Herein lies a complete legal accounting encompassing the rights and protections of peoples, properties, and justice within the Seven Kingdoms. The laws contained within are formally recognized across each of the Seven Kingdoms. As follows, The Law applies to the Kingdom of The North, its houses, banners, and smallfolk; the Kingdom of Mountain and Vale, its houses, banners, and smallfolk; the Kingdom of the Isles and Rivers, its houses, banners, and smallfolk; the Kingdom of the Rock, its houses, banners, and smallfolk; the Kingdom of the Reach, its houses, banners, and smallfolk; and the Kingdom of the Stormlands, its houses, banners, and smallfolk.
§ 001 Common Law
.01)The Unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought is a slight against The Crown and The Faith.
.001)Any convictions of this crime shall be known as a breach of the First Degree of Murder.
.002)A breach of the First Degree is punishable by death or exile to The Night's Watch.
.02)The Unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought is a slight against the Crown and the Faith.
.001)Any convictions of this crime shall be known as a breach of the Second Degree of Murder.
.002)A breach of the Second Degree is punishable by imprisonment, lashes suitable to the crime no less than two hundred, or a fine of 10,000 gold dragons.
.03)The Unlawful taking of another person's property with the intent to permanently deprive them of its use or possession, without their consent, is a slight against The Crown and The Faith.
.001)The Unlawful Taking of another person's low-value property shall be known as 'petty theft' and will be punishable by the loss of a finger. Pickpockets shall lose their non-dominant hand first, followed by the remaining hand for repeat offenses.
.002)The Unlawful taking of another person's high-value property, such as jewels or other valuables, shall be known as 'Grand Theft or Larceny' and will be punishable by the loss of a hand, by having their nose slit off, a fine of up to 5,000 gold dragons, or imprisonment.
.003)The Unlawful Taking of another person's property, whether low or high value, by force or intimidation, shall be known as robbery and will be punishable by imprisonment starting at five years up to exile to The Night's Watch.
.04)The Unlawful Hunting on Crown Lands is considered a slight against The Crown.
.001)Any convictions of this crime shall be known as 'poaching'.
.002)A breach of Poaching is punishable by the loss of the dominant hand, exile to the Night's Watch, or imprisonment and penal labor.
.05)The Unlawful existence of life outside of the protection of the law, due to matters such as fleeing justice, failure to appear in court, and crimes such as Murder or larceny, is considered a slight against The Crown.
.001)Any convictions of this crime shall be known as 'Outlawry.'
.002)Those named an outlaw by the Crown or a person with the authority to act on behalf of the Crown forfeit all rights and property as well as lands and titles.
.003)Outlaws can be killed without risk of legal consequences.
.004)It is a breach of law to provide an outlaw with food, shelter, or assistance and is punishable by loss of a finger, a fine of 100 gold dragons, or imprisonment of up to 2 years.
.005)A breach of Outlawry is punishable by death by hanging.
.06)The Unlawful sexual penetration of another person, with any body part or object, committed without their consent is considered a slight against The Crown and The Faith.
.001)Any convictions of this crime shall be known as 'Rape.'
.002)Rape is punishable by gelding, hanging, beheadment, or exile to the Night's Watch.
.07)The Unlawful practice of forced labor and restricted liberty of one person over another is an abomination against The Crown and The Faith.
.001)Any convictions of this crime shall be known as 'Slavery.'
.002)Slavery is punishable by execution of the slaver(s).
.003)Those found to be slaves within the Seven Kingdoms shall be immediately freed.
.08)The Wall and all matters pertaining to those who cross it fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Night's Watch, not the Crown. Those found to have crossed the Wall without the sanction of the Watch are subject to the authority and judgment of the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and his officers, not the courts of the Seven Kingdoms.
.09)The Night's Watch is hereby established to defend and protect The Wall and all that is south of it.
.001)Men of The Night's Watch are hereby required to swear a vow forsaking wives, children, properties, and personal ambition.
.002)All debts and crimes shall be forgiven, contingent upon the upholding of their oath.
.003)Breaking the Oath of the Night's Watch is punishable by death.
.004)No women may join the Night's Watch.
.10)The Unlawful creation of false documents with the intention of currying favor, accumulating wealth, or attaining lands, properties, or titles is considered a slight against The Crown and The Faith.
.001)Any convictions of this crime shall be known as 'Forgery.'
.002)Forgery is punishable by imprisonment up to 10 years, a fine of up to 5,000 gold dragons, or a whipping of up to 250 lashes.
