> Are lands conqured by the Lunars considered, "Part of the Lunar Empire.=
" =
> Or, are they "Independent Kingdoms" that just happen to pay ridiculous
> taxes to the Empire, and also have huge whopping garrisons of Moon lovi=
ng
> psychopaths.
Lands conquered by the Lunars become parts of the Lunar Empire. Exactly how they are treated depends on how they came to be incorporated. The Provincial Kingdom of Tarsh is "independent" in many respects -- for a time, the King of Tarsh was also the Provincial Overseer, after all -- and I think a brief period of thought will show that taxes *can't* be "ridiculous" (or garrisons "huge, whopping and psychopathic") without severe repercussions. Which I don't think we have sources to support.
Yeah, Sartarites don't like paying taxes (at all). Yeah, Pavis -- a very strategic city, in the Empire's weird opinion -- has an unusually large garrison. But that doesn't mean the Lunars are gouging friendly kings and prosperous civilised cities for every tax-penny they can raise, or militarily occupying friendly, peaceable, civilised lands.
The likely case for a Heortland city seized during the recent campaign would be a period of military occupation -- depending on the course of military events, this could be brief, and the garrison is unlikely to be huge unless things quieten down leaving the city in the front lines - -- during which an army officer would run things. Gradually more peaceful types would arrive, priests and tribunes and the like, and set up an "acceptable" local government. Lunar officials would perhaps retain a veto, a seat on any deliberative bodies, control over local military forces, etc. for a long time after the normalisation of affairs.
Precedents suggest the Empire is keen to have local stooges -- think of Hon-Eel seducing the King of Tarsh, Temertain in Sartar, those wonderful Elkoi royals, and the planned wedding of Pavis. So, send in glamourous young priestesses (or priests) to marry potentially powerful local figures -- arranging "tragic accidents" if necessary to clear the playing-field -- and go for it. Kill off legitimate heirs who won't cooperate (remember the campaign of assassinations that all but wiped out the House of Sartar?), and compromise those who will, until they can be disposed of. Make changes that improve the lot of the ordinary people while weakening their ties to uncooperative local power-figures. Stress, always, the improvements that will come: this year, next year, some time, never...
The Lunar Way offers improvement and advancement to those who embrace it. If this means offing the old nobility and putting the untouchables and exiles in charge, so be it.
Think politically! (Gods know the commissars will...)
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Nick
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