Well, the problem comes down to communication and the speed and ease thereof and the advantages of not having to pay for permanent staff from government funds. Once speed of communication picks up it becomes possible to have a more centralised government structure in which things aren't delegated so much to possibly unreliable local big-wigs and merchants. The Lunar Empire clearly has fast and reliable magical communications.
Of course they also have the problems that come from centralisation: the central government having to be consulted about everything (so hard to get anything done when the Emperor is constipated again....) and the central government interfering at vital moments ("Quick, get Fazzur to send half his regiments back. What? No, I'm sure the problem in the Redlands is far more important than his piddling campaign against some hill barbarians. The Orlanthi are a spent force anyway....")
AKA Theophilus Prince Archbishop of the Far Isles Motto Nulla Spes Sit in Resistando (Resistance is Uslesss) Ask me about the Far Isles Medieval Society: Better Living through Pan-Medieval Anachronisms.
Powered by hypermail