Land Passes:Due to the ever-present threat of the resumption of the Border Wars, the lords of the Hollower's Throne have mandated the use of Land Passes. Their use is mostly confined to the human territories and the border areas; in the deep Elven and Ogrish kingdoms, the people rarely bother to humor those human ideas. However, it is necessary to procure a Land Pass before crossing any border into human lands. Being caught there without a pass is an executable offense.
Land Passes come in three versions: Blue, Green, and Red. The first is the default color for all citizens, whether they be human or ogrish or otherwise. The second marks Healers, and awards its bearers special priveleges while travelling: Healers can eat and sleep for free at any inn, if they so desire, for a span of not more than three days at a time, and may also purchase passage on ships and caravans for a reduced rate. Anyone with the ability to heal, whether inborn or gained through the study of magic, is eligible for this Pass, but they must demonstrate their skill before being awarded it.
The third Land Pass brands criminals, and is magically bound to them so that it can not be removed. The nature of the crime is printed on the Pass; crimes that gain this Pass range from theft to murder to necromancy and blackhealing. Mundane crimes such as theft and even murder garner only a temporary Red Pass, and the bearer can either wait out the sentence or appeal to the courts to regain his or her regular Pass. Once the Red Pass crime has expired, a new Blue or Green Pass is crafted with a notation of the crime on the back. Magical crimes like blackhealing gain permanent Red Passes that can only be repealed if the bearer can convince the Ardic Council--the section of the Three Realms' governing body that deals with magic-related issues--that it was issued improperly. Misuse of magic brands the user for life. A mage or fallen Healer can not appeal, but given unusual circumstances the Council may vote to remove the Red Pass of a magical criminal who has significantly reformed. Red Passes must always be worn in plain view, and human law mandates that none harm a Red Pass bearer except in self-defense. This is to keep the criminals safe from lynch mobs and such, but can not always protect them from people who truly wish them harm.
The Pass itself is a flat metal tablet the size of one's palm, covered with its bearer's identifying information: name, place of birth, place of residence, racial heritage, profession, et cetera, and is usually worn on a chain around the neck. All are magically sealed against tampering by the human governments' administrative mages, as well as seal-set for proof of authenticity. If any information on a Land Pass changes, the bearer must bring it to the mages to be updated and recorded. Falsifying or tampering with a Land Pass is a Red Pass-bearing offense.
Ribbons and Belt Charms:An unspoken code stands among the taverngoers of the human territories, written out plainly on their belts and wrists. The people of the Three Realms tend to be very up-front about their sexual proclivities, but rather than stand out and announce them on the streetcorners they have devised a code made up of colored ribbons and metal charms to tell others what they prefer and seek. Thronemen as a whole have a low tolerance for nonsense, and an even lower one for making fools of themselves, and therefore use this code extensively so as not to mess around. They are very serious about their entertainments.
The code, in part, goes as such: Pale ribbons indicate female preference, dark ribbons indicate male. Men wear the ribbons on their belts and women generally wear them on their sleeves, but not exclusively. The left side indicates what you seek and the right indicates what you are. Wearing them loose indicates that you are actively seeking, while wearing them wound around the belt or wrist indicates that all you seek is conversation. Colors indicate what you are inclined toward: red represents aggression, blue otherwise. Green has a special meaning and its bearers are closely scrutinized; it is the color of the so-called 'virgin-breakers', people trusted to bring the youth of the Three Realms gently into adulthood. Abuse of the green ribbon is liable to get one a Red Pass. There are myriad other ribbon colors, but these are the ones in most common use.
There are several charms in common use, either pinned to the belt or worn in a bracelet on the wrist. One set, however, attaches directly to the main ribbon that indicates oneself. They are the ring, the circle, and the cross. The ring signifies that the wearer is in a dating relationship already, the circle that they are married, and the cross that they are widowed or widowwer. If all three are absent, the wearer is obviously single. The ring and circle can be worn on the left side as well, indicating that the wearer is seeking a dating relationship or a marriage partner. Like the ribbons, there are many more indicative charms, but these are the most basic.
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