Written By Orazio
June 13, 2017, 12:32 p.m.(8/22/1006 AR)
To the Faithful Reader:
Some musings on the area of crime, punishment, law, and justice. If the thought of exploring any of these issues does not please you, future reader, know that the rest of this entry is likely to be tedious in the extreme.
There are, and have been, many arguments made to justify performative and cruel punishments for lawbreaking over the centuries. This is a phenomenon not restricted to one given fealty - zealotry and a desire for revenge are nigh universal among humanity. It brings us satisfaction, at least in the short term, to see someone who has done something we consider unforgivable suffer - the greater the suffering, the deeper the satisfaction. We justify our desire for this satisfaction in many ways: we say that such punishments deter others from risking the same, we say that a great crime deserves a cruel punishment, we say that this is how our people expect us to do things and the way that we have always done them, we say that the way the laws are written do not allow us to make any other choice. I will address each of these (briefly, in deference to the space available and my faithful reader's patience!) in turn.
First, the issue of cruelty as a deterrent. This is perhaps the most logical justification, and the one that 'feels' most right. After all, were any reader here to contemplate getting one's hand removed for the crime of theft, they will likely say to themselves, "I enjoy having both my hands, and whatever I might steal wouldn't be worth losing one of them. I won't do that!" It seems rational. However, my years of experience talking with those who have committed criminal acts, and adjudicating in cases from the petty to the reveals one truth: most criminals are very foolish people. An integral part of criminal motivation is the belief that you will not get caught. Thus, the punishment for being caught deters no one who is committed to criminal action - indeed, wanton cruelty in consequences instead can encourage others, who might ordinarily encourage a criminal to turn themselves in, to instead shelter the criminal and hide their misdeeds, out of a desire not to participate in that cruelty. Rather than deterring commission of crimes, such cruel punishments instead encourage a disrespect for and disobedience to the law.
Even if we grant that such punishments - whether rendered by fire, blade, or seawater - do not deter criminality, can we not argue that they are /deserved/, and that refraining from them would be a sign of moral softness and unwillingness to see through a just reward? To address this concern, we must consider the purpose of punishment in the mortal realm, as well as the purpose of the Sentinel in the celestial. Non-execution punishment serves two purposes: restitution to the victim or community, and an opportunity for the criminal to repent and redeem themselves in the future. As such, the Pantheon has made it clear that punishments should be short, sharp, and certain. It is not the will of the gods for a man or woman's choice to be taken from them in the long term as payment for their actions, either by imprisonment or enslavement, for a person without choice cannot choose to become better, and imprisonment is a burden on the community and not a benefit. Cruelty in these punishments, likewise, does not either encourage someone to recognize their wrongs and become better, nor does it benefit either victims or the community - except in that sense of satisfaction we have mentioned above. And here, I would argue that much like a serving of the drug called 'dust', that satisfaction poisons the soul despite how pleasant it may feel, and thus is not a benefit, either. Execution, of course, serves a different purpose - the purpose of execution is to protect those around the criminal from a threat which is great enough that it is deemed worth it to remove from the criminal the ability to either improve or deliver restitution. And, not inconsequentially, to remove the criminal from the mortal world. Adding cruelty to this act is not only poisonous to the souls of those who undertake it, but it is also nonsensical - it provides nothing but pain and suffering, and at the end, nothing is changed - the criminal is still dead, and they have gone on to the only truly Just judge: the Sentinel. The Silent Watcher metes out to every man, and every woman, precisely what is required, once it has seen all that lives within their soul. Cruelty before death does nothing to aid in this process, and it only adds darkness to our own souls, which shall be called to account in our own time. It is not softness, or undeserved mercy, to forego cruelty towards the prisoner and the condemned; it is clarity of purpose and it is justice.
Finally, there is the issue of law and of custom. This is, perhaps, the weakest of the arguments in favor of such acts, for all that it is pleasant to be able to turn to the law books or the customs of the people and cry, "But this is our way." Laws and customs are developed by men and women, and when they are written not with the will of the gods in mind, but rather the desires of the people, it is all too easy for them to wander into injustice. When they do, it is much as if an acquaintance has called you over, saying, "Watch me climb this wall!" As you watch, they turn to the wall, and slam their face into it, as hard as they can. As they reel back, bleeding and dazed, you catch them and say, "That is not the right way to climb a wall." In reply, they shrug you off, and slam their face into the wall again. And again. After the five thousandth time, they can certainly say, "But this is the way that I have always climbed walls," but that changes nothing (except perhaps for creating an admiration for the hardness of your acquaintance's skull). Cruelty in sentencing and in execution is unjust; so says the Sentinel, god of Justice. Centuries of precedent in practice only mean that one has been unjust in action for centuries, and thus has sent generations of people on to their true judgement with unnecessary darkness clouding their souls. Mere longevity grants no moral authority.
