So, codes of ethics/conduct

If the reason is vague than even better, everyone will probably have come up with a variety of more or less grounded reasons why all went to shit. They could blame tech, religion, moral degeneration, global warming, capitalism/communism, human emotion or anything else.

Think about what the enforcers think about it and work from there. Fallout is a good example as well with the brotherhood trying to hoard tech, but what if they took the opposite route and blamed technology of some branch or another for the fall? Then they would restrict its use.

Who do the enforcers answer to? What's their organisational structure? Who is their leader? What sets the enforcers apart from local militias?

That last one is particularly important. If overall authority collapsed, every community around would quickly form its own militia, simply out of necessity. What is the enforcers' relationship to these militias? Are they separate from them? If so, where are they getting their supplies and equipment from? If a militia group wants one thing, and the enforcers have a mutually exclusive want, who wins out? What form of security do the enforcers offer, which regular militias do not?

Total autonomous authority to enact the Code as they see fit. The Enforcers are the only one that can effectively deal with the supernatural so regardless of if you like them or not, you do need them.

>If a militia group wants one thing, and the enforcers have a mutually exclusive want, who wins out?
Yes that would be a point of conflict.

Okay.

What behaviours do the Enforcers not approve of among their ranks? If an Enforcer fucks up, who are they answerable to? What pre-Fall group or groups are the Enforcers descended from (if any)?

There's no such thing as a "fuck up." Enforcers are always right in their interpretation of the code and their authority is not to be questioned (but inevitably it will be). They're roving bands not exactly a central authority.

And no decedent group, I want to keep the geographical location fairly loosey goosey.

If it's impossible for an Enforcer to break the "Enforcer Code", then why even have a code of conduct in the first place? If there's no force keeping these people in check, not even their own consciences, why have rules? Is it meant to be a sick joke at the expense of the normies? Because that's what it sounds like.

If these guys are just murderhobos who can massacre towns with impunity, how the fuck are they stopping society from sliding into chaos? They sound a hell of a lot like a cause of anarchy, not a cure.

He said interpretation so they most likely see the code as a guideline, how they see it depends on the individual. They're basically like the inquisition in 40k, you can do anything if you manage to pull it off and no one catches you later.

You misunderstand me. They essentially have absolute morale authority so they're always considered "right." And it's up to their consciences to act correctly within said code. Plus they can't totally alienate regular folk, if a chupacabra is eating all your goats and the guy who came in to help has taken your wife and daughter as "payment" you're probably not going to help that guy again, now will anyone else. It's a symbiotic relationship.

As for murderhoboing around, well I can't really stop that I don't want to make morale judgements against my players, it's their character they can do what they like.

However with the caveat of they grew up in this community, their family lives in it, and they've been pretty much indoctrinated to believe that the code is the only thing that will save them.

Also I need a better name then Enforcers. Something of the Wasteland? Judges? Hounds? Saints? Knights? Templars? I dunno.

Who says that Enforcers have absolute moral authority? The way you described it. I assumed they were leftover military forces, or some kind of pre-Fall government agency focused on the supernatural. Y'know, a group that could reasonably claim to be protecting civilization, because they're descended from the pre-fall government? A group that people might respect and obey, simply out of cultural inertia?

Either that, or a well-structured post-Fall organisation with the explicit goal of protecting people, that holds a monopoly on anti-supernatural violence. A group that could also reasonably claim to be protecting civilization, because their reach transcends local communities, and offers the stability and security of the Old world.

But no, they're just random jack-offs from any old town or village. So... what, a teenage boy suddenly starts firing lightning from his hands, and everyone just agrees that his moral compass is beyond reproach? His parents or village elders don't try to teach him the right of things? The way you phrase it, this teenage boy could murder his brother and claim they were a Changeling or some shit, and no-one would be able to argue otherwise.

