The Sovrans: Hospitium

An ancient law of hospitality which precedes all written laws and is universally accepted in all Lands. Sometimes called the Hospitium, sometimes called the custom of Wine and Bread.

The Hospitium requires that a guest cannot attack his host and that a host must protect his guest for a period of up to three days. Further that a host must allow the guest who is leaving, to depart in his peace.

The guest has the right to room and board; to protection and to legal defense (if necessary) at the host's expense. In exchange the host has the right to be secure in his person and property and to be free of insult or injury of reputation by the guest.

The Hospitium is invoked whenever a person offers wine and bread to someone under his roof. Note that if money exchanges hands, the Hospitium is not invoked, but non cash gifts do not count as money.

So inviolable is this ancient law that violating the Hospitium is considered an atrocity and therefore a capital crime everywhere.