Thus, if I would ask anything of the people of Arvum, from a parent disciplining a child, all the way to the Crown itself, it would be this: Be just. Even when it is hard, even when your desire to see another suffer clamors within your chest like a demon, itself. Do not spread despair, pain, or wrath. Learn from those who have made steps, even small ones, to be better people and better leaders, even when it has won them nothing. This is a choice each person must make for themselves, knowing that in the end, no one - King, High Lord or Lady, or beggar - escapes a full and just accounting.
Some musings on the area of crime, punishment, law, and justice. If the thought of exploring any of these issues does not please you, future reader, know that the rest of this entry is likely to be tedious in the extreme.
There are, and have been, many arguments made to justify performative and cruel punishments for lawbreaking over the centuries. This is a phenomenon not restricted to one given fealty - zealotry and a desire for revenge are nigh universal among humanity. It brings us satisfaction, at least in the short term, to see someone who has done something we consider unforgivable suffer - the greater the suffering, the deeper the satisfaction. We justify our desire for this satisfaction in many ways: we say that such punishments deter others from risking the same, we say that a great crime deserves a cruel punishment, we say that this is how our people expect us to do things and the way that we have always done them, we say that the way the laws are written do not allow us to make any other choice. I will address each of these (briefly, in deference to the space available and my faithful reader's patience!) in turn.
First, the issue of cruelty as a deterrent. This is perhaps the most logical justification, and the one that 'feels' most right. After all, were any reader here to contemplate getting one's hand removed for the crime of theft, they will likely say to themselves, "I enjoy having both my hands, and whatever I might steal wouldn't be worth losing one of them. I won't do that!" It seems rational. However, my years of experience talking with those who have committed criminal acts, and adjudicating in cases from the petty to the reveals one truth: most criminals are very foolish people. An integral part of criminal motivation is the belief that you will not get caught. Thus, the punishment for being caught deters no one who is committed to criminal action - indeed, wanton cruelty in consequences instead can encourage others, who might ordinarily encourage a criminal to turn themselves in, to instead shelter the criminal and hide their misdeeds, out of a desire not to participate in that cruelty. Rather than deterring commission of crimes, such cruel punishments instead encourage a disrespect for and disobedience to the law.
Even if we grant that such punishments - whether rendered by fire, blade, or seawater - do not deter criminality, can we not argue that they are /deserved/, and that refraining from them would be a sign of moral softness and unwillingness to see through a just reward? To address this concern, we must consider the purpose of punishment in the mortal realm, as well as the purpose of the Sentinel in the celestial. Non-execution punishment serves two purposes: restitution to the victim or community, and an opportunity for the criminal to repent and redeem themselves in the future. As such, the Pantheon has made it clear that punishments should be short, sharp, and certain. It is not the will of the gods for a man or woman's choice to be taken from them in the long term as payment for their actions, either by imprisonment or enslavement, for a person without choice cannot choose to become better, and imprisonment is a burden on the community and not a benefit. Cruelty in these punishments, likewise, does not either encourage someone to recognize their wrongs and become better, nor does it benefit either victims or the community - except in that sense of satisfaction we have mentioned above. And here, I would argue that much like a serving of the drug called 'dust', that satisfaction poisons the soul despite how pleasant it may feel, and thus is not a benefit, either. Execution, of course, serves a different purpose - the purpose of execution is to protect those around the criminal from a threat which is great enough that it is deemed worth it to remove from the criminal the ability to either improve or deliver restitution. And, not inconsequentially, to remove the criminal from the mortal world. Adding cruelty to this act is not only poisonous to the souls of those who undertake it, but it is also nonsensical - it provides nothing but pain and suffering, and at the end, nothing is changed - the criminal is still dead, and they have gone on to the only truly Just judge: the Sentinel. The Silent Watcher metes out to every man, and every woman, precisely what is required, once it has seen all that lives within their soul. Cruelty before death does nothing to aid in this process, and it only adds darkness to our own souls, which shall be called to account in our own time. It is not softness, or undeserved mercy, to forego cruelty towards the prisoner and the condemned; it is clarity of purpose and it is justice.
