Section 1 : The Lord Gryphon
Section 2 : Gryphon Lands and the extent of these Laws
Section 3 : The Gathering Treaty
Section 4 : Rank and Status within Gryphon Lands
Section 5 : Arrest and Imprisonment
Section 6 : The Court
Section 7 : Offences and Punishments under Gryphon Law
Section 8 : Miscellanea
Authority

Section 1 : The Lord Gryphon

A

Upon the death or abdication of the Lord Gryphon, the Kings of Lyonesse and Estragales shall appoint His successor. In the event of there being no current King of either or both realms, the duty shall pass to the next in their lines of succession, as appropriate.

B

The appointment of Lord Gryphon is for life, or until abdication.

C

The word of Lord Gryphon is absolute, limited only by clause 1E. All the statutes set forth in these documents may be changed at any time upon the whim of the Lord Gryphon, with the exception of those in Section 1.

D

The Lord Gryphon is immune to prosecution under these statutes.

E

The Protocol of Mediera
In circumstances where the Lord Gryphon orders the execution of a Gryphon subject, the Lord Gryphon must first seek counsel from a quorum of Gryphon nobles.

Section 2 : Gryphon Lands and the extent of these Laws

A

Gryphon Lands are defined as being the Kingdoms of Lyonesse and Estragales, together with outlying islands and archipelagos thereof. Furthermore, Gryphon Lands include those ceded to the Lord Gryphon by other factions, guilds or organisations, those gained by diplomacy, those gained by exploration and those gained by conquest. Gryphon ships at sea and Gryphon armies in the field are also considered to be on Gryphon Land. Lands and territories may be ceded to other factions, guilds or organisation by the Lord Gryphon for ambassadorial or other purposes. These lands and territories do not count among Gryphon Lands. Hereafter in this document, the phrase "Gryphon Lands" shall mean that defined above.

B

The Laws and Statutes set out in this document (hereafter referred to as "Gryphon Law") shall apply to all Gryphons regardless of their location and environs, whether they be on land of other factions, guilds or any other organisation.

C

Gryphon Law shall apply to all persons on Gryphon Lands, regardless of faction, guild or other affiliation, with the exception of officially recognised Ambassadors (see 3B)

D

Supra-jurisdictional Protocol
Gryphon Law shall apply to all persons regardless of faction, guild or other affiliation, with the exception of officially recognised Ambassadors (see 3B), regardless of locale, at the discretion of the Lord-Provost or Lord Gryphon.

Section 3 : The Gathering Treaty

A

The Gathering Treaty is part of Gryphon Law. The Gryphons fully uphold and support the tenets of this treaty.

B

As per the Gathering Treaty, Ambassadors from other factions or Guilds who bear official recognition by the Lord Gryphon are immune from prosecution under Gryphon Law. However, they may be forcibly or otherwise removed from Gryphon Lands at the whim of the Lord Gryphon.

C

Accognoscere Protocol
Factions that refuse to ratify the Gathering Treaty are to be considered to be outside the protections and privileges contained therein. The laws, statutes, customs and the jurisdiction thereof are not recognised under Gryphon Law, except at the discretion of the Lord Gryphon for the purposes and aims of Gryphon diplomacy.

Section 4: Rank and Status within Gryphon Lands

A

Gryphons are given rank by the Lord Gryphon and her lawfully appointed advisors. Ranks are in the following order of status, lowest first:

Serjent
Baron or Baroness
Viscompte or Viscomptessa
Compte or Comtessa
Marquis or Marchioness
Duc or Duchess

B

The titles shown are those normally used within Gryphon lands. However, as per cultural and historical differences, individuals may choose their own title, provided it does not imply any status that they do not possess.

C

Rank and Status of individuals in other factions, guilds or organisations is irrelevant under Gryphon Law save for the dispensation granted to officially recognised Ambassadors (see 3B).

Section 5 : Arrest and Imprisonment

A

Individuals responsible to Gryphon Law (see 2B, 2C &2D) may be arrested on suspicion of breaking Gryphon Law only by Gryphons of higher rank than themselves (see 4A) and duly appointed Magistrate.

B

Gryphon Magistrate shall be defined as the Lord-Provost and those Gryphons the Lord-Provost shall appoint to be the upholders of the Gryphon Law.

C

Gryphon Magistrate may arrest any suspected of breaking Gryphon Law, notwithstanding (1D). Furthermore, Gryphon Magistrate may only be arrested by Magistrate who hold rank higher than their own, by the Lord-Provost or by the Lord Gryphon.

D

Within the armies and navies of the Lord Gryphon, individuals may be arrested by any of their superior officers.

E

Upon arrest, individuals suspected of breaking Gryphon Law may be imprisoned pending the formation of a court to hear the accusations brought against them. Individuals may be held for no longer than a year and a day without trial.

Section 6 : The Court

A

A Court shall consist of one Magistrate, a number of jurors to be not less than two but not more than ten, one Clerk to the Court, one Counsel for the Defence and one Counsel for the Prosecution.

B

While the court is sitting, the word of the Magistrate in the court is to be considered that of the Lord Gryphon for all considerations of Gryphon Law except those under (Section 1).

C

The Magistrate is selected by the Lord-Provost or the Lord Gryphon.

D

The Magistrate must normally be of higher rank than the accused (see 4A). However the Lord-Provost and all Magistrate may act as Magistrate for any court, regardless of the rank of the accused.

E

Within the army and navies of the Lord Gryphon, the Magistrate may be selected by the commander of the regiment or sea-going vessel as appropriate. The Magistrate must be higher-ranked within the military than the accused.

