So, context first. My character, Caelynn Rosenburg, is a half-elf from a noble background. We are trying to combat a foe called 'the white lich'. She recently acquired a small town called 'Dewhill' which she absolutely loves and is doing her best to protect. She recently got chosen by a lawful deity to become a Divine Soul (Wild Magic just wasn't working out for me and the DM allowed me to switch) and this caused her alignment to shift. She still really wants to protect Dewhill and it's citizens though. I decided it was in-character for her to start drafting up some laws and, unintentionally, start making a constitution. These laws currently include zoning, tax laws, Social Structure laws, and Government structure laws. I want to make it seem authentic. Like she's a noble who just wants to ensure her people are protected both from the forces of the White Lich as well as other nobility and wants to ensure that no noble (even herself) can accidentally abuse their power to hurt the citizens. I don't know how it feels currently and if it feels 'proper' instead of being too... 'modern'. I don't want to suddenly turn the land into a democracy or something; just have it clear that she values her citizens and is, unintentionally, laying the groundwork for a constitution. You can feel free to skip the first section unless you REALLY want to deal with zoning laws. My personal comments/explanations will be in italics to help you guys understand where she's coming from.
---
Dewhill tax plans. Citizens of Dewhill will be free from property taxes and additional shopping fees. They will need to provide proof of citizenship with their DCC (Dewhill Citizen Card) when shopping. All businesses are to charge an additional 5% tax on top of their normal business dealings. This fee will be for the City Improvement projects. They are free to pay on a weekly or monthly basis but must wait a total of 3 months before changing payment plans. No matter the size of the fee a cap of 5 gold is required for this tax (I.E. if someone were to charge 1,000 gold normally the tax would bring it to 1,005 as opposed to 1,010).
She doesn't want her citizens to be driven out due to being unable to pay for their own homes, especially by any future greedy nobles. Additionally, she's hoping that the lack of property tax will attract new citizens.
All citizens of Dewhill are to be provided a DCC upon residence. Two copies of a DCC will be made; one to be provided to the citizens and one to be on file. The DCC will exempt them from the 5% fee and may be utilized for additional purposes. Each DCC will have the name of the resident on them. Should a DCC be lost or destroyed for any reason the owner will have their identity verified by the presence of the second copy and a new DCC will be issued. Initial residents of the town will have a special star marked upon their DCC allowing them to access any special privileges that may be provided in the future (Ex: Zoning variance). A DCC will be a thin slip of wood that measures 2 inches by 3 inches long and made of Oak wood with no other material accepted. Should any material other than Oak be utilized in a card the card is to be immediately confiscated and reported to the local police or nobility as fraudulent. Finally, if viable, all cards shall be dyed a specific shade of blue prior to issuance (this may not be viable initially).
A lot in a residential zone shall consist of appx 50 X100 square feet with a variance of +/- 10 square feet and additional land to be granted if hardship is provable. This land is to be arranged properly. Prior existing buildings will be exempt from this law as well as any plot of land deemed necessary by Caelynn Rosenburg, or, in her absence, the acting count/countess for construction and improvement of Dewhill. A council of civilians is to be formed at a later date to deal with issues not immediately relevant to the present acting Count/Countess.
Residential lots of 50 X 100 square feet are to be provided with either an agreement of production of labor/goods or the payment of 70 gold pieces. This fee may be paid in installments of gold to be determined ‘acceptable’ by the acting count/countess. This fee will be reduced to 8 gold pieces should the purchaser agree to the exclusive hiring of Dewhill citizenship for construction and resource utilities. These installments are to be approved by the acting count/countess or a council of appointed citizens.
At every fifth lot the lot will be zoned as a mixed residential or commercial plot. At these locations the purchaser is permitted to either construct a house, a shop, or a building that incorporates both features. However, there may be no more than 10 residential lots between the presence of a shop barring the approval of the acting count/countess or council when enacted. Any market, tavern, or guild is to be considered a commercial building for the purposes of this determination.
The industrial zone is to be assigned lots based upon intended square footage. A regular tax of 5% of goods, income, or any material or labor deemed a sufficient replacement. All industrial buildings are to provide appropriate safety measures for their use including sufficient fire escapes, presence of multiple water buckets or the application of water-based magic, and the absence of thatched roofs. Clay and stone roofing as well as flooring is to be encouraged but not required. Proper ventilation is to be provided in the form of windows or chimneys.
Commercial and trade zones is to be assigned based upon shop permeance and intended use. Acceptable lot size is to be determined by the acting Count/Countess or a Council of Civilians with an amount of 66% votes overriding the Countess except in extreme conditions. Stalls are to be restricted to open markets while permanent structures are to be confined to building lots. Stalls are to be charged an immediate fee for opening of 3 silvers with additional days being charged at a rate of 4 copper per day. Inns, taverns, adventuring halls, and the like are to be charged a percentage of profit earned equaling 5% but are free to open shop with the hiring of local labor and goods taking precedence.
Should pre-existing citizens of Dewhill (those with a star present on their DCC) be unable to reach a level of income equal to 1GP per week at an undefined, future, date when the prosperity of Dewhill is deemed viable, they are to receive a subsidy in order to make up the remaining income. However, this subsidy is to be revoked pending a refusal to work. Should retirement via old age occur they are to be granted this subsidy without question.
The areas marked ‘nature reserve’ are to be restricted from labor of any kind and entering these lands is to be considered a crime worthy of immediate removal and a 2-copper fine unless the trespasser is a child. These zones will be clearly marked and will exist at three locations. A zone by the lake, a zone belonging to the resident known as ‘Zulan’, and a location deemed ‘unsafe’ to the southeast.
