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Commoner Rights

Posted by Apostate on 07/22/20
Q: What are the conceptions of commoner's rights that exist in Arx, if any? Are there different expectations that commoners might have depending on where they live or what fealty they come from? Would prodigals have any different ideas, or commoners who lived in remote villages where they might choose a commoner mayor?

A: Only what is granted by their liege, effectively.

There are standards of behavior and expectations upon their liege. For example, slavery is illegal, so if a liege enslaved their commoners, they would be punished. Similarly, they are forbidden from restricting the movement of their commoners, as one of the reforms to keep commoners from being effectively enslaved in serfdom by being prohibited from leaving a domain.

But that's it.

If a liege summarily executed his serfs for annoying him, it would draw no more than harsh rebukes from other lieges. There is no recourse except societal pressure from his peers, or the threat of violence/war.

The regions do vary in the expectations of lieges in how to treat their commoners.

Grayson has a recognition for meritocracy, the Northlands are individualists, the Lyceum are iconoclasts- these are generally better for commoners. The Oathlands are rigidly disciplined, and the Mourning Isles are collectivists with an emphasis on obedience and house honor, which makes it very, very bad there to be an iconoclast.