The Great Codex of the Pale

By the Light of Pholtus, the Supreme Judge of Heaven, these laws are set forth to preserve order, virtue, and divine favor in the lands of the Pale. All citizens, from the highest noble to the lowliest serf, are subject to this Codex. The Theocrat, as Voice of Pholtus on Oerth, reserves the right to amend, revoke, or expand these laws as divine wisdom directs.

I. Authority and Governance

1. Supreme Authority
• The Theocrat rules by the divine mandate of Pholtus.
• To defy the Theocrat or his lawful servants is treason, punishable by death by hanging or beheading, and confiscation of all property.
2. Obedience to Clergy and Officials
• The commands of priests, magistrates, and sworn servants of the Theocrat carry the force of law.
• Refusal or insult: Flogging, fines, or imprisonment; repeated defiance escalates to treason.
3. Clerical Decrees
• Any proclamation by the Theocrat or the Ecclesiastical Council is law upon announcement.
• Ignorance of such decrees is no defense.
4. Citizenship and Freeman Status
• Citizenship requires a public oath of loyalty to Pholtus and the Theocrat.
• Serfs may become freemen through:
1. Manumission by a lord or the Theocrat
2. Distinguished military service
3. One year and a day in a free town under church protection.
• Foreigners must register upon entry or face fines, imprisonment, or expulsion.

II. Religion and Ecclesiastical Law

1. Worship of Pholtus Alone
• Worship of any deity but Pholtus is forbidden.
• First offense: Imprisonment or forced labor.
• Second offense: Execution by hanging or exile.
2. Attendance and Piety
• All citizens must attend weekly services and observe holy festivals.
• Failure to attend: Public shaming, fines, or community service.
3. Blasphemy and Sacrilege
• Speaking against Pholtus, his clergy, or defiling sacred spaces is blasphemy.
• Punishment: Public flogging, loss of tongue, or imprisonment.
4. Tithes and Holy Offerings
• All citizens must tithe a portion of income, harvest, or trade to the Church of Pholtus.
• Willful refusal: Double fine, seizure of property, or imprisonment.
5. Sacrifices to Other Gods
• Sacrifices or offerings to any deity but Pholtus are illegal.
• Punishment: Execution by hanging or burning.
6. Holy Symbols and Homes
• All homes and businesses must display a symbol of Pholtus.
• Failure: Fine or community service until corrected.

III. Public Order and Moral Conduct

1. Curfew and Identification
• Curfew is in effect from sunset to sunrise.
• All citizens must carry identification papers.
• Violations: Fines, detention, or imprisonment.
2. Unauthorized Assemblies
• Assemblies of more than five people require clerical approval.
• Unauthorized assembly: Dispersal by force, fines, imprisonment, or public beatings.
3. Speech and Literature
• Public speeches, performances, and writings must honor the virtues of Pholtus.
• Unauthorized or heretical material: Confiscation, fines, or public shaming.
4. Public Decency and Morality
• Public affection is limited to hand-holding.
• Clothing must be clean, modest, and free of profane markings.
• Tattoos and body modifications are forbidden.
• Violations: Fines, public shaming, or imprisonment.
5. Profanity, Lies, and Harassment
• Profanity, slander, and harassment are punishable by fines or public service.
• Lying in official or ecclesiastical matters: Fines, shaming, or community service.
6. Failure to Assist or Report
• Citizens must aid neighbors in fire, flood, or attack and report heresy or treason.
• Failure: Fines, flogging, or imprisonment.

IV. Magic and Forbidden Practices

1. Arcane Magic and Forbidden Texts
• Arcane magic is prohibited; only divine magic wielded by the clergy of Pholtus is lawful.
• Casting or teaching arcane magic: Beheading.
• Necromancy or demonic pacts: Burning at the stake.
• Possession of forbidden texts: Imprisonment or hanging.
2. Magical Items
• All magical items must be surrendered to the Church for examination.
• Concealment: Imprisonment, confiscation, or execution.

