Decrees of the High Council

384-A : Britannian Border Decree
as voted upon by the High Council during the year 384

It is heretofore defined that Britannia consists of the Britannian mainland of which Britain is a part, the isles of Jhelom, the isle of Serpent's Hold, Verity Isle and the city of Moonglow, the isle of Magincia, the isle of Skara Brae and Iver's Rounding, Valor Isle, and within fifty paces of any Shrine of Virtue not contained within any other boundary so defined.

So proclaimed as law and decree during the 115th Assembly of the High Council of Britannia in the Year 384 by vote of Councilors present: Assenting: Andreas Eathain for Minoc, Branwen for Trinsic, Ghislaine de Luc for Yew, Phoenix for Balance, Ailieve for Order; Abstaining: Lady Silverbrook for Magincia. Ratified by Chancellor Ra'Dian Fl'Gith.

378-A : Britannian Vampirism Act
as voted upon by the High Council during the year 378

In that the act of Vampirism, herein known to exist within Britannia, is the perversion of life into undeath, and requires that in order to sustain this undeath, blood must be used to sustain the life of vampires and their kin, it is hereby ordered that the Act of Vampirism is hereby banned and made illegal within Britannia. It is then hereby defined that Vampirism is the feeding of a vampire upon a human, humanoid, or demihuman race (elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins, and other similar kin hereby included).

It is known to this Council that some Vampires feed only upon criminal elements within Britannia, and let it be known that this act is unvirtuous, and goes against the very fibers of Britannia, in that criminals, as all others, are allowed to have their actions to be weighed by Justice. Further, the feeding of Vampires upon enemies of Britannia is likewise cruel and injust, for similarly, it is a cruel and inhumane punishment against those enemies, and could be construed as a war crime.

Furthermore, in regard to feeding upon a willing victim, let it be known that none may willingly subject themselves to Vampirism, for it is known that there is a euphoric feeling involved with the act of feeding, and further that Vampirism itself is enticing due to rumored enhanced physical abilities at the cost of one's mortal life.

Therefore it is declared that, while Vampires, in undeath, are entitled to the same rights as those of the living, these rights do not extend to feeding upon other human living creatures. Vampires are forthwith required to feed upon the blood of animals much as the living may feed upon the flesh of animals. While this is said to leave a Vampire in a weakened state, it is more than sufficient to maintain their unlife, and allow them to be active and productive parts of society without the alleged "super-human" powers they are said to possess.

Therefore, by order of the High Council of Britannia, the Act of Vampirism, defined as a vampire or similar kin feeding upon human, humanoid, or demihuman blood to sustain themselves, is a High Crime, and punishable as the High Court sees fit, up to, and including, the permanent death of that vampire, or a cure of magical nature to remove the vampiric curse if such is found to exist.

So proclaimed as law and decree during the 88th Meeting of the High Council of Britannia in the Year 378 by vote of Councilors present: Assenting: Katarina McCrae for Minoc, Ghislaine de Luc for Yew, Leshyani Rianne for Magincia, Jujubee for Jhelom, Des Tai for Britain, Ariyana Sune for Moonglow, Ailieve for Chaos; Dissenting: Nyarlathotep for Trinsic; Abstaining: Phoenix for Balance.  Ratified by Chancellor Ra'Dian Fl'Gith.

368-A : Great Charter Declaration
as voted upon by the High Council during the year 368

1. In that we recognize the Council of Thorn to be an advocate of Virtue within and outside the Kingdom of Britannia, we so too recognize that the Council of Thorn is best suited to render judgement upon the crimes of the members of the Crusaders of Virtue, and shall, as a sign of cooperation, release into custody for trial any member of the Crusaders of Virtue that may so be detained for criminal activities. It is thereby requested and required that the Council of Thorn recognize that the Kingdom of Britannia may best conduct affairs that lie within its pervue, and that in interest of avoiding Chaos, prisoners so held for trial by the Kingdom of Britannia who are not directly members of the Crusaders of Virtue may not request extradition, but instead may request representation from the Council of Thorn, and that the proceedings may be observed by an independent overseer to ensure that Justice is properly dealt. In addition, one who is not already a member of the Crusaders of Virtue may not become a member of such while imprisoned or awaiting trial in the Kingdom of Britannia to avoid prosecution by the Kingdom.

