What does "Enemy of the State" actually mean?

[Delexos]

Firstly let me state that this is an honest question that has arisen from a confusing encounter on the server.

I have seen the list of characters that are listed as being known 'enemies' of the State and I really want to know what this actually means in game terms.

Is a known enemy of the state supposed to be kill on sight? should they attempt to be captured for the betterment of the valley? I realise that most of the current enemies listed generally have specifics such as being wanted alive or whatever.

How, in general terms, would a named 'enemy of the state' be viewed by the various social groups in the valley? such as the refugees, the citizens, nobles and higher?

Who should enemies of the State be reported to, for either sightings or actual capturing/killing? If the answer to this is the Legion then I would ask who might be the next up on the chain if, for example, you had witnessed an enemy of the state relaxing with members of the Legion around a campfire.

Cheers for reading,
All the best.
Rich.

[The Butcher]

Report them to Ramza. He secretly runs all of this shit.

[Catastrophe]

Report them to Ramza. He secretly runs all of this shit.

All credit going to Dain, of course.

But usually there is a reward given for people bringing in these enemies of the state. They are considered highly dangerous, so it is up to your own risk if you wish to try to capture them or not. It is perfectly fine to just report them to someone high up in the Legion, should you not wish to actually engage said enemy of the state.

The list actually needs to be updated though, since the latest labeled enemy has been tried and sentenced.

[Delexos]

I mean no disrespect by this and I realise that this really is a question of semantics, but perhaps the actual term "Enemy of the State" should be revised then?

Personally "Enemy of the State" to me sounds like how much of the world viewed Osama bin Laden, and honestly, the fact that someone can be put up on a list, be called an enemy of the state, get sentenced and then start hob nobbing with some of the most influential 'good' characters on the server kind of craps all over the magnitude of what being an "Enemy of the State" should be, especially in the case of repeat offenders, again this is just my opinion.

Now before people get defensive let me just say that I actually don't care who you choose to rp with, if someone is your bro and part of the group you usually hang with then that's cool, do what you will, it's not hurting me none. But maybe an enemy of the state should be a title only afforded to those who really really mess up, perhaps what I am really getting at here is that there should still be an 'Enemy of the State' list, but 'stickied' directly below it on the forums, a lesser imposing, "Wanted" list, for people who have done stuff that needs punishing, and for actions that the citizenry should be made aware of but also for those kinds of characters who have just perhaps been a bit 'naughty' and could conceivably be forgiven with a slap on the wrist and a fine.

It's all semantics, I know but I was really really confused to see a repeat offender of the enemy of the state list chilling around a campfire with team good and then being aided by a part of team good to try and murder a red wizard based upon an assumption.

[Torgar]

There were entirely valid IC reasons for the actions taken against the red wizard, not just assumptions. As for Tigen, since this post does result from his reinstatment on the list canceling of said warrant, He attacked a member of the legion. With it being martial law, it actually makes perfect sense for him to be an "Enemy of the state" since the state is a military state now, and the reason he was soon taken off is because he turned himself in soon thereafter.

I do however agree that it might make a little bit of sense to diferentiate between "Wanted" and "Kill on sight" enemies of the state, however. I also think that a great deal of names need to be removed as they are characters that haven't been played in years. A fresh list might be called for now that it's the second sundering, a fresh start for the list as it were.

[and break 12345]

A fresh list might be called for now that it's the second sundering.

Agreed.

[Farmboy2003]

Isn't this list you're all referring to, the new 'access denied' list? I mean, with martial law and a city in the sky, the first and easiest step is to deny entrance. Then when things have calmed down abit, the legion can get up in their business. Or PC's for that matter.

[Doubtful]

Firstly let me state that this is an honest question that has arisen from a confusing encounter on the server.

I have seen the list of characters that are listed as being known 'enemies' of the State and I really want to know what this actually means in game terms.

Is a known enemy of the state supposed to be kill on sight? should they attempt to be captured for the betterment of the valley? I realise that most of the current enemies listed generally have specifics such as being wanted alive or whatever.

"Enemies of the State" are inn the broadest possible sense are those who the State has decided as are opposed or hostile to it and/or its goals. These can be organizations, nations or individuals. As a general rule of thumb citizens of nations and members of groups labeled as Enemies of the State will also be considered threats.

Keep in mind that Enemies is a relativistic term. Not everyone will see the States enemies as their own enemies, not everyone has the same political agenda as the state. Let's use the old setup of with the Triumvirate, the Veritas and the Legion; The Legion considered the Veritas to be 'Enemies of the State' they were opposed to its rule over the valley, questioning its legitimacy and violently opposing its troops. The Veritas opposed the State, committing acts of violence against its troops but also actively supporting the peoples of the valley where it could, seeing themselves as the true liberators and rulers of the population opposing a corrupt regime. The Triumvirate gets stuck in the middle - On the one hand the more militaristic elements of the triad saw the Veritas as a chaotic rabble opposed to law and order, less militaristic groups saw them as people in need of assistance.

