Crime and punishment are taken very seriously in Amthydor. The Guard of the Star Sapphire, was recently reactivated on the advice of the Magus Consul to police the Nobles District. The Diamond Legion and the Proctors have kept laws and order in Amthydor for over 1600 years, which is something that not only the Diamond Legion is proud of, but so is the average Amthydoran.

Many activities that might be frowned upon or made illegal in other cities are legal and regulated in Amthydor, with the exceptions of thievery, smuggling, forgery, and racketeering. Gambling in the taverns is a common sight. In the Service and Port Districts, both men and women can find escorts to pass the time with in certain establishments. Some places offer exotic drinks and smoking herbs. Begging is legal in the Poor District, but strictly forbidden in other parts of the city. Since the city offers lodging and care for these people, most beggars turn to work to make a living. More than a few organizations that in other places would be considered "evil" operate more or less openly in Amthydor, and are tolerated because they adhere to the orderly laws of the city - at least in public.

As above, much the Diamond Legion has a pointed dislike of adventuring heroes, as they often seem to cause as much trouble as the myriad evil plots and crimes such visitors seek to foil. More than a few travelling paladins are frustrated by Legion brush-offs to their assertions that this or that person is "thinking evil thoughts". You have complete freedom to hold whatever beliefs you wish in Amthydor, as long as you do not engage in criminal activities.

Other nefarious activities, such as smuggling, forgery, and thievery are treated harshly. Still, some individuals persist in making a living in the shadows. There are constant rumors of an organized ring of criminals operating out of the city, but such an organization would have to be very talented at hiding itself indeed, considering the diligence of the Diamond Legion.

Ever since it's founding, Amthydor has had to struggle against brigands and thieves of all types. Because of this, the average Amthydoran has no tolerance for thieves. Any person caught with his or her hands in someone else's pocket or taking goods that do not belong to them are handed over to the Diamond Legion, sometimes in worse shape then when they were caught. The punishments in Amthydor are very severe, not just for theft but for all crimes, and include severing of the thief's hand, crushing a forger's fingers, and magical branding of careless spellcasters.

As can be expected with a city with a fervent hatred of thieves, Amthydor has never had a Thieves Guild. All attempts to start a Thieves Guild have been discovered through undercover operations. The reaction to the organization of a Thieves Guild has always been to execute it's leadership, or, quite literally, "Cutting off the head of the snake."

Criminal punishments in Amthydor are all done in public and are not kept under the carpet. The criminal is paraded down the public streets of Amthydor. This rowdy parade is lead by Dreaded Harbinger, who carries a thin metal alarum, that creates a loud and shrill crash, like lightning, when struck with a metal mallet that is sure to get everyone's attention. He also announces the miscreant's name, tells of his crimes and announces the time and form of punishment. Behind the Harbinger are eight guards from the Diamond Legion. The second pair holds the chains that bind the prisoner and prevent him from escaping, and the last four follow him. This is one of the most hated duties of the Diamond Legion, because as the parade heads to Way's End, Amthydoran citizens throw garbage at the criminal, and a bit misses its intended target and hits the unfortunate escort.

When Way's End is reached, the prisoner is led to a raised platform, where the Marshall of Discipline is waiting in a long, heavy, black cloak. When the criminal arrives, the cloak is removed. He wears black slacks and shirt, and a simple black hood. If the punishment is execution, the Marshall will wear a silver amulet of Peliron around his neck. The Harbinger once again announces the criminal's name, crime and the sentence to the crowd. Then the punishment is performed. During violent punishments, the alarum is struck once, at the moment of punishment. The atmosphere is very grave in the courtyard, often silent. All vendors are prohibited in the area, and no music is played. The tone is kept somber, and the whole event is treated as a warning to all.

The courts officially maintain an impartial attitude no matter who is involved in a crime, but it is common knowledge to the citizens of Amthydor that punitive judgements on crimes tend to be greatly increased in cases where either a noble family or merchant house is wronged. Prospective criminals beware.

Below is an abbreviated listing of common Amthydor laws. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list nor does it reflect individual alterations in judgement by court officials based on a specific case. Depending on the circumstances and severity of the crime, judgements may be adjusted to match.

Crime (High)	Punishment
Murder	Public Execution (Beheading)
Attempted Murder	Life in Prison
Arson	10-20 Yrs in Prison
Assault	5,000-10,000 GP Fine
Rape	Public Execution (Beheading)
Kidnapping	10-20 Yrs in Prison
Vicious Mistreatment of Children	2-5 Yrs in Prison
Theft	Public Removal of 1 Hand
Sheltering a Known Criminal	2-5 Yrs in Prison
Worship of an unsanctioned Evil Deity	40 Lashes and Exiled from City
Fencing Stolen Property	5-10 Yrs in Prison
Extortion	5-10 Yrs in Prison
Blackmail	5-10 Yrs in Prison
Conspiracy	3/4 of Related Prison Term and Full Fine
Use of Wild Magic	2-5 Yrs in Prison + Repayment of Damages
Smuggling	2-5 Yrs in Prison
Escape from Lawful Incarceration	Original Sentence Doubled
Aiding in the Escape of Criminals from Lawful Incarceration	Original Sentence of Incarcerated Individual
Owning or Trading Slaves	1-3 Yrs in Prison Plus 10 Lashes/Month During Incarceration

Crime (Menial)	Punishment
Use or Ownership of Unauthorized Tunnels Below or Through Walls Bordering Districts	10,000 GP Fine
Unauthorized Entrance into City Drains or Sewers	2500 GP Fine
Unlicensed Conducting of a Shop or Service	1,000-15,000 GP Fine
Refusal to Locate Shop, Service, or Building within the Appropriate District	250 GP/day Fine until Relocation Plus Said Shop, Service, or Building is Closed by the Diamond Legion
Bringing a Dangerous Creature into City without Written Permission	5,000 GP Fine Plus the Repayment of Damages and Responsibility of Said Creatures Actions
Unlicensed Dumping into local water ways throughout the entire Amthydor Protectorate.	1,000 GP Fine
Vagrancy	30 Days in Prison
Defilement of City Temple	20 Lashes Plus Cost of Repair of Temple
Participation in a Skirmish or Brawl (Armed or Unarmed)	1,000 GP Fine Plus Repayment of Damages
Polymorphing an Unwilling Target	50,000 GP Fine Plus Returning Target to Normal (1 Yr in Prison otherwise)
Magically Influencing or Manipulating any Person	1-3 Yrs in Prison Plus 10,000 GP Fine
Use of Spells that are considered Dangerous and Unlawful	20,000 GP Fine up to Smashed Fingers / Exiled from City
Disturbing The Peace	100-1,000 GP Fine
Disorderly Conduct	100-1,000 GP Fine
Public Drunkenness	250 GP Fine or 1 Night in Prison
Failure to Produce Required Permits for Sanctioned Activities	1,000-5,000 GP Fine Plus Cease Said Activities
Racketeering	1 Yr in Prison and 10,000 GP Fine
Begging Outside the Poor District	1,000 GP Fine or 30 Days in Jail
Bribery	Loss of All Material Possessions, except Mundane Clothing and 50 GP
Failure to Pay Appropriate Taxes	Confiscation of Said Taxed Goods and 30 Days in Prison