2. It is hereby acknowledged by the High Council of Britannia that all citizens of Britannia are granted inalienable liberties and free customs; that no criminal shall be unduly fined, nor lengthily imprisoned without due process, and that all cares shall be taken to ensure that Justice be fair and tempered by Compassion and Spirituality.

3. By this declaration, the Council of Thorn is free to operate and conduct itself within the Kingdom of Britannia, and that this High Council shall open diplomatic relations with the Council of Thorn to ensure that all interactions are fair and forthright; while recognizing that the Council of Thorn is free to grant its protection to any who so desire it, the sovereign boundaries and cities of the Kingdom shall remain such, and that any disagreement between locality and the Kingdom shall be handled by diplomatic measure rather than by war; that the Council of Thorn may offer its advice in such matters, and if so requested by the locality or Kingdom, may act as arbiter to come to a diplomatic solution.

4. With direct regards to felons of the Kingdom of Britannia, it is hereby requested and required that the Council of Thorn continue to recognize the sovereignty of the Kingdom, and that while the Kingdom so agrees to return into the custody of the Council of Thorn any so held that is member of the Crusaders of Virtue, none other shall forcibly be released by the Council of Thorn; that the Kingdom of Britannia may take under advisement the requests of the Council of Thorn with regard to any so held, but that Britannia remains free to conduct its own affairs of those who, outside of the Crusaders of Virtue, conducted criminal action against the Kingdom.

So proclaimed as law and decree during the 44th Meeting of the High Council of Britannia in the Year 368 by unanimous vote of Councilors present: Jakob Covenant for Minoc, Willa for Yew, Kinara Dragmire for Magincia, Tarondor for Moonglow, Scribe Sidious for Skara Brae, and Phoenix for Balance. Ratified by Chancellor Ra'Dian Fl'Gith.

364-B : Death Penalty Limitations
as voted upon by the High Council during the year 364

By order of the High Council, the previous law on the limitation of death penalty sentencing is hereby superceded by the following law as proposed by Ambassador Malone of Serpent's Hold to complement the original item brought forth by Councilor Dunamis of Jhelom.

1. Local district judges may convict and sentence a criminal to death.

2. In cases where a death sentence is given, the convict must be given three days to submit an appeal to the High Court to change his sentence.  The sentencing may not be carried out prior to the expiration of the appeal period.

3. This appeal will not affect the conviction.  The High Court may, however, reduce the sentence of the felon if the use of the death penalty is seen as excessive punishment for the crime.

4. The High Justicar may deny a requiest to appeal a death sentence at any time.

So proclaimed as law and decree during the 28th Meeting of the High Council of Britannia in the Year 364, by unanimous vote of Councilors present: Jakob Covenant for Minoc, Gurney Halleck for Trinsic, Alex for Yew, Dunamis for Jhelom, Kellor for Moonglow, Tex for Skara Brae, and Ravenmaster for Balance.  Ratified by Chancellor Ra'Dian Fl'Gith.

364-A : Death Penalty Limitations
as voted upon by the High Council during the year 364

By order of the High Council, no local government or court may execute a criminal without review and approval by the High Court of Britannia.  Thereby, it is illegal for any local government or court to carry out a death sentence without such review and approval of the High Court.

So proclaimed as law and decree during the 27th Meeting of the High Council of Britannia in the Year 364, by vote of Councilors present: Ascenting: Jakob Covenant for Minoc, Alex for Yew, Leshyani Rianne for Magincia, Dunamis for Jhelom, and Tex for Skara Brae, with Daclin abstaining for Trinsic.  Ratified by Chancellor Ra'Dian Fl'Gith.

Superceded by a renewed Death Penalty Limitation passed during the 28th Meeting of the High Council, refered to here as item 364-B.