Justiciars

The **Justiciars** are individuals with the royal prerogative to dispense justice on behalf of the Iron Throne. Their ranks include nobles and commoners alike. They are led by the King on the Iron Throne and managed by the Lord Justiciar.

There are three ranks among the Justiciars: justiciar, high justiciar, and lord justiciar. There are two lords justiciar following the expansion of the realm; generally one high justiciar per region; and as many justiciars as deemed necessary.

In their years of service, the Justiciars have acquired a mixed reputation. While they are generally known for doing good deeds, they have been the subject of numerous controversies and incidents of abuse.

## Practices

Justiciars are tasked with investigating and punishing the crimes committed by the king's subjects.

### Crimes and Punishments

Crimes are determined by the crown's common and proclaimed laws while punishments are determined by the customs enforced by the reigning king and lord justiciar:

* **The King's Peace** - apprehension, imprisonment, and delivery to the king for his judgement.

* **High Treason** - apprehension, imprisonment, and delivery to the king for his judgement.

* **Petty Treason** - execution, with the type at the justiciar's discretion.

* **Rape** - gelding, crow's cage, or the breaking wheel. In 82 AC, Lord Harry Darry disallowed hanging, beheading and the mercy of the Wall for rape, considering them too lenient of punishments.

* **First Night** - the same as the punishments for rape.

* **Murder** - hanging, beheading, stoning, or the Wall.

* **Slavery** - execution, with the type at the justiciar's discretion.

* **Attacking an Innocent** - lashes, slit nostrils, maimed hand or foot, or the Wall.

* **Poaching** - maimed hand or foot, hard labour, banishment, or the Wall.

* **False Evidence or Testimony** - removal of the tongue, or the Wall.

* **Thievery and Pick-pocketing** - maimed hand or fingers, slit nostrils, or the Wall.

* **Failure to Repay Debts** - removal of teeth, slit nostrils, asset seizure, or the Wall.

* **Abandoning the Wall**  - execution, with the type at the justiciar's discretion.

* **Sleeping with a Knight's Wife** - gelding, or the Wall.

* **Sleeping with a Lord's Wife or Reigning Lady's Husband** - gelding, blinding, hanging, or the Wall.

* **Rule of Thumb** - the discretion of the justiciar.

* **Rule of Six** - twice as many lashes as extra blows given.

* **Widow's Law** - restitution to the widow and the realization of her rights.

### Powers and Responsibilities

Because the Justiciars wield the authority of the king, they can do almost anything while pursuing a judicial inquiry. They can search property, detain suspects, interview anyone, commandeer dungeons, deliver punishments for crimes, enlist anyone for aid, and use force to intervene in any ongoing crimes. The abuse of these powers can lead to lashes, imprisonment, or execution.

For serious crimes, such as treason, rape, and murder, a justiciar has the responsibility to acquire as much evidence as possible from both the aggrieved and suspected parties before delivering punishment. Failure to uphold investigatory responsibilities can lead to expulsion, imprisonment, the removal of ears, or the same punishment given to an unjustly punished victim.

Within a particular region, a high justiciar is responsible for assigning local justiciars to tasks, providing guidance and assistance to local justiciars, and providing judicial consultation to the region's great lord, whose castle the high justiciar resides in. A high justiciar must spend the majority of the year residing in a region's capital.

### Eligibility

Justiciars can be commoners or nobles of any kind. They are predominantly men; rarely do women serve. Preference is given to people aged 18 to 50, due to the physical demands of the position.

The king appoints justiciars for important tasks while the lord justiciar appoints all other justiciars. Because justiciars are often knighted for their service, many commoners compete for the honour.

## Historical Events

### Establishment - 60 AC

As Prince Regent Jaehaerys Targaryen initiated reforms around the realm, he established the Justiciars to maintain order among the commonfolk and the nobility. He appointed Ser Ronnel Darklyn as his first Lord Justiciar.

### Duskendale Incident - 64 AC

Ser Harys, a justiciar that operated mainly in the Crownlands, executed the heir to Duskendale, Ser Orson Darklyn, after having intercepted him on his way to King's Landing. The mock trial brought out significant outcry against the justiciars, prompting Ser Ronnel, Orson's uncle, to adopt formalized codes of conduct for the Order.

### Riot in Fishmonger's Square - 69 AC

In 69 AC, a severe outbreak of dragonblight had struck King’s Landing, and to a lesser extent, other portions of the Crownlands. Three Justiciars were tasked with finding Ser Osney Windell, who was guilty of the murder of a knight in service to House Targaryen despite maintaining his innocence. The justiciars believed he was hiding in Fishmonger’s Square.

Smallfolk in Fishmonger’s Square that had long been suffering without care became restless as the justiciars and their city watch escorts spirited Ser Osney away, demanding to know what right they had to take him. Restlessness turned into irritation, which then turned into anger. After a tense standoff, the smallfolk broke out in riot. In the chaos that followed, two of the three Justiciars died, and Ser Osney escaped the last one’s grasp. It was not until more gold cloaks arrived that an end came to the slaughter. The failure of the justiciars to keep order would later be pointed to as a failure of the organization and a stain on Ser Ronnel's honour.

