From: thornley@milli.cs.umn.edu (David H. Thornley)
Subject: Re: Carrying weapons around (was Re: META:  Swords, etc)
Organization: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, CSci dept.
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 14:31:40 GMT

In article <9427@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP> seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) writes:
>In article <40833@sdcc12.ucsd.edu> bkoike@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Bryce Koike) writes:
>>In article <9349@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP> seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) writes:
>>>[People who make trouble in my main city face the Justiciars]
>>>not a few months hence, but generally within a matter of minutes. So
>>>attacks on ordinary folk are very rare, and even collateral damage is either
>>>rare or immediately compensated for by the combatants... or once more
>>>the Justiciars show up.
>
[discussion of legalities of bystanders getting killed]
>
>	Of course, the Justiciars frown on the use of area effect weaponry
>inside the limits of the city unless the participants have either cleared
>the area of bystanders or have resources to pay for ANYTHING they might
>do. And believe me, NO ONE screws around with the Lords Justiciar. They're
>chosen by a very painstaking process, voluntarily submit to spells to
>keep them impartial and incorruptible, and they are ALWAYS some of the
>very best at what they do...
>
>>>	The world isn't that dangerous IN the cities... outside, however,
>>>it can be pretty rough. There weren't many wars, or such things. It's just
>>>a dangerous world.
>
>>	What bothers me, though, is whether or not there's a
>>guarantee stopping the danger from coming into the city!  You
>>stated yourself that an unarmed adventurer in the city was asking to
>>get him/herself into a ton of trouble (or at least dead).  That
>>means that there's a daily threat to an adventurer's life -- even
>>while within supposdly "safe" cities (walled or not, I guess).
>
>	There are safe places IN the city -- most Inns carry all 
>sorts of safeguards (and guards, too). A good inn probably has paid
>the city for actual City Guard duty (Zarathanton is completely pay-
>as-you-go -- taxes do not exist, so you don't get guard duty or military
>protection unless you pay, but justice costs are tailored to the
>person needing justice, so no one is ever denied justice). And remember
>that "trouble" has to worry about the Justiciars (and the Sauran King
>and the Council over tham) as well. Usually there are a number of 
>assaults and duels, etc., but both sides are usually VERY careful to
>keep innocents out of it. Even the Hannibal Lecters of the world will
>consider their actions carefully if they know that retribution is 
>virtually certain. (The few psychotics who cannot restrain themselves
>at all generally end up either dead or captured and cured clerically or
>psychically.)
>
OK, here's where I have problems.  First, who pays the Justiciars?
If Zarathanton were to be peaceful for six months, would they go bankrupt
and disband?  Second, why is it that the Justiciars protect anybody but
adventurers?  If a heavily armed fighter comes into town, he's safe to be
around because the Justiciars will protect everybody else, but an unarmed
fighter is in dire danger because nobody will protect him or her?

Seems to me that a heavily armed stranger will cause a commotion wherever
in civilization he or she goes; either this is a peaceful area, in which case
the weapons and armor are useless, or this is a dangerous area, in which
case the stranger is a threat.  Now, a person with weapons known to be
friendly and reliable might be a desired guest at an inn, in much the same
way that some all-night restaurants deliberately attract police business
(note to people following up:  please leave this as an analogy to a FRP
world, and don't discuss modern police, restaurants, and crime).  If your
world has people who are known as adventurers who are the *D&D equivalent
of lawful good, they will be welcomed by peaceful people in all dangerous
areas, but this will not be the case for adventurers *not* known to be
lawful good.

BTW, I do like the concept of a king that is sufficiently powerful and
secure to require (legally or socially) that those who come before him
do so armed.  It's never worked that way in this world, of course.

DHT



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