Codex: Rules of Engagement

Aven is a relatively small continent with many inhabitants and relatively limited resources: conflict, whether over land, wealth, or philosophy, is inevitable.  'War' has a somewhat different meaning than other places are used to: small-scale skirmishes, ranging from scuffles between individuals to groups or twenty or so, are common on Aven as the competing city-states and political groups test each others' strengths and boundaries.  As such, many parts of warfare have taken on an almost ritual aspect.  Nowhere is this more true than the Orcish custom of recreational combat, but all races exhibit some degree of ritualism.  There are three universally respected customs regarding combat on Aven: recognition of surrender, how it is treated with respect to law, and treatment of outlaws.

The largest and most frequent practice in combat is the recognition of surrender, whether it is the attacker or the victim that surrenders.  The population of Aven is limited, and as such, wide-scale combat to the death would lead to a rapid depopulation that could easily allow the already hostile feral elements of the continent to wipe out all civilization.  It is considered a grave crime to execute or further attack an opponent who has dropped their weapon and knelt, one exceeded only by feigning surrender.  Rumors of either are enough to make someone an outcast, attracting extra attention from authorities, not to mention bounty hunters and adventurers looking to make some coin or gain fame.  Taking a victim (or attacker's) weapon is considered standard custom, partly to prevent quick retaliation, although this is generally left to the victor's discretion (so long as the loser suffers no significant injury as a result of the decision, like being tied and left for dead in a desert).

With respect to the law, simple accusations of wrongdoing are generally ignored since they would otherwise be so frequent that there would be little time for anything else.  Generally, criminalization of combat only occurs when it occurs with a large number of witnesses (such as in a city) or when the accusation comes from a recognized authority figure from one of the city-states, such as a guard or sheriff.  While there is (of course) some degree of politics between cities, with nobody wanting to outwardly recognize each others' authority simply on principle, major breaches - such as violations of surrender - and large bounties can both cause trouble for problem makers across the continent.

Outlaws, on the other hand, are a class of their own.  Generally relegated to the most grievous of offenses, outlaws are those few who are welcome nowhere.  Individuals so violent or uncontrolled that they are essentially considered feral, no longer subject to the protections afforded by the laws they so disdain.  Outlaws generally have a short life span on Aven, with continent-wide manhunts and rich bounties, accumulated from dozens or even hundreds of individuals, drawing even mercenary armies to destroy them.