For restarting my faux medieval campaign, I’m considering some weapons laws in the tent pole city of the campaign. Basically, unless you’re of the appropriate social status (noble, knight, or employed by them) you can’t have edged or pointed weapons larger than knives in public; bows can’t be strung, etc.

My understanding (link: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/268dmc/how_were_sidearms_swords_knives_etc_regulated_in/) is that this was at least attempted in various times and places in the periods. That isn’t itself a good enough reason; I don’t think ‘realism’ for its own sake is a virtue in an elf game. But I do have my reasons.

The big question: If you’re interested by a faux medieval sandbox with various structures that attempt to induce setting buy-in, is this too much trouble to be worth it? Or is this a cool detail or complication that orients your mind to the setting?

If the setting is of minor importance to your D&D, I know I’m wasting your time. And that’s cool.

What’s my purpose for this?

1. Make the setting feel different than the standard ‘wild west’ faux high medieval fantasy. Part of that different feel is the hierarchical nature of social status for a more medieval flavor. Who is of a social status should matter. Rising in social status would have a reward.

2. Reward players that invest in skills/connections to fake documents, status, etc. A different kind of investment in the setting.

3. Enhance the difference between the ‘civilized’ and ‘safe’ portions of the setting where these laws exist and the acknowledged ‘wild’ and ‘unsafe’ parts where they do not. This won’t keep PCs from punking the tavern keeper or starting a brawl, but I hope it sets the expectation that “this isn’t ‘Nam… there are rules.”

4. Impose some minor but real costs for stepping out into the adventure (‘mythic underworld’ or what have you) and back. Having a cost for the transition is meant to encourage players to ‘push their luck’ and stay out longer before returning to safety.

Like many old school complications (darkness, encumbrance, time keeping), this is a complication that matters most at lower level. As characters rise in level many of these complications cease to matter. It’s one more reward for surviving. I’m using gold for experience points, so regular fines and fees are something players will want to avoid or overcome.

Magic:

Magic is a weapon and a whole other post. Let’s just say the Inquisition will want you to swear a magical oath and even then won’t be trusting you.

Details on how I want to implement this follow.

Sumptuary Laws on Weapons – the writ:

In the Emperor’s City of Middenheim, the Office of the Lord Mayor decrees that only persons of noble birth, or those deemed worthy of the sword, may bear blades longer than 6”, or hafted weapons with hafts longer than 2’, or pole weapons longer than 3’, or strung bows of any sort, unless licensed.

The fine for violating the Lord Mayor’s decrees shall be not less than 10gp and not more than 100gp and may be accompanied by day in the stocks; if the fine is not paid then the time in the stock is 1 week. Repeat offenses to be referred to the Lord Mayor’s attention.

Backgrounds and social status:

Noble and Knight backgrounds are stated exempt from the regulation. Soldier backgrounds are licensed if they choose current membership in a company currently in the service of nobility, a knightly or church order or the city watch. Members of the Rat Catchers Guild are licensed for hafted weapons and pole weapons. Most backgrounds that provide licenses (Soldier, Rat Catcher) require periodic downtime employment.

In practice:

The Lord Mayor’s guard staffs inspections with tax assessors at the gates of the city. Weapons violating the order will be confiscated.

If a 1gp fine is paid, then the tax assessor will create a 2 part document for the weapon, with 1 part going to the user and the other sealed to the weapon with wax, to be collected upon exit from the city. There is only a small chance (1%/month) that the weapons will not be waiting on the bearer’s return.

If a 10gp fee is paid by a land-owning citizen of the city with known good behavior (very subjective) and an oath to maintain the peace, then the tax assessor will record the name of the owner of the weapon, and seal it in its sheath with leather and wax. In practice anyone rich enough for 10gp and not a known criminal may keep their weapon with this seal. Being discovered without the seal, especially while breaking the peace, will not go well for the offender. But the seal can be replaced for 5gp if the bearer returns of their own accord.

Other city gates:

The Watch maintains the gates between most other tiers (sections) of the city. The same inspection and fee structure is mandated but less strictly enforced. There is also a 5% chance per week that stored weapons will not be found upon demand.

The 5th tier is again staffed by the Lord Mayor’s Guard and there they maintain tough standards.

Besides City Gates:

Like many minor crimes in Middenheim, social conduct is the enforcer. You will be asked to leave and not served if you are carrying and do not have license to do so. Depending on the establishment, they may offer to hold it for you.

If you are the subject of a “Hue and Cry”, your carrying of a restricted weapon will be held against you and you would be subject to prejudice in judgement in addition to the stated fines.
If a noble or a knight has a beef with you, your carrying of a weapon would be their excuse to deal you “justice”. But otherwise, there are few patrols that would confiscate a restricted weapon.

Weaponsmiths:

To avoid trouble with their guild and the Lord Mayor, weapon smiths won't engage in business that would break the restrictions. That means that with appropriate connections, weapons can still be had at an inflated price.

Deception:

To avoid the fees or confiscation, the adventurers may

1. Bribe the Watch to look another way (charisma/persuasion check plus gold)

2. Deceive the Watch that they are noble/knights/soldiers/have other means of license

3. Have a scheme to hide or smuggle their weapons

4. Convince a noble/knight for a license (bribe/lie/blackmail/forge… or perform actual services for them)

5. Etc.

Accessing the Megadungeon:

Despite all the faux medievalisms, this is a single city campaign over a megadungeon. Most known entrances to the megadungeon are in the largely abandoned and unconsecrated 2nd and 3rd tiers of the city. Law abiding and safety minded adventurers will live in the 1st, 4th or 5th tiers of the city (it’s partially abandoned and depopulated by the collapse of the Empire, famines, plagues, etc.)

Each foray into the dungeons will require either a payment of 5gp per weapon (resealing on return to the safe tier), or some kind of calculated risk. Besides the other deceptions list above they could:

1. Make an alliance with a faction/individual in the 2nd/3rd tiers for a safe place to stay or stash their gear

2. Find another way to stash their gear in a safe place

3. Pay only 1gp/weapon and leave them at the gate after each foray

4. Find another way to access the dungeons (ex: sewer passage between the tiers instead of a gate)

5. Etc.