Sauroi Lands

A political unit on the World of Greyhawke. It is known but has little contact. Helenanna solicited aid from Steven Ashby against a dimensional invasion of this land. That aid was given and the United States, through the person of Ashby is in much favor. (VC Centaur The United States signed the Lost Persons Treaty with this political entity. 
The Sauroi Lands are a Brobdingnagian world. Cities and towns built for people that average thirteen foot tall. Humans and other races are welcome, but you preternaturally feel like kids again. 
Formal Ambassadors have not been exchanged. The size of the Sauroi being the main issue. While our Ambassador might get use to feeling perpetually five years old, it isn't reasonable to ask someone twice the size of a Human to live at Human scale. We are told that Kirt is working on it.
The Nat Geo Channel attempted to expand their National Geographic Greyhawke Expedition show with a drama about Helenanna's family. They proved undramatic (Note: We are learning this about old warriors and ex-adventurers, they have quiet family lives.). An hour or two on Centaur culture. The film team moved outside and got a lens full of Primeburk. The Second Unit Sauroi Lands crew is still filming.
==Things Known==
A Gazetteer of the Sauroi Lands was supplied by Artimus. The following is stated: 
*The Sauroi Lands is an absolute monarchy under the Rule of the Most High and Holy Kirt Hellreaver, Patriarch of the Sauroi, Lord of Life & Death, Patron of Adventures, Protector of Gor, King of the Sauriolands & The North. He is a Sauroi (of course).
*The Saproi lands are ruled by Sauroi. Giant dragon men that have tamed the land and driven back the monsters. While other races (mostly Humans) are common the Sauroi are the rulers and landlords.
*The Sauroi Lands are located in the far north of the Continent, in land once ravaged by the Undying Wars. The Sauroi have taken it and are carving a civilization out of ruin.
*The Sauroi Lands have little law. Most law is common sense and good manners. Even in cases of criminal breach "The Law" is seldom involved and personal redress is the order of the day.
*Literacy is common, they have printing presses and a decent distribution.
*Magic is more common. It replaces technology in many aspects. The magic level is several orders of magnitude greater than that of Earth. (Results of investigation, conversation, and examination of Greyhawken magical artifacts.) Such articles as massive flying sailing ships are to be found.
*"Gods" are common. These beings posses an innate magic called "primal" that allows to to flaunt physical law and violate casualty, altering reality at will. They range over a wide band of possible power levels. Observed being Julian, who had no problem co-existing on Earth, and Coran who caused a world wide breakout event (The Healing Wave) simply by standing there. Julian was noted as regenerating lost limbs, removing mass magical curses (The Rats) and raising the dead, all with a simple expression of will. He was noted as a minor god. Bureau Policy: Avoid "gods". This cannot end well.
==Sauroi Lands Law==
Legal rights include A swift trial, assuming of innocence. A right to counsel is not given. Most trials are held by clerics. An extensive legal structure does not exist and the Clerics of Kirt are known to be fair. If you and the other party agree you can ask any willing person to judge the case. However their judgment will be considered binding.
Trial is on the Solomonic model. Judges do not accuse they judge. The prosecutor must prove the case. Magic will be used, if required, to find the truth.
There is one level of appeal. A hearing before Kirt. that is it case over. Everyone has the right to this. He doesn't like people that just waste his time.
Lawyers are not generally available. One can find Clerks of Law that do legal paperwork such as wills and contracts. Socially one is expected to know your rights and argue them.
The Sauroi Land has no prisons. All crimes are deal with in terms of physical damage or fines. At worst exile. 
False accusations usually result in the accuser suffering a like punishment or complementary punishment. Famously a false accuser in a rape case will be raped. Accusing someone of theft will mean you have to pay them and so forth. This not in the case of honest mistakes, but for malice.
Death is usually delivered by beheading. Exact method will vary from place to place. The humanness is not a factor. 
===Criminal Law===
====Murder====
Penalty: Death or lessor punishment.<BR> 
Social View: While killings happen "murder" is a rare crime. It is defined as the killed not having a chance to defend themselves or proceeding with the fight when they have refused it.
Death is the rarer punishment. Sauroi are not common and killing their own de jure is considered wasteful. You are more likely to be required to pay for resurrection.
====Assault & Battery==== 
Penalty: Fines<BR>
Social View: Under most circumstances assault and battery are not considered a matter of criminal redress. You are expected to defend yourself. However, in cases of obvious inability or significant difference in capacity. Assault and/or battery can be changed.
