Laws of War on the Continent of Pandaria

by **Drustai** Mon May 13, 2013 2:53 am

((reposting here for purpose of consolidating MoD documents))

[The following document is made available to all commissioned officers within Stormwind's armed forces. It is likely that it would be disseminated amongst the dwarven and night elven armed forces as well. It applies only to operations within the continent of Pandaria. Officers currently serving in Pandaria are under orders to make sure their troops are aware of, and abide by, the laws in the document lest they face criminal prosecution.

The document is not published publicly to the civilian populace, though those with connections to the military may be able to hear about it or even attain a copy.]

Laws of War
As Agreed Upon by the Jade Serpent Summit

Ministry of Defense, Stormwind,
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19th. [29]

With respect to the decisions made by the Summit held between Stormwind, Orgrimmar, Ironforge, Darnassus, and the Shado-Pan, the following are now to be held in effect by all powers operating within the continent known as Pandaria.

CHAPTER I. Neutral Settlements and Citizens

I. Article 1.
The territory of neutral powers is inviolable and shall not be assailed nor occupied by belligerent forces.

I. ART. 2.
Belligerents may not move troops or convoys through neutral territories.

Exception exists when neutral territories maintain only passage through a region (IE Binan Village). In such cases, belligerents may equally move troops and convoys through the settlement, but may not stop nor dwell in the village for longer than a day. The neutral settlement has right to revoke this exception to both parties equally if endangered.

I. ART. 3.
Belligerent combatant corps may not be formed on the territory of neutral powers, nor may they be trained upon the territory of neutral powers, nor may belligerent recruitment efforts be made upon the territory of neutral powers.

I. ART. 4.
A neutral power may not allow any of the above to occur on its territory. It is called upon to punish acts in violation of its neutrality. If it refuses to do so, it shall forfeit its state of neutrality.

I. ART. 5.
A neutral power may supply belligerent powers with supplies. This shall be under the condition that trade takes place outside of the territory of a neutral power.

This trade is to be conducted impartially. A neutral power may not permit trade with one belligerent while refusing trade with another.

I. ART. 6.
A neutral power that receives belligerent personnel is to intern them until such time as it can transfer them out of its territory.

I. ART. 7.
A neutral power may tend to wounded belligerent personnel until such a time as the wounded can be safely moved. The neutral power shall then transfer the wounded out of its territory.

The neutral power may also permit convoys of wounded personnel to travel through its territory, under the condition that no personnel or material of war is transported with the wounded.

I. ART. 8.
A neutral power must abide by the above impartially. If it commits to or otherwise shows favor to any belligerent force, it shall forfeit its state of neutrality.

I. ART. 9.
The fact of a neutral power resisting, even by force, attempts to violate its neutrality cannot be regarded as a hostile act.

CHAPTER II. Weapons of Mass Destruction

II. ART. 1.
All manner of siege weapons are permitted for use against valid military targets.

A valid military target is defined as:

a) A military base, vessel, or other installation
b) A factory, farm, road, or other support element supplying military operations

The territory of neutral powers, as well as non-combatant civilians of belligerent powers and civilian constructions of belligerent powers, are not valid military targets. A non-combatant civilian or civilian construction is defined as a civilian or civilian construction that in no way engages in nor supports combatant operations.

II. ART. 2.
No siege weapon, nor any other weapon of great physical destruction including the intentional lighting of fire or sewing of destructive chemicals, shall be used for the employment of “scorched earth” strategies.

Scorched earth for the purpose of this article is defined as the intentional destruction, while advancing through or retreating from an area of conflict, of non-combatant civilian constructions, land, or food supply for the purpose of starving or otherwise harming civilian populations.

Valid military targets, as defined above, are excluded from this article.

II. ART. 3.
No alchemical weapons of mass destruction, including blight, plague, or any other corrosive force, shall be employed within the continent of Pandaria.

II. ART. 4.
No physical or magical weapons of mass destruction, including mana bombs, magical rituals of greatly destructive effect, or high-yield thermal or nuclear explosives, shall be employed within the continent of Pandaria.

II. ART. 5.
No armies of magic, including elementals, demons, undead, or sha, shall be employed within the continent of Pandaria.

An army of magic is defined as a force greater than one magical minion per magic-user.

Death Knights of the Ebon Blade and Forsaken of the Horde are not magical minions as defined by this article.

CHAPTER III. Prisoners of War

III. ART. 1.
Prisoners of war are not to be executed by the detaining power. They are to be detained until either ransomed back to their faction, or until the conclusion of war at which point they are to be released back to their faction.

Prisoners of war charged of a crime other than simply making war, such as a breech of one of the articles here, may be tried and punished by the detaining power upon the conclusion of war.

III. ART. 2.
Prisoners of war may be used for hard labor within an internment camp for the duration of their detainment.

III. ART. 3.
Prisoners of war may be interrogated through coercive force, but no permanent physical or mental damage may be inflicted. Permanent damage includes limb removal, branding, mental conditioning, and any other such damage that cannot be undone through medical means.

The use of coercive force for the sole purpose of inflicting pain or punishment, rather than interrogation, is not permitted.

The use of dark magic, including fel, shadow, or necromancy, is prohibited for interrogation in all forms except for mind reading.

III. ART. 4.
All interrogations undertaken within the continent of Pandaria, especially those employing coercive force, are to be done in the presence of countersha personnel. Countersha personnel are individuals that have been trained in countersha techniques by the Shado-Pan.

Belligerents are free to select personnel as they see fit to send to the Shado-Pan for countersha training.

III. ART. 5.
Prisoners of war are to be treated humanely. They are to be given adequate food, medical care, and rest.

CHAPTER IV. Final Provisions

IV. ART. 1.
The above articles shall go into effect upon the ratification of this document by the following constituencies:

a) Stormwind, additionally speaking on behalf of Tushui and Pearlfin
b) Ironforge
c) Darnassus
d) Orgrimmar, additionally speaking on behalf of Houjin and Grookin Hill
e) Shado-Pan, additionally speaking on behalf of the Peoples of Pandaria

The above articles shall only apply upon the continent of Pandaria unless otherwise agreed upon by the above constituencies.

IV. ART. 2.
It is the duty of the ratifying states to enforce these articles on their personnel. Failure to enforce these articles shall result in the removal of the constituency from their coverage.

IV. ART. 3.
Constituencies other than those listed are exempt from these articles.

CHAPTER V. Signatories

Signed and ratified,
Areyah Conover__________________
Gilran Steelfist___________________
Aariam Nightborn_________________
Kozgugore Feraleye________________
Paozi Wulong____________________