Finally, there is the issue of law and of custom. This is, perhaps, the weakest of the arguments in favor of such acts, for all that it is pleasant to be able to turn to the law books or the customs of the people and cry, "But this is our way." Laws and customs are developed by men and women, and when they are written not with the will of the gods in mind, but rather the desires of the people, it is all too easy for them to wander into injustice. When they do, it is much as if an acquaintance has called you over, saying, "Watch me climb this wall!" As you watch, they turn to the wall, and slam their face into it, as hard as they can. As they reel back, bleeding and dazed, you catch them and say, "That is not the right way to climb a wall." In reply, they shrug you off, and slam their face into the wall again. And again. After the five thousandth time, they can certainly say, "But this is the way that I have always climbed walls," but that changes nothing (except perhaps for creating an admiration for the hardness of your acquaintance's skull). Cruelty in sentencing and in execution is unjust; so says the Sentinel, god of Justice. Centuries of precedent in practice only mean that one has been unjust in action for centuries, and thus has sent generations of people on to their true judgement with unnecessary darkness clouding their souls. Mere longevity grants no moral authority.
Thus, if I would ask anything of the people of Arvum, from a parent disciplining a child, all the way to the Crown itself, it would be this: Be just. Even when it is hard, even when your desire to see another suffer clamors within your chest like a demon, itself. Do not spread despair, pain, or wrath. Learn from those who have made steps, even small ones, to be better people and better leaders, even when it has won them nothing. This is a choice each person must make for themselves, knowing that in the end, no one - King, High Lord or Lady, or beggar - escapes a full and just accounting.
Written By Magpie
June 13, 2017, 10:21 a.m.(8/22/1006 AR)
I was wrong. There are worse smells.
I might have to look into a fundraiser for the Iron Guard on improving the state of their jail cells.
I might have to look into a fundraiser for the Iron Guard on improving the state of their jail cells.
Written By Carita
June 12, 2017, 11:51 p.m.(8/21/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Declan
A cousin of the Duchess Tyde. A potential ally. A possible intrigue.
Written By Margot
June 12, 2017, 11:46 p.m.(8/21/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Declan
I have a cousin. I don't know how he survived, or where. I don't know much about him at all. I only remember the dark haired little boy he was before the war.
Written By Silas
June 12, 2017, 10:52 p.m.(8/21/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Mason
This generous man deserves all the praise he gets!
Written By Silas
June 12, 2017, 10:49 p.m.(8/21/1006 AR)
The fundraiser was a success on all counts.
Princess Alis, Grandmaster Armel, Dame Esoka, Dame Leta, and Princess Marian gave our team one heck of a fight. There was a point where things were looking pretty grim for us! But Ainsley staying in as long as he did, Calaudrin and Estaban shooting marvelously, and Merek giving us some extra attack power ultimately gave us the hard-fought victory. I'm proud of them! And commend our opponents for their obvious skill.
Princess Sophie and Guardswoman Thena helped patch us up afterwards - their help was invaluable, and greatly appreciated.
Aiden took over the 50/50 raffle booth as I fought. That actually wasn't planned ahead of time - he offered to do it as the event was unfolding, and I couldn't be any more grateful for it. He's, uh, better than me at organization in general. I will never take him for granted and I will try to make less of a mess of things next time!
Last, but certainly not least, I wish to thank everyone who participated in the auctions and 50/50 Raffle. In total we earned 172250 silver - this will go to the families of our fallen men, so they may have some financial assistance in coping with their loss.
Princess Alis, Grandmaster Armel, Dame Esoka, Dame Leta, and Princess Marian gave our team one heck of a fight. There was a point where things were looking pretty grim for us! But Ainsley staying in as long as he did, Calaudrin and Estaban shooting marvelously, and Merek giving us some extra attack power ultimately gave us the hard-fought victory. I'm proud of them! And commend our opponents for their obvious skill.
Princess Sophie and Guardswoman Thena helped patch us up afterwards - their help was invaluable, and greatly appreciated.
Aiden took over the 50/50 raffle booth as I fought. That actually wasn't planned ahead of time - he offered to do it as the event was unfolding, and I couldn't be any more grateful for it. He's, uh, better than me at organization in general. I will never take him for granted and I will try to make less of a mess of things next time!
Last, but certainly not least, I wish to thank everyone who participated in the auctions and 50/50 Raffle. In total we earned 172250 silver - this will go to the families of our fallen men, so they may have some financial assistance in coping with their loss.
Written By Thena
June 12, 2017, 6:46 p.m.(8/21/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Magpie
For once I'm glad I haven't been able to sleep in my room for awhile.
Written By Magpie
June 12, 2017, 6:30 p.m.(8/21/1006 AR)
So I'm looking for suggestions on some of the better perfumers around the city.