The first zone belongs to a friendly tribe and she doesn't want them disturbed especially since she can use them as a secret boon since they aren't officially residents. The second belongs to the party druid and he made those guardian trent things and she doesn't want anyone getting killed accidentally by them. The third belongs to a necromancer she's simply not strong enough to drive out and managed to negotiate a truce with.
Social Structure and Laws
All existing citizens of Dewhill are to be presented with a DCC. This DCC will permit them special privileges such as reduced costs for services rendered. These reduced costs are to be determined solely by the acting Count/Countess. Farmland is to be ensured and, should a farmer find their crop unviable due to land location, have an option provided to them to relocate to a different plot of land should one exist. All businesses are required to operate on a ‘2-1-3-1’ work scheduling in which two days of work, followed by one day of rest, then three days of work, followed by one day of rest. The staggering of these days to ensure employees are present is acceptable. Should an employee be forced to work when sick the business is to be fined an amount equal to the labor of the day of work. This does not apply to self-employment. All employers are required to provide a minimum of 6 ‘mental health days’ per year as well as a minimum of 6 ‘vacation days’ per year. This applies to all workers regardless of if they are salaried or work by the hour. An employee may opt to not utilize these days, however should it be found that the employer has bullied, forced, coerced, or otherwise invoked a situation in which the utilization of these days is not taken they are to be immediately fined and pay for the missing days of labor.
While the terminology might be a bit too modern the intent here is that she doesn't want some employer coming in and either working her citizens to the bone or causing them mental health problems due to stress/overwork.
Should any merchant, shop, organization, or any other commercial business be discovered to be intentionally dishonest with their customers (intentional sale of faulty goods), engaging in abusive business practices (such as providing randomized goods with an either dishonest or miniscule chance of value in which the odds of a positive outcome are well below acceptability), or anything similar as determined by the acting count/countess or a council of citizens, they are to be fined 25% of all income and assets immediately. Should recurring incidents of this occur they are to have citizenship revoked and required to leave the County of Dewhill.
She wants to turn the town into a trading center. As a result dishonest merchants would be a massive issue.
No business is allowed to fire an employee without justifiable cause. Any company which engages in ‘fire at will’ practices is to be fined for lost wages. Additionally, should any group be found to be engaging in discriminatory acts based on gender or species, they are to have the guilty party immediately removed from their position of employment pending investigation. An accusation found to be false will result in appropriate punishment upon the accuser.
All laws in which the punishment is death or physical harm or dismemberment are outlawed except for the punishment of whipping or the extreme cases presented below. This is to ensure the safety of members of Dewhill and that none, be they noble or commoner, place the life of another at risk due to either just or unjust accusations. This punishment of whipping is to be applied only when the accused has been found guilty of an act which intentionally harms the safety or stability of Dewhill. The punishment of execution is reserved solely for those found convicted of intentional homicide or association with the White Lich. Lesser crimes shall be punished with being placed within stockades during the day time (and placed under guard in a secured area at night), whipping, or an acceptable fine or punishment stated within this document.
Another protection clause. She doesn't want anyone hurting the citizens with disproportionate punishments. I.E. stealing a loaf of bread resulting in a hand getting cut off.
Discrimination based on sex, race, or capability is outlawed, especially when it comes to the right of the citizen to purchase property or be employed. This does not refer to inability (such as a species lacking in height not being hired for a job which requires such a thing) but, rather, the intentional refusal to hire a capable employee for such reasons. This also applies to the worship of gods deemed ‘good’ or ‘neutral’. The worship of gods which have been deemed ‘evil’ is unacceptable and to be banned in all circumstances. This applies to intentional deals with entities known to be malicious such as demons, devils, and mind flayers. In such case rapid vacation of the local area is highly encouraged by the acting Count/Countess and any acting council. The only exception to this is the appearance of the acting countess and subsequent appearance of a giant ape.
She has been discriminated against and was even basically kicked out of an elf-kingdom she was trying to negotiate an alliance with for being 'a half-blood mongrel'. So she is really sensitive on the issues regarding race. She wants to allow people freedom of worship but also recognizes there are evil deities and wants to put a stop to that right away. As for the final line, it's because the Giant Ape is her favorite battle-form (and the GM is fine with her retaining full sentience or whatever you want to call it) so if that happens it means she's there to save the day.
The act of slavery is outlawed in all regards. Any slave found within the borders are to be freed immediately without exception. Should an unusual situation arise in which such action is non-viable the owner being is to be detained until such time as a meeting with the acting Count/Countess is arranged.
Should the acting nobility of any nation, province, or county visit Dewhill they are to be afforded every viable amenity.
The use of magic upon citizens, especially to affect their mind, is outlawed barring self-defense.
Weaponry is explicitly permitted within the borders of Dewhill and shall, under absolutely no circumstances, be prohibited. However, the use of these weapons, except in cases of self-defense or as part of entertainment, is to be punished and all weapons and armor, including magical weapons, accessories, and armor, are to be confiscated until self-defense is verified. Should the attacker utilize unarmed combat they are to be confined in manacles. In times of war all citizens are required to be armed at all times and, should a draft be instituted, agree unconditionally. This is to ensure the safety of the town and its citizens against all external threats.
With the threat of the White Lich as well as being a border town to a place with a lot of potential bandits, ensuring that the citizens can defend themselves is important.
