Oathbreaking

Oathbreaking is the direct violation of an oath, and a serious crime in Aqoris. Those who belong to monastic orders take explicitly religious vows. Even the bonds between secular lords and their vassals are typically backed by religious oaths. Oathbreaking is therefore considered not only a crime but a sacrilege, breaking holy vows.
Members of the Curators Guild, Bronze Cloaks and the religious orders of the Faith of the Four Divines all swear holy oaths promising a lifetime of obedience, chastity, and a rejection of any previous family ties or claims to inheritance.
The penalty for oathbreaking is often death, though this may depend on the severity of the oath broken. Secular lords who rise up in rebellion but who then surrender are often forgiven (to encourage them to surrender). At other times, high treason is punished with execution. 
Men of House Daradon who guard the Southern Wall swear an oath of servitude and obedience due to the nature of their job in manning the wall. House Daradon is particularly firm on oathbreaking, and desertion, is punishable always by death. 
Regicide is considered an extreme form of oathbreaking, particularly for a king to be killed by his own personal bodyguard. The Bronze Cloaks swear the holiest of vows to serve and defend the life of their king.
Officially, it is impossible to force anyone to take holy vows, and oaths made only under duress are not considered binding in the sight of the gods. As there are two major religions (the Prophecy of the Bear being discounted), followers of the religion will swear on the Gods they hold to, e.g. a Borderman may swear on the Old Gods of Alba.
== Notable cases of Oathbreaking ==
* Sir Harler Blackford and Sir Henri Alder both broke their oaths as Bronze Cloaks by defecting to Prince Kaegan at the outbreak of the War of The Bears. They are not considered as oathbreakers however, as they broke their oaths to a King who was tyrannical and they were upholding their oaths as knights to defend the weak and protect the innocent.
*Lord Hugar Pyke broke his oath of fealty to Lord Wyllam Rocke by siding against the rebellion of the Lords of The Lake at the start of The War of The Bears. However this is disputed as he did uphold his oath of fealty to the crown whereas the Lords of The Lake actively rebelled.
Category:Crimes
Category:Oathbreakers