Ereban Adventuring Laws

Under the reforms initiated shortly before the founding of the Ereban Empire, sweeping changes were made to the distribution of power in Ereba. Private armies were banned, the national army was made vastly more powerful and professional, and the Great Houses were reduced in stature from factions maintaining a careful balance of power to merely business concerns. As power flowed to the central government, new laws regarding adventurers were created to regulate these sometimes incredibly powerful individuals and prevent them from becoming threats to the safety of the realm.

The following is not intended to be a comprehensive explanation of Ereban law as it relates to adventurers, but rather a rough outline of the changes made and positions taken by the Imperial government regarding adventurers inside imperial borders.

Licensing

Ereban adventurers are expected to keep an up-to-date license stating, among other things, their current level. For low-level adventurers, this is free following a minor processing fee, but after fifth level a monthly fee is applied, and starting at tenth level adventurers are required to announce their arrival in and departure from cities.

Enlistment or Exile

The least flexible, and many feel most onerous, of the laws is that which requires high-level adventurers to enter government service. Starting at tenth level, adventurers are encouraged to join the Legions or other government office. At fifteenth level, this encouragement becomes a requirement, with exile beyond Imperial borders as an alternative. While a large number of adventurers have chosen exile, many others have eagerly taken the opportunity to retire into high office or Legion command posts.

Peace Bonding

Starting at fifth level, adventurers are required to submit to peace bonding. Weapons and spellbooks must be visibly bound with wire inside cities to indicate peaceful intent. While the peace bond is easily broken, and doesn't even render weapons such as axes and spears unusable, tampering is easily discovered and carries strict penalties.

Just Cause Requirement

In many countries adventurers are able to act largely without oversight, their heroic deeds proof against punishment for most of the crimes they may commit in the course of performing those deeds. Ereban authorities, concerned by the obvious dangers of this, have begun requiring that adventurers regularly account for any actions that may have been criminal and explain how they were necessary for the greater good. Adventurers who do not report their crimes are often stripped of their adventuring licenses and may be imprisoned, exiled, or executed as the law demands.

Treasure Tax

The Empire is wealthy, but its massive expansion and militarization are incredibly expensive. In order to finance its budget and wars, the imperial government has begun taxing the treasure troves that adventurers discover. Any party returning with more than 1,000 gp worth of loot from an adventure are taxed on anything over that amount. The tax starts at 10 percent and increases to 25 percent for amounts over 250,000 gp.

Category:Ereba