Posted By Ecir_Edyah at 12:54 AM - Thu Apr 13 2017
Man, I got excited by the thread title, thinking we'd have a big, ornery debate about punishments for mount and livestock theft.
As someone not too far removed from rural Texas roots, I'm here to tell you that was a death penalty offense less than 150 years ago...no need to trouble the law or courts about it. Nobody in the community would raise a fuss on the finer points of legal statutes or due process.
So in this here "low" fantasy world we're bombarded with contemporary social conventions like liberal democratic institutions in medieval times, labor unions, egalitarianism, gay marriage, environmentalist resource management, males who can only procreate one per year, well let me tell you somethin' pardner...those of us who might find ourselves in horse/cattle ranching had better see some right fine Justice for livestock thieves---or else we'll just take care of it the Ol' West way...
...y'all.
As for in-game labels for your mount, I say it should work only as well as your character's state of sobriety. If he's only buzzed, then several labels should pop up over several horses, all saying "Maybe your horse?" until he shakes it off. If he's had way too much to drink, then the label should disappear altogether and he just has to think about it for a minute which horse looks like his...and decide if he wants to guess...
Maybe if they make breathalizers with USB ports, then the game can tell if the player has had too much, too.
Hmmm..might not be a bad idea, actually. If it were working in the forums as we speak, could I hit "Submit" right now?
The ol' west way is quite futuristic for a medieval game, I think in medieval time a cow was more important than a horse due to amount of food produced in comparison. Horses are only good for travellers, hence the high need of them in America during west conquest, before trains of course.
I don't expect much travelling in a medieval game but for traders, wandering healers maybe as public entertainers/bards if any, anything else could easily be taken as a raiding/invasion attempt from another kingdom...
Also in medieval era, religion was mostly telling the law and people were not killed for stealing (talion law more likely, meaning punishment in proportion to the crime) but rather tortured or humiliated.
The common punishments in medieval ways for criminals were, from small crimes to major ones :
Minor crimes like thievery :
a fine to pay (most likely for rich people as nobles)
public humiliation while bonded to stocks for days/weeks
hard labor
hand cutting (don't think it would be possible in this game)
banishement (most likely for nobles)
Major crimes like murder or attempting murder, sorcery :
public torture, ex : breaking on the wheel or to be quartered
death penalty : head cut by executioner, hanging, breaking on the wheel, to be quartered, to be burnt on stake (witches)