The Book of Judgement of The Adeptus Arbites
Enscribed and Holocoded into the Hall of Judgement
The Adeptus Arbites, the feared militant police of the Imperium, are the keep ers of the great Book of Judgement, the legal code of the Imperium, painstakingly collated over the centuries and embodying every decree ever passed by the High Lords of Terra. As the millennia pass the Book of Judgement gros ever heavier. Indeed it has long since gron beyond the confines of a single literal volume. Its most ancient decrees are rit upon parchments of human skin, enscribed in unknon tongues by the nameless functionaries of a forgotten age. !very day a hundred ne volumes of encoded holoscript are added to its number. "olume upon leather#bound volume sits upon ros of iron shelves that fill the alls of the Hall of Judgement. !very ro is home to ten thousand tomes. $helves are stacked a hundred metres above the time#orn floor of anti%ue marble. &pon narro gantries and ladders cral the tiny ant#like figures of legal assistants as they search amidst the debris of 'udgement. The Hall of Judgement is the holy sanctum of the Judges, the agents of a la that is absolute and unforgiving. In the Imperium la and government are indistinguishable. (ebellion and failure are crimes, and any transgression of the Imperial ill meets ith sift and uncompromising retribution. )f the personal misdemeanours of the citi*ens of a million orlds the Judges care nothing. $uch matters are for the Lords of individual orlds to deal ith as they ish. The Judges concern themselves ith more eighty issues. It is their task to bring the rebellious to trial, to hunt d on enemies of the Imperium, to destroy those ho threaten its safety from ithin. To the eternal sorro of mankind its servants stray all too often from their appointed path. )fficials of the Adeptus eave plots of their on, driven by their lust for poer, for ealth, or for forbidden knoledge. +any ho occupy positions of authority, even the High Lords themselves, may be tempted and can fall into the arms of corruption. The Judges command their on forces of retribution, massive armies spread throughout the galay and ever vigilant to anser the call for 'ustice. The Judges can also call upon the full resources of the Imperium, added their on strength to the immeasurable might of the Imperium-s armies and fleets. )ften it is the Judges ho find themselves fighting the first flames of rebellion, hile mobile $pace +arine forces rush to support them. The very presence of the Arbitrators is the greatest deterrent to treachery There are, as you can imagine, innumerable crimes documented in the Book of Judgement and they are simply too numerous to cover here. The folloing pages details 'ust a fe of the most common or heretical ones. / Arbitrators ill ant to read the folloing pages carefully so that they can interpret Imperial la and lend retribution to all rongdoers0 )n the other hand the adventurers ill ant to kno hat they can and can-t do0 The punishment of a crime depends on hat it is. 1or eample, in#league ith a /haos cult, blasphemy, or harbouring a mutant, is far more serious than the murder of a civilian. Indeed, an authority is more likely to recruit mad, psychopathic, serial killers into the Imperial 2uard than to incarcerate them in a prison0 The Imperium recognises the need for talent to be recruited into its armies and may overlook even the most barbaric crimes3 human life is very precious to the Imperium and every man and oman has his or her part to play in the destruction of humanity-s enemies. Imperial servants, these include anyone connected ith an Adeptus organisation, that commit a crime ill be punished ithin their organisation. Arbites influence ill only be slight in this case, i.e. a scribe ill be present so that the proceedings can be documented.
4ou ill have to use common sense hen applying Imperial La as the civility of orlds throughout the Imperium varies tremendously. 1or eample, a hive orld Arbitrator is likely to ignore a complaint of assault against another citi*en, hereas on a more ordered orld an Arbitrator is more likely to investigate. PRISONS, PENAL PLATOONS & SLAVE GANGS !ven the most brutal crimes ill be punished ith servitude into a penal platoon. These platoons are used for cannon fodder and the Imperium sees that even the scum of society has a role to play for the glory of the !mperor. rison is a place here the scumbags of society are held until their time has come for servitude in a penal platoon. Just for this to hang over a prisoner-s head is punishment enough. Hoever, some crimes, though fe, do not have enlistment in a penal platoon as punishment and instead the prisoner 'ust sees out his sentence n ormally. risoners aiting for this enlistment could ait from a matter of eeks to even years.
To be forced into a penal platoon is almost death in itself as these platoons consist of some of the most psychopathic criminals in the Imperium. Life is hard and for some, the battlefield can-t come %uick enough. But once on the battlefield they ill be sub'ected to overhelming firepoer as the cannon fodder they inevitably represent to their Imperial /olonels. $lave 2angs consist of people ho may be not killers or psychopaths but people ho have committed lesser crimes. The slave gangs are very important to the Imperium as they can be forced to build roads, landing *ones, and even buildings, in a short space of time. They can also be forced to mine, often in terrible conditions. 5evertheless some slaves do survive their enforced servitude and can resume their place in society. SECTION I Homicide +urder is very common throughout all the civilised settlements of Imperial orlds. $ometimes in the overcroded hive orlds and overpopulated civilised orlds, murders can go undetected, unsolved, or not bothered ith. +any are simply put on holoscript and filed in the Administratum and ill probably never be solved. This is not to say that the Adeptus Arbites never catches murderers, for they do, it-s 'ust that ith so many murders being committed it is virtually impossible to -sort everyone out-.
