Law and Courts

The Lord Justiciar speaks justice. A Trial has five stages (filing, proof, hearing, ruling, enforcement), each one season unless the judge hurries it with an action.

Procedure: filing costs 200 gp. Proof: both sides roll d20 + Chancellor/Justiciar rating vs DC 12 (forgery exposed on DC 16 Spymaster check). Hearing: opposed influence rolls, +5 if the evidence gap is wide. Ruling: fines (500 gp × tier), seizure (1 stock or holding tier), exile, or death for treason/murder. Appeals climb judge-by-judge to the Throne (1,000 gp per appeal; the higher judge must outrank the accused or hold universal writ). Enforcement needs an army: no garrison Power, no ruling.

Stability effects: just ruling +1 Stability; corrupt or failed ruling −1; treason trial +2 if convicted, −2 if acquitted. Heavy or Crushing tax policy without a Lord Justiciar adds +5 unrest in every town and larger (Income, Taxes and the Collect).

Example: the Millfield Claim — two villages claim one mill. Filing (200 gp), proof (charters vs witnesses, DC 12), hearing before the Baron (+2 for the charter side), ruling: mill to the charter village, 500 gp compensation. One season, one ledger line, no feud thread.