Bravado Town Charter (PHW’10)

This document represents the full and complete Charter of the town of Bravado. No signed contract, agreement, or decree may supersede its authority within the territory of Bravado or its surrounding farmlands. All prior versions of this Charter are superseded by this one upon ratification. Dated to take effect on June 1st of Post-Hiway War 10.

ARTICLE I: RIGHTS OF BRAVADO CITIZENS

A citizen of Bravado is any individual who lives, works, or trades in the territory of Bravado or its surrounding farmlands. The following Rights belong to every citizen.

Right to Self-Determination

You own yourself. No one may take your choices, alter your mind, or claim your body. Consent cannot be faked, forced, coerced, or taken - not by psionics, contract, ritual, or disease. Your faith is yours alone. No one may force, ban, or punish the practice of a common faith. No one may convert another to a faith against their will.

Right To Property

You own your labor, your goods, and your memory. Theft is the taking, destruction, or alteration of property without clear consent. What is stolen may be reclaimed by any lawful means available under this Charter.

Right To Life

Your Infection belongs to you. No one may take it without your signed consent. Murder is the intentional killing of another by any means or the transfer of Infection without consent.

Right To Brawl

Personal disputes may be settled by personal conflict, including to the death by signed prior consent. No law may be written to remove this Right. You are responsible for ensuring your opponent is stable before you walk away.

Right To Education

All first-year residents of Bravado are considered Dusters. Dusters are entitled to basic training in combat and education in skilled labor from their fellow citizens.

Right To Deal

A contract clearly written and signed by all consenting parties is binding. No contract may require a violation of this Charter. Consequences for breach must be stated within the contract. All contracts signed by a Duster must receive an additional signature from a recognized Executor to be considered legal contracts. Lawful signs treaties are considered contracts that all citizens are party to.

Right To Due Process

Every citizen has the right to have any charge resolved through the Road To Justice before punishment is carried out. This includes the right to a Path of Absolution where applicable, and the right to call a Gauntlet - a trial before their peers - if resolution cannot be reached. You may elect another to speak for you. You may request a private Gauntlet.

Right To A Secure Morgue

The Bravado Morgue and the Mortis below are protected spaces. Both must be maintained and kept safe for mourning and recovery. Malicious action against either is a violation of this Charter.

Right To Accountability

Executors are legally contracted bodies that serve the people of Bravado and are chosen at the end of the Reveille and serve for one year. Their authority comes from this Charter and the trust of the town. They must live by the laws they enforce. Any citizen of Bravado may request a public vote on an Executor’s status by making a public accusation, with evidence. A vote must be held within thirty days of this request and is decided by simple majority.

ARTICLE II: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

The Laws below are derived from the Rights above. Where a Law and a Right appear to conflict, the Right is supreme.

Laws of Bravado

Crimes in Bravado are divided into two tiers based on the severity of their harm to the public. Felonies are severe violations of this Charter and cannot be remedied by any means other than a Gauntlet. Misdemeanors are lesser violations and may be resolved through a Path of Absolution as provided by an Executor.

Felony

• Murder (Right III) - The intentional killing of another, or the transfer of Infection by any means without signed consent.

• Slavery (Right I) - The capture, ownership, trade, or facilitation of the enslavement of any Strain. No Path of Absolution other than the Grave exists for this crime.

• Unlawful Conversion (Right I) - The forced alteration of another’s faith or mind against their will, by any means.

• Mortis Sabotage (Right VIII) - Deliberate malicious action against the Bravado Morgue or the Mortis Amaranthine.

• Breach of Treaty (Right VI) - Failure to fulfill a lawful signed treaty. No Path of Absolution other than the Grave exists for this crime.

Misdemeanor

• Theft (Right II) - The taking, destruction, or alteration of another’s property without consent.

• Breach of Contract (Right VI) - Failure to fulfill a lawful signed contract. Absolution is the consequence stated within the contract.

• Cavorting (Right IX) - Providing meaningful aid to a declared Outlaw

• Refusal to Appear - Failure to appear at a lawfully convened Gauntlet. This charge is additional to the underlying crime.