§ 002 Rights and Stations of the Nobility
.01)The Law of the Seven Kingdoms recognizes that justice is applied according to the station of the accused. Nobles and smallfolk are not equal before the court, and sentencing shall reflect the rank and standing of the convicted.
.02)Crimes for which a common man or woman would suffer physical punishment may instead be resolved through financial restitution when the convicted is of noble birth.
.001)A commoner convicted of theft may lose a hand. A noble convicted of the same may instead pay a fine commensurate with the value of what was taken.
.002)A commoner convicted of murder may be hanged. A noble convicted of the same may instead be sent to the Wall, exiled, or fined at the discretion of the presiding lord or Crown.
.03)The following rights are afforded to those of noble birth and are not extended to the common people:
.001)The right to demand Trial by Combat when accused of a crime.
.002)The right to name a champion to fight in their place.
.003)The right to ransom rather than execution when captured in battle.
.004)The right to present claims of heirship before the Crown.
.04)When a noble is captured in battle, their captor is entitled to demand a ransom commensurate with the captive's rank and station.
.001)A captor who executes a noble prisoner who has offered lawful ransom shall be considered to have acted dishonorably and may be subject to judgment by their liege lord or the Crown.
.002)A noble who refuses to pay a lawfully demanded ransom for a family member or bannerman forfeits any further obligation of the captor toward that prisoner.
§ 003 Mercantile Law
.01)All market towns, merchant guilds, ferries, and trade companies must operate with a charter from the lord of the lands they seek to work within.
.02)The Unlawful trading, selling, or bartering of grain, wool, silver, wine, or other traded goods that do not use standardized measures approved by local authorities is a slight against The Crown.
.001)Any convictions of this crime shall be known as 'False Advertisement.'
.002)False Advertisement is punishable by a fine of up to 100 silver stags per infraction, loss of market rights, and seizure of goods.
.03)A flat stall fee shall be charged to those operating within market towns, merchant guilds, and trade companies, in addition to individuals selling goods or services within the Seven Kingdoms.
.001)Guilds may pay wholesale fees for individual members.
.002)Failure to comply or pay merchant fees will result in a fine of up to 250 silver moons, loss of market rights, and seizure of goods.
.04)The registration and founding of guilds for the purpose of the protection of the means of production is legally recognized through Mercantile Law.
.001)Guild Registration will be approved by The Crown, adjudicated by the Master of Coin, and accepted by the Lord of the lands in which the Guild will operate.
-001)Approved Guilds will retain exclusive rights of operation within the land they operate within and may accept members and operate as they see fit within the bounds of Common and Mercantile Law.
.05)Any docking ship, foreign or domestic, within the Seven Kingdoms must pay a docking fee and cargo tax to be used for the upkeep and maintenance of the harbors they are arriving to.
.001)The docking fee and cargo fee shall be equitable to the ship manifest and local projected costs.
.06)The Unlawful tampering of goods, such as food, produce, or any sellable product, with the intent to turn higher profits or deceive a consumer is considered a slight against The Crown and The Faith.
.001)Any convictions of this crime shall be known as 'Tampering.'
.002)Tampering is punishable by a fine of up to 10,000 gold dragons or a whipping of up to 500 lashes.
.07)Foreign merchants may not own local land.
.08)Foreign merchants may not trade without sponsorship by a local lord or guild.
.09)Foreign merchants may not raise armed guards beyond a set limit of five.
.10)Lords shall be responsible for maintaining safe roads and protecting merchants traveling under their banners.
.11)The Unlawful reproduction or debasement of Crown coinage is considered a slight against The Crown.
.001)Any conviction of this crime shall be known as 'Counterfeiting.'
.002)Counterfeiting is punishable by death.
.003)The deliberate shaving or clipping of coin with intent to profit from the removed metal shall be known as 'Coin Clipping' and is punishable by the loss of fingers or branding at the discretion of the presiding lord.
.12)The transportation or sale of goods with deliberate intent to avoid lawful taxation is considered theft from The Crown and is therefore treasonous.
.001)Any conviction of this crime shall be known as 'Smuggling.'
.002)Smuggling is punishable by imprisonment, a fine of up to double the value of the evaded taxes, seizure of goods, or exile to the Night's Watch.
.13)Ships wrecked along a lord's coastline shall become the property of that lord.
.001)Should survivors of the wreckage petition for recovery of their vessel or cargo, their claim shall be heard before the lord of that coast.
