[EVENT] It's high time to decide these high crimes...

[ironwood]

Characters: ALL
Date: May 10
Location: Courtyard of Public Opinion
Situation: It's time for the Guilds to come together and decide the list of High Crimes - and see if the Foreigners have their Guild organized.
Warnings/Rating: To be added as needed.




Part 1 - On the Matter of the Foreigners Guild

As elaborated to all Foreigners in Keeliai, the rest of the Council has set them the task of assigning leadership within their guild, including spokesperson(s) to participate in the Courtyard meetings and represent the Foreigners Guild's interests. Having been given more than a month of lead time, the assemblage is now waiting to hear the results of those deliberations.

"Who will be speaking for the Foreigners Guild? Please step forward and introduce yourselves."

Part 2 - On the Matter of High Crimes

As part of the new governing structure, the Guilds must now come together to decide a list of High Crimes which require sentencing by agreement of all nine groups. The Guilds will also lay out sentencing guidelines for each of these crimes. That doesn't mean there will be automatic sentencing, necessarily. The guidelines will help dictate minimum and maximum boundaries of punishment, such as length of incarceration, fines, and ramifications post-conviction.

While the Guild representatives will be laying out the initial proposition, all are welcomed and encouraged to partake and add their own input to help smooth out the rough edges. Although there are not designated areas for each of the Guilds, members of each do tend to congregate around their respective leaders.

The list of proposed High Crimes include, but are not limited to:

• Murder
• Kidnapping
• Arson
• Assault (aggravated and/or sexual*)
• Treason
• Terrorism
• Drug Trafficking/Selling

Guilds can propose additions or subtractions to this list, and guidelines for each. It's not a joyful task, but it is a necessary one. Despite the somewhat grim nature of the meeting, there is a sense of determination. The citizens of Keeliai are governing themselves now, and that is indeed a powerful thing.

*Mod note: This is coming up for general IC info, as it exists within the game setting but not as a game function intended to arise outside of this list.

Part 3 - On the Matter of Guild Management

The last order of business for today's Courtyard meeting is to determine if, and under what circumstances, guilds have the right to either refuse membership or revoke membership to anyone. While this thankfully doesn't seem to have been a problem while everyone sorted themselves into their initial choices, it'd be naive to think that it's not an issue that could come up in the future. Since not being affiliated with any guild carries legal repercussions -- fines that can escalate into even jail time -- it seems prudent to have a system in place before it becomes an issue.

Everyone's encouraged to volunteer their thoughts on this matter -- the official decision won't be made until the next gathering, so input doesn't have to be limited to just the spokespeople from each guild, but anyone in attendance.

Right now, the only generally agreed-upon point seems to be that this type of refusal or ejection needs to have some kind of oversight from outside the guild in question, to prevent abuse of the system. Whether that's a case where it would require the whole Council is another matter, and some seem to think that simply getting the motion seconded or thirded would be enough.

Comments

[purered]

"I say this fully aware of the improprieties," Klaus acknowledged, with an apologetic dip of his head. "However, even from a strictly financial point of view, having rehabilitation programs within the prisons will significantly reduce repeat offenses, which will ultimately lower costs in the long run."

He rubbed his chin the way he always did when deep in thought.

"Beyond that, striving to make functional members of society out of those leaving the prisons should be a worthy cause."

[veinediron]

Rosyn was generally in agreement with this - it sounded like a better use of time and resources. "It's not as though we have a great deal of space for prisoners, either, and I'd like to not make a habit of filling up what we do have if at all possible."

She tilted her head then, studying Klaus with a wry look on her face. "You seem exceptionally forgiving for a man who only recently made a nice kedan-sized hole in one of the Hotel walls." Her tone didn't suggest a problem there, necessarily.

[purered]

He gave a firm nod. "It is important that justice be served - not vengeance satisfied."

He did manage to look sheepish at the remark.

"Ah. Well. I did not know who or what the target of their aggression was - but yes, I reacted too hastily."

Not that he was terribly cut up about it, but he made a mental note to reign in such abilities in the future.

[veinediron]

"You may have a time of it, explaining the difference between justice and vengeance. Occasionally, they've ended up being the same thing in this city." She'd lived a very long time, and seen a great deal. What was law and what was right didn't always intersect, but keeping her own head meant going along with it.

Rosyn offered him a wicked little smile. "Rest assured - I'm not against putting rascals in their place every now and again, but you might find yourself in as much trouble if you make it a repeat performance." Lower, teasing: "Just don't throw them through a wall that leads outside where people can see."

Wink.

[purered]

"I won't pretend the line between the two is not incredibly hazy, nor is it something anyone will figure out in a single afternoon. However, extending the opportunity to be able to move beyond their crimes the opportunity to do so is a good place to start. "

The unspoken words there were 'and perhaps an opportunity to move beyond the shadow Malicant cast'. There were few things more healing than becoming stronger than the thing that left such scars.

Klaus ducked his head at the wink, flushing a bit in the ears out of sheer embarrassment.

"I don't foresee another incident of that sort, though should it arise, I'll certainly keep that in mind."

[veinediron]

"Looking forward, and not back." Rosyn considered that for a moment, glancing around at the collected group of kedan striving to make a better future, and then nodded. "I might call upon your..." A brief pause to allow her gaze to rove up and down Klaus' substantial figure - he was quite tall and she comparatively quite short. "...imposing figure and good manners to help clear some of that haze, if you're willing."

Ah, that blush. Excellent. She'd make a note of that for later.

"Oh, don't feel too bad about it. I don't think anyone but the little twit you tossed disagreed with you on that one," Rosyn assured him, nudging Klaus with an elbow gently. "Just see to it that I won't have to mete out punishment not of your choosing."

[purered]

Klaus did manage to collect himself. He was an easy man to fluster, but he was on firm ground when it came to more political discussions.

"I am more than happy to share any insight I can if you think it will help," he said, adjusting his tie.

He dearly hoped it wasn't innuendo. Older women were notoriously good at double entendres that he only recognized a few moments later.

"I will be certain not to wind up on the chopping block. Though if it's any assurance, I've been told they would make a full recovery."

...From several shattered bones, but there were things you didn't talk about in polite company.