So one question I get is why aren’t the Tarsh Orlanthi in constant revolt against the Lunar colonists?
Well in fact they successfully revolted from 1538-1555 when Palashee Longaxe drove the Lunar army out and seized Furthest. Most Lunar leaders fled back to the Lunar Heartlands, although I am sure most farmers, crafters, etc., remained.
When Phargentes defeated Palashee and regained Furthest in 1555, he had to fight constantly to defend his position. Remember, Dunstop, Bagnot, and Wintertop did not submit to him. Phargentes used Furthest as a Lunar military stronghold, and waged war on the Tarsh Exiles, Sartar, and even Balazar. He relied on his elite cavalry regiment (which he led) to hit hard and fast. Anyone who looked like they could be a threat, he rode out and attacked.
This system worked for some fifteen years, but Phargentes met his match with Tarkalor of Sartar. In 1575, Tarkalor became King of Dragon Pass, and once again, Lunar rule in Dragon Pass was little more than Furthest and the Lunar settlements. It seemed obvious that unless something was done, Tarkalor would be able to seize Furthest and – as King of Dragon Pass he could hold onto.
In 1582, the Red Emperor personally came with the Lunar Army, including the Crimson Bat and the Lunar College of Magic. This overwhelmed King Tarkalor’s army of Sartarites, Grazelanders, and Tarsh Exiles. Bagnot, Dunstop, and Slavewall all rapidly fell to the Lunar Army, but they were defeated outside of Alda-Chur by the Prince of Sartar. The old heartlands of Tarsh were destroyed and the population scattered or enslaved (this area is now called the Bush Range). Nobody was going to revolt after that.
Moiraides gave Dunstop to his chief general (and father-in-law) Vostor Blacktooth. Vostor and his family have turned out to be skilled rulers, and the rural population around Dunstop are very loyal to them, despite few Lunar settlers outside of Dunstop.
A generation later, the Red Emperor returned with the Lunar Army and conquered Sartar, removing the main potential ally any Tarsh rebel movement might have. Moirades then married the Feathered Horse Queen and became King of Dragon Pass, reversing Tarkalor’s situation. When the Sartarites rebelled in 1613, the Dunstop militia fought for Vostor’s son, Fazzur Wideread, and many benefited during Fazzur’s term as Governor of Dragon Pass.
It’s now 1625, and most of the Lunar Army in Dragon Pass is gone. The Dunstop militia are still loyal to Fazzur and his family, and Alda-Chur has a large Lunar garrison. Furthest is a Lunar city. But Bagnot might be a hotbed, but fortunately it is the least strategically important city, right?
Moirades gave the other cities to his allies or family members. Talfort guards the route from Furthest to Filichet and was given to another loyal general. Goldedge was later (probably around 1600) given to the Yelmalio cult.
Bagnot was given to a succession of loyal military officers. Being royal governor of Bagnot is a dirty job – the locals will always hate you, it is too distant for you to be able to be at court often, and things can only go wrong. I expect it has gone through a lot of governors, who alternate between being repressive martinets and absentees.
Another thought – Philigos and Phargentes, the exiled Lunar princes – were grandsons of Hon-eel the Artess when they fled to Glamour in 1638. That would have made them “great-grandchildren” of the Red Emperor, and part of the imperial nobility. But Hon-eel had lots of great-grandchildren, so Philigos spent his time in Glamour beseeching the Red Emperor for an army, and getting told to wait.
Phargentes became a military officer, part of the household of some cavalry commander or even Corps commander. His status was lower than his brother’s, but he learned far more useful skills.