Hell, if Enforcers have such anarchic origins, how are they even a coherent organisation? Who is going around teaching people the "Enforcer's Code"? If Enforcers can come from so many different communities, how do they even agree on a single code of conduct? And why are people with supernatural powers roaming around and fighting monsters? Why don't they just join their local militia and protect their homes? Who is teaching these people that they HAVE to "protect civilization"?

Fuck, who is teaching these people HOW to protect civilization? How do these people know how to fight witches, werewolves, vampires and whatever else? How is Billy Bob McLightning-Hands supposed to learn this shit?

The Inquisition has the authority of either the Empire or the Imperium, depending on the setting. Either way, they derive their authority from a higher power. They're not just murderhobos doing whatever they think they can get away with. If an Inquisitor fucks up, they have superiors who will roast them alive for their transgressions.

You know what group has a code, whose members see the code as "more of a guideline"? The pirates from the Pirates of the Caribbean. And they disregard their code because THEY ARE FUCKING PIRATES. They are seaborne bandits. They are criminals. They are not out to protect civilization, or to help people, or even to do no harm. They are raiders and plunderers and killers, and they don't give a damn about anyone but themselves.

No-one enforces the Pirate Code, or punishes those who break it, so it is ignored. A rule that cannot be enforced is no rule at all.

You bring up some very valid points that I'll need to think over. I do like the remnant of a pre-fall government organization, I'll work that in somehow.

And you're right, they'll likely have to have an academy of some kind somewhere which would act as a centralized point where kids are taken and trained. Ones that don't show a certain suitability are sent back to their families. So for the most part they aren't amorale fucks trying to setup kingdoms, but it's a concern and sometimes you'll have to take care of your own.

Also, the main source of transportation is bikes, because animals are too valuable, gas is too scarce, and I liked Turbo Kid too much.

>Also, the main source of transportation is bikes, because animals are too valuable, gas is too scarce, and I liked Turbo Kid too much.

Well, be aware that the main reason it took so long for bikes to become a widespread form of transportation was the difficulty in machining the necessary parts. Up until the Victorian era, machinists simply didn't have the precision to make it happen. A post-apocalyptic society would have a very hard time building and maintaining bicycles, especially once they ran out of readily-scavengeable spare parts.

Really, if riding animals are that rare, it would be better if everyone just walked. That's what most humans throughout history did anyway. And if someone needed to move goods, they could use a human-powered rickshaw, like traditional Asian peasants did (and maybe still do in some places?).

Yes but fortunately there are hundreds of millions of spare parts everywhere. Also there's like Vampires and Lasers, bikes are fine.

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>I'm working on a post apocalyptic home brew where the players are roving enforcers trying to prevent what little is left of society from sliding into chaos and I need a code or set of laws that they need to enforce, nothing too complicated and something with a degree of grey area.

The fundamental law of any long-lived society is "don't be a cunt". Mostly this only extends to people within the society, at best, while others are fair game (see literally everything about the Sioux-Crow wars). Being a cunt often leads to some kind of socially sanctioned punishment.

As society progresses, the concept of cuntishness becomes increasingly reified, and behaviours that once would have been condemned as cuntish are instead socially acceptable.

You just have to figure out what's defined as cuntish in your various societies.

rip off the gunslingers from the dark tower
darktower.wikia.com/wiki/Gunslinger

long story short
they must act in the white, to stop the world from moving on(read ending)
their gun's are semi magical and serve both as a weapon and a badge of office.
if they see a a town or group in trouble they introduce themselves as gunslingers, pick 3 to ask if they want help. and if 2 or more answer yes. they're on the job like it or not.

there's probably more but my memory's failing

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Right but I'd like something a little more codefied.

Go full hoah :^)
Loyalty: Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other Soldiers.

Duty: Fulfill your obligations.

Respect: Treat people as they should be treated.

Selfless Service: Put the welfare of the Nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own.

Honor: Live up to all the Army values.

Integrity: Do what’s right, legally and morally.

Personal Courage: Face fear, danger or adversity both physical or moral.