Editing The Barony of Laesmoor (section)

===Law and Order===
Though the Baron is something of a dictator, the council of cities does have some input into things and can actually veto the Barons laws with a supermajority. The idea that free people have certain rights is guaranteed by the laws of the land. Constables cannot simply attack or kill people on a whim as was common in medieval society. While suspects cannot be forced to testify against their will, everyone who takes the stand in court is forced to tell the truth by magic. This simplifies laws, court rules, and trials considerably. Imprisonment is rare. It's expensive and doesn't benefit the Barony. Rather those found guilty of crimes are either fined, given a few lashes, enslaved to work in the mines or build walls, or in some cases executed. Punishments are generally carried out immediately, though occasionally a good barrister will be able to arrange for an appeal to a higher magistrate.

Constables are not part of the army, they are separate and answerable to the mayor of the city, or to the sheriff for those that patrol between the towns. They patrol the streets of the cities and towns day and night. Armed with a metal-shod club and a very loud whistle. Some basic forensics do exist, mostly based on magic. Most larger departments also employ a few detectives to work on high crimes not immediately solved by the patrolmen. Often these detectives will know a spell or two, or will be a priest or mage working to help the department.

While freemen have the right to arm themselves, walking around a city in with full armor and weapons will eventually get the attention of a large group of constables, usually with a few soldiers to back them up. If you don't have good reason to be walking around with said arms and armor they will persuade you to go home and remove them. Generally wearing a cloth gambeson, a leather jerkin, or nothing larger than a short sword is fine, and even common in the towns on the bank of the Mount River.