Nothing on the rules pages, haven't seen any forum topics about it, now I have to ask...

Is there, at the current time, any way to free players/NPCs that have been arrested?

I own an arrested NPC, a friend has one and I just found one of my new recruits has been arrested. I was going to pick him up today, but I don't think I can do anything with him in his current state.

I dont think we will see any way to free an arrested PC or NPC until combat is released.

That's what I figured as well, but I thought I'd ask and see what someone said.

Only the arresting side can do anything about it.

Just to play devil's advocate here, what would happen if a PC was arrested, then the arrester was banned/went inactive/killed?

For a PC ... Anyone with A/E privs in the arrester's faction has the option of releasing him/her, I believe.

What if the arresting faction is dissolved?

WvI i would Assume that the arrested party would stay arrested. May be wrong though.

Either way if that is the case that seems to make little sense IC. The person who arrested you falls dead in the cockpit of a fatal heart attack so his co-workers can just come by at their leisure and pick you up?

But then this is probably a rarely, if ever encountered situation.

Errr.

Policeman A. Arrests you.
Arrested Person is saved
Policeman A never unarrests
Rescuer should be able to unarrest...right?

I mean, how is the policeman holding you now, the rescuer would be able to free you.

What if Person A arrests Person B,and then along comes Person C to arrest Person A ?Do both person A and B become the arrested members of Person C or is Person B automatically considered free?

Considering IC theoretically Person A is arrested,he doesnt have the ability to unarrest Person B considering the rules pertaining to actions once under arrest.And yet realistically,OOC,he wouldnt be able to retain his arrest over Person B once he himself were arrested.

Somewhat of a similar scenario could be assumed once combat was released.Person A arrests Person B,and along comes Person C to kill Person A.Does Person B become the arrested member of Person C at this point or is he considered free?

As for arresting parties going inactive/banned/killed by mysterious forces not connected with direct combat,I think the arrested person should have the ability to petition for his own release if his arrestor was not connected to any faction,or he becomes the arrested property of the local faction/GG.If after 3 weeks no one takes possession of the arrested individual,then he should automatically be considered released in the event his arrestor does not respond or logs in from being inactive/banned/killed.

I expect that what shouldn't happen is indeed what does happen and that only an admin can fix it when the situation arises.

Actually, I'd like an official answer. What if someone is arrested by a faction and that faction dissolves prior to release?

In my opinion WvI,the arrested person should then become the "Property" of the person who arrested them rather than the faction who originally gave the arrest order.Common sense should prevail on this matter in that if an arrested individual was say onboard a ship,bound for a factions HQ,and the faction dissolves,the person would obviously still be under arrest by the person who made the collar.More focus should actually be placed on the fate the arrested person if the person who made the arrest becomes inactive.If a faction sanctioned the arrest then yes the arrested person becomes the property of that faction,yet if the arrest was made by a freelancer working for a private party,and that freelancer becomes inactive,then the arrested person should have the ability to petition for his release if it reaches the 3 week mark.

opinion != official answer

What Syn said. >_>

Besides, don't the admins already give you the option to drop the character and make a new one after three weeks of being arrested, with the previous PC becoming a NPC?

If all else fails.... >_>

I believe they do but some players should not have to recreate due to another's incompitance or disinterest.If someone were to simply lose interest and they become inactive while holding another prisoner,then the arrested person should not placed in a "limbo" because of their jailer.