Basic Information
Murder is the unlawful killing of one human by another with intent (or malice aforethought), and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide. [1] Most jurisdictions consider intent to do harm sufficient to convict - the murder need not necessarily have intended to kill, but if death results directly from the harm inflicted (and, under English Law, within 366 days of the harm being inflicted), murder can be demonstrated.
The killer normally must also be proven to be in his right mind at the time of the offence - jurisdictions vary by time and place as to what conditions will prevent this and deliberate self-intoxication normally provides no defence.
For those campaigns in which there is more than one sapient species murder may - or may not - extend to the killing of any sapient. Historically non-sapients have occasionally been held to be culpable of murdering humans as well (or at least animals have been tried, convicted and executed for murdering humans in the past) - unsurprisingly without much in the way of reciprocity.
In most legal systems murder is regarded as (one of) the most heinous of crimes and will (normally) attract some of the most severe sentences available.
Lawful authority to kill, obviating any charge of murder, can be hard to come by - although some jurisdictions will excuse or downgrade a charge of murder for a variety of reasons, some of them leading to significant values dissonance for outsiders.
Where a concept of private war - or some similar doctrine - exists then the whole issue of murder becomes substantially murkier.
Sources
Game and Story Use
- The starting point of a good many detective stories.
- Note that most kills PCs make could be regarded as murders unless they have some kind of lethal sanction.
- Great for values dissonance plots - especially if the PCs come from a culture where there is quite a broad right to kill into one where that right is extremely limited. An obvious example might be a Norseman or Saxon finding himself in a region where it isn't acceptable to go at someone with a sword just because he insulted you but even in the modern world nations vary as to what they regard as justifiable by way of self defence or the defence of others.
