Moral Dilemma - Crime and Punishment

Here is a dilemma I placed before my creative writing class from the prequel series to New Dawn. I want to hear some answers about this, namely, because it is a very intriguing dilemma.

It is set in a medieval fantasy world, and is essentially in most cases a case of Deliberate Values Dissonance. There is one powerful state, called The People's Republic of Shard, that seems to have a slightly more modern view point in some matters, but a much more regressive view point in others.

The new hero, Aevon, son of the previous hero, Vonh, has basically just been handed a large Kingdom and told to show the world he is strong. However, during Olympic style games hosted by Shard, it comes out that one of the hero's True Companions, Warren, had been "forceful" with his wife in consummating their marriage.

This was thirty years ago, when he was eighteen, and he cannot forgive himself for it. He cannot so much as look at his son without feeling the urge to vomit.

This comes out due to Gabren Daindred, Ruler of Shard, having a spymaster with some supernatural powers.

So, in Shard, all crimes must be punished. Regardless when they were committed, regardless of who committed them, and without regard for if they were punished in another country. Gabren decides to go ahead and arrest Warren.

Aevon needs Warren for his quest, due to a particular prophecy, and he puts a lot more stock in those than his father ever did.

The thing is, Gabren makes the argument that other societies are barbarians for "silencing women's voices of protest", when his nation allows people to hold slaves. He even remarks that "our slaves are mostly enemies of the state; enemy nations defeated by the Shardan Military can either pay reparations or pay the Blood Price; one slave for each of our lives lost."

The thing is, Aevon's Kingdom led the charge in abolishing slavery everywhere...except in Shard, which kept their slaves due to their massive military and influence. Gabren has 100% Approval in Shard for resisting this change, among many other things.

So the dilemma is; what does Aevon do? Gabren, being the Host Nation's Overlord, sets this ultimatum; give us Warren for a People's Trial or pay the Blood Price, one slave for each year he remained at large.

Aevon has a number of choices, and he has to appear strong in front of the intimidating, powerful nation of Shard. He has to keep Warren with him, as he thinks, or he cannot win against The Gedroi Nine.

So my question to all of you is this; What is the morally acceptable thing for Aevon to do in this situation? What should he do? What is it wise for him to do?

edited 12th Sep '13 7:58:25 PM by NickTheSwing

Wow, that is an interesting situation. This certainly is a gray situation, but after reading it for a while I can only come to one conclusion based on my personal morals: Warren must be handed over for trial. The slaves did not rape his wife and they should not be made to pay the price for another man's crimes, no matter how high-born or important he is. They may have been enemies of the state, and their slavery is their punishment. It could be argued that paying this "blood price" is part of the package of being a slave but...still, they are already dealing with the consequences of their actions. Another man's crime shouldn't morally be added to the burden.

I hope that helped.

Further complicating the issue is that if the prophecy is as stringent as some Japanese games' true ending requirements, then Aevon knows that failing to bring Warren - the man who was selected to wield Danocles, a powerful Legend-Class blade - would result in Shamshalg winning the battle and barbarically butchering and razing most of a rather large country to the ground, which was just filled with refugees from the last country Shamshalg razed and butchered.

And making the whole thing more muddled, Warren's wife is having a major case of Mrs. Robinson on Aevon (who is barely 20), and is urging him to turn over Warren.

Just as well, Aevon's older brother, who he is constantly trying to please, is telling him not to turn over Warren, out of a grudge against Daindred. Yet Aevon knows his older brother also pines after Warren's wife, the Duchess of Cyanna, who has her own plans for the royal boys.

Throw in a Kingmaker watching for any weakness in Aevon at all, and you have yourself a Gordian Knot.

Cut the knot. Instead of imprisonment or death, have Warren's punishment be to fight in Gabren's army, hence paying the Blood Price in the sense that he will fight in the place of a living Shardian, as opposed to being reparation for a dead one. Furthermore, Aevon's condition for handing over Warren is for Shard's assistance and alliance during the battle the Warren is supposed to fight at. Thus Aevon gets to assert his authority while at the same time conceding to Shard's values and Gabren's authority, making them both look good, while the prophecy is still on track.

Also, if the entity who made the (good part of the) prophecy is powerful enough, even if Aevon does the right thing the prophecy will still be fulfilled anyway.

I liked your solution to the Knot so much, I am going to make that what ends up happening.

In fact, later on, it becomes referred to as "Cutting Daindred's Weave."

Glad I could help.