All residents of Dewhill, upon reaching the age of 18, are required to spend a minimum of 1 year training with the military. This may be deferred until the age of 24 at which point it becomes non-negotiable. Citizens are to be trained to become proficient in at least one weapon, which they will later possess upon completion, as well as self-defence lessons. A citizen may not engage in any voting action or hold any political position until they have completed this mandatory year of training. There will be an exception for the initial residents of Dewhill though they must receive such training within 6 years of this initiation date.
Wants to make sure they actually know how to USE their weapons.
The right to freedom of speech is hereby ensured and guaranteed. No citizen will have their ability to voice anything restricted even if untrue, hateful, or any variation. Likewise, the nobility cannot remove land or property from a person as any form of punishment for speaking out against them. The only times there will be exceptions to this is wartime in which all precautions are to be taken for the security of the county and nation or the visit of the reigning king/queen in which proper politeness and respect is to be expected or in matters related to the White Lich or other beings deemed a threat to Dewhill.
She doesn't want a citizen punished just for mouthing off to some lord or something.
All children, regardless of financial status, are to be cared for. Any orphans are to be found homes or, failing that, provided with income and a viable place to live. All children are to be afforded an education regardless of financial status. All children are to be properly fed and clothed. Should a situation arise in which adoption is non-viable a compensation shall be offered to citizens in silver to care for the child. Anyone who intentionally harms a child except in self-defense or protection against robbery is to be fined. Should a family be found to be neglectful of a child a proper home shall be found for the child.
The worship, interaction, or anything related to the entity know as ‘The White Lich’ is explicitly banned in all forms, possibilities, and potential iterations. This applies to any of his minions as well. Should a party be found guilty of consorting with such a being or his associates they are to be put under multiple locks, chains, and every reasonable security measure before subsequent execution via beheading (and immolation or any other method if this proves non-viable) if association is confirmed.
Government Structure
This is where I feel the most problems lie as she's trying to build a way to ensure that the citizens have power but are still subservient to their noble. I may have pushed too hard here in regards to modern thought though.
There will be three effective tiers of government. At the first tier will be the acting Queen/King. Under no circumstances are their orders to be defied in any way except if the acting Count/Countess intentionally defies an order. This is the only time when such an action should even be considered.
The Second tier of government shall be the acting count/countess. While they are the effective ruler their power is to be limited and restricted. They may, under no circumstance except those laid out in this document, harm, force payment, enforce draft, remove the capabilities of free speech and armament, remove property from an innocent civilian, or imprison citizens. Any law passed by the Count/Countess is subject to being overruled by the Queen/King and a successful vote by a majorly of the citizen council. The Count/Countess is responsible for the development of Dewhill, protection of the safety of the citizens of Dewhill, and responsibility of improvement the nation of Dewhill. They are to be afforded the home of the Rosenburg family unconditionally, though they may be restricted to it by the council of citizens, as well as control of any undeveloped lot not within the reserves excepting those already acquired by a citizen but has not been developed yet. They are free to offer quarter or enforce the quartering of nobles, but are to offer any viable room within the Rosenburg family manor, first. This does not apply to travelers, merchants, civilians, or those deemed ‘untrustworthy’ including nobles. However, they are expected to provide compensation for the housing of non-citizens totaling a rate of 4 silver per day. They must abide by any holidays as well and must permit the citizens rest on such days except with the voluntary offering by the citizens. Should any member of the nobility want to spend any money within the coffers of Dewhill for any reason other than the improvement of Dewhill it must be approved by a 2/3rds vote of the council. The only exception for this is times of war in which spending is permitted for military purposes.
The third tier of government is the Council. The council is to be made up of residents of Dewhill with an amount that is an odd number regardless of any situation of voting, population, or political alignment determined by census which will be taken every ten years. There shall always be a minimum of 3 council members and, for every 100 citizens, 2 additional seats upon the council will be provided. A member of the council is not allowed to serve any more than two, five year, terms upon the Council either consecutively or non-consecutively. Additionally, should political parties emerge, no position can be held in the council by said political party following the resignation until an equal period of time has passed. The council is to be explicitly selected from the citizens of Dewhill whom have been citizens for more than a period of 10 years. The council is responsible for the management of minor issues such as zoning disputes, as well as any action which cannot be taken to the acting Count/Countess be it due to absence, vacation, non-viability, or over-work. The Council can override any law passed by the Count/Countess by a 2/3rds vote as well. They may not revoke or overturn any aspect of this document. Only the acting king/queen is allowed to remove this document or Lady Rosenburg herself in full view in the centre of the town square.
When it comes to election all citizens are permitted to vote for as many candidates as they desire with their desire marked with a ‘1, 2, 3, etc’. The votes will be tallied by the mayor, in public, along with any additional help that is deemed necessary for such a task by the mayor. Upon counting the votes the candidate with the least votes will have their votes redistributed to their next choice of candidate until only the number of viable candidates for the council has been reached. The Count/Countess may overrule the Council only when the council has voted for laws that threaten the safety of Dewhill and her citizens. Should any member of the council be found to be dishonest in this regard they are to be removed immediately and an emergency election held.
Finally, should there be the untimely death of the King/Queen or any member of the ruling Count/Countess’s family, Dewhill is expected to help their revival in any way they can barring a ruling by the King/Queen or a unified decision by the Count/Countess and Council.
Signed, Caelynn Rosenburg.
Countess of Dewhill.
May you all live well.
P.S. This set of laws is not in its final form. It will be amended and adjusted but only by Countess Rosenburg herself with the final iteration removing all direct references to Countess Rosenburg.
As a political scientist by education, I can tell you that a constitution would be highly irregular for a small town. How many people live there? Identity cards seem ... anachronistically ambitious. Can everyone read?
