Your Guide to the King's Law - The Guard Handbook
Office of Justice

Welcome to the Guard Handbook, your digestible guide to the King's Law!

Just so you know, this source is a quick reference guide and you shouldn't rely on these articles as the fully fledged laws themselves. These entries have been simplified, just so that they're easier to follow, quicker to read and less cumbersome.

Want to contribute?

We'd love to hear from you! The King's Law was built through community engagement, with help from guilds such as Stormwind Investigations, Stormwind City Guard and Echo Company, and through engagement through The Royal Court's council and public committees. Through the years, it's become recognised as server-canon; the law book of Argent Dawn. It remains a community driven effort even today, carefully curated to ensure the law remains in the community's best interest, and we want to hear your thoughts, ideas and feedback to make our community resources even better!

Reach out to us to learn more, either in-game or via our Discord server: Click here to join The Royal Court Discord

Charging a Suspect

Once a suspect has been arrested and brought in to custody, they may be charged on the provision that there is enough evidence to establish a reasonable prospect of conviction, should the case go to court.

The below articles cover the three kinds of offence categories, and how the charging process works in these instances.

Penalty Offences

A suspect should not be charged when they have committed an offence that falls under the penalty category. Instead, the suspect should be issued with an on the spot FPN (Fixed Penalty Notice).

Issuing an FPN to a suspect concludes the incident and the suspect will not receive a criminal record. If a suspect wishes to contest the FPN or they do not pay, then the case will need to be escalated to a supervisor or prosecutor so that the matter can be investigated further.

Further Guidance

  • Penalty notices are minor infractions such as behaving disorderly in public or assaulting someone, and they don't normally result in a criminal record.
  • If a person is issued an FPN, then they do not need to attend court and the matter does not need to be raised with a supervisor.
  • Upon issuing an FPN, the matter is considered to be closed, unless the suspect wishes to contest the FPN, they do not pay, or they breach any restrictions listed on the FPN.

Summary Offences

If a suspect has committed an offence that falls under the summary category, the suspect must be arrested before they are charged.

If the necessity to perform an arrest is met, or a warrant has been issued for a suspects arrest, then they should be arrested and taken in to custody. The case should be escalated to a supervisor or a prosecutor, who must review the case evidence and determine whether there is a reasonable prospect of conviction to proceed.

In instances where there is sufficient evidence, the suspect may be sentenced by the supervisor. In cases where the suspect wishes to contest the sentence or does not admit their guilt, then a prosecutor must be informed and the case will need to elevated to the Magistrate's Court.

Further Guidance

  • If a person is arrested on suspicion of committing a summary offence, the case must be elevated to a supervisor or a prosecutor.
  • A suspect may plead their innocence and refuse to accept sentencing by an LEA. In this instance, the case must be elevated to a prosecutor.
  • The involvement of a prosecutor means that the case must be made accessible to the prosecutor, so that they can work.

Indictable Offences

If a suspect has committed an offence that falls under the indictable category, the suspect must be arrested before they are charged.

If the necessity to perform an arrest is met, or a warrant has been issued for a suspects arrest, then they should be arrested and taken in to custody. The case should be escalated to a senior supervisor or a prosecutor, who must review the case evidence and determine whether there is a reasonable prospect of conviction to proceed.

In instances where there is sufficient evidence, the suspect may be sentenced by the senior supervisor. In cases where the suspect wishes to contest the sentence or does not admit their guilt, then a prosecutor must be informed and the case will need to elevated to the Crown Court.

Further Guidance

  • Indictable offences are serious offences and should be handled carefully.
  • If a person is arrested on suspicion of committing an indictable offence, then the case must be elevated to a senior supervisor or a prosecutor.
  • A suspect may plead their innocence and refuse to accept sentencing by an LEA. In this instance, the case must be elevated to a prosecutor who will begin the Crown Court proceedings.
  • The involvement of a prosecutor means that the case must be made accessible to the prosecutor, so that they can work.

Sentencing Handbook

The below articles cover the various considerations to take in to account when sentencing a suspect, and provide guidance on the various avenues available for sentencing offenders.