### Justiciar Collapse - 78 AC

Maegor’s Breath brought many difficulties upon the Crownlands. The bitter cold and Dragonblight took many lives and the justiciars were not exempt. Even before the Hook Uprising, their numbers grew thinner and thinner as death relieved them of their duties.

King Rhaegar was away fighting in the Uprising when Ser Ronnel lost his life to dragonblight in 78 AC. His death fractured the justiciars in a time of turmoil, leaving it to self-interested high justiciars to rule over the justice of their regions.

It was only when King Rhaegar returned from the war that he discovered there were few justiciars left. Putting what was left back together, Rhaegar personally recruited new members and named Lord Harry Darry as the new Lord Justiciar for his role in the execution of Lord Aegon Mooton, the rebel lord.

The next decades would see the Justiciars rejuvenated in number and purpose, with standardized practices to rid them of their former corruption.

### Duel at Storm's End - 98 AC

A justiciar by the name of Ser Jorran of Wickenden would come to deal with a local tax-related issue at Storm's End. During his stay, Jorran came to notice the vocal, seditious opinions of Devan Baratheon, having overheard him make an insulting remark about King Viserys.

Without consulting his superior, Jorran began digging deeper into Devan’s character, but it did not take long for the Baratheon to pick up on the justiciar's intentions. While Lord Roy Baratheon and the High Justiciar were out dealing with bandits in the marches, Devan confronted Jorran and challenged him to a duel.

Though Jorran had put up a good fight, he would find himself gravely injured in the ensuing duel, having been gutted by the young Baratheon’s blade. When the High Justiciar returned, he was furious to hear of these events despite Devan's insistence that Jorran was the one who started the fight. Roy believed his brother and was quite annoyed at the High Justiciar for “letting a snake like Jorran into his home."

When King Viserys heard of the duel, he had not exactly prioritized ruling. It had all occurred only a few months after the death of his wife and baby, and he had shut himself away from everything. In a letter that in truth was not written by him, he apologized for the supposed brash actions of his justiciar, and promised House Baratheon it would not happen again

## Current Justiciars

* Lord Gerold Royce, Lord Justiciar, appointed 103 AC
* Prince Armidyon Targaryen, Lord Justiciar, appointed 129 AC
* Lord Torrhen Forrester, High Justiciar of the North, appointed 120 AC
* Prince Daeron Targaryen, High Justiciar of the Riverlands, appointed 125 AC
* Lord Gaemon Crane, High Justiciar of the Reach, appointed 128 AC
* Lord Davos Manning, High Justiciar of Dorne, appointed 129 AC
* VACANT, High Justiciar of the Vale

* VACANT, High Justiciar of the Stormlands
* VACANT, High Justiciar of the Iron Islands

* VACANT, High Justiciar of the Westerlands

## Past Justiciars

* Ser Martyn Tarbeck, High Justiciar of Dorne. Killed by Andrey Toland late in 129 AC.
* Ser Jaremy Rollingford, Justiciar of the Crownlands.
* Ser Elyas Redfort, High Justiciar of the Vale.
* Lord Clyve Caron, High Justiciar of the Stormlands.
* Lord Arlan Fell, Justiciar of the Stormlands.
* Ser Ector Dondarrion, Justiciar of the Stormlands.
* Ser Quentyn Oakheart, Justiciar of the Arbor. Served 100 AC through 105 AC to observe and advise Lord Cleyton Redwyne following the War of Ironborn Aggression.
* Lord Andros Tarbeck, Lord Justiciar and former High Justiciar of the Westerlands. Wore the white sash from 98 AC to his death in 103 AC during the War of the Setting Sun.
* Lord Rickard Rowan, High Justiciar of the Reach. A key figure in quelling the White Rose Rebellion.
* Lord Uther Peake, High Justiciar of the Reach. A key figure in quelling the White Rose Rebellion.
* Ser Denys of Nightingale, High Justiciar of the Riverlands. Resigned his position in 98 AC to return home to his inn in the Riverlands.
* Lord Harry Darry, the second Lord Justiciar of the Iron Throne. Appointed Master of Coin by King Viserys I Targaryen and relieved of duties in 98 AC. Lead the justiciars for twenty years.
* Lord Lucion Corbray, High Justiciar of the Vale. Stripped of his title in 98 AC for dishonourable conduct by King Viserys I Targaryen.
* Ser Joran of Wickenden, High Justiciar of the Stormlands. Gutted by Ser Devan Baratheon in 98 AC during a duel.
* Lord Darion Darke, High Justiciar of the Reach. Brutally executed at the onset of the Rosegold Rebellion by the rebel king, Gwayne Tyrell.
* Ser Ronnel Darklyn, the first Lord Justiciar of the Iron Throne. Succumbed to dragonblight in 78 AC.