The council is a group of respected elders, trusted with Moren Ezen’s best interests. Looked up to in times of need, sought after for knowledge, and the organizers of the Census. Therefore, the Council holds an important role in society.
Any person of age, from any region of Moren Ezen, may have their name cast for election into the council. If they accept the nomination, then the council will make the final decision on who to add to their circle.
To help prevent incest, build stronger future generations, and track humanity's growth, the Council formed the Census, an event held once each decade. Officials assigned set locations, outposts where every unregistered person over the age of twelve can receive a unique ID number. As the years have passed, ID has become commonplace; engraved into metal and carried on oneself or even tattooed onto the skin, the Census is one unity among the now vast and varied people of Moren Ezen. It helps mark age and lineage, provides organization to large scale events and ensures identification of an individual for trade, union of couples, and the punishment of crimes.
The Council keeps record of every registered ID, updating the logs every ten years. Those who choose to avoid the Census have easily been able to ignore the gatherings, but unregistered adults are treated with caution and may find their presence in established settlements less than welcome...
In the wilder parts of the world, crime and punishment become quite simple. Known as the Golden Rule, an eye for an eye is a widespread philosophy. Essentially, a punishment should meet a crime in severity. Though the definition of severity does vary among nomadic groups, it is a common train of thought that wrongdoings must be righted. For example, if a thief cannot return stolen goods, their hand may be taken instead. One group of people may see this as barbaric, while another sees it as just, but both will agree that the thief deserved punishment.
In more developed areas of the world, punishment of crime is often (though not always) more civil. Punishment may consist of reparations, community service, or personal servitude, determined by a trusted and respected elder or group of leaders.
Some crimes are seen as so terrible that punishment can be as severe as death. Murder, arson, and enslavement, as well as physical or sexual assault of any individual are completely outlawed among settled peoples, and viewed very poorly among nomadic groups.
Laws are not infinite however, and there are still some places where these actions go unpunished, but they have become few and far between. Individuals that perpetrate these crimes are often members of lawless raiding bands.