Penalties

All fines are calculated using the Severity rating of the offence being fined. As an example, Common Assault is rated Low in terms of severity, while GBH is rated High. This means that the sentences of these offences should be considered differently. The following guidelines illustrate the basic rates in which penalties should be levied against offenders, based upon the severity of the crime:

  • Low: 5 Silver per offence
  • Medium: 15 Silver per offence
  • High: 30 Silver per offence
  • Very High: 60 Silver per offence

While offences are given severity ratings and the above guidance provides penalty rates, it is up to the person passing sentence which level of severity they will apply, based upon the facts of the case and any mitigating of aggravating factors, using the above guidance as a guideline to determine a reasonable fine.

Community Restitution

Community Restitution Orders (CRO) promote community resolution and rehabilitation for offenders; enabling victims of crime to achieve closure and receive reparation for wrong-doing or damage inflicted through restorative justice. CRO's may be issued in cases where there is damage to be repaired, either through direct restitution from offender to victim, or through community work orders where offenders are compelled to engage in unpaid community work.

Use the following guidance to determine proportionate CRO durations:

  • Low: Up to 1 Day
  • Medium: Up to 2 Days
  • High: Up to 3 Days
  • Very High: Up to 1 Week

Note that in some cases, a CRO may be an unsuitable sentence. Your best judgement should be utilised to determine if this is the case.

Corporal Sentences

Corporal Punishment is the physical punishment of offenders; there are two accepted methods of Corporal Punishment within the legal system of Stormwind and these are Flogging (also known as Lashes or Whipping) and Beating.

Flogging

Flogging may be applied with the permission of a Magistrate, or a certified JP (Justice of the Peace) for any offence. However the issuing of a Flogging sentence for lesser crimes should usually only be applied in those cases where the convict is proven to have harmed, or attempted to harm another person, or has utilised a deadly weapon in the commission of their crime.

The legal view on Flogging is that 48 lashes is fatal and so all sentences of Flogging are measured on a scale which considers 42 lashes to be the maximum a person may receive on a single occasion; unless they are sentenced to Die By The Lash, in which case the convict is whipped until dead. Of course Flogging is a more common punishment for serious offences (Rated High or above in the King's Law) than fining, but it can also be a companion punishment to a fine if the Magistrate or JP deems it appropriate.

As a guideline on how many lashes a convict should receive apply the following, which measures the number of lashes against the Severity rating given to the crime under the King's Law:

  • Low: 3 Lashes
  • Medium: 6 Lashes
  • High: 12 Lashes
  • Very High: 24 Lashes

Salt the Wound

In the case of serious or repeat offenders the sentencing Magistrate or JP may order that the convict's wounds be salted. This literally means that, once the lashes have been administered, clean salt is ground into the wounds before they are bound. This is a harsh additional punishment which inflicts additional pain, without resulting in additional damage to the convict.

Beating

A sentence of Beating is not, as you might think, a case of simply beating up the convict; instead it is a measured and highly targeted punishment aimed at deterring thieves, bandits, and graffiti 'artists'. If sentenced to Beating then the convict has one or both of their hands placed upon a wooden board, after which the hands are struck with a wooden cudgel until broken. As with Flogging only a Magistrate or JP may issue this punishment.

For the purposes of the maximum number of lashes a convict may receive, a Beating is considered to be 3 lashes per hand.

Capital Sentences

Capital Punishment is the most severe form of punishment that can be inflicted upon offenders, reserved for the most serious and grave offences. While Capital Punishment serves as a major deterrent in instances of major crime, there are instances where Capital Punishment may need to be utilised as punitive action.

As a guide, Capital Punishment is mainly reserved for offences that fall under the Very High severity category, the following articles should only be utilised where absolutely necessary and befitting of the crime conducted:

  • Execution via Decapitation
  • Execution via Firing Squad
  • Civil Death

Mitigating Factors

A Mitigating Factor is any factor relating to the crime which would warrant a decreased level of culpability and thus a reduced sentence. The following list details some (but not all) of the most common mitigating factors in a criminal case:

  • A greater degree of provocation than normally expected
  • Mental illness or disability
  • Youth or age, where it affects the responsibility of the individual defendant
  • The fact that the offender played only a minor role in the offence

Aggravating Factors

A Aggravating Factor is any factor relating to the crime which would warrant an increased level of culpability and thus an increased sentence. The following list details some (but not all) of the most common Aggravating Factors in a criminal case:

  • Use of a weapon
  • Use of a deadly weapon
  • Repeat offenders
  • Serious offenders
  • Unprovoked
  • Intent
  • Premeditation
  • Vulnerable victim
  • Multiple victims
  • Victim is a Guard, a Soldier, or a Servant of the King

Legal Terms and Glossary

The below articles cover the various terms and elements pertaining to the King's law

Forbidden Magics

Necromancy

One is guilty of Necromancy if one uses necromantic magics. Necromantic magic is the use of magic to manipulate the dead in any way. The study of undead is not outlawed so far as the research be used to create defenses against them, however, research must take place within a controlled environment.

