Back before the lesbians ruled, all knowledge was free and the publishing industry flourished.
But the new overlords recognized that the fragmented nature of the continent could be used to their advantage. Towns and regions with unadventurous citizens and widely varying cultural practices could be better controlled if they knew less of each other. So they shut down all news that wasn’t local, they established trading gates where tariffs were paid, and they coerced or bribed local leaders to align with them.
This was made much easier because of the detailed maps and regular censuses that were already in existence. All such information was confiscated and owning it was punishable by death. Just to be sure, all those who had been employed as cartographers or census takers were executed, thanks to the detailed employment records. All books of knowledge were either locked up or burned, and all that remained in written form were fairy tales.
Not locked up or executed were Dusty and Matilda, an elderly couple who were teens in love during the Great Mapping funded by the Royals to commemorate something. Percy Manowar preferred women and wine, and had hired them – off the books – to do his map work for him, at way less than half of his salary.
These days Dusty and Matilda, along with their two donkeys and covered wagon, are slowly touring the boundaries of the continent, reliving their youth and reminiscing. Doing the lap they call it, and they are onto their 3rd lap. At many towns they have become quite popular, and sometimes wined and dined, as they tell tales of what went on generations back, taking great care to never mention their role in the mapping. The physical maps might be gone, but the pair of them have brains and memories that are as sharp as ever, thanks to a bit of help from Mr Mandrake.
Retirement and road were very satisfying but their travels only began when the levels of widespread oppression started to weigh heavily on their souls and lightly on their consciences. They knew that they could be part of a solution if some others took up the reigns. They knew things.
