Public Laws

Caste Law

Head of Caste

The Head of Caste shall be responsible for maintaining standards of the caste within the city. Head of Caste shall be appointed by the Administrator and serves at the discretion of the High Council. A Head of Caste shall serve until such time as they step down, or be dismissed by a majority vote of the High Council or at the decree of the Administrator.

Caste Entitlement

Children shall be considered of the same caste as their father. A child, having obtained adolescence, is expected to practice said caste. Free companions may elect to change their caste registration to that of their male companion. Any person, once enslaved, loses their caste protection, rights and entitlement.

Caste Duties

Any man who refuses to practice their livelihood or strives to alter caste without the consent of the Administrator will be stripped of caste and declared an outlaw. Such outlaws are, at the discretion of the Prefect, subject to execution. Women are not required to practice their caste if they choose not to do so.

Caste Change

Those individuals with a proven aptitude outside their caste may petition to change caste. To do so the permission of Administrator as well as the Head of Castes of both the current caste and the desired caste must be obtained. The individual wishing the change must also find a sponsor in the desired caste to speak for him before the Head of Caste. No man or woman shall be admitted to any caste without the express consent of the Head of Caste.

Caste Expulsion

Those individuals found to be failing to practice their caste, failing to meet its standards or bringing dishonor to their caste may be expelled. The expulsion is requested by the Head of Caste and agreed to by the Administrator. Such expelled citizens may, at the discretion of the Administrator, remain of the city pending their securement of a new caste or profession.

Lower Castes

Lower Castes shall be represented on the council by a single non-voting representative who shall be responsible for voicing the concerns and opinions of the lower castes of the city. Said representative shall be appointed by the Administrator and serves until they step down or are dismissed and replaced by another.

The Caste of Initiates

Representation on the Council

The caste of Initiates shall be guaranteed one voting seat on the High Council, the position to be filled by an Initiate nominated by the High Council of Initiates

Initiate Law

The caste of Initiates shall be permitted to maintain its own system of courts and laws and shall be granted authority to implement such laws within the walls of the city subject to the approval of the High Council. The caste of Initiates shall not have access to the city’s Guardsmen or Prefects and shall not have access to the records held within the Cylinder of Knowledge.

Pilgrimage

All free citizens shall, upon notice from the Caste of Initiates, and before their twenty-fifth birthday, execute plans to attend the Sardar Fair and pay suitable homage to the Priest Kings. The Initiates shall maintain a record of all who have completed such pilgrimage and once completed a second pilgrimage shall not be demanded. Any who claim they have already made their pilgrimage must present before the council at least three free witness of good standing. Failure to comply with such instruction may be punished by banishment for men and enslavement for women.

Access to Temple

All free, regardless of their home stone, are permitted to enter the temple for the purposes of paying homage to the Sardar. Slaves may not enter the temple, and must be chained outside to await their owners.

The Caste of Scribes

Representation on the Council

The caste of Scribes shall be guaranteed one voting seat on the High Council, the position to be filled by one of their caste elected to serve a term of one year.

Subcastes

Lawyers, Scholars, Record Keepers, Teachers, Clerks, Historians and Accountants shall all be considered of the Caste of Scribes.

Prefects

Prefects shall serve the role of magistrate within and for the city. All Prefects shall be drawn from the caste of Scribes and are appointed by the Praetor. Prefects shall listen to complaints from citizens; issue arrests warrants and send Guardsmen to bring the accused to justice. Prefects shall examine evidence of innocence or guilt and will issue rulings together with applicable punishments. Prefects may also travel outside the city walls to enforce warrants upon the citizens of this city who are outside of the walls, where said citizens are accused of committing a crime within the city walls.

Praetor

All Prefects of the city shall report and be subject to the ruling of the city’s Praetor. The Praetor shall be appointed by the High Council and serves at their discretion. The Praetor may override any Prefect including commuting sentences or imposing harsher ones.

Legal Documents

Documents shall be deemed to be legal once they bear the seal of the city or the seal of a city scribe. Once a document has been so seal, it may not be touched by slaves. Official documents transported by slaves must be sealed inside a leather document carrier to protect their contents.

Time Recording.

Official city records will be recorded using the calendar of Ar or the barbarian calendar.

Maps of the City.

Maps of the city are to be kept by authorized Scribes and Warriors only. Such authorizations may be obtained from the Administrator, the High Council, the Praetor or the head of the caste of Scribes. Any man or woman found in possession of a map of the city without such authorization is subject to arrest and the charged with treason.

