are considered enemies of Baldur's Gate and are strictly forbidden on Duchal lands, punishable by banishment or death, as determined by judicial ruling, unless they have received official sanction from the Grand Dukes. Any citizens of Baldur's Gate that are found to be aiding and abetting with the dark practices of such sinister dark arts users on Duchal Lands, unless officially sanctioned to do so by the Grand Dukes of Baldur's Gate, are committing treason, punishable up to a sentence of death. The consorting provision of this law only applies to individual beings, not organizations or polities. The definition of consorting will be up to the discretion of Baldurian magistrates of the law on a case by case basis. The consorting provision of this law is only for offenses that took place on or after the 29th day of Hammer, 1355 DR.
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All practitioners of eldritch magic must register at the Duchal Palace upon the same day of their arrival in Baldur's Gate, stating honestly their name, place of residence and, if known, the nature of their magic. Any who lie during this registration will be punished by a fine or banishment, or more severely if the nature of their magic is fiendish.
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Public Preaching of Dogma, Rituals or Public Display of Symbols of the following Gods is severely punishable by up to banishment or death, as determined by judicial ruling: Loviatar, Malar, Shar and Talos. Judicial ruling resulting in execution will be public and final (OOC: a perma-strike against convicted PC).
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Harming of Cats is punishable by imprisonment, public service, or transmutation to feline form for a predetermined time or until the lesson is learned, as decreed by judicial ruling.
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The Orcs, the Drow Elves and the Fiends, wicked and evil by nature, are hereby banned from Duchal lands. Any citizens of Baldur's Gate that are found to be aiding and abetting the presence of such creatures upon Duchal lands, unless officially sanctioned to do so by the Grand Dukes of Baldur's Gate, are committing treason, punishable by any punishment as the circumstances allow, up to and including a sentence of death. The consorting provision of this law only applies to individual beings, and their actions will not be taken as being the acts of any organizations or polities they are part of. The definition of consorting will be up to the discretion of Baldurian magistrates of the law on a case by case basis. The consorting provision of this law is only for offenses that took place on or after the 29th day of Hammer, 1355 DR. The consorting provision may be revised in the near future depending on issues with implementation and political status.
The Council of Four honors requests for judicial proceedings, should Citizen or Visitor find an unfair complaint or crime brought against them. The accused will represent themselves or appoint a single representative, to appear in front of a Magistrate. Failure to convincingly represent oneself in front of a Magistrate does not equal a retrial or excuse from the Offense.
All punishments deemed appropriate by the Grand Dukes or their deputized representatives, shall be swift and final.
///OOC-Notes:
- - These Laws are in effect for the Baldur's Gate city and its environs. For clarity, the relevant maps are:
- the three Baldur’s Gate city maps, and interiors.
- Baldur’s Gate Farmlands East and North, and South - Wyrm’s Crossing, and any interiors connected to these.
- Baldur's Gate Graveyard and any interiors connected to this.
- Ulgoth’s Beard - Along the Chionthar, Ulgoth’s Beard and its interiors.
- East of Wyrm’s Crossing and any interiors connected to this.
- Punishments for Official Crimes may only be given to Player Characters by Dungeon Masters (DMs).
- The Punishment of Death, from a crime that warrants such a decision, is a Perma-strike against the guilty Character. 3 Perma-strikes equal permanent death of a PC.
- Crimes will most likely result in punishment. Do not Role-play committing crimes unless you are willing to Role-play punishments.
- By committing a crime and being seen by authorities or running away from crime either assumed or actually committed, a PC autoconsents to the crimes(s). This means no Trial, only punishment fitting the crime, as determined by a DM.
- If you are caught and brought to the Authorities, then Role-play the consequences of your actions.
- Jail is not permanent only temporary, as well as whatever fate happens (unless resulting in a perma-strike against your Player Character).
- DMs may increase or decrease the severity of any crime(s) at any time based on the IC circumstances.
- Multiple crimes and repeat offending may result in heavier punishments, and/or a Perma-strike against the Player Character.
- At this time, Gray Orc PCs may enter and fulfill Quests in Baldur's Gate, as long as they have AFK toggled on the PC and do not engage in Role-play (temp ruling).///
Citizenship in Baldur's Gate
Any lawfully residing being that has an owned residence in the city or its Environs, and that is not a declared subject, citizen, or dignitary of a foreign polity is considered to allowed to become be a citizen of Baldur's Gate, with the fully associated rights, privileges, and responsibilities of Baldurian citizenship, including the right to vote in Duchal elections. Anyone who is part of an organization with an owned residence in the city or its Environs may choose to become a citizen. Anyone who has sworn fealty to Baldur's Gate is deemed to be a citizen.
// OOC note: An NPC will be going in game in the Duchal Palace to allow the purchase of citizenship documents and the swearing of fealty. Citizenship will bring greater standing with Baldurian NPCs
Justice in Lands Under the Influence of Baldur's Gate — Outside of the City and Environs
The Flaming Fist Mercenary Company announces on the 29th Hammer 1355 DR that, in light of the danger posed to the city by Dragonspear Castle and its fiendish denizens, the Flaming Fist is moving to a war footing and is limiting its patrols to Baldur’s Gate and its environs. From now on, Baldur’s Gate’s jurisdiction will be applied within the city, in the surrounding farmlands as far south as the far end of the Wyrm’s Crossing bridge, east along the Chionthar as far as the waterfall and north as far as the edge of the Farmlands.
Within these regions, violations of Baldurian law will be prosecuted if the alleged perpetrators are turned into the Flaming Fist Mercenary Company Headquarters in Baldur's Gate by willing adventurers and as long as at least three credible eyewitnesses - one of which must be a citizen - can speak for the truth of the accusations made. These laws are effective immediately.
Addendum 13 Flamerule 1355: Military jurisdiction is now in effect on the frontline against the Devils and the laws of Baldur's Gate apply in the vicinity of any Flaming Fist fortifications. The relevant commanding officer of the Flaming Fist will enforce said law. The offences of Violence, Spellcasting and Summoning cannot be committed during an enemy attack if directed against the enemy.
Due to the completion of military movements and actions in the northern realms, the above amendment has been rescinded.
(((OOC The Winding Way Frontline map is no longer under Flaming Fist Jurisdiction.)))
Eldritch Magic Registration
This is aimed at the Warlock class. An NPC will be soon in place for PCs to purchase a registration document to become a "Registered Warlock". It is assumed your character answers truthfully to the official. If your character would not, please contact the DM team so that we can RP out the attempted deception appropriately.
///Credit to DM Golem, LeslieMs and the DM Team.
///DM Dialectic. General Zhentarim ban removed 1/24/2017 after the Baldur's Gate-Zhentarim Treaty:
viewtopic.php?p=708685#p708685
///DM Dialectic. Updated for enforcement of Baldurian law in areas outside of Baldur's Gate, Baldurian definition of citizenship, and "consorting" law provisions related to banned magic use users and banned monstrous races IC. 1/20/2018
///DM Soulcatcher. Updated for Drow bounties explicitly as opposed to just implicit law 1/23/2018.
///DM Dialectic. Updated for enforcement of Baldurian law. 3/18/2018
///DM Golem & DM Team. Updated to restrict the scope of jurisdiction, warlock and consorting provisions 01/29/2019
///DM Golem. Added Winding Way Fort map to scope of jurisdiction