====Kidnapping, imprisonment, violation of will====
Penalty: Death or lessor punishment.<BR>
Social View: A serious crime and one never approved of. The definition includes magical charms or psionic domination. These are considered much more harshly that "mere" physical restraint. Kidnapping might get you beheaded. Charms can get you eaten alive.
====Sexual Assault====
Penalty: Fines<BR>
Social View: The Sauroi are one of the few nations that do not practice the castration of male offenders. One, it is complicated to castrate a male Sauroi with his testes held internally, two the need to breed more Sauroi. The victim of the assault is entitled to a hefty fine. Being believers in equal law they don't castrate anyone else either.
====Theft====
(Stealing, Fraud, Identity (Forgery))<BR>
Penalty: Death or lessor punishments.<BR>
Social View: Sauroi are highly property minded. Stealing is a serious crime socially more than anything else. A thief that fails to learn is usually killed and eaten. The type of theft is unimportant the stealing is. No form if stealing is considered socially more acceptable.
====Magic====
Magic itself is not an issue. Harm done with magic is another matter. Being butchered alive and fed to animals. If Kirt is reqally peeved he might bring you back for another round.
Criminal magicians are sometimes polymorphed into "lessor beings". Loosing your Sauroiness is considered worse than death.
====Real Property; Trespass====
Penalty: Not a crime<BR>
Social View: Specially mentioned in statues, merely standing on someone land is not a crime. Sauroi being so property focused this has to be mentioned.
====Real Property; Damage or Destruction of====
Penalty: Death of lessor punishments.<BR>
Social View: This falls under theft. To destroy something is to steal it. If caught you are seldom likely to see a court. More likely to be killed and served for dinner.
====Moral (Blue Laws)====
Penalty: No crimes<BR>
Social View: Sauroi have no sense of moral law. there are certainly things that will get you looked at, even talked about. but they are not crimes. the moral condemnations of no religions ,even Kirt's own are fixed in law.
====Corruption (Bribes, official lawbreaking)====
Penalty: Death<BR>
Social View: No questions, Death, your body burned and scattered to the winds. You don't even get eaten.
====Civil Obedience====
Penalty: Not a crime<BR>
Social View: Tweaking the nose of authority is expected. If you don't have the guts to stand up for your ideas, what are they worth? Now calling Kirt a fink might get him out there to object in rather strong terms. But it's personal, not a matter of law.
====Treason====
Penalty: Death<BR>
Social View: So dead, see Corruption. If it's bad enough you might get to die several times in interesting ways.
===Civil Law===
====Marriage====
Marriage law is thin. Marriage custom is as thick as they come. As far as the law is concerned Marriage is a you keep your own stuff affair. Only those items bought or acquired within the marriage are considered common property, and then only if the spouses agree on it at the time.
There is no law limiting marriage to single couples, but the politics of Sauroi marriage assure it. The mating dance between two people is complex enough. More would mean it never happens. How much you have matters. Spouses want to be as equal in property as possible. Again, no law, but custom.
====Inheritance====
Who ever you decide to give it to. That is if you plan on dying at all. Frankly with the long lives of Sauroi and the short time they have been around this has not been an issue much. Give it a couple more hundred years.
====Property rights====
What is yours is yours. There is no question about this. Anyone and everyone has an equal right to have stuff.
====Personal Rights====
All are considered equal under the law. The same laws apply to Sauroi that apply to everyone else. Everyone has the right to property, the right to arm themselves, the right to speak their mind and the right to the consequences of their actions.
====Failure to Eat====
This is one of the curious facts of Sauroi culture. They eat the flesh of their dead foes. Except, and very important, those they do not respect. So, if one Sauroi kills another and does not eat them, that is a deadly insult. It has resulted in feuds that Kirt himself had to deal with.
====Slavery, indentured servitude====
The Sauroi keep slaves. They are unrepentant of the fact. Slaves are "special" property. While no one argues they are yours, you are expected to treat persons as persons, even if they are slaves. Even slaves have the right to property and their master cannot order them to disposes of it. 
Slaves do not have the right to buy freedom. You cannot force someone to sell anything.
====Trade====
All for it. they do not see much. Hellsgate is the closest body they can trade with and the trip is arduous unless you have flying ships. No law prevents or restricts trade. Honesty is expected.
====Contract====
Kirt is pretty sharp about you keeping your word. Make what contract you will. Be prepared to abide by it.
Category:Politics
Category:Supernatural
Category:Outsiders
Category:Greyhawke
Category:Greyhawke Gazetteer