False Papers

Documents found to bear fraudulent seals that be declared false and are subject to seizure and destruction. Those found carrying such papers shall be charged with the crime of fraud or theft depending on the purpose of the falsification. If such papers are offered as evidence of service to the Home Stone where no such service was rendered, or permission of the High Council where no such permission was granted, the bearer of the false papers may be tried with treason.

The Caste of Physicians.

Representation on the Council

The caste of Physicians shall be guaranteed one voting seat on the High Council, the position to be filled by one of their caste elected to serve a term of one year.

The Caste of Builders

Representation on the Council

The caste of Builders shall be guaranteed one voting seat on the High Council, the position to be filled by one of their caste elected to serve a term of one year.

Construction

Only free men may engage in the building and maintenance of city walls and the cylinders of the city, for such work is considered a privilege and unworthy of slaves.

Interference in Infrastructure

Free men found to have interfered with the city's buildings or infrastructure with the intent of aiding the city's enemies, or causing disruption to the function of the city are subject to execution. Free women so found will be enslaved. Interference includes the poisoning of wells or grain stores.

The Caste of Warriors

Representation on the Council

The caste of Warriors shall be guaranteed one voting seat on the High Council, the position to be filled by one of their caste elected to serve a term of one year.

Alliances

The only men authorized to discuss alliances with other cities are Ambassadors appointed by the High Council. In additional the Administrator may directly negotiate with other cities. All alliances are subject to approval by the Administrator. The Cylinder of Knowledge shall maintain an official document of alliances for public inspection.

Deputization

Those of the Red Caste may deputize men of other castes during a time of conflict. There is no need for an official declaration of war or hostilities, nor a state of emergency for a warrior to be authorized to do so. Once deputized, the non-warrior may be assigned weapons and duties consistent with the rank of apprentice warrior. The period of deputization lapses when the immediate danger has passed, or when a warrior of the rank of Captain or above absolves the non-warrior of his duties.

Companions of Warriors

Free companions of Warriors may petition to change caste to that of the Warriors. If accepted by the Head of the Warrior Caste, the woman will then be considered of the Red Caste herself, but may not wield weapons in battle, attend warrior training nor present herself as a Warrior.

Duties of non Warriors

Men of castes other than the Warriors are still obliged to defend the Home Stone, the Free Women, Children and the property of the city and citizens from attack or theft. Deadly force used in the discharge of such duties is considered acceptable by the High Council and any such man who resorts to such force is shielded from arrest and prosecution.

Low Castes

Caste of Merchants - Slavers

The caste of Slavers is recognized as a sub-caste of the Merchants within the City. The city shall also appoint City Slavers, drawn from the Caste of Merchants, to be responsible for the slaves of the city. These appointees remain members of their caste with full caste protection.

Caste of Metalworkers

In order to make a copy of a key, a metal worker shall first obtain permission from the head of the caste of metalworkers. Permission may also be granted by the council representative for low castes, the Praetor, the High Council or the Administrator. Any member of the caste of metalworkers found to have made a copy of a key without said permission shall be punished by execution.

Caste of Players

The Caste of Players is recognized by the city. No member of the caste of Players may be enslaved within the city. Any person found to have committed such an act shall be subject to execution. The enslaved individual shall also be freed.

Caste of Musicians

No member of the caste of Musicians may be enslaved within the city. Any person found to have committed such an act shall be subject to execution. The enslaved individual shall also be freed.

Assassins

The city recognizes the caste of assassins. Assassins wishing to enter the city on caste business shall present themselves in caste colors and wearing the symbol of the dagger on their foreheads. Assassins caught attempting to enter the city in disguise are subject to arrest and subsequent execution.

Outlaws

Any free found within the city walls found to have no caste shall be declared an outlaw. The law applies equally to men and women. Those unable to show evidence of their caste shall be arrested by Guardsmen and held subject to verification. Men found to be outlaws shall be executed. Women shall be enslaved and sold from the public block.

Peasants shall not be considered outlaws.

Those calling themselves Pirates shall be considered no different than Outlaws. They shall be subject to the same penalties.

The City does not recognize a caste of thieves. Those claiming such a caste will be deemed to be outlaws and tried as such.

Panthers and Talunas shall also be treated as Outlaws under the law of the city.

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