This is a lot to chew and digest. What stands out to me is this: you'd probably achieve more of what you want with laws and a bill of rights rather than a constitution. I would make the council an advisory body which can petition for legislation. The matter of having a queen is messy. That title might cause the nearby rulers to raise their eyebrows. Remember, during this sort of time period there is a sense of layered loyalties. While the town might "belong" to your character, there is likely a higher ruler that sees the town as part of their patrimony. Who might object if your character starts calling herself a Queen.
Ultimately, do what lets you have fun. However, if you care about the semblance of historical realism, whatever that is, then I wouldn't write a constitution. Even when constitutions existed in and preceeding the Medival era, they were traditional rather than written constitutions.
There's currently between 50-100 people living there with a small trickle of travelers and there's plans in the works to drastically increase the amount once we finally get the chance to invest more campaign time into the city. I.E. we need to clear mineshafts, get our barracks, monestary (I really wish the monk hadn't jumped the gun here), and resource production buildings up to snuff, and so-forth.
As for the whole 'constitution' bit, as I said at the start. She doesn't know she's laying the groundwork for a constitution. As far as she's concerned she's just making some laws to protect her people. With that said I can probably switch it up so that she's passing these laws slowly over time until, eventually, they culminate in the birth of a constitution.
What was typically done back then was to give a town a Charter - that outlined its duties to the grantor ( your character) and its freedoms and responsibilities in terms of self rule etc that it got from the granted for providing the duties. That would really be what you are doing. A constitution would only be for a larger entity (barony/state/nation).
Wow, that’s a lot of thinking! I live in a very small town- about 300-400 people. We have a mayor and 4 Town Council members. The next level up is a Regional Board that covers about 8 or 10 communities with many thousands of acres of land under private and public ownership. It has an elected Board of Representatives, I think about 12-14. . Our mayor and 1 representative of our rural population of about 900 represent our community on this Board. Add up the number of people who would hold governing offices. If your town only has a hundred or so people, what proportion of them are going to be the government and the civil service? it’s a really neat idea that your character is proposing something that has potential for the future. Good luck with your fine tuning, and I hope the citizens ‘live long and prosper’.
Assuming you want to emulate European models (which allows you to immediately tap into their legitimacy and blend in with a timeline that resembles reality) the Feudalistic Governmental system is most fitting. This meant the top dog "owned" everything and everyone else had some sort of franchise. The Dukes received immense portions of the realm in exchange for loyalty, military service (by themselves and armies they would conscript) and duties (taxes paid in coin and goods) to the ruler. Marquis, Earls, Counts, Barons all received smaller franchise arrangements from their higher-ups.
A town was an unusual entity in the arrangement. Towns were established after the leaders developed a Charter which was an agreement with the town leaders and the higher-up noble. So a town in a barony was often Chartered by authority of the Earl and not subject to rule by the local Baron. The town council was given some authority to govern themselves (apart from the Baron) but would own duties to the Earl. So the Earl received coin and goods from the town in order to let the town govern their own affairs apart from the Baron. But that didn't mean the town council ignored the Baron. They would want to maintain good relations because the Charter could be dissolved by the Earl and then the town falls under the rule of the local Baron.
Once a Town had a Charter, they had some autonomy. They would establish their own governmental structure, such as having a mayor and a separate town council. They would have their own Sheriff's office, who enforced property laws. They would have some type of court system with the authority to impose minor fines, short terms in jail or public punishments. But they wouldn't be able to put someone to death. That was a right reserved to the higher nobles. Citizens of the Town would not have to worry about the tax collectors from the Baron, but their own government would be knocking on their door.
A town Charter would be the legal description of the limits of the town, who the town answered to, and what taxes the town would pay to the Lord each year. It would include a description of the town's governmental structure, the degree of authority of the courts and the town council and where and when the other disputes would be heard and resolved. It may well include a clause that no law is considered fully in-effect until the Lord consents to it.
Outside of this, the Lord may consent to a 'sort of' Bill of Rights for the people that would include the right to life and freedom and to be considered a property owner in direct contract with the Lord, but the Lord would otherwise always have the right to confiscate property, and pass sentence of death or long term imprisonment. The ideas we have today of individual rights, unalienable rights granted by the Creator, are all centuries away at this point in our history. But a Townsman could have the right to hold a deed to a piece of property. That would not allow him to keep the police out of his house, but it would allow him to build a house or business and profit from that. He could own the goods on his property, so the police couldn't just come in and take away all his tools. But a Bill of Rights wouldn't look anything like what we think of today.
So the Charter is strictly an agreement between the Leaders of the town and the Lord. So what could we call a list of rights for townsfolk? I was thinking of The Articles of Citizenship and Residency might sound pompous enough. So this could be part of the Incorporation Papers for the Town. That's about all I have for ideas right now. But it is your table. You can run your game any way you want.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
Charter could actually expand beyond the town proper, giving it access and responsibility over other resources. In the present day U.S. Counties are organized under charters, as are many cities.
So, yes, Constitution wasn't the best word choice but as W1ldB1ll and others pointed out, communities can still have foundational documents or grants.
One thing to take up with the DM, these sorts of charters are often negotiated documents in modern contexts, and I'd argue even the fiats and decrees ordered in feudal environments nevertheless has negotiations before the final decree language was settled upon (Whisper Bards who read Castiglione). So there are plenty of realistic options between purely democratic resolution and authoritarian fiat. Might even be fun to role play if you want an intrigue game or deeds done for charter buy-in by certain parties. Sounds cool.
