thanatos wrote:I've been re-reading AtSoT (or re-listening to the audiobook) and had a number of questions pop-up regarding Grand Vicar Duchairn's reforming of the CoGA and how he'll handle this new post-Jihad Safehold he's inherited. At the end of the story, Duchairn has the moral authority to make all the changes that he does but it's unlikely the political conditions will remain that way. Moreover, we know he's at loggerheads with the Northern Harchongese leadership, which refuses to accept his reforms since they necessarily entail social reforms that would upset their cushy social order. Add to that that the Church is neck deep in debt, has sold most of its lands in the Charisian Empire that it no longer controls, and has struggled to keep the lanterns burning in all the other things it does for the people (like provide basic literacy, medicine, agriculture, social work etc.), and you have to wonder, how is Duchairn going to survive in the long run?
I don't think it will be that bad.
First, with the end of the Jihad, a crushing weight has been lifted from Mother Church's shoulders. Mother Church was going broke trying to pay for the war. With the war ended, its expenses plummet.
Tithes are still coming in from the Temple Lands, the Border States, South Harchong, Desnair, and Delferak. Tithes may actually resume from Dohlor, since it left the Jihad but did not break with Mother Church. There may even be some tithes from Siddarmark, as it's mentioned in ATSOT that about 20% of Siddarmark's population still self identify as Temple Loyalists. I doubt Stohnar would be foolish enough to try to stop tithes collected by Loyalist churches from getting to Zion.
Right now, everyone is too busy breathing immense sighs of relief at the end of the Inquisition and demise of Clyntahn, and Duchairn has a window in which to make the needed changes.
And if he loses Harchong's support (or at least that of its Northern portions), the Temple Lands will remain isolated between an indifferent empire to the west and hostile Siddarmark in the east (the border state no longer matter at this point). The realms that would continue to support the Temple (potentially at least) are all in the continent of Howard down south. Under such conditions, and assuming Harchong doesn't descend into a bloody civil war, how does Duchairn survive?
I don't think anyone really cares about North Harchong. They want to remain isolationist so their ossified social order will remain intact.
The relationship between North and South Harchong is another matter, but I suspect the pragmatic South Harchongians will profess their nominal loyalty to the Emperor in Noth Harchong, but in practice ignore him and go their own way.
And just how hostile will Siddarmark
be? Mother Church lost the Jihad, and Duchairn is giving the allies everything they asked for. Siddarmark has no particular reason to try to invade the Temple Lands, and lots of reasons not to. While it wasn't explicitly mentioned, I would expect a mutual non-aggression treaty between the Temple lands and Siddarmark, and attempts on the part of Siddarmark and the EoC to establish friendly relations and trade opportunities with the Border States and the Temple Lands.
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Dennis