Crime (Daggerfall)

A crime is an act that breaks the law, which —if caught committing— will incur the wrath of the City Guard. The Agent has the option to either turn themselves in and go before the court or resist arrest.
==Trial==
If the player chooses to surrender, they will be brought before a judge who will read off their crime and the potential punishment (fines/jail time) and have the opportunity to plead their case. A “Guilty” plea will result in a lesser sentence being imposed and being released outside of town. A “Not Guilty” plea will offer the player the choice of lying to get out of the charge or debating the merits of the case. A “Lie” response will involve a Streetwise skill check, whereas a “Debate” response will involve a check against the Etiquette skill. Both are modified by the players reputation and/or rank within the Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood, if applicable. If found not guilty, the player is released outside of town sans fine or jail time. However, their reputation in the eyes of the law will remain unchanged and will only slowly improve over time.
Players found guilty must pay the fine, or as much of the fine as they have the gold to pay for it, and serve their time in jail. Time served doesn't negatively impact skills or experience (as it does in later games) but will likely cause The Agent to failed any timed quests they may have.
==Types of Crime==
*Breaking and Entering/Attempted Breaking and Entering: Failing a second lockpicking attempt or trying to force a locked exterior door. This includes accidentally hitting a door with a weapon or spell while engaged in indoor combat.
*Murder: Killing an NPC without cause. As merchants, guild members, royalty and other essential characters are "flats" and cannot be harmed, this only applies to either townspeople or guards.
*Criminal Conspiracy: When the Agent has a regional reputation below -60 (aka “hated” or “pond scum”). Up to 240 and 21 days in jail.
*Vagrancy: Attempting to rest in the area occupied by a town that is not in a tavern or the players house. This includes the area outside of the town, but still within the “square” occupied by the town. A message will pop up letting the player know if they are still within city limits. 
*Smuggling: Transporting of illegal items or substances. This only happens during such side quests.
*Pickpocketing: Clicking on any person or critter while in “steal” mode and failing the necessary check to not get caught.
*Theft/Larceny: Trying to steal from a shop or from private containers such as boxes or dressers found in houses and stores. Banishment. 
*Assault: Attacking someone without killing them. Only works on guards, as attacking townspeople results in an insta-kill. Up to 400 fine and 48 days in jail.
*High Treason: Endangering or killing a member of royalty. Exists in the games programming but can't actually be committed normally. Presumably would have been triggered by certain quests. Penalty is death.
==Note==
*The game records the last type of crime committed as the crime the player is charged with. Thus, you can kill everyone in town and all but one of the guards, pick that guard’s pocket and you’ll be charged with one count of pickpocketing instead of murder.
*Killing 15 or more guards, or 3 or more townspeople, will cause the Dark Brotherhood to seek out and offer the Agent membership.
Category:Laws
Category:Game Mechanics