Randomiser wrote:The thing about the Inquisition in Dohlar is that 'the Emperor has no clothes'. They can only do anything as long as the Dohlaran military let them do it. There is no way there are enough Temple Guardsmen down there to stand up any sizeable section if the Dohlaran military. The Inquisition's power is based on fear and the habit of obedience. "All it takes to stand them off is for the navy to say "They're our people, you're not having them. (Come and take them if you dare!)' And the army to say 'Sorry, Inquisition, you are on your own!" Well that and the determination to follow through and deal with the long term consequences.
The problem is the bone deep belief and the habit of obedience to Mother Church. Some Dohlorans are increasingly disgusted with what Dohlor has been required to do by Clyntahn, but none of them will come out and say so. They want their heads still on their shoulders.
So the issue is that habit of obedience. There aren't many of the Temple Guard posted in the area. Most Temple Guard not still in Zion or other original posting are cadre for the AOG, and likely in Siddarmark. There certainly aren't enough to shoot it out with the Dohloran military if the Dohlorans refuse to cooperate with Clyntahn's orders to send the folks returned to Dohlor aboard Prodigal Lass to Zion for punishment.
And while we don't know how many Inquisitors are in Dohlor, they aren't trained military and couldn't handle actual combat with armed enemies. They're real good at torturing confessions out of helpless captives, but no use against armed opponents. They'd call for backup from the Temple Guard or the local military if it looked like armed force was needed.
The Inquisition simply assumes that commands they give will be obeyed, because they are Inquisitors of Mother Church.
The Emperor indeed has no clothes, but part of the point of the fable was that the audience literally didn't perceive it till a little kid sang out and broke the spell. Humans are very good at seeing what they expect to see, regardless of what is actually there. The fact that the Inquisition doesn't have the practical means to actually enforce their decrees if the locals won't cooperate is something that simply hasn't occurred to said locals. To begin with, no local is likely to even consider refusing a demand of Mother Church, whether or not there are looming Inquisitors watching.
The question is would the Dohloran Navy refuse to comply with the Inquisition's orders? Thirsk might, especially if he no longer cares whether he lives afterward. Some of his officers might. Would the rest of the Navy, or are we looking at combat between those loyal to Mother Church and those loyal to Thirsk?
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Dennis