Qadiran bandit raids have been picking up again. Rahedomis province is swarming with Geryon cults. The governor of Galatia province is requesting more troops, nominally to deal with a restive populace but probably to support a bid for independence or the crown. Catfolk pirates have seized two cities on Jalmeray, which of course is threatening all the trade with Ibdylos and beyond. Absalom's not paying taxes. (Absalom is never paying taxes; Absalom is a tax-exempt self-governing imperial free city. But sometimes people forget that.)

Which is to say, there are a lot of serious problems that need imperial attention, which leads some (especially those living on Jalmeray or near the Qadiran border, though not particularly those in Rahedomis or Galatia provinces) to question why, exactly, huge amounts of gold and manpower are going to fund a punitive expedition to avenge one barbarian warlord - Not even an imperial ally, at that! - who got overthrown by another barbarian warlord.