A Petition to The Commission on behalf of Transmorphs
A Transcript on the subject from a meeting of the Crown Commission on the Proection of Monsters
Dateline: 21-
Abbot Heri Sanberligne: Your Grace, Lord Regent, and Honoured Fellow Members of the Commission,
I have received a petition for consideration by this Esteemed Commission from a Big Jim Compton.
Mr. Compton had no concerns or troubles regarding his status as a human citizen of Bereny until only just recently.
It appears that, while investigating a strange device in a place called Dr. Fentlers
Lab in the Ski Trek Wildlife Sanctuary, the device activated and transformed him
from being human to being a type of Transmorph -
Here is what Mr. Compton submits for the record to provide the best description that he can provide for what he has become:
"Transmorphs are the results of the twisted experiments by the infamour Dr. Fentler. Those who have been affected are changed, forever, into some strange and twisted hybrid of human and animal. There are many kinds of Transmorph, but they all share certain characteristics. They cannot learn or use magic of any kind. Many of their previous career memories are completely lost, although not their existing skills. They function with the same skills as human warriors. They are very tough combatants. Some people feel that, before he disappeared, Dr. Fentner was trying to build an army of these things for his personal use."
Mr. Compton is concerned that, since he no longer appears human at all, that, he
might find himself lacking the protections of citizenship and the laws of the land
by virtue of his transformation into the Tigron form of Transmorph. As this commission
might recall, we had a similar issue with regard to the "transformation" of Marcus
D'Estroget and of several of the so-
Mr. Compton requests that his case be given the same due consideration, with hopefully the same outcome.
He is willing to provide testimony and submit himself to physical inspection if such is requested.
Duke Dirk Steadfast: Thank you for coming forward with this fascinating case. To the best of my knowledge a physical transformation alone does not revoke citizenship; it is a mishap which has occurred to a citizen, who is then deserving of all the help the Crown can provide.
Those who returned from the Land of the Dead had actually died, which needless to say *does* revoke all rights of a subject of the Crown. If Mr. Compton had been transformed into an undead, for example, then he would by definition cease to be a living member of society.
Therefore, I do not believe this body needs to make a ruling in this case. I would, however, ask this his behaviour be monitored, if at all possible and assuming Mr. Compton does not object. Obviously for his sake, as well as those around him, it would be a good idea to make sure his mental state has not been altered in a potentially dangerous way.
AHS: Then Mr. Compton can feel safe that his status as a citizen entitled to the protection of the laws of Bereny is maintained?
In all due respect your grace, I do not grasp the distinction between a citizen of the realm transformed into an undead not normally entitled to protection of the laws of Bereny as opposed to transformation into any none citizen race.
The Transmorphs and the Tigrons are not citizens of Bereny, any more than are the undead.
Please clarify.
DDS: He may indeed.
Race is not the issue. The distinction is that undead are no longer living. All rights cease upon death. Whereas, a physical transformation into another (living) race does not alter the fact that the individual was born a subject of the Crown, and has committed no crime or taken any other action to cause their rights to be stripped from them. In order for Mr Compton’s legal rights to be rescinded, there would need to be a law specifically stating that transformation into a race not normally granted Berenian rights is grounds for the removal of those rights; and since this is such an extraordinary occurrence, I find it highly unlikely that there is such a law.
To put it another way, imagine the situation in reverse. Imagine a troll who was magically transformed into a human, or an elf or a dwarf. Would that automatically grant him the rights of a Berenian subject? No indeed! Were it the case that every human being on Berenian soil enjoyed the protection of the Crown, there would be no Outlaws, and every Kyrian or Derwentian who crossed the border would automatically become my subject.
In short, the rights of a subject are granted at birth, and (barring crimes and misdemeanours) forfeited upon death.
Still, I am no lawyer. You may, of course, take the matter up with the Royal Courts if you would prefer a definitive answer. But, were Mr Compton’s rights to be withdrawn, I would be strongly inclined to restore them in any case, provided it was clear he poses no threat.
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