How, in general terms, would a named 'enemy of the state' be viewed by the various social groups in the valley? such as the refugees, the citizens, nobles and higher?

Keeping the above comments on the relativistic nature of the Enemy concept it's hard to put into general terms how groups as a whole are likely to react. Those who the State declares it's enemies are likely to be judged on their own merits by non-state specific organizations.

Dave the Dastardly, a known necromancer, proud badge wearing member of the Black Hand and eater of babies is likely to be treated with fear and disgust by everyone he encounters, the exceptions being those who're to cowed by fear of the Black Hand and those who're in league with it. Likely he'll have most of the server out to claim the bounty on his head.

Perry the Princely, a man whose made a career out of robbing corrupt merchants, money lenders, tax collectors and traffic wardens to give the money to the poor and destitute is still going to be wanted by the state, but it's citizens and other organizations may take a different view. He could well be seen as a hero in some quarters and receive aid from people to evade capture.

Who should enemies of the State be reported to, for either sightings or actual capturing/killing? If the answer to this is the Legion then I would ask who might be the next up on the chain if, for example, you had witnessed an enemy of the state relaxing with members of the Legion around a campfire.

Enemies of the state need to be reported to the State. In most situations the Legion, as the states military protectors, will be the main port of call. If your character suspects a Legion member to be working against the state from within or allied with seditious forces then there are several options: You could find out who the person in questions commanding officer is and report your suspicions, you could approach the Church of Helm and let them know of your fears, you could go to the Hands of Mundus and have a chat with them, or you could find an ambitious person of similar or lower rank and feed them in the information in the hope of building allegiances. There really are a lot of other options available if you want, just view it from an IC view and think about how your character might utilize a situation to their advantage or what organizations they have a trust in.

[GodBeastX]

This thread brings up a good question. Let me try to address what an enemy of the state would be:

We have laws listed in the wiki, these are not enemies of the state but in fact criminal:

Murder
Manslaughter
Assault and Battery
Mayhem
Arson
Rape
Banditry
Larceny
Obstruction of Justice and Perjury
False Pretenses and Deception
Extortion
Proxies and Responsibilities
Census and Taxes
etc

However, here is where one becomes an enemy of the state:

Regarding Treason

Treason is defined as conspiring or conducting harm to the State of Sundren, including but not limited to, active agitation against the State; collaboration with known enemies of the State; participation or instigation of war against the State; and harming or participation in conspiracy of harming the Arbiters, the Steward, or the Harbingers of the State.

A perpetrator of treason is subject to trial in a court of law, and conviction typically leads to public humiliation in the pillory followed by permanent exile, lifelong imprisonment, or execution.

Anyone found guilty of Treason is therefore an enemy of the state. It's that simple. The Black Hand as an organization has been determined to be an enemy of the state. Anyone having association with them is therefore committing treason.

[Kitsunestume]

If I understand GBXs post correctly, there is a distinct difference between a criminal (a lawbreaker) and an Enemy of the State (An opponent of the government)? If so, it would certainly be useful for a distinction between the two lists, rather than clumping both forms of infidel on the same list. Pickpockets don't usually attempt to overthrow the State - and often rely on it's stability, and Adeo is by all appearances a perfectly law-abiding individual, save his intentions.

[Doubtful]

Things change apparently.

In the past we've used the single thread to post up bounty information on those wanted by the Legion/State for a variety of charges (normally pretty heavy ones), if the general consensus demands a selection of threads each covering their own narrow spectrum of bounties then so be it.

[GodBeastX]

I think it should just be renamed to Criminals at Large or something.

[Doubtful]

I always quite liked the eye catching title, but a new title would work equally well.

We could probably do with a few different threads (will need better thread titles);
Criminals at Large - For the Legion/state and their bounties
Enemies of New Sundren - For public bounties put out by the Black Hand against those who oppose them (probably on a message board in Sestra)
Open Contracts - For Blackwood/freelancers (probably a combo of the above with some differences).

[Yevelian]

No, no. Keep Enemies of the State. Some of the best RP I've ever had on this server was being branded one, and being sent to the gallows. Though... as things have changed, I suppose a new title is probably warranted. Being forced underground "playing a dead man" forced me to up my game a bit, but those damned Black Hands, there is no salvation.

I enjoyed my time as an enemy of the state, however, and took quite a bit to fake a death.

[Kitsunestume]

I always quite liked the eye catching title, but a new title would work equally well.

We could probably do with a few different threads (will need better thread titles);
Criminals at Large - For the Legion/state and their bounties
Enemies of New Sundren - For public bounties put out by the Black Hand against those who oppose them (probably on a message board in Sestra)
Open Contracts - For Blackwood/freelancers (probably a combo of the above with some differences).

Factionally based threads would be awesome IMO. but I don't really see why the title would need to change, it DOES look good .
I had been thinking of somethimg more simple, like taking the list as it currently is, and reordering or marking it a bit, so that political opponents of the state are clearly marked as such, while general perpetrators of higher-crimes are marked differently. I could easily see it working with the 3-thread system though.