Crime and Punishment in My Homebrew Setting

One of the most pervasive ideas in Dungeons and Dragons is how actions interact with the law. Whether it's a group of adventurers crossing into illegal conduct, seeing that wrongdoers are punished, or any other number of run-ins with law enforcement, the presence of guards and jailers is a constant, looming thing. But I think that DMs rarely give much of a second thought to how crime and punishment is handled, and it's rare that a DM makes different cultures feel differently about the law. But in this guide, I'm setting out to define how each of my eight homebrew groups feel about crime and punishment, from what crimes are most common to how different crimes are punished to how laws are made in the first place. Through this, I believe that playing in different places will now feel different for players, as the stakes for different actions change based on location (like they do in real life). (Check out this guide for general thinking points and advice about handling guards.) So let's dig in and look at how each major city in my homebrew setting, Evanoch:

How to Deal with Crime and Policing

One of the most constant presences in any campaign is the guard. They stand watch over the civilization and can define how many encounters and situations play out. For the GM, they can be a useful tool; a guard showing up at just the right moment can create a really fun scene. Conversely, the presence of crime can play similar roles. A crime-ridden city feels different from a heavily-policed one, and adding criminals to your story can create very engaging moments. So how do we define the variables--what are guards like, and what is crime like? 

Answering those questions requires considering a number of factors. This guide will help you to address several ideas that will allow you to give questions of crime their best portrayal of your game. [You can read about my homebrew setting's situations with crime and punishment too.]