OPALINE: THE VEILED

IN-CHARACTER LAW ENFORCEMENT & JUDICIAL ROLEPLAY SYSTEM

Law enforcement in Opaline exists to support story, consequence, and realism, not to punish players or stall roleplay.
All police, judicial, and detention RP must prioritize consent, engagement, and narrative continuity, while still allowing the town to feel dangerous, watchful, and real.

The law in Opaline is mundane by design. It does not understand the supernatural — and it reacts badly when the Veil is threatened.

 

1. CORE PHILOSOPHY

• Law enforcement is RP-driven, not punitive
• Detention and arrest exist to create scenes, not end them
• Characters should always have options to continue RP
• Police do not override consent or mechanics
• The Veil must be maintained at all times

If a situation risks:

• prolonged player lockout
   

• forced inactivity
   

• OOC frustration
   

…staff must be contacted to adjust the scene.

 

2. DETAINING A PERSON

IC RULES

A character may be detained when:
• They are under investigation
• They are suspected of a crime
• Police are actively questioning them

Detention may last up to 48 in-character hours.

During detention, police may:
• Question the suspect
• Collect statements
• Gather evidence
• Hold the character in a secure location

OOC RULES

Detention must never be used as punishment.

• The full 48 hours may only be used if active RP is occurring
• Interrogation scenes must be written and engaged
• If no active RP is happening, detention should be shortened

A detained player must always be given RP choices, including:
• Cooperation
• Legal counsel
• Conditional release
• Escalation to arrest

“AFK jail” is not permitted.

 

3. ARRESTING A PERSON

IC RULES

A character may be arrested when:
• Police witness a crime directly
• Charges are formally laid
• A warrant exists

Once arrested:
• The 48-hour detention cap no longer applies
• The character enters the judicial system

OOC RULES

Arrest scenes must:
• Be roleplayed as attempts, not absolutes
• Respect godmodding rules
• Use dice when resistance or escape is attempted

Arresting a character does not end their RP.
Police should immediately move toward:
• Bail
• PTA
• Court scheduling

Characters should never rot in a cell with no forward motion.

 

4. BAIL SYSTEM

Bail may be offered while a character awaits trial.

Bail Is Determined By:

• Severity of the crime
• Risk to public safety
• Likelihood of return
• Prior criminal history

Authority

• City Judge sets bail
• If no Judge is available, Municipal Admin (Alyx Diavolo) sets bail

Mechanics

• Bail must be paid through the Role Pay System
• High bail may require IC collateral (homes, property, favors)
• Bail Bonds are encouraged to generate RP:

• bounty hunters
   

• criminal financiers
   

• legitimate lenders
   

Failure to appear results in:
• Warrants
• Increased future bail
• Escalated police response

 

5. PTA — PROMISE TO APPEAR

PTA is a first-line option for low-risk cases.

Guidelines

• Most characters should initially be considered low risk
• Even serious crimes may qualify at first
• PTA is one-time only per character

Failure to appear:
• Automatic warrant
• Loss of PTA eligibility
• Character flagged as high-risk

PTA exists to keep RP moving while preserving consequences.

 

6. PRESSING CHARGES

Police

Police may only press charges directly for:
• Minor, 1-day offenses
• Crimes they personally witness

All other cases require evidence review.

District Attorney (DA)

• Reviews police evidence
• Determines if charges proceed
• Owns the case once approved

If no DA is available within 24 hours, admins may act as DA.

Accused

Once charged:
• A court date must be scheduled
• The accused may:

• Make bail
   

• Accept PTA
   

• Remain in holding
   

 

7. COURT SYSTEM

Judge

• Reviews evidence
• Applies reasonable doubt
• Does not sentence based on suspicion alone

District Attorney

• Presents evidence
• Must provide NCs if absent
• Responsible for their approved cases

Accused

• May plead guilty immediately to skip court
• May hire or RP a lawyer
• May self-represent

Anyone may RP a lawyer, provided arguments remain realistic.

 

8. SENTENCING GUIDELINES

Base Sentences

• 1 Day – Petty crimes, disorderly conduct
• 2 Days – Theft, common assault
• 3 Days – Assault, robbery
• 4 Days – Assault with deadly weapon
• 5 Days – Attempted murder
• 1 Week – Manslaughter / repeat violent offenders
• 2 Weeks – Murder

Life Sentencing

• 8+ violent convictions
• Admin discretion only
• Time between offenses considered

This is not player punishment — it is narrative accountability.

 

9. POST-SENTENCING OPTIONS

Jail Time

• Time served in holding counts toward sentence
• Bail/PTA time does not

House Arrest

• First-time or low-risk offenders
• Judge discretion

Conditional Sentencing / Probation

• Stipulations (no alcohol, check-ins, curfews)
• Police may conduct compliance RP

Probation typically lasts double the sentence length.

 

10. POLICE VEHICLE POLICY

Why Opaline Has No Police Cars

IC Reason
Opaline is a financially strained mountain town.
Aging infrastructure, harsh winters, and limited tax revenue make patrol cars limited 

OPD also relies on:
• Mounted Patrol (Horseback)
• Motorcycle Units
• ATV Units for outlying patrols and incidents

These are cheaper, safer, and better suited to the terrain.