F

The accused may request trial by Combat or trial by Ordeal, or another method, rather than the method here. This is granted at the discretion and by the terms of the Magistrate.

G

The Magistrate selects the number of jurors required for that court. Jurors are appointed by the Magistrate, and must normally be Gryphons of equal rank or higher to the accused (see 4A).

H

The Clerk to the court and the Counsel for the Prosecution are appointed by the Magistrate, and must be Gryphons, although they may be of any rank.

I

The accused shall choose the counsel for his or her Defence, who must be a Gryphon of any rank. In the event of the accused being unwilling or unable to choose a suitable Counsel, the Magistrate shall elect one.

J

The trial shall proceed as follows, subject to alteration by the Magistrate. First, both counsels shall present opening arguments, Prosecution first. Then, the Counsel for the Prosecution must present their case. He/she may call witnesses as per 6M (below). Then the counsel of the Defence will present their case, again calling on witnesses if necessary. Finally, both counsels will make closing arguments, Prosecution first.

K

The guilt or innocence of the accused is decided by a majority verdict of the jurors. In the event of a tie, the accused is deemed to be innocent.

L

If the accused is found guilty, sentence is to be passed by the Magistrate.

M

Witnesses called to give evidence by the Counsels for the Defence and Prosecution must do so, unless on Military Service. This requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Magistrate.

Section 7 : Offences and Punishments under Gryphon Law

The crimes are set out below, with their appropriate punishments. Where there is leeway in the punishment, for example the duration of imprisonment, this is at the discretion of the Magistrate. In exceptional circumstances the Lord-Provost may specify an appropriate punishment at their discretion.

Ignorance of these offences and punishments does not constitute a legal defence.

Crime (Title of)	Crime (Description of)	Punishment
Treason	1 - An attack on the Lord Gryphon. 2 - An attack on a lawfully appointed subordinate of the Lord Gryphon in the process of carrying out his or her duty. 3 - Providing support for another faction, guild or organisation against the Lord Gryphon. 4 - Actions deemed detrimental to the cause of the Lord Gryphon.	Death followed by dismemberment.
Espionage	The provision of confidential information to another faction, guild or organisation.	Death followed by dismemberment.
Piracy on the High Seas	The unauthorised boarding of a ship at sea, taking of property or an attack by any means upon a ship at sea.	Death followed by dismemberment.
Murder	The premeditated killing of another.	Death, or Imprisonment.
Manslaughter	The killing of another not covered under Murder, be it accidental, retaliatory or otherwise, other than done in reasonable self-defence.	Death, or Imprisonment, Weregild payable to the family of the victim.
Assault	A violent attack on persons without due provocation.	Imprisonment, or Flogging, or Fines.
Robbery	The taking of another's property without their consent whilst using violence or threats of violence	Imprisonment, or Flogging, or the removal of one of the accused's hands, and/or compensation paid to the victim.
Theft	The unauthorised taking of the property of another not covered under Robbery above.	Imprisonment, or Flogging, or the removal of one of the accused's hands, and/or compensation paid to the victim.
Slavery	The sale, purchase or keeping of any sapient being as a property.	Imprisonment, or Flogging, or Fines.
Poaching	The taking of game or livestock without the permission of the owner of the land on which they were found.	Imprisonment, or Fines.
Perjury	The act of deliberately misleading a court whilst giving evidence, be that evidence written or vocal.	Imprisonment, or Fines.
Abetting	The act of wilfully aiding a third party in the planning or execution of a criminal act by action or omission of action.	Death, or Imprisonment, or Flogging, or Fines.
Control of Unlife	The act of controlling, influencing or manipulating Unlife in a manner contrary to the expedition of it’s destruction or laying to rest	At the discretion of the Lord Gryphon
Conspiracy to perpetuate the state of Unlife	The aiding, abetting or otherwise assisting the cause of an Unliving being in a manner contrary to the expedition of it’s destruction or laying to rest	Death followed by dismemberment.
Necromancy	Channelling energies from the plane of Unlife, whether raw energy or patterns, forcing them into a mortal or immortal form whether corporeal or otherwise or the tainting of a living person or inanimate object with them	Death followed by dismemberment.
Contempt of Court	1 - The act of causing disorder in a Gryphon court, impudence or disrespect to the Magistrate or any lawful appointee of the court. 2 - Not appearing as a witness when called under 6M (above). Unlike other crimes, this need not be brought to trial; rather a sentence may be passed summarily by the Magistrate.	Imprisonment, or Fines.

Section 8 : Miscellanea

A

Duels are lawful on Gryphon Lands under the honourable terms of the Code Duello. However, all duels must have a Magistrate as an arbitrator. In the event of the death of one of the combatants, the victor must pay compensation to the family of the deceased, the amount to be decided by the arbitrator and in any event not less than the sum of ten gold pieces.

B

All Unliving and Necromancers, are considered to be threats to the security of the cause of the Lord Gryphon, and are to be destroyed immediately.

C

The cause of the Lord Gryphon
To ensure the Unity, Peace, Prosperity and Freedom of the Nobles and Subjects of the Gryphon Lands, through the exercise of Courage, Justice and Honour in the service of the Ancestors of the Gryphon Pantheon.

Authority

This document forms only part of the Laws and Statutes of the Gryphons. Those requiring more detailed information about aspects of Gryphon Law should contact the Lord-Provost.

The Lord-Provost signed this document on the first day of March 1103 AF