Laws of King Daffyd the 1st of the Kingdom of Novashan

Last Updated December 2022

Be it decreed that every freeman shall affirm by oath and compact that he shall be loyal to the King both within and without Novashan, that he will preserve with him his lands and honor with all fidelity and defend him against his enemies. Moreover, that all men I have brought with me, or who have come after me, shall dwell in quiet. Every man who wishes to be considered a freeman shall be in pledge so that his surety shall hold him and hand him over to court justice under compurgation if he shall offend in any way. And if any such shall escape, let his sureties clear themselves of any complicity in the escape. Let recourse be had to the hundred and shire courts as our predecessors decreed.

Be it known to all and singular that in the eyes of the Crown of the Kingdom of Novashan, its law and its enforcers, people shall fall into one of (6) categories.

Peasants – Not registered with a town, guild or household (no rights).
Low commoner – Registered with a town (The town in question will provide a barrister for court procedures).
High commoner – Registered with a household (The House Lord in question will provide a barrister for court procedures) or registered with a standing guild (The Guild Master will provide a barrister for court procedures) or in the case of a page, armiger or squire (A Knight of the Scepter or a recognized Knight of the Kingdom will provide a barrister for court procedures).
Knights – will be able to act as their own barrister for court procedures.
Nobility/Peerage – will provide their own barrister for court procedures.
Royalty – will provide their own barrister for court procedures.

Only town appointed Barristers, House Lords, Guild Masters, Knights, members of the Peerage or Nobles may speak at court proceedings. In the case of an individual breaking an identical town and baronial law, it is not unusual for a person to go to trial in the town, convicted, and sentenced, followed soon thereafter by a trip to the baronial court for another trial, another conviction, and a stronger or harsher sentence. Frontier justice is not always swift, but it can be both brutal and reciprocal. Novashanians are strong believers in letting the punishment fit the crime.

Know that before the Crown of the Kingdom of Novashan since the Lord King was King, for the health of our Kingdom and those of our ancestors and heirs, to their honor shall we hold dear and steadfast these edicts:

All members of the Royal family shall swear their oath of fealty onto the Crown of the Kingdom of Novashan so through their actions thus be bound.
No Royal member beholden by oath onto the Crown of the Kingdom of Novashan shall be found in allegiance to the swearing of their oath upon any other body other than that of the Crown of the Kingdom of Novashan.
No Commoner high or low, or peasant, nor member of the knighthood, peerage or nobility shall be found presenting weapon in the presence of a Royal family member excepting for the protection of said Royal family member.
No freeman affirmed by oath or those agents operating without shall be found organizing, rousing or committing treason unto the Crown of the Kingdom of Novashan as demarcated by the Crown. Sedition, insurgency or inciting a rebellion shall also be so acknowledged.
Knightly Orders operating on behalf of the Kingdom of Novashan shall require recognition from the Crown of Novashan and shall so be done by the Crown’s hand and seal.
It shall not be lawful from henceforth to any to own and/or operate a war horse excepting unto those of noble blood, title or rank, Knights or onto those found just under writ from the Crown. The Crown shall decree the definition of a war horse to be as follows: Barding and/or the display of heraldic devices upon the horse’s gear with the exceptions of Sable and Tawny being held from proper heraldic tincture recognition.
The practice of the dark arts of Necromancy, defined by the Crown as the raising of the undead, shall be harshly punishable.
No one of or within the Kingdom of Novashan shall be held slave or be dispossessed of his Freehold; nor will the Crown hold or allow others to hold slaves, nor will we seize Freeholds but by lawful trial or by the decree of the Crown of the Kingdom of Novashan.
Mercenaries such as troops or the gathering of large mobs as further defined by the Crown as the gathering of an armed organization numbering more than 50 heads not by hand of Noble or above from henceforth shall be punishable.
If any one hold of any Eschete directly of the Crown, shall die without heir of full age, their substance shall be given no other Relief, nor do none other Service to us, then it should to the Noble, if it were in the Noble's hand. And the Crown of the Kingdom of Novashan in the same wise shall hold it as the Noble held it until such time as we deem a successor worthy of its release from our hands held in chief. Anyone found in contempt of this law shall be punished.
Guilds as defined by the Crown as those organizations of commerce for profit and numbering more than 20 heads from henceforth shall register with the Hall of Records in the capital city of Dun Peel in the Kingdom of Novashan. Anyone found in alliance with an undocumented guild shall be punished.
Those who would be freemen that shall be found in derision of fair taxation by the Crown of Novashan or its agents shall be punished.
Fraud, hereby defined as forgery of Kingdom documents, Kingdom seals, unauthorized bearing of the heraldry of the knighthood or those of noble title, or impersonation of an establishment or citizen of Novashan for illicit purposes, shall be considered unlawful and punishable.
Theft of another’s personal property is considered unlawful. The wronged party shall have their property returned to them or, if the property cannot be returned, appropriate recompense be paid unto them by the guilty party.
Assault against a freeman of Novashan shall be deemed unlawful unless enacted defending the Crown, themselves, their property, or the defenseless.
No one of or within Novashan shall murder another. The Crown considers this an abhorrent crime, and any found guilty of doing so will be subject to harsh punishment.

And further do we decree that these edicts shall be held until such time that those that break them can be brought before the courts of the Knighthood, the Nobles and the Royals that through them a just and resolute punishment may be established.

And let there be none amongst us save the King that shalt be in a position to hold a Noble or Peerage title while also performing the duties of Knighthood. Should a Knight be elevated to such title they shall first be held in retirement before their titled appointment be recognized. And none so titled shall step aside in haste so as to exercise duties of Knighthood.