.14)Strategic resources and goods designated by the Crown or presiding lord may be subject to export duties upon leaving the Seven Kingdoms.
.001)The rate of export duties shall be set at the discretion of the presiding lord or the Crown.
.15)In times of war, the Crown or a presiding liege lord may requisition ships, grain reserves, pack animals, or merchant caravans for the purposes of the war effort.
.001)Such requisitions shall be made with promised compensation to the affected parties.
.002)Refusal to comply with lawful requisition during wartime is considered a slight against The Crown.
.16)Debts witnessed by a septon, maester, lord's steward, a recognized guild, or formalized under seal are legally enforceable.
.001)Failure to repay a legally enforceable debt may result in seizure of property, debtor's imprisonment, temporary indenture, or conscription to the Night's Watch at the discretion of the presiding lord.
.17)During times of war, the Crown may issue letters of marque authorizing captains to raid enemy ships and disrupt enemy trade routes without risk of legal consequence.
.001)Such authorization must be issued directly by the Crown and is valid only for the duration of the named conflict.
.002)Captains operating without a valid letter of marque who engage in the raiding of ships shall be considered pirates and subject to the full penalties thereof.
.18)The Unlawful seizure of vessels, their crews, or their cargo upon the open seas, without a letter of marque issued by the Crown, is considered a crime against the realm.
.001)Any convictions of this crime shall be known as 'Piracy.'
.002)Piracy is punishable by death by hanging, to be carried out by the lord of the nearest coastline or by the Crown's naval officers upon capture.
.003)Ships and cargo taken in acts of piracy are forfeit to the Crown or the lord responsible for the capture.
.19)Lords shall retain the right to levy tolls upon bridges, fords, and ferry crossings that fall within their lands.
.001)The rate of such tolls shall be set at the discretion of the presiding lord.
.002)Should a lord be found to levy tolls of an extortionate nature upon a major trade route, the Crown reserves the right to intervene and set equitable rates.
.20)Lords shall retain the right to levy passage fees upon river traffic moving through their waters, including barges, trading vessels, and other waterborne commerce.
.001)The rate of such fees shall be set at the discretion of the presiding lord.
.002)Refusal to pay lawful passage fees is considered a breach of Mercantile Law and the offending vessel and its cargo may be seized by the presiding lord.
§ 004 The Crown
.01)Disputes between Great Houses shall be adjudicated by The Crown.
.02)Disputes between petty lords and landed knights shall be adjudicated by their liege lord.
.03)Trials shall begin with a prayer from a septon to the Father Above beseeching justice. Both Accused and Witnesses shall be sworn to honesty before testimony is given. The Accused may be present during witness testimony.
.04)The Crown may issue a Bill of Attainder against any lord or noble found guilty of treason against the Iron Throne.
.001)A Bill of Attainder strips the convicted of all lands, titles, incomes, and properties, which revert immediately to the Crown.
.002)Attainder may extend to the descendants of the convicted, barring them from any claim to the stripped titles and lands.
.003)A Bill of Attainder may only be reversed by royal decree.
§ 005 The Faith of the Seven
.01)Holy Men of The Faith of The Seven are not permitted to bear recognized weapons.
.02)The Crown will defend and protect the Faith and as such the Faith is subject to the law of The Crown.
.03)Of old, the Faith of the Seven held the right to try and judge those accused of crimes themselves. By agreement between the Iron Throne and the Faith, brokered in the reign of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, the Faith surrendered this right in exchange for the Crown's permanent oath to defend and protect the Faith. The Faith Militant was dissolved as part of this agreement. Any attempt to revive the Faith Militant or restore the Faith's judicial authority is considered treason against the Crown.
§ 006 Women's Laws
.01)A woman convicted of adultery shall be struck by a rod no thicker than a thumb.
.001)She shall be struck no more than six times — one strike for each of the Seven save the Stranger, as the woman has given offense to the gods. Any blows beyond six are considered unlawful and subject to punishment.
.02)The practice of 'First Night,' by which lords claimed the right to bed common women on their wedding night before their husbands, is hereby abolished. Any lord found to have exercised this practice shall be convicted of Rape.
§ 007 Marriage Law
.01)The Age of Majority and the age at which Marriage and Consummation are lawful shall henceforth be eighteen years old regardless of gender.
§ 008 The Laws of Trial
.01)Any noble or knight accused of a crime is allowed by law to demand Trial by Combat.