+any murders are gang#related, since the bulk of humanity comes from hive orlds and people there are almost alays a member of a gang. The Adeptus Arbites cares little for a slain gangster as it is one less they have to orry about. $olving murders of this kind are not at the top of their list as they are more concerned ith public security than dead riff#raff. Hoever, the death of a noble6influential person or an Imperial employee 7i.e. an Arbitrator, 2uardsman etc.8 is another matter entirely. Grade 1: The murder of an employee in he !er"i#e of he Imperium$ A no%le or prominen mem%er of Imperial !o#iey$ Punishment # 1rom life in a slave gang 7metered out to those -orthy of living-8, reduction to servitor 7becoming a mindless bio#mechanic8, conscription to penal platoon to the death penalty. Grade : A !erial murderer 'noa%ly of #i"ilian!($ Thi! "arie! from dead #i"ilian! o half a do)en, dependin* on ho+ a planeary *o"ernor "ie+! hi! !u%e#!$ Punishment # 9: years in a slave gang, enforced conscription into the Imperial 2uard 7if applicable to the murderer8, conscription into a penal platoon, or the death penalty. Grade -: In#idenal or a##idenal murder 'man!lau*her( +hil! in he a# of #ommiin* oher #rime!$ .riminal or #onri%uory ne*li*en#e re!ulin* in he deah of a !e#ond pary$
Punishment # "aries hugely. If a citi*en causes accidental death to another citi*en he may be given a suspended sentence, a fine, or maybe even told ;not to do it again;. /onscription into a penal platoon is also an option. SECTION II Blasphemy Blasphemy is a crime that goes back to the start of the Horus Heresy, some ten thousand years ago. It is one of the most serious crimes to be convicted of and punishable by many brutal methods. To blaspheme is to acknoledge one-s allegiance to the 2ods of /haos and the Adeptus Arbites responds %uickly to reports of blasphemy. )nce the perpetrators have been rounded up they are imprisoned until officials of the Adeptus +inistorum arrive to interrogate them.
Blasphemy incorporates many crimes against humanity such as being a genetic deviant, harbouring a mutant, or found in possession of a heretical symbol 7of the /haos 2ods8. unishment inevitably ends in death, this can be an ything from instant death to crucifiion # slo and painful deaths are often preferred. Grade 1: /earin* he mar0 of .hao!$ Punishment # hen a riot does happen the riot s%uads of the Adeptus Arbites ruthlessly purge them armed ith poer mauls and suppression shields. Grade 1: Ra%%le rou!in*$ Punishment #
Punishment # An instant beating is punishment enough. Grade 2: 6i!orderly #ondu#$ Punishment # An instant beating and6or a night in the cells. SECTION IV Assault +any assaults go unnoticed, not surprisingly in the Imperium, as there are more serious things going on. Hoever, the assault of an Arbitrator or other Imperial servant is a serious offence. The 2+ might like to rule that only assaults against Imperial servants 7Arbitrators, 2uardsmen etc.8 ill be punished. )n very civilised orlds the 2+ may impose any of the grades from = to @. Grade 1: Seriou! a!!aul of an Imperial !er"an, no%le, or !imilar prominen fi*ure$ Punishment # Life in a slave gang to conscription into a penal platoon. Grade : Seriou! a!!aul of a #i"ilian, or a num%er of #i"ilian!$ Punishment # to 9: years in prison. Grade -: .ommon a!!aul, in#ludin* %ra+lin* and a!!aulin* an Imperial !er"an$ Punishment # 9 to ? years in prison. Grade 2: 4ena#in* +ih #riminal inen$ Threaenin* %eha"iour$ Punishment # months to @ years. SECTION V Kidnap Blac!mail Cidnap and blackmail is an every day occurrence for the ealthy and noble families of the Imperium. They ill be obvious targets for these sorts of crimes. The crime is a complicated one, as paying a ransom demand is an offence. $ome kidnapping cases have other motives than simple monetary gain, including the coercion of people into committing illegal acts for the kidnappers in a perverse form of blackmail.
But influential clans or gangs throughout the Imperium are n ot safe as rival factions seek to further their gains through kidnapping and blackmail too, of each other. Grade 1: 7idnap, in#ludin* a%du#ion %y for#e, of an Imperial !er"an, no%le, or prominen fi*ure$ Punishment # /onscription into a penal platoon, life in a slave gang, or life in prison. Grade : 7idnap of a #i"ilian in order o undermine Imperial auhoriie! or o furher one3! o+n #ir#um!an#e!$ Punishment # =: to : years in a slave gang. Grade -: .oer#ion %y for#e$ Punishment # D to 9? years in prison. Grade 2: In#iemen o 8urher 7idnappin*, !u#h a! payin* a ran!om$ Punishment # ? years in prison. SECTION VI Bur"lary Thieving is endemic in the Imperium, more than people care to realise as money and resources are taken to keep the Imperium-s vast ar machine. $ometimes gangs of thieves ill force their ay onto a premises and completely turn the place over and be gone in a flash. )ther thieves ill operate alone and burgle a place, often a ealthy building, hich might even belong to the Administratum. Grade 1 9 /ur*lary, in#ludin* for#ed enry$ Punishment # ? to 9? years in prison or conscription into a penal platoon.
