Pact of Restoration

An ancient and widely respected common law that far predates the Holy Reman Empire and is found in virtually all human civilizations throughout Gaea, the Pact of Restoration is an authority upheld by the vast majority of governments in the world that grants ownership of land and resources to private citizens who successfully reclaim lost territory and settlements seized by Monsters, and now Beasts. The Pact of Restoration comes into effect whenever an individual or group manages to stake and hold a claim to an ownerless parcel of land whose size is determined largely by their capacity to defend it from Monsters and Beasts. The amount of time required for such claims to be considered valid varies, but is traditionally a year and a day, during which time the claimants must occupy the parcel. During this time they must prove themselves capable of fending off Monsters and Beasts (which may or may not actually happen, but normally does in available frontier lands), and they must construct a suitable home, or homes, for all those participating in the claim. This generally means a fully functional homestead that is almost entirely self-sufficient. Once these conditions have been met, the claimants are awarded legal rights to the property on behalf of the ruler who recognized their claim, thus expanding the territory of that ruler's nation and granting a minor title to successful claimants, usually Baronet or Baronetess or the equivalent, though sometimes Banneret or Banneress. Ordinarily, this title is inherited and only afforded to one individual (usually the head of the household) in a group of claimants, though all individuals within the group and their issue are considered eligible to receive the title.
This practice continues to be a common motivator for homesteading in the modern era, with many individuals and families attempting to reclaim ruins, failed homesteads, and more for the sake of title, land ownership, and a place to truly call their home. The law is usually modified to allow for the claiming of Dungeons, and even Lairs in the modern era, as legitimate homes, with these and other Demiplanes often considered exceptional prizes. However, most who make attempts to claim such territories fail... especially in the modern era, with the rise of Beasts and the intelligence of Monsters. Needless to say, Monsters don't take kindly to people trying to steal their homes from them.
Category:Lore
Category:Law
Category:Canon
Category:Gaea
Category:Culture