When Argrath and his alliance of nomads and exiled Sartarites breached the city walls, those Lunar soldiers that did not surrender were killed. Those that surrendered were disarmed and stripped of everything but clothes on their back, and put in fetters but not killed. Those associated with garrison and governor were treated similarly – surrender and be bound, refuse and be killed.
Three days after the surrender, prisoners were brought out, and their fetters publicly struck off by Argrath and his lieutenants in front of the entire population and the Lightbringer priests.
Each prisoner was handed one large water skin, a sack with seven flatbreads, a handful of dates, and a lump of salt, and given sandals (but no weapons, no armor, no money). A herald read out Argrath’s decree:
“By the oath I swore to Orlanth Adventurous and Humakt, no soldier who laid down his arms and surrendered to me shall die by my hand or wear my chains. Take the road Sor-eel built. Walk west for seven days and you will find water and perhaps safety. If Orlanth wills it, you will live. If not, you shall surely die.”
The first day’s march was under escort as Argrath’s most loyal nomads marched them beyond the fields and grasslands of Pavis County. At sunset, the escort turned back and the prisoners were on their own. Less than half made it to Dragon Pass, half-dead and babbling about the terrifying mercy of the rebel Argrath. It is thought that a few turned southeast and headed across the Long Dry for the Grantlands. The rest died.
This set the tone for the following weeks. Any Lunar associated with the garrison or the governor had either fled or was marched out of the city. Taverns and inns that were visibly “Lunar” (signboards in the foreign language, catered to soldiers, had the governor’s crest, etc.) were looted and Lunar-owned property was distributed to Argrath’s lieutenants and allies. Praxian khans and bandit chieftains took fine homes once owned by Lunar captains, served by those who had once waited on the enemy. Downtown became the district of Praxians and mercenaries.
A small number of Lunars survived under local protection. Men who had married local women, merchants and scholars under the protection of the temples of trade or knowledge, and a few skilled craftsmen. Open Lunar worship was forbidden and the temple of the Seven Mothers was given to the Trickster clowns.
Half died because it was Prax. They had food and water enough, but water gets spilled or stolen, men fight, men die from despair or exhaustion, some are ambushed by nomads who are not part of the White Bull society or even are just bandits. Some percentage make it to the Grantlands, some flee to Moonbroth, and other desert.
Humakt is going to be fine with how Argrath carries out that oath, the humakti likely consider this peak magnanimity. He turns survival into a divine ordeal. A lesser warlord would have just slaughtered them outright in victory (as indeed the Red Emperor did after Boldhome).
The goal of doing this is not to kill them. It is to honour an oath and let the gods decide.
The only ones that might protest are Chalana Arroy initiates or the most insulated of scholars. Jaded observers, who think it would be much easier for Argrath to just have the prisoners killed after the fact by nomads (or let the locals do it), might think he has taken that honour passion to extremes.