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Book Ramble
I want to go re-read the Black Jewels trilogy by Anne Bishop again. The series is absolutely kick-ass good, and I love the social structre and magic system set up in the books.
They are also, however, one of those series where it is all but impossible to describe the world setting. It's honestly easier to just go and read the books. I do like the concept of Blood Law, though. It boils down to a few simple concepts. You can do what you want, but there are consequnces to every action. For example: There are no laws against murder amongst the Blood, but a Queen can demand a price for the life that was lost. If the killer is lucky, all the Queen do is kill them in turn. Rape is punishiable any nuber of ways, the most simple of which is removal of the sexual organs (without anything to dull the pain, I might add) and the most complicated of which is formal execution. A formal execution can last a very long time, like a few years.
The concept behind the books is that the world is made up off three inter-connected Realms. Terreille, Kaeleer, and Hell. When the books start, the Blood in Terreille have forgotten most of the old ways and codes. For the most part, they are corrupt, and use the magic that was granted to them purely for advancement and personal gain and power. Kaeleer still holds to the old ways, and the Blood there remember that the Craft was given to them because they were the caretakers of the Realms. The Blood are supposed to take care of the land and those who live in, on, over and under it. Hell is where people who had strength or something unfinished left when they died go. It is not a place of punishment, but a place to finish out whatever you couldn't in life, a place to truly finish out your life before the soul returns to the Darkness.
And at this point, my ability to explain fails me. Trust me, they're very good books. The Invisible Ring, Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, and Queen of the Darkness.
They are also, however, one of those series where it is all but impossible to describe the world setting. It's honestly easier to just go and read the books. I do like the concept of Blood Law, though. It boils down to a few simple concepts. You can do what you want, but there are consequnces to every action. For example: There are no laws against murder amongst the Blood, but a Queen can demand a price for the life that was lost. If the killer is lucky, all the Queen do is kill them in turn. Rape is punishiable any nuber of ways, the most simple of which is removal of the sexual organs (without anything to dull the pain, I might add) and the most complicated of which is formal execution. A formal execution can last a very long time, like a few years.
The concept behind the books is that the world is made up off three inter-connected Realms. Terreille, Kaeleer, and Hell. When the books start, the Blood in Terreille have forgotten most of the old ways and codes. For the most part, they are corrupt, and use the magic that was granted to them purely for advancement and personal gain and power. Kaeleer still holds to the old ways, and the Blood there remember that the Craft was given to them because they were the caretakers of the Realms. The Blood are supposed to take care of the land and those who live in, on, over and under it. Hell is where people who had strength or something unfinished left when they died go. It is not a place of punishment, but a place to finish out whatever you couldn't in life, a place to truly finish out your life before the soul returns to the Darkness.
And at this point, my ability to explain fails me. Trust me, they're very good books. The Invisible Ring, Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, and Queen of the Darkness.