> Esrolians use their farmers like Trolls use Trollkin. Well, not as
> callous. The men are mustered in large formations, equipped with
> shitty weapons and sent towards the enemy in an effort to wear them
> down before the real (female) fighting units launch their attacks.
> This sort of tactic means it's not cost effective to teach them
> battle magic.
I'm not sure I believe this is their strategy, but even if it is, it makes a great deal of sense to teach them battle magic. Firstly, it's extremely cheap (especially in RQ3). Secondly, if they have stuff like Bladesharp or Protection, their morale is greatly increased, and they might even be effective. Thirdly, if they have stuff like Disruption, they can force the enemy to use up magic points with Countermagic, before the elite troops come into play. Fourthly, in some cases they can cast spells on the elite troops before the latter enter battle, conserving magic points.
> Most of the farmer/warriors aren't very good IMO. If they're too poor to
> afford decent weaponry, I doubt they can afford fancy spells.
According to the RQ3 rules, the average starting farmer/warrior has 2 points of spirit magic (not fancy, but it could easily be Bladesharp 2 or Protection 2) and 1 one-use divine spell (quite likely Shield).
Paul Anderson wondered
> Cults Of Prax implies that a major attraction of the Lunars to their
> subjects is that they offer freedom from narrow tribal ways. What
> freedoms or abilities does joining offer to, say, the average Sartarite?
I'll bet the ability to travel is one of them. Sure, Orlanthi can travel wherever there's Hospitality, but they also have to beware of a network of feuds. Under Pax Lunara, a citizen can travel freely anywhere. (And probably have a better chance of being able to talk to the natives.)
I'm not sure if the Lunar bureaucracy offers better chances of advancement than an Orlanthi chieftain. Certainly our chances of becoming literate are greater in the Empire, and that's a sort of freedom.
Martin Laurie's latest Humakti story is a perfect example of Humakti behavior. They always hold themselves so honorable, but their honor never seems to include non-Humakti. He's sent to assasinate one man, and ends up killing 5 others? If Onslaught were really as good a warrior and as honorable as he thinks he is, he wouldn't have had to do that.
My (non-Humakti) characters coud tell any number of stories about the lack of Humakti honor. Jeff Richard has posted about Mad-Blood Malan, so I won't go on any further.
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