So, context first. My character, Caelynn Rosenburg, is a half-elf from a noble background. We are trying to combat a foe called 'the white lich'. She recently acquired a small town called 'Dewhill' which she absolutely loves and is doing her best to protect. She recently got chosen by a lawful deity to become a Divine Soul (Wild Magic just wasn't working out for me and the DM allowed me to switch) and this caused her alignment to shift. She still really wants to protect Dewhill and it's citizens though. I decided it was in-character for her to start drafting up some laws and, unintentionally, start making a constitution. These laws currently include zoning, tax laws, Social Structure laws, and Government structure laws. I want to make it seem authentic. Like she's a noble who just wants to ensure her people are protected both from the forces of the White Lich as well as other nobility and wants to ensure that no noble (even herself) can accidentally abuse their power to hurt the citizens. I don't know how it feels currently and if it feels 'proper' instead of being too... 'modern'. I don't want to suddenly turn the land into a democracy or something; just have it clear that she values her citizens and is, unintentionally, laying the groundwork for a constitution. You can feel free to skip the first section unless you REALLY want to deal with zoning laws. My personal comments/explanations will be in italics to help you guys understand where she's coming from.
---
Dewhill tax plans. Citizens of Dewhill will be free from property taxes and additional shopping fees. They will need to provide proof of citizenship with their DCC (Dewhill Citizen Card) when shopping. All businesses are to charge an additional 5% tax on top of their normal business dealings. This fee will be for the City Improvement projects. They are free to pay on a weekly or monthly basis but must wait a total of 3 months before changing payment plans. No matter the size of the fee a cap of 5 gold is required for this tax (I.E. if someone were to charge 1,000 gold normally the tax would bring it to 1,005 as opposed to 1,010).
She doesn't want her citizens to be driven out due to being unable to pay for their own homes, especially by any future greedy nobles. Additionally, she's hoping that the lack of property tax will attract new citizens.
All citizens of Dewhill are to be provided a DCC upon residence. Two copies of a DCC will be made; one to be provided to the citizens and one to be on file. The DCC will exempt them from the 5% fee and may be utilized for additional purposes. Each DCC will have the name of the resident on them. Should a DCC be lost or destroyed for any reason the owner will have their identity verified by the presence of the second copy and a new DCC will be issued. Initial residents of the town will have a special star marked upon their DCC allowing them to access any special privileges that may be provided in the future (Ex: Zoning variance). A DCC will be a thin slip of wood that measures 2 inches by 3 inches long and made of Oak wood with no other material accepted. Should any material other than Oak be utilized in a card the card is to be immediately confiscated and reported to the local police or nobility as fraudulent. Finally, if viable, all cards shall be dyed a specific shade of blue prior to issuance (this may not be viable initially).
A lot in a residential zone shall consist of appx 50 X100 square feet with a variance of +/- 10 square feet and additional land to be granted if hardship is provable. This land is to be arranged properly. Prior existing buildings will be exempt from this law as well as any plot of land deemed necessary by Caelynn Rosenburg, or, in her absence, the acting count/countess for construction and improvement of Dewhill. A council of civilians is to be formed at a later date to deal with issues not immediately relevant to the present acting Count/Countess.
Residential lots of 50 X 100 square feet are to be provided with either an agreement of production of labor/goods or the payment of 70 gold pieces. This fee may be paid in installments of gold to be determined ‘acceptable’ by the acting count/countess. This fee will be reduced to 8 gold pieces should the purchaser agree to the exclusive hiring of Dewhill citizenship for construction and resource utilities. These installments are to be approved by the acting count/countess or a council of appointed citizens.
At every fifth lot the lot will be zoned as a mixed residential or commercial plot. At these locations the purchaser is permitted to either construct a house, a shop, or a building that incorporates both features. However, there may be no more than 10 residential lots between the presence of a shop barring the approval of the acting count/countess or council when enacted. Any market, tavern, or guild is to be considered a commercial building for the purposes of this determination.
The industrial zone is to be assigned lots based upon intended square footage. A regular tax of 5% of goods, income, or any material or labor deemed a sufficient replacement. All industrial buildings are to provide appropriate safety measures for their use including sufficient fire escapes, presence of multiple water buckets or the application of water-based magic, and the absence of thatched roofs. Clay and stone roofing as well as flooring is to be encouraged but not required. Proper ventilation is to be provided in the form of windows or chimneys.
Commercial and trade zones is to be assigned based upon shop permeance and intended use. Acceptable lot size is to be determined by the acting Count/Countess or a Council of Civilians with an amount of 66% votes overriding the Countess except in extreme conditions. Stalls are to be restricted to open markets while permanent structures are to be confined to building lots. Stalls are to be charged an immediate fee for opening of 3 silvers with additional days being charged at a rate of 4 copper per day. Inns, taverns, adventuring halls, and the like are to be charged a percentage of profit earned equaling 5% but are free to open shop with the hiring of local labor and goods taking precedence.
Should pre-existing citizens of Dewhill (those with a star present on their DCC) be unable to reach a level of income equal to 1GP per week at an undefined, future, date when the prosperity of Dewhill is deemed viable, they are to receive a subsidy in order to make up the remaining income. However, this subsidy is to be revoked pending a refusal to work. Should retirement via old age occur they are to be granted this subsidy without question.
The areas marked ‘nature reserve’ are to be restricted from labor of any kind and entering these lands is to be considered a crime worthy of immediate removal and a 2-copper fine unless the trespasser is a child. These zones will be clearly marked and will exist at three locations. A zone by the lake, a zone belonging to the resident known as ‘Zulan’, and a location deemed ‘unsafe’ to the southeast.
