Clonus

What if magic for interrogation was a prerequisite during trials in a fantasy world? Would it make its judicial systems fairer or eventually more corrupt? No. A “Compel Truthful Answers” spell can cause more innocent people to escape conviction (if it works all the time), but that’s not about fairness but fallibility. An unfair but infallible system would be one in which certain people with the right status and connections can avoid being charged in the first place, or expect much greater lenience on conviction. The existence of such a spell would have no impact on the likelihood of such unfairness. Nor would it change the existence of laws specifically targeting certain populations for particular law enforcement attention.

In case you were wondering, the text in the orange banner says "German style" and that's the Spanish flag.

Helioupolites

<sigh> Beavers.

Hiding your discovery for fear that others will misuse its power is not what a good scientist does. But it is what what a good wizard does.

Either way, he got his lab results.

Rather than recapitulate the entire technology tree, GURPS Alpha Centauri makes a minor extension to the standard GURPS tech level system (pp. B185-186). For TL8 and above, each specific item of technology will be assigned to one of the four sectors of technical development: Explore (E), Discover (D), Build (B), and Conquer (C). When it is necessary to discuss a specific subset of a tech level's goods and equipment, this will be indicated by placing the appropriate key letter in parentheses. For example, an item of equipment which is associated with Explore technology at TL9 would be listed as being TL9(E)

The Thing In The Night ST=20 DX=16 IQ=12 Perception 18 HT=10 SM +1 Advantages: Unkillable 2, Mindreading, Telesend, +6 Night Vision, Claws, Combat Reflexes, Extra limbs (switchable), Doublejointed Disadvantage: Sadist, Feral, Social Stigma Monster, Primitive TL 0, Skills: Traps 14, Stealth 16, Brawling 18, Intimidation 18, Stealth 18, Quirks: Enjoys challenging prey Taunts it's prey Sets primitive traps but doesn't use ranged or melee weapons Sleeps in the day Don't bother trying to guess what this is, the song is Paralyzed by Aviators.

Zeta(1) Reticuli

It comes under the category of unnecessary personal services.

Suggesting that a fair number of them were prostitutes would probably be too grimdark for Star Trek. In the Federation at large there are basically going to be four categories of occupation Scientist Artist Bureaucrat Person providing unnecessary personal services. Shuttlecraft steward, Bartender and the like.

Magic is an extremely vague term that is less about defining a thing than defining someone’s attitude toward the thing. Call something “magic” and you are saying one of these things: There is something about this I could never understand There is something about this I don’t want to want to understand because that would make it less special. While I understand this thing just fine, I don’t want other people to understand it. There is something that we once thought we’d never understand and called magic then, and are still calling “magic” out of force of habit.

Reminds me of an idea I had for a would-be alien conqueror who arrived on the planet he was supposed to take over for his overlord only to discover that it was in such a mess and in such constant peril of destruction and conquest that all of his energies ended up getting absorbed into defending the planet and fixing it up, until finally he ended up defending it from his former people.

The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.