The combination of former glory and pride as well as the decline of the caste system has resulted in a new kind of morality to be developed in Tindrem. A true Tindremene, regardless of caste lives by the principle “the strong shall prevail” and “what’s gained is earned” and praise what many would regard as outright swindling. This perspective is used in trade negotiations, as well as in discussions or in power struggles. One always should be prepared for an intellectual or in worst case a real stab in the back. First time visitors to the city of Tindrem are often appalled by “the lack of honour” amongst the native population. A Tindremene on the other hand finds plenty of naive and easily duped visitors in the city, and considers it awkward when a visitor makes a scene or calls a guard. “Not only is the foreigner incompetent in negotiations, he doesn’t even have the wits to keep quiet about it.”, as a Tindremene would say.
The prevailing mentality which has emerged since the Conflux has been summarised adequately by the acclaimed and respected philosopher Levai Cham: A man should always seem to have virtues, even if he does not actually have them. Not having virtues is in fact preferable than having them, since such a man is not tied by the bonds of morality; a mind not feeling the constraints of virtue is able to adapt itself according to the wind. However, a man able to scheme on the inside should be mercy, faith, integrity, humanity and religion on the outside.
Way of the Fox, Levai Cham, Majus Philosophicus
Prior to the Conflux the law of Tindrem went through a revolutionary change. During a rebellion the Tricapita yielded to a demand for publicizing the law to the lower castes beneath the Theurgy as well. This happened as a result of the imprisonment of an influential Plebeian who later campaigned for making the law public so that every citizen could learn it and therefore not be taken by surprise when arrested. In the negotiation which followed the rebellion the Tricapita agreed to publicize the law in exchange that some castes would still be exempted from it. This arrangement created Lexus Tredecim Tabula (Law of the Thirteen Tablets), or as it is generally known The Golden Means. During a grand ceremony the laws were placed in the arms of a majestic statue on Forum Iudico so that every citizen, at least those who were literate, could read and memorize the laws. The law had a varied degree of penalty depending on castes (and some were, as mentioned before, fully exempted from it.) However, the law recognized every citizen’s right to a fair trial before conviction.
Whether the Golden Means actually were made of pure gold or another material such as stone or plaster, is still up for debate since all traces of them as well as the statue they rested upon disappeared in the Great Washout. Regardless, the Golden Means still apply within the borders of the Tindremic Provinces. A problem with the law is partly that it has never been made public in its whole format since the last time it was made public and partly because of the abundance of later interpretations and exceptions made for new castes. This has resulted in farce-like trials where bribes in the form of money, goods or influence appear frequently, the corruption is hard to make public since the trials are often conducted behind closed doors. The trials and public punishments that are held openly at Forum Tindrem for the general public seem to be carried out only to make an example of.
A visitor to Tindrem should also be aware of Lictors and their unique role within the legal system. One or a number of Lictors always accompany the members of the Tricapita but can also be appointed to temporarily protect certain citizens, often those belonging to an eminent caste. A Lictor possesses the right to defend his master at any time with the use of violence, and might even kill in order to protect his master from real or imaginary threats.
