Legal Department

The Legal Department is run by the Fern.

Little is known about the Legal Department but that it seems to deal with the Laws of Narrative Comedy, the Ironic Overpower, laws of probability, Murphy's Law, and the more mundane actual legal matters that the PPC must deal with. In this last matter, they are stated to be more proficient and have more experience than the Discworld's pre-eminent lawyer, Mr. Slant. The Department Head has stated that the purpose of Legal is to maintain the balance between order and chaos, as represented by their Departmental logo, the Legal Chao. The Chao (pronounced "cow") resembles a yin-yang with order represented by the five-frond fern on one side and chaos by the anti-gravity apple on the other. The significance of the anti-gravity apple is unknown - it is rumoured to represent the Head of the Physics Division, a former Head of Department, or something else entirely.

The only known Agents in this Department are Agents Aspen and Chiaroscuro.

History
In 2002 HST, Legal was (and may still be) involved in Despatch's dealing with author self-inserts. Details of the proceedings are unknown. Agent Meg contemplating that an Agent 'Murphy from Legal' might claim responsibility for an event that looked like an application of Murphy's Law was probably just a joke. There is no evidence that 'Agent Murphy' exists nor that Meg ever talked to an agent in Legal.

In 2005 HST, Agent Fin (DMS) was partnered with Agent Aspen, a 'field operative in the Legal Department', specializing in the laws of physics, in an experimental team. Fin may well be the only non-Legal agent who has ever seen the entrance corridor to Legal.

Status Within the PPC
Legal enjoys a peculiar position within the PPC. The Fern has indicated that they would be willing to leave entirely should something happen to HQ. To the agents, they are an unknown force, capable of pretty much anything - which has led some to view them in an almost religious light, making the sign of the Legal Chao to ward them off. This doesn't work. Legal does its best to remain neutral in the affairs of the PPC and other organisations and keep all parties subject to the Narrative (and possibly mundane) Laws, the Fern stating that openly taking sides would destroy everything the PPC works for, but they are willing to bend the rules a little when an existential threat reveals itself, such as during the return of the DIS and Mysterious Somebody. That instance might or might not have been influenced by one of Legal's agents, Aspen, nearly having been murdered by the DIS before the Reorganisation.

Location
The location of Legal is classified, although it is known to be within the bounds of HQ. It has several approaches. One is described as the entrance corridor, and 'is wallpapered with wilver paisley patterns on urple (with blello sconces)'. Another is simply black. The walls in Legal have the curious property of causing psychic 'sound' (such as that used by the Flowers to communicate) to echo.

Access
The so-called entrance hall has never been seen again since the experimental DMS/Legal teams were discontinued. Access to the body of the Department through the black corridor requires some form of portal or teleportation, in which an orb of light falls from the ceiling and moves the visitor through space. Visitors don't get to this stage very often at all.

Divisions
The known Divisions of Legal are:


 * The Physics Division.
 * The Trans-Normal Accountancy Division.
 * The Arbitrary Censorship Division.
 * The Canon Laws Division.
 * The Cosmic Irony Division.