The first zone belongs to a friendly tribe and she doesn't want them disturbed especially since she can use them as a secret boon since they aren't officially residents. The second belongs to the party druid and he made those guardian trent things and she doesn't want anyone getting killed accidentally by them. The third belongs to a necromancer she's simply not strong enough to drive out and managed to negotiate a truce with.
Social Structure and Laws
All existing citizens of Dewhill are to be presented with a DCC. This DCC will permit them special privileges such as reduced costs for services rendered. These reduced costs are to be determined solely by the acting Count/Countess. Farmland is to be ensured and, should a farmer find their crop unviable due to land location, have an option provided to them to relocate to a different plot of land should one exist. All businesses are required to operate on a ‘2-1-3-1’ work scheduling in which two days of work, followed by one day of rest, then three days of work, followed by one day of rest. The staggering of these days to ensure employees are present is acceptable. Should an employee be forced to work when sick the business is to be fined an amount equal to the labor of the day of work. This does not apply to self-employment. All employers are required to provide a minimum of 6 ‘mental health days’ per year as well as a minimum of 6 ‘vacation days’ per year. This applies to all workers regardless of if they are salaried or work by the hour. An employee may opt to not utilize these days, however should it be found that the employer has bullied, forced, coerced, or otherwise invoked a situation in which the utilization of these days is not taken they are to be immediately fined and pay for the missing days of labor.
While the terminology might be a bit too modern the intent here is that she doesn't want some employer coming in and either working her citizens to the bone or causing them mental health problems due to stress/overwork.
Should any merchant, shop, organization, or any other commercial business be discovered to be intentionally dishonest with their customers (intentional sale of faulty goods), engaging in abusive business practices (such as providing randomized goods with an either dishonest or miniscule chance of value in which the odds of a positive outcome are well below acceptability), or anything similar as determined by the acting count/countess or a council of citizens, they are to be fined 25% of all income and assets immediately. Should recurring incidents of this occur they are to have citizenship revoked and required to leave the County of Dewhill.
She wants to turn the town into a trading center. As a result dishonest merchants would be a massive issue.
No business is allowed to fire an employee without justifiable cause. Any company which engages in ‘fire at will’ practices is to be fined for lost wages. Additionally, should any group be found to be engaging in discriminatory acts based on gender or species, they are to have the guilty party immediately removed from their position of employment pending investigation. An accusation found to be false will result in appropriate punishment upon the accuser.
All laws in which the punishment is death or physical harm or dismemberment are outlawed except for the punishment of whipping or the extreme cases presented below. This is to ensure the safety of members of Dewhill and that none, be they noble or commoner, place the life of another at risk due to either just or unjust accusations. This punishment of whipping is to be applied only when the accused has been found guilty of an act which intentionally harms the safety or stability of Dewhill. The punishment of execution is reserved solely for those found convicted of intentional homicide or association with the White Lich. Lesser crimes shall be punished with being placed within stockades during the day time (and placed under guard in a secured area at night), whipping, or an acceptable fine or punishment stated within this document.
Another protection clause. She doesn't want anyone hurting the citizens with disproportionate punishments. I.E. stealing a loaf of bread resulting in a hand getting cut off.
Discrimination based on sex, race, or capability is outlawed, especially when it comes to the right of the citizen to purchase property or be employed. This does not refer to inability (such as a species lacking in height not being hired for a job which requires such a thing) but, rather, the intentional refusal to hire a capable employee for such reasons. This also applies to the worship of gods deemed ‘good’ or ‘neutral’. The worship of gods which have been deemed ‘evil’ is unacceptable and to be banned in all circumstances. This applies to intentional deals with entities known to be malicious such as demons, devils, and mind flayers. In such case rapid vacation of the local area is highly encouraged by the acting Count/Countess and any acting council. The only exception to this is the appearance of the acting countess and subsequent appearance of a giant ape.
She has been discriminated against and was even basically kicked out of an elf-kingdom she was trying to negotiate an alliance with for being 'a half-blood mongrel'. So she is really sensitive on the issues regarding race. She wants to allow people freedom of worship but also recognizes there are evil deities and wants to put a stop to that right away. As for the final line, it's because the Giant Ape is her favorite battle-form (and the GM is fine with her retaining full sentience or whatever you want to call it) so if that happens it means she's there to save the day.
The act of slavery is outlawed in all regards. Any slave found within the borders are to be freed immediately without exception. Should an unusual situation arise in which such action is non-viable the owner being is to be detained until such time as a meeting with the acting Count/Countess is arranged.
Should the acting nobility of any nation, province, or county visit Dewhill they are to be afforded every viable amenity.
The use of magic upon citizens, especially to affect their mind, is outlawed barring self-defense.
Weaponry is explicitly permitted within the borders of Dewhill and shall, under absolutely no circumstances, be prohibited. However, the use of these weapons, except in cases of self-defense or as part of entertainment, is to be punished and all weapons and armor, including magical weapons, accessories, and armor, are to be confiscated until self-defense is verified. Should the attacker utilize unarmed combat they are to be confined in manacles. In times of war all citizens are required to be armed at all times and, should a draft be instituted, agree unconditionally. This is to ensure the safety of the town and its citizens against all external threats.
With the threat of the White Lich as well as being a border town to a place with a lot of potential bandits, ensuring that the citizens can defend themselves is important.
