Do Dragonmarked Houses tend to act like modern corporations in legal issues? IE, if you tried to sue them, they’d be inclined to settle rather than, say, hire assassins to silence you? It depends entirely on who you are and the circumstances of the case. We have suggested that the houses would, for example, sabotage an artificer doing work that threatens their monopoly.
— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) April 19, 2020
If you’re a beloved public figure or have powerful friends, then sure, I’d expect them to settle. If you’re a nobody? Or a sketchy adventurer who regularly engages in dangerous tomb robbing? They might certainly arrange an “accident.” Even if you DO take the case to court, where is it happening? Do you trust that they can't buy the judge or otherwise game the system?
— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) April 19, 2020
I’d say that overall, the general tone of the houses is more dystopian “In the wake of the Last War, do they have too much power? Can anyone control them?” than “The legal system keeps them entirely in check! Yay!” The idea of it was my character, a mid-level adventurer who's on staff at a newspaper, was put in danger by Cannith negligence on an assignment he was doing for them. Was wondering if they'd be more inclined to settle or send assassins after him to avoid the bad PR.
— Maximilian Ximenez (@maxximenez) April 19, 2020
My point is that _assassination_ may be an extreme answer. But consider things modern corporations DO do, like, say, buying your newspaper and having you fired. Slander, blackmail, and threats could all be on the table—all through third parties, of course.
— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) April 19, 2020
They might not even need to buy the newspaper. It could well be that one of the local upper management in Cannith is drinking buddies with the owner of your newspaper and will now owe them one Good point!
— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) April 19, 2020
Or possibly as likely if not more so our members of the same social club. Maybe they both wear similar sets of silver rings on each of their fingers Funny you should suggest that – I was thinking the EXACT same thing!
— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) April 19, 2020
There's one more important issue, which is whether the Code of Galifar considers corporate negligence a crime. Given that there's clearly no antitrust laws (as the houses are government-sanctioned monopolies) it's quite likely that laws are generally house-friendly.
— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) April 19, 2020