Are there formal, codified legal rules?
Are there levels of seriousness in laws, with escalating punishments based on which laws are broken?
Who enforces these rules? How?
Is there a mechanism by which rule-enforcers can abuse their power? Do they?
Is law enforcement a volunteer position, or a profession?
What happens to people who break the rules? Is there corporal punishment? The death sentence? Jails?
Are people punished in public or private?
Who has the right to enact the punishment? The person who was wronged? A professional punisher? A witness? A law-enforcement officer or agent?
Are those who are accused of crimes considered immediately guilty, without benefit of trial?
Is someone only guilty if they are caught in the act of breaking a law?
Can people plead their cases or try to prove themselves innocent?
Is there any situation in which breaking the law is acceptable?
Who makes the final judgement of guilt / innocence, and the corresponding punishment?
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Worldbuilding Through Culture
General FictionWorldbuilding is more than just maps! Culture is the WHY we think, believe, and behave the way we do. Creating a believable secondary world, with consistent internal logic, idioms, taboos, and politics can be tricky. Luckily, I'm here to help you de...