If you wanna murder someone in the Murder, that's up to you, but under the fucking floor?
C'mon... some of us live here. Gods it smells in this summer heat.
Anyone have a place I can bunk for a few nights? Maybe I'll just sleep on my ship.
If you wanna murder someone in the Murder, that's up to you, but under the fucking floor?
C'mon... some of us live here. Gods it smells in this summer heat.
Anyone have a place I can bunk for a few nights? Maybe I'll just sleep on my ship.
Written By Ainsley
June 12, 2017, 6:17 p.m.(8/21/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Aiden
DO NOT TELL MOTHER.
Please? Pretty please...
Please? Pretty please...
Written By Thena
June 12, 2017, 3:35 p.m.(8/21/1006 AR)
I just can't wrap my head around violence for show. It's so counter to what I was brought up around. Of course in the Lowers you basically cut your teeth on violence, but if you ever found yourself on the wrong end of someone's knife they fucking meant it.
I hope we made a lot of money though.
I hope we made a lot of money though.
Written By Edward
June 12, 2017, 2:59 p.m.(8/21/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Armel
The Grandmaster put on a good showing at the Iron Guard event. For quite some time he seemed like a wall wrapped in metal. A very nice display of combat prowess.
Written By Turo
June 12, 2017, 2:40 p.m.(8/21/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Armel
What am I doing here? I should get back to my fertilizer ship and seal herd.
My life is far more of a lie than I thought. I wonder if anyone has caught onto that yet.
My life is far more of a lie than I thought. I wonder if anyone has caught onto that yet.
Written By Estaban
June 12, 2017, 12:07 p.m.(8/20/1006 AR)
I had the honor of fighting some of the best warriors in the compact last evening and it was a thrilling fight something I needed to get my mind off things. It was myself, Prince Ainsley, Lord Commander Silas, Lieutenant Calaudrin and Master Merek went against Grandmaster Armel, Dame Leta, Princess Alis, Princess Marian and Dame Esoka. Everyone fought well and each side took on wounded but in the end it was myself and Lord Commander Silas left on the field. I think when I have some time today I will track everyone down and see how they ate doing, I fear a few looked like porcupines when all was said and done.
Written By Carita
June 12, 2017, 11:26 a.m.(8/20/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Valery
Nothing brings more happiness than being able to brighten someone else's day with something as simple as a gown.
Written By Carita
June 12, 2017, 11:25 a.m.(8/20/1006 AR)
I know that being happy is not an anomaly. No one knows me better than you. But, what can I say without avoiding your gaze - without speaking untruthfully? I know that the weather will not discriminate, the seas are objective. Stormy or fair. Day or night. We learn to swim. We carry on through the rain.
At this moment, where I might catch you looking at me, my smiling friend --
I may not feel like the sun, no, but the moon. The glow is subtle. I know in my heart, not without a sense of regret or melancholy, that I am happy again.
At this moment, where I might catch you looking at me, my smiling friend --
I may not feel like the sun, no, but the moon. The glow is subtle. I know in my heart, not without a sense of regret or melancholy, that I am happy again.
Written By Juliana
June 12, 2017, 9:53 a.m.(8/20/1006 AR)
This last week has been a whirlwind and I am feeling cross with myself for neglecting my family. I simply must make time to spend with my sister. I heard she stabbed someone quite by accident. She was aiming for an apple and hit a thigh. See, that is precisely why I asked to be taught how to properly stab at things from Admiral Magaldi. So when I must stab at an apple I hit the apple, and when I must stab at a thigh I hit the thigh.
Written By Juliana
June 12, 2017, 9:45 a.m.(8/20/1006 AR)
Something has happened. Something has changed. I am in unfamiliar territory.
What happens when there are no games?
Or is it just another illusion and the player is just that good?
I suppose in the end it matters not at all. There is nothing but the moment. The future does not belong to me.
What happens when there are no games?
Or is it just another illusion and the player is just that good?
I suppose in the end it matters not at all. There is nothing but the moment. The future does not belong to me.
Written By Edward
June 12, 2017, 8:03 a.m.(8/20/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Kahlana
I admired your attempts to raise yourself despite your family. Ambition and the drive to succeed should be cultivated and not thrown away so casually. I am sorry this drove you from Arx.
May the spirits keep you better than some of their people did.
May the spirits keep you better than some of their people did.
Written By Edward
June 12, 2017, 7:40 a.m.(8/20/1006 AR)
Rum is the worst kinds of best friend.
Written By Aiden
June 12, 2017, 5:42 a.m.(8/20/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Ainsley
I am the snitch. Better Ailys than to mother.
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.