And through the might and justice of the Knights of the Kingdom of Novashan or recognized constabulary, those found vile and unlawful to their oath be hunted down by hue and cry be brought forth to the courts that they may be tried and held accountable to their ways.

And they who should dare assault, restrain, or otherwise interfere with the duties of a member of the Knights of the Kingdom of Novashan shall find themselves bereft of the protection of the courts and shall stand in suffrage to those so slighted and be at the mercy of their sentence.

And lastly shall we grant and acknowledge the rights of the courts to pass sentences and utilize ordeals giving way to a higher authority when called upon by the lesser authority or at the will of the higher authority.

Cheat Sheet

Citizens of Novashan are loyal to the King even when they aren’t in Novashan. All have the right to a trial before the courts if they commit a crime. If they escape while in custody, they are assumed to be guilty of charges without trial and sentenced accordingly. The escapee’s friends/family/group will have to be cleared of aiding in the escape.

Peasants: Does not live in a town, is not part of a guild or household. They have no protections under the courts.
Low Commoner: Lives in a town. The town is responsible for providing a lawyer for them in court proceedings.
High Commoner: Is a part of a household, guild, or is a page, armsman, squire, or armiger. A knight is responsible for providing a lawyer for them in court proceedings.
Knight: May act as own lawyer for court proceedings.
Nobility/Peerage: Must provide their own lawyer for court proceedings.
Royalty: Must provide their own lawyer for court proceedings.

Only lawyers, house lords, guild masters, knights, and nobles may speak during court proceedings. Peasants, Low Commoners, and High Commoners may not speak in court and must have a lawyer speak for them. Those who break laws held under multiple holding levels (example, breaks kingdom law and duchy law because the crime is listed as illegal in both), they may be tried and punished multiple times by each level of nobility that holds the law. The punishment may fit the crime.

Royal family must swear an oath of fealty to the Crown of Novashan
Anyone who swears an oath to the crown may not have allegiances to others above the King
No weapons near the royal family unless given permission to do so to protect the Crown.
Organizing, supporting, or committing treason, sedition, and inciting a rebellion is illegal
Knightly Orders must be recognized by the Crown.
Only knights and nobles may own or ride a warhorse (defined as a horse with heraldry displayed on it).
The raising of undead is illegal
No slavery or land theft.
Mobs and militias (armed forces of 50 or more) may only be formed by a noble
If a noble dies without an heir, it’s held temporarily by the next noble up until the position is filled by the Crown
For-profit commerce guilds of 20 or more must be registered with the Guildhall
Tax evasion is illegal
Fraud (forgery, impersonating another citizen) is illegal
Theft is illegal
Assault is illegal
Murder is illegal

Historical Laws of the Land - 2017

Kingdom Laws

Treason against the Crown of Novashan is outlawed.
No blade may be drawn in the Royal family's presence unless it is for the protection of the Royal family.
No member of the Royal family may swear allegiance with any household other than their own.
All members of the Royal family swear fealty to the Throne.
Only those of Noble blood, title, or rank, Knights, or by writ of the King will be allowed to own and operate a war horse. The definition of a war horse will be as follows: the display of heraldic devices upon the horse’s gear.
Shae D’narr (Dark Elves) are to be considered evil at heart and irredeemable. Any caught dealing with this race are to bepunished. Any Shae D'narr (Dark Elves) that are found within the kingdom shall be immediately seized.
Slavery is abolished within the Kingdom of Novashan. All current slaves are to be set free. The punishment of slavery is also abolished.
Only a Knight of Novashan or a male member of the Royal family of Novashan may Knight an individual withinNovashan. The King of Novashan must first recognize all Knighthoods recognized within the Kingdom of Novashan.
Mercenary bands or troops are against the King’s law. All guilds must be recognized and sanctioned by the crown of Novashan.
The practice of Necromancy, the raising of the undead, is outlawed.

Baronial Laws

Insurgence or inciting a rebellion is outlawed.
Murder is outlawed.
Thievery is outlawed.
Repeat offenders may be subject to maiming. Anyone caught confiscating goods in the name of justice and not immediately turning said goods over to the proper authorities shall be considered stealing. Anyone taking noble resources and using them for any reason other than one sanctioned by the nobility shall be considered stealing.
Forgery of any official document is outlawed. This includes but is not limited to tax, guild and treasury writs, as well as writs of official status. Impersonating any noble, official or representative of a guild is outlawed.
Any payment to or alliance with Goblins, Orcs, Trolls, Giants, Dark Elves, Driders, Etc... without the expressed permission of the Peerage will be considered a treasonous act towards the Kingdom, and is therefore outlawed.
Interfering or obstructing with the Town Guards duties is outlawed. No blade may be drawn in town unless it is for the protection of the town. Unauthorized combat within town gates is outlawed.
Unauthorized gambling is outlawed. Gambling requires a permit.
Failure to pay taxes is outlawed. Inability to provide proof of taxes paid will incur a fine.
Desecration of property is outlawed.
Public drunkenness is outlawed. Strange and mundane items are outlawed.
Unauthorized fire pits are outlawed.
Anyone found breaking the laws of the Barony may have their items confiscated as punishment for their crimes. All confiscated items are to be presented to the Baronial Chamberlain and inventoried. If the Baroness is available, all enforcers of Her Laws shall present any transgressor before her for punishment to be enacted. Casters who use their magics in ways that break these laws may be subject to having their tongues removed.
Anyone who can resurrect must be registered with the Baroness. All resurrections must be accompanied by a noble decree.