.001)The Accused and Accuser(s) are allowed champions to fight in their place.
.002)Should a death occur during a trial by combat, its illegality as murder is dismissed and shall be accepted as judgement by The Seven.
.02)The Trial of Seven is an ancient custom in which seven men fight on the side of the Accused and seven on the side of the Accusing party. It is seldom invoked and considered a matter of tradition rather than common practice.
§ 009 The Laws of Inheritance
.01)Lands, Properties, Titles, and Succession shall be passed from Father to Eldest Surviving Son. Should no sons be available, such above shall pass to the eldest surviving daughter before any brother, uncle, or other male relation of the deceased.
.02)Upon the death of a lord, his widow, be she first, second, or any later wife, shall have her lifestyle maintained under the same conditions she had been living in prior to his death. She cannot be driven from the home she shared with her husband, nor deprived of her servants, possessions, or income, regardless of who inherits.
.03)A Lord may name any surviving person as heir.
.04)When there is no clear heir, claims for heirship may be presented before The Crown.
.05)In the case of death before an heir can be named, the eldest son shall be named heir. If no sons remain, then the eldest child shall be named heir. If there are no children, the widow of the deceased shall lay claim to all Lands, Properties, and Titles, until such a time as an heir can be named.
.06)Bastard Children may be legitimized through petition to their liege lord or the Crown, and in such a case become full eligible members of the noble family of which they are born — with all rights, dignities, and successions therefore afforded to them.
.001)Bastard children of noble birth who have been acknowledged by their noble parent are entitled to bear a bastard surname denoting their region of birth: Snow in the North, Stone in the Vale, Pyke in the Iron Islands, Rivers in the Riverlands, Flowers in the Reach, Storm in the Stormlands, Hill in the Westerlands, Sand in Dorne, and Waters in the Crownlands.
.002)Legitimization, once granted, is irreversible.
.07)The Right of succession may be renounced.
.08)The right of succession may be revoked in the case of a person becoming a member of the Night's Watch, The Faith, the Maestership, or the Kingsguard.
§ 010 Taxation
.01)The rate of the Crown's tax shall be set at 5% of production or income.
.02)Taxes shall be collected locally and managed by region, with the Master of Coin as overseer.
§ 011 The Maesters
.01)Maesters of the Citadel are recognized servants of the realm and are afforded legal standing as neutral witnesses, record keepers, and advisors within the Seven Kingdoms.
.02)A maester's testimony, seal, or witnessed signature on any legal document — including debts, contracts, wills, and declarations of heirship — carries the weight of formal attestation before the law.
.03)Maesters are bound by oath to serve the lord of the castle to which they are assigned, regardless of personal allegiance. They are not considered agents of any house and may not be compelled to bear arms on behalf of their lord.
.04)The Citadel retains the right to recall, reassign, or discipline any maester in its service. Disputes over a maester's conduct shall be adjudicated first by the Citadel, with appeal to the Crown in matters of treason or grievous harm.
§ 012 Guest Right
.01)The custom of Guest Right is among the most ancient and sacred in the Seven Kingdoms. Any person who has eaten the food or drunk the drink of a lord beneath his roof is afforded the full protection of that lord for the duration of their stay.
.02)A host may not harm, imprison, or cause the death of a guest who has partaken of his bread and salt, nor may he permit another to do so under his roof. To violate Guest Right is considered an abomination before gods and men.
.03)Equally, a guest may not harm, rob, or raise arms against their host while under the protection of Guest Right.
.04)The violation of Guest Right, whether by host or guest, is considered a crime against The Crown and The Faith and shall be judged accordingly by the presiding lord or the Crown.
§ 013 Tourneys and Lawful Combat
.01)Tourneys, jousts, and melees held within the Seven Kingdoms must be sanctioned by the lord of the lands in which they take place.
.02)Deaths occurring during lawfully sanctioned tourney combat are not considered murder, provided the combatants entered willingly and the rules of the contest were observed.
.001)Should a death be ruled the result of deliberate malice rather than the lawful conduct of the contest, the presiding lord or Crown may pursue charges of murder against the responsible party.
.03)Ransoms taken during tourney combat are lawfully binding. A combatant defeated in the lists may have their horse and armor claimed by the victor.
.001)A combatant who refuses to yield a lawfully won ransom may be brought before the presiding lord for judgment.
.04)No man may enter the lists under a false name or false heraldry with intent to deceive. To do so is considered a breach of honor and is punishable at the discretion of the presiding lord.