Index

Citizenship

The many laws of Palanteinc society applied to everyone, regardless of their citizenship. While children were traditionally treated more leniently and received no (official) trials, we found some trials of foreigners to be quite harsh, possibly to make an example and send a warning to residing guests and travelers.

It is important to understand that there were, fundamentally, two kinds of “legal” people in Palanteinc: The Palanteinc Citizens and their various clan-friends. Yes, every visitor or guests (tourists) had to be a clan-friend to be allowed entry and thus travel within Palanteinc.

The third and biggest group were refugees, often runaway slaves, flocking to the less guarded areas within Palanteinc territory and who slowly trickled in and integrated into Palanteinc society. These people had a tough time at the fringes of Palanteinc society. It was not uncommon for the Palanteinc to report and deport these people in large numbers to avoid conflicts with their neighbours. Simultaneously, we have many records of slaves successfuly making friends in the lower tier clans and marrying into these families. During the early Iron Age, the Nupa ruled that runaway slaves, who had been living in Palanteinc for at least 9 years, were given equal opportunity to obtain citizenship as a clan-guest, finally adressing the issue.

Who is a Palanteinc citizen?

A Palanteinc’ citizen is a person born to a Palanteinc’ mother within the lands the Palanteinc ruled at the time of birth. 
A person born to a Palanteinc family outside of the Palanteinc’ realm could still ask to become a citizen – a request typically not denied by the Nupa.

Every Palanteinc, upon reaching adulthood, could be judged according to Palanteinc’ Law.

Who is a clan-friend?

A clan-friend is a guest (or trade partner) of a family, often relying on that particular clan for support, and resides in Palanteinc for a prolonged, purposeful stay.

Clan friends could be judged according to the Palanteinc code of law, if their home country agreed, but could also be sent back to their home country to receive punishment according to their law. Depending on the severity of their crime, citizenship could also be revoked and the person could be banned.

Obtaining Citizenship

Citizenship could be acquired by clan-friends only, if the Nupa agreed to it and if all of the following were true:
As a clan-friend, to become a citizen, you had to…

  • have 3 non-clan members vouch for your good character
  • have been married to a Palanteinc citizen for at least 6 years
  • have lived in Palanteinc for at least 9 years

Law(s)

Thanks to many of these laws having been preserved in multiple ancient languages, an almost complete reconstruction could be made. What is noteworthy – and explains the use of “could” in the paragraphs before – is the preamble of this early Code of Law. While it does not state that these laws applied to adults only, we can infer as such, as there are no records of any child trials.

Preamble

This code of law is applicable to all citizens of Palanteinc and is in effect in all our cities and provinces. It may be used to judge clan-friends accordingly, but is not binding to those.

The reason for punishment:
We punish to help people learn and grow and see the errors of their ways. Also, we punish so that people who have been wronged can be compensated.

A dead person cannot learn and grow. A dead person cannot compensate. 

Us Palanteinc are deeply communal people. We believe that forcing an individual to abstain from public live, from preventing them from seeing their loved ones, we torture them enough. Additionally, as we see slavery as too cruel and barbaric – people are not cattle – we believe that temporarily forcing someone each day to serve another completely against their will is the farthest we, the People of Palanteinc, will partake in slavery. This way the criminal can still do their daily tasks for work or household and only sacrifices some of their time.

On punishment

  1. The punishment can never be greater than the crime.
  2. The worst punishment is containment.
    • It is allowed to contain a criminal for up to 9 years if they have harmed orkilled another person.
    • During containment, the criminal cannot be partake in public or family lifeor any holy day. Their clan, family and friends may not visit the criminal. Theguards and caretakers must wear masks to conceal their faces. The criminalmay not be spoken to.
  3. A crime upon a person must result in punishment. A crime involving theft or harm of livestock or things must be settled with goods, money or time of service to the harmed family.

On the taking of life of another citizen

  1. To kill in cold blood is the worst crime. This includes any killing that is the result of a plan regardless of reason, i.e. long-time jealousy, bitterness, ritualistic sacrifice and any similar fashion.
    • The punishment for such a crime is containment for 9 years.
    • Additionally, the person must hand over their youngest child for adoption
      into the harmed family. If the person is too old of age or has never had any
      children, then the burden falls first to their family, then to the clan members.
  2. If a person kills another person in hot blood, they are banished into the Green Sea. This includes killings in the heat of the moment that are fueled by intent and rage.
    • The banishment will last a year. During banishment they may not be aided
      or spoken to. No written words must be exchanged.
    • Their heads will be shaven to mark them as criminals and warn travelers
      and traders.
    • Additionally, the person must hand over their youngest child for adoption
      into the harmed family. If the person is too old of age or has never had any
      children, then the burden falls first to their family, then to the clan members.
  3. If a person kills another person in self-defense or by accident -meaning there was no intent on killing the other-, then both the person and the harmed family must not speak to another or make any contact with the other for a year. After this time, talks about reparations may be initiated in the presence of the tribunal.
    • Traditionally, such reparations may include part-time servitude for that
      family and general life-long aid. If the accidental killer cannot serve themself,
      then the burden falls first to their own family, then to their clan.
    • The loss of a loved one cannot be weighed in gold or coins. Money or
      goods cannot be exchanged as reparations.
  1. If you have taken without consent from another that which you desire, you must make reparations. You must try and replace that which you took. If you cannot replace the exact same thing or livestock (a spear for a spear, a goat for a goat), then you must pay.
  2. If an item cannot be replaced (for example an heirloom) and the other does not accept payment, the other may ask for something similar in return that which you hold dear or need yourself.

What is “containment”?

Containment, for a lack of a better word, is the ancient Palanteinc equivalent of solitary confinement.