What if someone tries to escape during an arrest?
- If it occurs on route to the local gaol that is resisting arrest and may be either an added charge against the person, or, if the offender resists violently or with weapons, they may be incapacitated by any means and the charge of Treason punishable by hanging added to their offenses.
What if one person accuses another person (both with similar status) of a serious offense without evidence or supporting testimony?
- Interview all involved if possible, arrest no one unless the accused party seems a flight risk or a "shifty" sort. Guage the credibility of both the accused and the accuser, determine if there would have been anything for the accused to logically gain by the alleged offense and then make a judgment call., either detain for questioning or decline to pursue the allegation depending on that judgment.
What if a commoner should attack (armed) a city watchman/inquisitor/kaldoran noble for any reason?
- They may be immediately incapacitated by using like force, report the incident and all details afterwards. If unarmed attack try to take them alive, but if they resist they may be incapacitated by any means.
What if I'm ordered/asked by someone important to arrest a guildsperson or clergy?
- Try to gauge whether the someone important is higher ranking in society than the one they wish arrested, if so, proceed with the arrest but be polite, ask the person to peaceably accompany you to the gaol for questioning. There deprive them of any weapons and place them in the cell without force, allow them to retain their clothing.
If the petitioner does not seem to have legitimate rank/authority to request the arrest then tell them you will report their concerns to your superiors, depart and report the details on the guard board.
What if I've had to arrest a guildsperson or clergy or some reason?
- Report details, make sure to mention their status so the Watch can inform the Mangai if guilded, if clergy try to notify their church personally (if church has PCs) otherwise Watch will handle it behind the scenes.
Try to show restraint in dealing with persons of status, allow them to retain clothing in gaol for their dignity, don't place them in cell with other offenders that might be dangerous, notify someone at their request at guard's discretion.
What if an unknown guard/inquisitor/official has just been encountered, in proper uniform but I don't recognize them?
- Take note of their appearance, ask their identity and later on request verification of their identity/status via the guard board. If they turn out to be impersonating a warrant will be sworn out for their arrest.
What if a ranking member of another Order/Unit orders me to accompany them into a dangerous place or undertake a potentially unlawful act?
- You may decline to do so at your discretion. Report their request to superiors on guard board. If the ranking member which makes the order/request is noble, consider it carefully, technically no guard is required to comply but some higher ups in the Watch may consider it dereliction of duty for a guardsman to allow nobility to go into harm's way without assistance.
What if I'm requested to enter an unknown alley, sewer, or leave town to accompany some member of another Order/Unit?
- For alleys and sewers you are expected to decline according to Watch regulations regarding such places being off-limits to guardsmen. Some consideration may be made if the requestor is a Kaldoran noble of an allied military/religious unit and its doubtful the Watch would impose any penalty if a guard ignored the regulation in such a circumstance, but compliance with the request is not mandatory. For escort out of town, attempt to comply if request seems reasonable.
What if I witness a member of another Order/Unit committing a crime against a suspect in the gaol (or elsewhere)?
- Report details to superiors on guard board, the Watch may wish to notify that member's order/unit of their conduct. Latitude may be granted in dealing with nobility who engage in minor misconduct, or anyone having to deal with an especially quarrelsome or uncooperative suspect.
How long can someone be held in the gaol while investigating charges?
- Technically as long as your superiors will allow, the gaol is essentially a holding place until sentence is passed, the gaol itself is not actually considered a punishment except in a few petty misdemeanors, its merely where they keep the accused until someone judges them.
The real answers to this depend on the accused' status, if a non-guilded, non-clerical commoner it could be a very long time, guildsfolk and clergy typically only til the facts of the charge can be determined and penalty imposed, and nobility not very long at all.
If a suspect is an otherwise upstanding member of the community and respected can they be paroled during the investigation? (i.e. released while the watch investigates the charges)
- Yes, at the ranking guard's discretion, preferably a Sergeant or above. This requires the accused's pledge that they will return to face sentencing at a later time if requested, should the accused fail to return upon request or public announcement that their attendance is required then they shall be judged guilty in-absentia of whatever they were charged with and dealt with as a fugitive in the future.
If someone who is known to have been previously banished from the kingdom is seen on the streets or in the establishments of town how should I proceed?
- Detain immediately by whatever means necessary, if they resist they may be incapacitated by any means. If you are unsure of their banishment check with Watch headquarters first.
What if a wanted fugitive approaches me and wishes to negotiate terms for their turning themselves in, or what punishment they'll receive for their crime?
