Codes of Conduct

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In the supernatural world, the codes of conduct are the closest thing to universal laws. All who parlay with the unnatural and unknown come to understand these codes.

Descriptions and Effects

Hospitium

Arguably the most important of the Codes, the hospitium was put into place by the deities of the old world. They set the precedent for hospitality, allowing supernatural entities to create neutral ground on which alliances and truces may be built [1]. They vary by culture but several central tenents must be followed:

  • A guest is to be honored, with their basic needs cared for.
  • A guest will offer no harm to anyone in their host's home.
  • So long as a guest remains in their host's household, under their host's care, they are to assist the household and other guests to the best of their ability.
  • The host will offer no harm to their guests.
  • So long as the host has a guest under their care, they are to assist their guests to the best of their ability.
  • Should two guests have a dispute, they have the option to take on the host as arbitrator, or take their conflict out of the host's domain.
  • Hospitium must be explicitly invoked.
  • Should any law be broken by any party, the ancient gods who rule over the ralms of hospitality and the household will take personal offense. Broach the contract at your own risk.

Thresholds

The thresholds of one's home is humanity's first defence against the darkness. A house is different from a home and anywhere that a living person may consider a home begins to weave protective magic around it. Some magical beings, such as the fey, spirits, and the undead, may not cross without invitation. If permission is revoked, the response from the magic is immediate and the being is expelled. The manner of expulsion is up to the player, but it must be immediate.

Oaths

Any being with inherent magic can be bound into an oath, whether they know oaths exist or not. The phrasing of an oath matters and those experienced with the supernatural know that if there's a loophole, most will exploit it.

For an oath to take effect, it must be spoken to someone who can hear it as a promise or someone must agree to a promise with conscious intent. When an oath is spoken, there is a tangible sensation of the magic locking into place. If you don't know what you're looking for, you are very likely to miss it.

Every time the oath is broken, the oathbreaker is subjected to physical pain, psychic damage, or karmic backlash, depending on what seems right for your character. The person to whom the oath is made is the only person who can release someone from the oath. The oath dissipates upon their death.

Thrice Asked

Any being with inherent magic is subject to Thrice Asked. Any question asked three times with the exact same wording and with intent must be answered honestly. This is not fool proof, however, as anyone can be evasive or fall back on riddles and wordplay. The fey are especially skilled at this.

Favours

Should one being defeat another in single combat, in exchange for their life, they may instead demand a favour. This favour may be kept until the one who holds wishes to use it and the one who is indebted is bound to fulfil this favour to the best of their abilities.

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