II. The Road to Justice

The Road to Justice is how Bravado resolves violations of this Charter. The path taken depends on the severity of the crime.

Path of Absolution

When a misdemeanor is identified, an Executor of the Law offers the accused a Path of Absolution proportional to the offense. Permitted paths include but are not limited to; Restitution, Return of Property, Public Acknowledgement, or a period of Labor or Service. Either the Accused or the aggrieved may challenge the offered Path as too harsh, too lenient, or contest guilt entirely. If challenged, the Executor of the Law may amend the Path or escalate to the Executors of Justice, who will present up to four Paths for the accused to choose from. No Path may itself require a violation of this Charter.

The Gauntlet

A Gauntlet is a trial by peers or in private upon request, adjudicated by the Executors of Justice. It is called for all Felony charges, and for any misdemeanor where the Road to Justice has not produced an accepted resolution. The Executor of the Law presents the charges. The accused or their representative presents their defense. The town votes; a majority decides Guilty or Not Guilty. If Not Guilty, the matter is closed. If Guilty, the Executor of Justice selects a Path of Absolution. An appeal for Mercy may be made at this time. If all Paths are refused, the Executor of Justice may invoke Absolution of the Grave, removing one Infection from the Guilty without unnecessary harm. The Guilty is then absolved of that charge. Fines may be no greater than 100 brass and no smaller than 10 brass. All brass collected through this process is paid to the victims or donated to the Post-Office if none can collect.

Declared Outlaw

When a person’s violations of this Charter are so severe that protecting them beneath it causes further harm to Bravado than removing that protection, they may be declared an Outlaw. A citizen may submit a signed request to the Executors of Justice. If the grievances are found valid, a town vote is called. A two-thirds majority vote of citizens declares the person an Outlaw, rescinding their Charter protections retroactively to the beginning of that month. An appeal may be filed with the Executors of Justice. An Outlaw holds no protections under this Charter.

ARTICLE III: ENFORCEMENT

Executors are contracted societies entrusted by this Charter and the people of Bravado to enforce the Law and uphold the Rights of citizens. Their authority is granted by this Charter and maintained by the trust of this town. All Executors must live by the laws they enforce. All who are contracted into each Executor role are subject to change by town vote. The authority of any individual Executor or the Contracted Society as a whole may be revoked and reassigned by majority town vote.

Executors of the Law

Executors of the Law are the recognized law enforcement of Bravado. They investigate violations of this Charter, protect the Rights of citizens, and serve as the first point of contact on the Road to Justice. They offer Paths of Absolution for Misdemeanor charges, escalate challenges to the Executors of Justice, make arrests when necessary, and present charges and evidence at Gauntlet.

Recognized Executors of the Law: Law Dog Union

Executors of Justice

Executors of Justice are the contracted legal consultants of Bravado, responsible for legal interpretation of this Charter and its laws. They handle escalations on the Road to Justice, present Paths of Absolution when a Path has been challenged, and preside over all Gauntlets. They must appoint a speaker for the Accused if none has been provided. They carry out sentencing following a Guilty Verdict, and may invoke Absolution of the Grave if all Paths are refused. They are also responsible for the Outlaw process; receiving citizen requests, evaluating their validity, and organizing town votes when warranted.

Recognized Executors of Justice: The Justices of Sin

Executors of the Grave

Executors of the Grave oversee and maintain the Bravado Morgue and the Mortis Amaranthine. They are recognized as Executors of the Law for violations of Right VIII only and hold no broader law enforcement authority. They must provide a public report on the state of the Mortis Amaranthine at the start and end of each year. They may charge fair market rates for services rendered. They reserve the right to refuse service to any individual who has cycled two or more times within a three-month period.

Recognized Executors of the Grave: The Grave Council

Executors of Peace

Executors of Peace are the diplomatic representatives of Bravado responsible for managing territorial relations and negotiating lawful treaties. They ensure that treaty obligations and extradition processes are conducted in a manner that protects the Rights of citizens. They facilitate peaceful travel for representatives and serve as our official record-keepers for treaty concessions.

Recognized Executors of Peace: Tri-City Ambassadors