Legal Basics Content . Ignorance of the law is no defense . Be forewarned that the following are but the most universal of Tamriel an laws and regulations . Your own local province or principality may have unique laws of its own . As a citizen of Empire , it is your right and responsibility to know and follow these laws of the land . Breaking and Entering : . This refers to any act including , but not limited to opening , breaking , incinerating , magically transporting , or in any way causing a door , window , or other portal that has been magically or mundanely locked or which a reasonable person would assume to be so restricted to be passable , and the act ( though the act is not required for the definition ) of entering the house , business , or public location through said defined portal . The punishment for this crime may include a fine or incarceration , or a fine and incarceration . The fine and incarceration , or both , or neither , may be less in a crime of Attempted Breaking and Entering . A crime of Attempted Breaking and Entering is defined as an any act that a reasonable person would perceive as the preparation for , an attempt ( whether successful or not , or perceived to be possibly successful or not ) to bring about the opening , breaking , incinerating , magically transporting , or in any way causing a door , window , or other portal that has been magically or mundanely locked or which a reasonable person would assume to be so restricted to be passable , and the act ( though the act is not required for the definition ) of preparing or attempting ( whether successful or not , perceived to be possibly successful or not ) entering the house , business , or public location through said defined portal . Trespassing : . This refers to walking , flying , riding , teleporting , floating , or in any way moving or existing on a property without the explicit written or spoken permission ( or permission a reasonable person might infer ) of the owner or caretaker of the property . The punishment for this crime may include a fine or incarceration , or a fine and incarceration . Assault : . Any threat or attempt ( whether successful or not ) to do physical , emotional , mental , or magical harm or injury to another person , group of persons , or entity a reasonable person might assume to be sentient . The punishment for this crime may include a fine or incarceration , or a fine and incarceration . Murder : . Any act of premeditated or malicious or premeditated and malicious ( or an act that a reasonable person would call premeditated and malicious or premeditated or malicious ) or accidental but criminally intended ( or what a reasonable person would call criminally intended ) purpose that results directly in the death ( or destruction with implied death ) of a person , group of persons , or entity a reasonable person might assume to be sentient . The punishment for this crime may include a fine or incarceration , or a fine and incarceration . Criminal Conspiracy : . Any meeting , communication , or encounter with the purpose ( or which a reasonable person might assume had the purpose ) of preparing or arranging a crime of any kind ( or crimes of any kind ) to be commited or caused to be commited . The punishment for this crime may include a fine or incarceration , or a fine and incarceration . Vagrancy : . Any act of idleness , disorder , begging , or conduct unbecoming a person with occupation , gold , or a home , ( or occupation , gold , and a home , or occupation or gold and home , or occupation and gold or home , or occupation and home or gold ) , or what a reasonable person would consider idle , disorderly , beggarly , or unbecoming . The punishment for this crime may include a fine or incarceration , or a fine and incarceration . Smuggling : . Any act of bringing in , taking out , teleporting , or causing to be brought in , taken out , or teleported an object considered illegal or , if not illegal , requiring an import or export tax which is not paid . The punishment for this crime may include a fine or incarceration , or a fine and incarceration , and will include confiscation of the offensive or illegal object . It may also include , but not be restricted to , execution or banishment , or execution and banishment . High Treason : . Any act against ( whether directly or indirectly , or any nonaction which results in circumstances , directly or indirectly , against ) a allegiated sovereign or by a vassal to a liege , resulting ( or what a reasonable person would assume would result ) in physical , emotional , mental , or magical harm or injury in said sovereign or liege . The punishment for this crime will be death . Pickpocketing : . Any act of stealing , taking , or , without explicit written or verbal permission ( or what a reasonable person would infer as implied permission ) an item or items a person , group of persons , or entity a reasonable person might assume to be sentient has on his , her , its , or their own person . The punishment for this crime may include a fine or incarceration , or a fine and incarceration . Theft ( sometimes called Larceny ) : . Any act of stealing , taking , or , without explicit written or verbal permission ( or what a reasonable person would infer as implied permission ) an item or items from a person , group of persons , or entity a reasonable person might assume to be sentient ' s place of residence , business , person , or other location a reasonable person would assume is secured from looting . The punishment for this crime may include a fine or incarceration , or a fine and incarceration . These are the usual , day - to - day definitions used by legal experts ( like myself ) , but both the definitions and punishments may fluctuate wildly according to location and situation . In the Imperial City , legal counsel is available by persons like myself , but the provinces have no such system in place . Perhaps that will change in time . We can all hope so . As a final note : the Tamriel legal system has its basis in the civilized , reasonable credo uttered by the prophet Marukh in the first era : " All are guilty until they have proven themselves innocent . " Were truer word ever spoke ?