- You may negotiate on terms of them coming in only, allowing for notifying certain parties at their request, giving them opportunity to tell their side of the story and so on, but, no negotiation may take place on issues of punishment or sentencing. Outlaws may only become lawful by coming in and facing the law, no one should be permitted to bargain what charges/penalties shall come to them while a fugitive.
What if a fugitive enters a temple and requests (and receives) from the clergy there a sanctuary?
- Respect the grant of sanctuary, do not remove the fugitive by force but notify them (or the clergy to pass on to them) that should they leave the grounds the Watch may legally take them. Report all details on guard board, you or someone else may follow-up with negotiating with the clergy the circumstances of the fugitive turning themself in, see limitation in above question.
Its also very important for both the clergy and the fugitive to know that should the fugitive leave sanctuary after the guard leaves, that they cannot re-enter sanctuary again later. Once granted and taken the fugitive must remain at the temple, if they leave all bets are off.
What if I'm ordered to arrest someone by a noble for an offense I did not witness?
- If the noble is Kaldoran, make the arrest, report all the details, either you or someone else will follow-up with it afterwards once advice has come down from your superiors or applicable NPC authority.
Do not allow the noble to interrogate the offender personally, they do not have that right. Do not allow the noble to dictate what punishment will be forthcoming, they don't have that right either, they can press the charge, but the law enforcers of the kingdom pronounce the sentence. (i.e. you/your superior if you're less than sergeant/applicable NPC authority)
What if one noble wishes to charge another noble with a crime?
- Unless you a commissioned officer of Lieutenant's rank (or a noble yourself) you are not entitled to arrest any Kaldoran noble unless acting under orders from a higher authority than the noble being charged (ex. the Lord Constable, a Sheriff, a Baron, etc) so all you can do is withdraw from the situation and report all details for your superiors, along with who wishes whom charged with what. Someone else will sort it out.
What if a foreigner claiming equivalent to noble status (ex. Valhakar/Patrician) is encountered bearing chivalric arms in Kaldor?
- Let them, but report their identity and the details to your superiors on the guard board, that way the Watch can ensure they are who they claim to be and check what rights they have. If necessary, ask them their identity if you don't know who they are, get their exact title and any other relevant information such as house/clan, organization. Be polite and deferential.
What if a foreigner is encountered bearing chivalric arms in Kaldor but does not claim noble status, or claims that the local laws don't apply to them for some reason?
- The local laws apply to everyone without recognized noble status so tough for them, request they turn over the chivalric arms for safekeeping til they are ready to depart Kaldor then report it on the guard board. If they refuse or flee they may be arrested, if they draw steel and attack they may be incapacitated by any means.
If I witness a Kaldoran knight subduing or otherwise detaining someone against their will, how should I proceed?
- Do not interfere with the knight, render assistance if need be, knights of Kaldor have the personal authority to detain commoners if they are offended by the commoner or witness some serious breach in the law. Report all details on guard board afterwards. See answer to the third question up above, the noble may only send the person to gaol and may not interrogate or set the punishment, that's someone else's job.
I've been threatened by an important person with loss of my position or imprisonment, etc for failing to follow their demands, what should I do?
- Nothing, report your side of the incident to your superiors and trust in their judgement. If you are deemed to have been derelict in your duty or failed in some serious manner expect to be docked wages temporarily or be demoted, or have promotion delayed. If your superiors end up supporting your judgement call in the incident then you likely needn't worry, the Watch handles disciplinary matters internally, no other order/unit is entitled to hand out discipline to guardsmen they may merely report a guard's misconduct/dereliction and then must let the Watch handle it.
If I've just encountered an inquisitor or other Laranian soldiers interrogating someone in the gaol, or bringing someone to the gaol for interrogation?
- Determine if a canon (i.e. temple/religious) offense is involved, if so they have just cause to be there. Examples are blasphemy, heresy, desecration of temples, suspicion of dark worship or witchcraft. If no canon offense appears to be involved, ask them to leave the prisoner in Watch custody and depart, report details along with what charges have been made on guard board.
If an official of the Laranian church attempts to assume custody/responsibility for a Watch prisoner, how to proceed?
- Only allow if for a canon (i.e. temple/religious) offense, and even then only prior to the prisoner being interned at the Crown's gaol. Once the prisoner is in Watch custody at the gaol, its a Watch prisoner regardless the charges against them. The church _still_ has right to question/judge on any canon offense made but they may not remove the prisoner from the gaol without Watch consent, may not execute the prisoner without Watch consent, and a guardsman is entitled to be present during interrogations if the guard (or the prisoner) requests it.