Grade 9 Tre!pa!!$ Punishment # = to 9: years in prison. Grade - 9 Po!!e!!ion of /ur*lar3! ool!$ Punishment # = to ? years in prison. SECTION VII #obbery The small Adeptus Administratum buildings are the target for organised robbers, ho ill readily use violence to get their money. Larger admin buildings, though it is very rare, have also come under attack from robbers in the past. )n lesser developed orlds here the Administratum-s arm only reaches into the old#style banks, robbery can sometimes be rife. But by far the most common kind of robbery is mugging here footpads lie in ait in dark alleys for the unary victim. Grade 1: Armed ro%%ery +ih "iolen#e$ Punishment # 9: to =: years in prison or enforced conscription into a penal platoon. Grade : Armed ro%%ery$ Punishment # ? to 9? years in prison or enforced conscription into a penal platoon. Grade -: 4u**in*$ Punishment # ? to 9: years in prison or in a slave gang. Grade 2: Ro%%ery or hef Punishment # ? to 9: years in prison. Grade : Pey hef$ Punishment # A beating or a public pelting. SECTION VIII The$t%#elated O$$ences The black#market is a blossoming business in the Imperium, especially in the sales of munitions either Imperial or captured from the battlefield. The Imperium tries hard to clamp don on black#market merchants and their associates but the problem is, is that some p lanetary governors, or even some Imperial officials, are actually in league ith these blackmarketeers. But handling stolen goods is a very serious crime as the Imperium needs all the resources it can get ithout this illegal black economy. Grade 1: Pa!!in*, re#ei"in* and;or dealin* and radin* in !olen *ood!$ Punishment # ? to 9: years in prison or the e%uivalent time in a slave gang. Grade : 4i!u!e of pri"ae propery for !orin* illi#i maerial$ Punishment # ? to 9: years in prison.
Grade : 8or*ery Punishment # ? to 9: years in prison. Grade -: Po!!e!!ion of for*in* e
Treason must also be stamped out. To turn one-s back on humanity can also be construed as heresy and all heretics must be purged according to the In%uisition and the /ode Imperialis. +any of the belo punishments ill be metered out by the Adeptus Arbites
Grade 3: Attempting to gain classified information for treasonable purposes. unishment #
unishment # A beating or a public pelting. SECTION &III Controlled Substances The use of controlled substances varies tremendously throughout the Imperium, here a substance is legal on one planet it might be illegal on another. This is here merchants seek to eploit these circumstances and sell cargo illegally through the black#market. $pook, the drug that stimulates the psychic centres of the brain, is made on many hive orlds and is highly illegal, despite the fact that some nobles make great use of it. Grade 1: 4anufa#urin* or !mu**lin* pro!#ri%ed iem$ unishment # /onscription into a penal platoon. Grade : Tradin* in pro!#ri%ed iem$ unishment # ? to 9? years in a slave gang or conscription into a penal platoon. Grade -: Po!!e!!ion of pro!#ri%ed iem$ unishment # months to 9: years in a slave gang or conscription into a penal platoon. SECTION &IV Heretical Acti)ities /ults are seen as treasonous in the Imperium and are ruthlessly stamped out as a result. 5ot only does this section apply to cults but to anyone caught performing an illegal eperiment, such as robotic eperimentation. (obots have been outlaed in the Imperium since before the Horus Heresy hen the Iron +en rebelled against their human masters. Today, a select fe ill attempt to eperiment ith the possibility of constructing one. As ever, the Arbites u!i#e$ unishment # 9: years to life in a slave gang or conscription into a penal platoon. Grade : /ri%ery of an Ar%iraor$ unishment # to 9: years in a slave gang or prison. Arbitrator has the right to administer his on punishment. Grade -: /ri%ery of a #i"ilian$ unishment # = to ? years in prison or in a slave gang. As ever this depends on the circumstances. Bribery of a civilian so as to gain access to restricted areas ould arrant this punishment.
Grade 2: Perury$ unishment # 9 to ? years in prison. +ISCE,,ANEO-S O''ENCES There are numerous offences, far too numerous to rite on these pages. Here is a list of other offences.
Re!i!in* Arre! unishment # A beating in the courtyard of the nearest /ourthouse. O%!ru#in* an Ar%ie! offi#er in he #our!e of hi! duy unishment # months to = years in prison. Threaenin* Lan*ua*e or #hee0in* an Ar%ie! offi#er unishment # A beating in the courtyard of the nearest /ourthouse. Imper!onain* an Imperial !er"an +ih inenion o #ommi a #rime unishment # /onscription into a penal platoon.