V. Agriculture, Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife

1. Livestock Ownership
• Freemen and farmers may own: oxen, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, cats, and dogs.
• Horses require militia service; hunting hounds and falcons are for nobles and clergy only.
• Livestock must be branded and recorded in the parish ledger.
2. Hunting Laws
• All forests and wild game belong to Pholtus and the Theocrat.
• All hunting on Pholtus' Lands requires a permit from the local magistrate's office
• Sacred animals (white stags, temple swans) are never to be harmed.
• Unauthorized hunting:
• 1st offense: Fine or branding
• 2nd offense: Loss of hand
• 3rd offense: Death by hanging
3. Fishing Rights
• Hook-and-line fishing in common waters is permitted for food.
• Nets, traps, or commercial fishing require a church license and a tithe to Pholtus.
• Fishing in sacred or royal waters—those bordering temples, monasteries, or the estates of the Theocrat—is strictly forbidden without extraordinary dispensation from the Church of Pholtus.
• Such permission is granted only in recognition of exceptional service, such as:
• Completing a sacred quest or pilgrimage.
• Donating a significant tithe or gift to the temple.
• Rendering military or civic service of great value to the Church.
• Any catch from sacred waters must be blessed and presented first to the Church; only what is not taken for holy use may be kept by the fisherman.
• Fishing without a license: Confiscation, and flogging.
• Unauthorized fishing in sacred waters is considered sacrilege, punishable by:
• First offense: Public flogging and loss of boat or gear
• Second offense: Imprisonment or enslavement to the Church
• Third offense: Execution by hanging

VI. Property, Commerce, and Liability

1. Theft and Fraud
• Theft: Imprisonment; repeat offense: Hand amputation.
• Fraud or price gouging: Fines, restitution, and public shaming.
2. Business and Markets
• Businesses must close on holy days.
• Sale of intoxicants is strictly regulated.
• Violations: Fines, temporary closure, revocation of licenses, business seizure.
3. Property Damage and Liability
• General Rule of Liability
• If a neighbor’s tree or roof damages another’s house, the owner pays full restitution, unless the cause was an act of God.
• The owner of any livestock is liable for injury, death, or property damage caused by their animals, including cattle, oxen, cows, horses, mules, and pigs.
• Negligence and First Offense
• If livestock injure a man or damage property for the first time, the owner shall pay full restitution to the injured party.
• Known Dangerous Animals
• If an animal is known to be dangerous (a goring bull, a biting horse, a rampaging pig) and the owner failed to restrain it, then:
• The animal shall be slain or removed from the parish.
• The owner shall be flogged.
• Double restitution shall be paid to the injured party.
• Death Caused by Livestock
• If livestock kill a man::
• The animal shall be destroyed, and the owner will not profit from the death of the animal.
• If owner negligence is proven, the owner is guilty of manslaughter, punishable by loss of land, a hand, or enslavement to the Church, depending on the severity of the negligence.
• Stampedes or Herd Incidents
• If a herd or stampede causes widespread damage or death:
• Each owner whose animals escaped is jointly liable for double restitution.
• If negligence is clear, owners face public flogging; if deaths result, charges of manslaughter may follow.
• Acts of Pholtus
• If the escape was caused by a storm, fire, or other act of Pholtus, the owner is liable only for half damages.

VII. Military and Civic Duties

1. Mandatory Service
• All freemen owe 30 days of military service per year.
• Desertion: Execution by hanging.
2. Community and Charity
• Citizens must participate in community service projects.
• Acts of charity are rewarded by the Church.
3. Obligation to the Ecclesiastical Court
• All disputes are subject to church authority.
• Refusal: Fines, property seizure, or imprisonment.

VIII. Judicial Process and Punishments

1. Punishment by Severity
• Fines and Restitution: For minor or first-time offenses.
• Public Shaming: Stocks, shaved head, or exposure in the square.
• Flogging and Beatings: For disorderly conduct, blasphemy, or disobedience.
• Mutilation: Branding, hand amputation, tongue removal for grave moral or repeat crimes.
• Imprisonment or Forced Labor: Common for lesser or first-time offenses.
• Execution: Hanging, beheading, or burning, for treason, heresy, or grievous crimes.
• Outlawry: Persistent criminals may be declared beyond the king’s peace; any citizen may strike them down.
2. Trial and Judgment
• Two witnesses of equal or higher class are required for conviction.
• Slave testimony counts only under interrogation or ordeal.
• In uncertain cases, trial by ordeal (hot iron, water, or single combat) may determine innocence.
• The Theocrat’s judgment is final and cannot be appealed.

Thus is the Codex of the Pale declared under the Everburning Light of Pholtus.