I'm not a big lore nut so I don't much that about capital punishment in Tamriel, but i would think it would add an interesting element to Skyrim, as it is described as quite a barbaric place that's in abit of a meltdown, it'd add to the (immersion) if you walked into a city and there were a few bodies hanging from the gallows, and there always the possibility of it happening to you aswell, as I always thought it a tad unrealistic that if you were consigned to death for a crime the guards would just hack to down in the street, and you would thought there would be some sort of court/justice system, certainly when the empire are in charge. And how would this court system work, you say? well my idea would be in would be a sort of unskipable cutscene, where you watch the witnesses testify and then are found guilty/ innocent and given a sentence/death penalty/release, perhaps you could even have your own chance to talk your way out of it? or had offered some bribes beforehand? I defiantly think would add a new element to committing a crime, where instead to would normally just load backwards and try again if you get caught. thoughts?

i like this idea a lot. In very barbaric places maybe a shivering isles type prison sentence where you maybe have to fight in an arena for your freedom?

k. I put it in spoiler tags, but honestly, if you don't want "spoilers" in the form of news that has already been announced to everyone, then I really don't see what you're doing on this section of the forum at all. :\

This.

Yeah, sweet idea man, but if they did implanted this as a last chance to win your freedom the odds to be very much against you.

Thanks for the spoiler...

Edited to not further annoy people

yeah i was annoyed too lol.

*Points accusingly at Dovahkiin*

He turned me into a newt!

True that, but they always seem to be quite liberal in letting you go, you are the chosen one, mind. And i did say i didn't know much it but i did know it that existed in game (and wasn't it just a prison sentence in Morrowind and Oblivion), so no gold star for you.

I don't mind Velorien, but someone's gonna bash you for not putting that under a spoiler.

Edit: Oo err, too late. :pinch:

Where is this information? How do you know?

Well coming to this forum and reading the topics, that's the risk that you are taking.

not to go all moderator but do the guys mind discussing the topic/not talking about '''''''spoilers''''''.

I edited my post, but honestly, guys, if you're going to get all upset because someone mentioned the confirmed news that has already been announced and mentioned on the forum before, I really don't see what you're doing in this section of the forums at all. It's not like it's something vital to the plot or it's the ending or anything.

But regardless, the point of posting that is that yes, there is capital punishment in Skyrim.

Actually, I already knew about it
Heh.

Justice is like a game with rules. If you accept them, you are to abide them. If you don't accept them, you don't abide them. Normally you aren't given the choice to accept or not, and you are forced. But when a civil war is happening, history has shown us that people very often go beyond the rules. Justice doesn't matter as much when nations or people are at war, even if it should. Executions have happened in our world in situations like these, and probably will in Skyrim as well (also see Velorien's spoiler ... if you want to get spoiled).

It would be really nice to still see some kind of justice system in Skyrim. My idea for it is that it's like a simple dialouge, where you can have some options of what to say. And depending on what you say, and depending on the circumstances of the case, you may go free or not. Or you may get a reduced sentence or not. That's how I would like it. Like a dialouge, which would work in Skyrim because dialougs are now "open" and in real-time.

I've said in about a dozen or so law threads that trial by combat would be a great addition to ye olde payfine/go to jail/resist arrest options, with the level or number of your opponents scaled to the seriousness of your crimes.
I know that Nords are not Vikings, but this was a part of their justice system if the chieftain could not decide, or the witnesses were suspect. And unless it's treason or something of that ilk, why execute someone if you can get money and/or entertainment from them?

[And to be fair to Velorien, that is the most common knowledge spoiler I have ever seen]

Well, the chieftain thing could be implemented more in rural/smaller communities, but aren't the empire running the show in the main city's? I thought they would be more civilized.

They had no qualms sending those Argonian prisoners into the Imperial City arena, freedom or death. I would say that pretty much makes trial by combat canon.

Yes, Argonians. And maybe they are prepared to be more mengele in there own province, maybe.

If the guards see you killing people it makes sense to just go after you to try to kill you, but if they find out about your terrible crimes some other ways then capital punishment could be the way to go.

Yeah, probably should have made that clearer in the original post, if you start murdering people the guards are most likely going to take you down (instead of try to arrest you, a la Oblivion) but if you are wanted for a crime and then are arrested, your punishment should be decided in some sort of court, I think.

I first opened this up half expecting the lyrics to the Metallica song of the same name LOL. Capital punishment is a good idea, would really add some atmosphere to the world! It was one of the things I enjoyed about the WAC mod, which added people hung all around the cities.