>This is, I suppose, the crux of the problem: the presumption that the
>Esrolian army has a bad reputation. Off the top of my head, I can recall no
>"official source" that states or even implies that the Esrolian army _has_
>such a reputation; if anyone can dig one up, please post it.
Esrolia's only just achieved independance recently and hasn't done very well. Assuming they are the bulk of the Pharaonic armies (stiffened up by Caladralander Spearmen and Heortling Riders), the last major victory they had was the Building Wall Battle in 1605 ST. Since then they've been stumbling for some way to halt the major raids against Greymane.
Prior to this, their record is not brilliant. The last time Esrolia was involved in a major war was when the Pharaoh overthrew the Only Old One, over 400 years ago. Since then, the scope of land battles for them to sharpen their mettle has not been great. The Pharaoh, like the OOO before him, intervening in every Queen's dispute so the amount of battles to gain military experience from has been minimal. I don't think Esrolia indulges in bloody rituals like the Flowery Wars of the Aztecs.
The only major battle before Building Wall was some aid the Pharaoh sent to assist Sartar against a Lunar Invasion (not the 1602 one). The Sartarite, Tarshites and Grazers record no major actions taken against Esrolia militarily (excluding raids) in KoS that I'm aware of. The Solanthi and Ditali might have, but IIRC the Genertela book states that the recent raids were instigated by Lunar Agitators. IMO the punishing losses the Esrolians have been taking seems to be linked to this.
Consequently I don't think Esrolia's army is first class or perhaps even second class. It has not had much military experience while the Pharoah lived and is now staggering through the school of hard knocks. Whether this qualifies it as a 'bad' army in the eyes of its neighbours, I don't know. They are certainly more capable than the Teshnans (whom I consider to be truely hopeless).
>(though I doubt that the Esrolians speak of "owning" the land as
>property per se; anyone have any thoughts on how the Esrolians would
>describe their relationship with the land?)
The Queen says something like 'I am the Land Goddess of them hills' or 'I am the incarnation of Esrolia'. The rest follows naturally IMO.
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