An archaic but still practiced punishment prevalent in Morgnan countries, The Rictus is a form of branding used to denote traitors, liars, and other criminals who have been deemed irredeemable. In lieu of having the criminal spend their life in a prison where they drain resources, the governments will instead make use of typically taboo magic to freeze their face in one expression for the rest of their life. Though this was originally done specifically with exaggerated smiles, leading to the punishment's name, the offputting nature of this meant governments have since switched to less unnerving expressions for the Rictus.
There is currently no known way to reverse the process, but civil rights groups are campaigning to end the punishment, as they believe it to be cruel and reinforcing a life outside the law.