OOC Reason
• Vehicles cause sim lag
• Mounted and light units reduce scripts
• Cleaner visuals
• Better performance

 

11. PATROL SOP (MOUNTED / ATV / MOTORCYCLE)

All patrol types must:
• Prioritize safety
• Operate within terrain limits
• Maintain realism

Full SOP sections for Mounted, ATV, and Motorcycle patrols apply as written.

 

12. TICKETING & CITATIONS (CRITICAL)

NEXUS TICKETS MUST BE ROLEPLAYED OUT 

• Do not write citations unless you can attend court
• Officers must appear for every ticket issued
• Tickets without RP will not be signed off

If you cannot commit to follow-through:
DO NOT WRITE THE TICKET

 

13. VEIL & SUPERNATURAL INTERACTION

• Police are not immune to supernatural influence
• Police do not understand the supernatural
• Obvious Veil breaches trigger:

• ST intervention
   

• escalation
   

• catastrophic consequences
   

Police encounters with supernatural events should feel:
• Confused
• Frightening
• Dangerous
• Uncertain

 

14. STAFF OVERSIGHT

Staff may:
• Pause scenes
• Adjust outcomes
• Void arrests
• Escalate consequences
• Protect player agency

Staff rulings are final.

 

LAW ENFORCEMENT D-20

RESOLUTION GUIDE

This table is used only when:
• An outcome is uncertain
• Both parties agree to roll, or
• A Storyteller requests a roll

The dice never override consent, never force compliance, and never auto-determine guilt or innocence.
They exist to guide tone, leverage, and momentum.

 

WHEN TO USE POLICE DICE

Examples include:
• Resisting detention (non-combat)
• Attempting to flee
• Lying during questioning
• Reading body language
• Searching an area
• Crowd control
• De-escalation attempts
• Compliance vs. escalation moments

Dice should not replace RP — they enhance it.

 

D20 OUTCOME TIERS —

LAW ENFORCEMENT

1 - CATASTROPHIC BOTCH

Everything goes wrong.

Narrative Direction
• Situation escalates sharply
• Miscommunication or mistake
• Evidence compromised
• A witness panics
• Authority undermined

Examples
• Officer overplays authority and provokes chaos
• Suspect trips, injures themselves, or draws attention
• Scene becomes harder to control

No automatic arrests.
No forced compliance.
Just immediate narrative fallout.

 

2-5 - FAILURE

The attempt does not succeed.

Narrative Direction
• No progress
• Tension increases
• Opportunity lost

Examples
• Suspect refuses to talk
• Officer fails to read the room
• Search turns up nothing
• Crowd does not disperse

Failure creates pressure, not punishment.

 

6-10 -PARTIAL SUCCESS

The attempt works — but imperfectly.

Narrative Direction
• Limited cooperation
• Incomplete information
• Short-term compliance
• A cost or complication

Examples
• Suspect answers one question, dodges another
• Crowd calms but remains hostile
• Fleeing suspect gains distance but is tracked
• Search finds something ambiguous

This is the most common result — messy, human, realistic.

 

11-16 - SUCCESS

The attempt works as intended.

Narrative Direction
• Clean progress
• Situation stabilizes
• Cooperation increases

Examples
• Suspect complies with instructions
• Officer successfully de-escalates
• Area is secured
• Truthful information is given

Success does not end RP — it opens it.

 

17-19 - STRONG SUCCESS

The scene breaks in your favor.

Narrative Direction
• Clear leverage
• Strong cooperation
• Momentum shifts

Examples
• Suspect volunteers additional info
• Witness steps forward
• Crowd disperses cleanly
• Chase ends quickly

Use this to advance plot, not shut it down.

 

20 - CRITICAL SUCCESS

Everything aligns.

Narrative Direction
• Breakthrough moment
• Major clarity
• Scene-defining shift

Examples
• Confession (with consent)
• Key evidence revealed
• Situation resolves cleanly and decisively
• Unexpected ally assists police

A 20 should feel cinematic, not oppressive.

 

OPPOSED ROLLS

(POLICE VS CHARACTER)

Used when:
• Both sides actively push the scene
• There is resistance or deception

How It Works

1. Both roll a D20
    

2. Compare tier first, number second
    

3. Higher result gains narrative advantage
    

This determines direction, not dominance.

 

WHAT DICE CANNOT DO

Dice do not:
• Prove guilt
• Force confessions
• Override consent
• Skip court
• Replace evidence
• Lock characters out of RP

All legal consequences still require:
• Evidence
• Charges
• Judicial process

 

ST GUIDANCE FOR POLICE ROLLS

• Botch → Escalate tension
• Failure → Stall or complicate
• Partial → Trade success for cost
• Success → Grant progress
• Strong Success → Shift momentum
• Crit → Deliver a narrative turning point

The goal is story flow, not control.

 

FINAL NOTE

This system exists so that:
• Police feel human
• Suspects feel agency
• Scenes stay dynamic
• Power stays balanced
• Opaline remains dangerous, grounded, and alive

The dice don’t decide the law.
They decide how the moment bends.