All residents of Dewhill, upon reaching the age of 18, are required to spend a minimum of 1 year training with the military. This may be deferred until the age of 24 at which point it becomes non-negotiable. Citizens are to be trained to become proficient in at least one weapon, which they will later possess upon completion, as well as self-defence lessons. A citizen may not engage in any voting action or hold any political position until they have completed this mandatory year of training. There will be an exception for the initial residents of Dewhill though they must receive such training within 6 years of this initiation date.
Wants to make sure they actually know how to USE their weapons.
The right to freedom of speech is hereby ensured and guaranteed. No citizen will have their ability to voice anything restricted even if untrue, hateful, or any variation. Likewise, the nobility cannot remove land or property from a person as any form of punishment for speaking out against them. The only times there will be exceptions to this is wartime in which all precautions are to be taken for the security of the county and nation or the visit of the reigning king/queen in which proper politeness and respect is to be expected or in matters related to the White Lich or other beings deemed a threat to Dewhill.
She doesn't want a citizen punished just for mouthing off to some lord or something.
All children, regardless of financial status, are to be cared for. Any orphans are to be found homes or, failing that, provided with income and a viable place to live. All children are to be afforded an education regardless of financial status. All children are to be properly fed and clothed. Should a situation arise in which adoption is non-viable a compensation shall be offered to citizens in silver to care for the child. Anyone who intentionally harms a child except in self-defense or protection against robbery is to be fined. Should a family be found to be neglectful of a child a proper home shall be found for the child.
The worship, interaction, or anything related to the entity know as ‘The White Lich’ is explicitly banned in all forms, possibilities, and potential iterations. This applies to any of his minions as well. Should a party be found guilty of consorting with such a being or his associates they are to be put under multiple locks, chains, and every reasonable security measure before subsequent execution via beheading (and immolation or any other method if this proves non-viable) if association is confirmed.
Government Structure
This is where I feel the most problems lie as she's trying to build a way to ensure that the citizens have power but are still subservient to their noble. I may have pushed too hard here in regards to modern thought though.
There will be three effective tiers of government. At the first tier will be the acting Queen/King. Under no circumstances are their orders to be defied in any way except if the acting Count/Countess intentionally defies an order. This is the only time when such an action should even be considered.
The Second tier of government shall be the acting count/countess. While they are the effective ruler their power is to be limited and restricted. They may, under no circumstance except those laid out in this document, harm, force payment, enforce draft, remove the capabilities of free speech and armament, remove property from an innocent civilian, or imprison citizens. Any law passed by the Count/Countess is subject to being overruled by the Queen/King and a successful vote by a majorly of the citizen council. The Count/Countess is responsible for the development of Dewhill, protection of the safety of the citizens of Dewhill, and responsibility of improvement the nation of Dewhill. They are to be afforded the home of the Rosenburg family unconditionally, though they may be restricted to it by the council of citizens, as well as control of any undeveloped lot not within the reserves excepting those already acquired by a citizen but has not been developed yet. They are free to offer quarter or enforce the quartering of nobles, but are to offer any viable room within the Rosenburg family manor, first. This does not apply to travelers, merchants, civilians, or those deemed ‘untrustworthy’ including nobles. However, they are expected to provide compensation for the housing of non-citizens totaling a rate of 4 silver per day. They must abide by any holidays as well and must permit the citizens rest on such days except with the voluntary offering by the citizens. Should any member of the nobility want to spend any money within the coffers of Dewhill for any reason other than the improvement of Dewhill it must be approved by a 2/3rds vote of the council. The only exception for this is times of war in which spending is permitted for military purposes.
The third tier of government is the Council. The council is to be made up of residents of Dewhill with an amount that is an odd number regardless of any situation of voting, population, or political alignment determined by census which will be taken every ten years. There shall always be a minimum of 3 council members and, for every 100 citizens, 2 additional seats upon the council will be provided. A member of the council is not allowed to serve any more than two, five year, terms upon the Council either consecutively or non-consecutively. Additionally, should political parties emerge, no position can be held in the council by said political party following the resignation until an equal period of time has passed. The council is to be explicitly selected from the citizens of Dewhill whom have been citizens for more than a period of 10 years. The council is responsible for the management of minor issues such as zoning disputes, as well as any action which cannot be taken to the acting Count/Countess be it due to absence, vacation, non-viability, or over-work. The Council can override any law passed by the Count/Countess by a 2/3rds vote as well. They may not revoke or overturn any aspect of this document. Only the acting king/queen is allowed to remove this document or Lady Rosenburg herself in full view in the centre of the town square.
When it comes to election all citizens are permitted to vote for as many candidates as they desire with their desire marked with a ‘1, 2, 3, etc’. The votes will be tallied by the mayor, in public, along with any additional help that is deemed necessary for such a task by the mayor. Upon counting the votes the candidate with the least votes will have their votes redistributed to their next choice of candidate until only the number of viable candidates for the council has been reached. The Count/Countess may overrule the Council only when the council has voted for laws that threaten the safety of Dewhill and her citizens. Should any member of the council be found to be dishonest in this regard they are to be removed immediately and an emergency election held.
Finally, should there be the untimely death of the King/Queen or any member of the ruling Count/Countess’s family, Dewhill is expected to help their revival in any way they can barring a ruling by the King/Queen or a unified decision by the Count/Countess and Council.
Signed, Caelynn Rosenburg.
Countess of Dewhill.
May you all live well.
P.S. This set of laws is not in its final form. It will be amended and adjusted but only by Countess Rosenburg herself with the final iteration removing all direct references to Countess Rosenburg.
As a political scientist by education, I can tell you that a constitution would be highly irregular for a small town. How many people live there? Identity cards seem ... anachronistically ambitious. Can everyone read?
