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Somewhere in that mix of Laws that no one really bothers to memorize is the one about Neutral Ground. Ever heard of claiming sanctuary in a church? Neutral Ground runs on the same idea. When you're on Neutral Ground you are immune from arrest or harm.

This does not mean, however, that whoever you're running from can't come into the same Neutral Ground as you. They can. They can't do much of anything to you, of course. They have to keep a minimum of ten paces from you at all times, and vice versa (which is, perhaps, why all places of Neutral Ground tend to be rather large). They cannot use any magic, of any sort. Really, all they can do is talk at you. Entire criminal hearings by Councils have been known to occur within Neutral Ground, with people just standing around talking everything out.

Of course, you can be kicked out of Neutral Ground. If you break the rules yourself, you lose your protection instantly. That's a given. But all Neutral Ground is managed by a Keeper - usually the owner of the physical space, who has to jump through quite a number of fiery hoops to be able to gain Neutral Ground status. If the Keeper judges you unworthy of refuge there (according to a seven hundred eighty three page manual), they can kick you out.