On Wed, 29 Sep 2004, lazarus wrote: > [Verra says,] "... the truth he has based his policies on, the fuel for > this fire he is building, has no such strength in the Empire. Perhaps > in ten thousand years, or a hundred thousand, but not now. And by > proceeding as he has, he is setting up his people to be massacred..." A feature of the Empire's power structure and society that I think is important here is the willingness to kill as many people as necessary to maintain the status quo. I would expect any serious revolt by the slums of Adrilankha to result in the use of battle magic in an urban setting. Consider Russia and Groszny, for example. Kelly would in my view require a society imbued with the ideals of the American revolution and one in which death was not such a constant presence as we see it to be for nobles in the Paarfiad and Vladiad.