This is a lot to chew and digest. What stands out to me is this: you'd probably achieve more of what you want with laws and a bill of rights rather than a constitution. I would make the council an advisory body which can petition for legislation. The matter of having a queen is messy. That title might cause the nearby rulers to raise their eyebrows. Remember, during this sort of time period there is a sense of layered loyalties. While the town might "belong" to your character, there is likely a higher ruler that sees the town as part of their patrimony. Who might object if your character starts calling herself a Queen.
Ultimately, do what lets you have fun. However, if you care about the semblance of historical realism, whatever that is, then I wouldn't write a constitution. Even when constitutions existed in and preceeding the Medival era, they were traditional rather than written constitutions.
There's currently between 50-100 people living there with a small trickle of travelers and there's plans in the works to drastically increase the amount once we finally get the chance to invest more campaign time into the city. I.E. we need to clear mineshafts, get our barracks, monestary (I really wish the monk hadn't jumped the gun here), and resource production buildings up to snuff, and so-forth.
As for the whole 'constitution' bit, as I said at the start. She doesn't know she's laying the groundwork for a constitution. As far as she's concerned she's just making some laws to protect her people. With that said I can probably switch it up so that she's passing these laws slowly over time until, eventually, they culminate in the birth of a constitution.
What was typically done back then was to give a town a Charter - that outlined its duties to the grantor ( your character) and its freedoms and responsibilities in terms of self rule etc that it got from the granted for providing the duties. That would really be what you are doing. A constitution would only be for a larger entity (barony/state/nation).
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Wow, that’s a lot of thinking!
I live in a very small town- about 300-400 people. We have a mayor and 4 Town Council members. The next level up is a Regional Board that covers about 8 or 10 communities with many thousands of acres of land under private and public ownership. It has an elected Board of Representatives, I think about 12-14. . Our mayor and 1 representative of our rural population of about 900 represent our community on this Board.
Add up the number of people who would hold governing offices. If your town only has a hundred or so people, what proportion of them are going to be the government and the civil service?
it’s a really neat idea that your character is proposing something that has potential for the future. Good luck with your fine tuning, and I hope the citizens ‘live long and prosper’.
WildBill is on the right track.
Assuming you want to emulate European models (which allows you to immediately tap into their legitimacy and blend in with a timeline that resembles reality) the Feudalistic Governmental system is most fitting. This meant the top dog "owned" everything and everyone else had some sort of franchise. The Dukes received immense portions of the realm in exchange for loyalty, military service (by themselves and armies they would conscript) and duties (taxes paid in coin and goods) to the ruler. Marquis, Earls, Counts, Barons all received smaller franchise arrangements from their higher-ups.
A town was an unusual entity in the arrangement. Towns were established after the leaders developed a Charter which was an agreement with the town leaders and the higher-up noble. So a town in a barony was often Chartered by authority of the Earl and not subject to rule by the local Baron. The town council was given some authority to govern themselves (apart from the Baron) but would own duties to the Earl. So the Earl received coin and goods from the town in order to let the town govern their own affairs apart from the Baron. But that didn't mean the town council ignored the Baron. They would want to maintain good relations because the Charter could be dissolved by the Earl and then the town falls under the rule of the local Baron.
Once a Town had a Charter, they had some autonomy. They would establish their own governmental structure, such as having a mayor and a separate town council. They would have their own Sheriff's office, who enforced property laws. They would have some type of court system with the authority to impose minor fines, short terms in jail or public punishments. But they wouldn't be able to put someone to death. That was a right reserved to the higher nobles. Citizens of the Town would not have to worry about the tax collectors from the Baron, but their own government would be knocking on their door.
A town Charter would be the legal description of the limits of the town, who the town answered to, and what taxes the town would pay to the Lord each year. It would include a description of the town's governmental structure, the degree of authority of the courts and the town council and where and when the other disputes would be heard and resolved. It may well include a clause that no law is considered fully in-effect until the Lord consents to it.
Outside of this, the Lord may consent to a 'sort of' Bill of Rights for the people that would include the right to life and freedom and to be considered a property owner in direct contract with the Lord, but the Lord would otherwise always have the right to confiscate property, and pass sentence of death or long term imprisonment. The ideas we have today of individual rights, unalienable rights granted by the Creator, are all centuries away at this point in our history. But a Townsman could have the right to hold a deed to a piece of property. That would not allow him to keep the police out of his house, but it would allow him to build a house or business and profit from that. He could own the goods on his property, so the police couldn't just come in and take away all his tools. But a Bill of Rights wouldn't look anything like what we think of today.
So the Charter is strictly an agreement between the Leaders of the town and the Lord. So what could we call a list of rights for townsfolk? I was thinking of The Articles of Citizenship and Residency might sound pompous enough. So this could be part of the Incorporation Papers for the Town. That's about all I have for ideas right now. But it is your table. You can run your game any way you want.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
Charter could actually expand beyond the town proper, giving it access and responsibility over other resources. In the present day U.S. Counties are organized under charters, as are many cities.
So, yes, Constitution wasn't the best word choice but as W1ldB1ll and others pointed out, communities can still have foundational documents or grants.
One thing to take up with the DM, these sorts of charters are often negotiated documents in modern contexts, and I'd argue even the fiats and decrees ordered in feudal environments nevertheless has negotiations before the final decree language was settled upon (Whisper Bards who read Castiglione). So there are plenty of realistic options between purely democratic resolution and authoritarian fiat. Might even be fun to role play if you want an intrigue game or deeds done for charter buy-in by certain parties. Sounds cool.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.