Hemomancy

One is guilty of using Hemomancy if one uses blood as the primary reagent in any spell. The use of blood in alchemy is not outlawed under the Blood Magic provision.

Chronomancy

One is guilty of Chronomancy if one uses magic to manipulate time. The act of using magic to go forwards or backwards through time is outlawed. The use of Divination Magic to look into the past or future is not outlawed.

Nethermancy

One is guilty of Nethermancy if one has wielded the raw magics of the twisting Nether at great threat to azeroth. Due to it's extremely dangerous nature, the use of Nether magic is outlawed.

Fel

One is guilty of casting Fel if one uses magic to communicate, summon, manipulate, transport, or conspire with a demon. The use of Fel-Magic to sate one's arcane addiction is outlawed.

Void

The use of Void magic is strictly regulated, due to the mental dangers that it poses to its wielder. Any use of Void magic that is outside of a controlled environment or is unsanctioned, is outlawed.

Life extending amendment

One would be in violation of the Life Extending Amendment if one is found to be using any of the previously listed magics to extend their life or the life of another past their natural existence.

Magic Authority

This is a list that contains recognised authorities on magic, who are able to sanction uses of magic detailed in this legal document. This list is subject to change as new authorities are added or removed. For application on being added to this list, please contact the Office of Justice.

  • The Royal Court
  • Stormwind City Guard
  • Stormwind Constabulary
  • Stormwind Investigations
  • Any Appointed Magic Officers of the Crown (that is, ranking guard officers or administrators, who have been authorised by the Kingdom of Stormwind to manage the affairs of a magical nature)

Sanctioned Use

A person or organisation is treated as bearing the right to conduct or use a subject of forbidden magic (they are “sanctioned” to do so), providing the following requirements are met, and that hhe person or organisation has on their person a copy of, or knows the location of and can provide within a reasonable period of time (to the discretion of the authority), a sanction document which;

  • outlines the specific restrictions in place, which the person or organisation must abide by when conducting or using the subject (unrestricted and general usage clauses void the sanction); and
  • states the name or organisation in which the sanction is applicable to; and
  • bears the name of the recognised authority that authorises the sanctioned use of the subject; and
  • bears a recognisable signature of the authorities appointed sanction officer, whom is responsible for permitting the sanctioned use of the subject, and;
  • in the case of an individual, the person named in the sanction document is not the appointed sanction officer; and
  • in the case of an organisation, the appointed sanction officer is not a member of, and is not directly affiliated with the organisation named in the sanction document.

Considered Value

Considered value is a measurement used to determine a value weighting of materials, and is normally used for transmutation. The Considered Value of Materials document is maintained by the magical authorities noted in this glossary. It is available for viewing in the Royal Library within the Stormwind City Keep.

Controlled Environment

A controlled environment is defined as an enclosed, lockable space that has been specifically prepared to reasonably guarantee the safe containment of any aftermath, following a blunder or unexpected result pertaining to the use of magic.

Mental Invasion

A mind is considered to have been breached or invaded, if magic is used to gain access or control over a person's thoughts, memories or feelings; or to seize control over a person's body.

Public Place

A public place is defined as an area which members of the general population are able to access in a reasonable and lawful manner. This includes private property which is generally considered open to the public; such as taverns and inns.

Crown

The Crown is defined as the serving monarch of Stormwind.

Sovereignty

The Sovereignty is defined as the territories which lay under rule of the Crown.

Armed Forces of the Sovereignty

Armed Forces of the Sovereignty are defined as the organisations and groups that are sanctioned under the Sovereignty, to act as;

  • military services (i.e. the Stormwind Army),
  • homeland defence (i.e. Stormwind City’s garrison),
  • security and intelligence services (i.e. SI:7),
  • guard services (i.e. the Stormwind City Guard)