Putting the pieces together

Your time out and about ends up being quite enlightening. Though only perhaps thirty people live in the tiny village, they’re all friendly, especially considering you’re a complete stranger. Normally small communities like this are insular and withdrawn, but these people seem hungry for news of the wider world. A few conversations reveal the reasons.

Most of the people here are hiding from the Order, having gained the ire of a noble or official in some way. It seems that it’s fairly simple to remove someone if you’re in a position of power, but if you run, it accomplishes their goal regardless, so they don’t bother to chase. However, returning would result in being grabbed and thrown on a prison ship, or worse.

Rumor has it that even Addie started like that, fleeing some noble that she offended somehow. This place has become something of a rest stop for people on the run. Once you’ve made it here, you’re likely safe unless you head back into a city.

Together with Ferra, you piece together everything you’ve learned into a broader picture of what keeps the Order in power. By and large, it seems that the common people dislike the ruling class. Normally, that would be fertile ground for a rebellion, but there’s a few things keeping them in check.

First, the threat of the corruption. For all its faults, the Order has kept it contained, although many of the problems they have stem from that containment. While the Great One and the council keep it quarantined, the toll it takes on their minds has caused what likely started as well meaning attempts to tame the land into a draconian, oppressive regime.

Second, even disregarding the council, the nobility itself is corrupt in a different way. From the stories you hear, they hold all the military and magical power, causing any rebellion to be easily snuffed out. Even if you could build an army capable of defeating theirs, their magical advantage is nearly insurmountable.

Which leads to the third problem. Anyone who shows any kind of useful magical powers is immediately snatched by the Order. You saw this in Sarah, and even with Melora, despite her noble birth. This strengthens the Order at the same time it weakens the common people, and makes it very difficult to balance the scales.

Talking this through with Ferra, you realize that you’ve been going about this all wrong. Attacking prison ships, building up forces and training them, it’s all useful to be sure, but it won’t achieve your goals. To do that, you’ll need to nullify some of the Order’s advantages. The question is, where do you start.