The Charter
The physical copy of the original Charter, as signed by the 6,000 colonists, was misplaced some time after the Second Crossing. Though it's ideals and values were not outright discarded, they were to fade over time. Once the triad of the Werys, Holds and Halls had been established a new Charter very well may have been written to honor the ideals of the original, although, from the books, we can gather that the laws are fairly basic. Because many of the Pernese do not read, and laws can be localized to specific Holds, Halls and Weyrs, we can assume that the Pernese probably no longer rely on a single large document, but on a set of laws that anyone should be able to remember.
Facts and implications from the books will be referenced and categorized on this page into an assemblage of, what we will refer to as; Major Laws, Specific Laws, Customs and Rights.
A Major Law is one which applies in any Hold, Hall or Weyr. Specific Laws are local, and Customs are usually not enforced, but are general expectations by society. To learn the Specific Laws of a Hold, Hall or Weyr, individuals must inquire or be briefed upon arrival. It is possible to view the Local Charter, which is an annually amended and updated document. An assistant Harper/Archivist will often work alongside the Lord to write it.
Dragonriders are likely to heavily tout customs, because they are in place to keep people safe or maintain peace, and it is often dragonriders, those who protect and serve, who clean up the mess when peace and safety are not upheld.
Rights are hard to protect in a cast system. They have deteriorated, but a handful of rights remain and are held to firmly by informed people.
Estabilshing A Social System
From the DLG pg. 114:
"The lack of centralization is directly attributable to the original philosophic foundation of the colony, though it had to mobilize under central authority in order to protect itself and it's recourses when thread started falling in the eighth year of the colony's history. Even during the Pass, they continued promoting disjointure by establishing new Holds in the Northern Continent that would thereafter enjoy the autonomy that the original Pernese colonists sought.
For the former city dwellers among them, returning to a monolithic structure such as a Hold was not so severe as it was to the surviving nomads. Most of the nomads' numbers were wiped out during the first few Falls. The survivors gradually and reluctantly threw in their lot with the stakeholders. Under such trusted leaders as Admiral Benden and Governor Boll, the Pernese mobilized to combat the menace of Thread to the best of their ability."
Read more about:
Tithing
The pact of tithing was the solution to supply and demand. The land which supports the populations within the Holds and supplied the Halls had to be protected by the Weyr. The Weyr was too busy fending off thread during a Pass to hunt, gather or farm for itself, and dragons and riders consumed a hefty ammount of resources. In exchange for protection and service, the Hold would supply the Weyr with food and the goods of their local crafts. This ongoing arrangement has worked well overall, however, it has been strained when Weyrleaders or Holders become greedy or tyrannical. Lord holders have more often been the ones to err in that direction, but there have been a handful times where a dragon's choice did not yield a completely benevolent Weyrleader.
Pernese Laws and Customs
(This document is not canon. It is also under ongoing development.)
The Charter
Major Laws
1. No person may take another’s life.
a. Unless the conflict is consented mutually by both parties in a Customary duel.
b. Unless it is deemed by Specific Trial to be in self-defense
c. Unless that person has been formally convicted in Specific Trial by the Lord Holder of breaking a Major or Specific Law and has been sentenced to execution by holdlessness or other Specific method.
2. No person may exact punishment or assault physically, another.
a. Unless previously excused by the Lord Holder by Specific Trial.
b. Unless the conflict is consented mutually by both parties in a Customary duel.
3. No Person may take, or tamper with, another’s effects or remain on another’s property without being given consent or granted warrant by Lord and Jury.
4. A Major Trial can be called for, to settle disputes between territories, in which Masters, Weyrleaders and Lords must be made present. A Major Trial is not mandatory, as long as no party involved in the dispute requests it.
Specific Laws and Customs
Subjects deemed Specific:
a. Daily duties to Hold and Lord
b. Specific Trial Protocols
c. Punishment
d. Marriage
e. Equality
f. Land
Subjects deemed custom:
a. Interactions between Lord Holders, Masters and Weyrleaders.
b. Gender roles
c. Drinking age
d. Punishment of minors
Rights which apply to all people over 16 Turns of age:
1. All people have a right to assemble under a cause, belief, issue grievance, petition, or speak freely through any media.
a. As long as it does not conflict with a Major Law.
2. All people have the right to bear arms and form militias as long as a definitive leader is chosen and the militia’s conduct honors Major Laws.
3. All people have a right to a Specific Trial with an unbiased jury, wherein they may name their own witnesses, to be deemed worthy or exempt of reprimand from the Lord Holder.
4. All People have a right to their possessions and charge of their place of dwelling. No seizure or intrusion may be undertaken on behalf of a Lord Holder or person without warrant by a Jury.
5. All people have the right to practice a craft and sell goods pertaining to that craft with or without certification from the Hall.
a. Certification and apprenticeship is only granted to those who are admitted to the Hall with qualifying skill.
6. All people within a hold are there voluntarily and may not be detained, even by a Lord Holder.
a. Unless issued a warrant by jury that they are undergoing Specific Trial or are currently paying penalty for a convicted crime.
Notes:
“Trials” are generally structured to be rapid, and consecutive, enabling ongoing investigation with swift and dynamic action or justice. Specifics about how the trial is done vary, but typically the Lord will have a number of his staff assist, and to maintain an objective trial, a jury is supposed to be (though isn’t always) allowed to elect itself. A specific jury can be formed of any number of people greater than ten. This is not a solid rule. A jury can also be comprised of a number of ranking individuals who have been given judicial privilege. (Bronze and brown dragonriders, for example.)
There are loopholes in this simplified Charter which have allowed for conflicts with Rights, Equality, and opened potential for tyranny.
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One problem is that Lords are not elected but inheritors of their predecessor’s steakholds.
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Women in halls: While anyone can practice a craft, when women become viewed as better suited to child-rearing, and domestic chores, it could easily become more difficult for them to be certified or taken as apprentices by Halls, because Masters and Journeymen who assess their skill for qualification can have bias.
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It also seems that Lords can use executive power to override any Major Law, Right or Custom, so long as their people don’t stop them via militia or mutiny. This might happen when a Lord is skilled in bribery or intimidation or promotes ignorance by attacking literacy and preventing educators (harpers) from reaching their people.