I am excited to learn more about the Order and Majiri culture as a whole (once they fix the bugged welcome party quest, I hear some folks can't access it).
This is a lot of rambling so its under a cut plus there are some plot spoilers in here.
So far, we know that Majiri choose Paths at a certain age (most likely a certain point in adulthood since Kenyatta hasn't chosen hers but, but Nai'o has) and that Path decides what you do... forever. If you change it (unless you are a solider and retire, per Ashura) or stray from your parent's Path then you're an outcast and many consider you a failure (see: Reth).
So you are basically stuck doing what your parents were doing, and their parents were doing, and face societal rejection from the majority... so it seems fair to say that Majiri society is run on a strict class system. Governors stay governors, farmers stay farmers. Some can be rich (mentions of Farming being a good Path as it can be very lucrative, but Badruu's family has been noted to be unable to pay their raised taxes). Straying from what you are meant/born to do is unforgivable... but Kenyatta is considering a Healer Path instead of Governing. Kenli even mentions he choose Farming as his Path but he was forced to go into Governing.
Some Majiri seem very happy with this though, like Najuma, who mentions her disappointment at Auni for wanting to stray from his family's Path and not learn from them. She also mentions she can't imagine human life without Paths because "how can you know you will help anyone?"
On one hand, it seems nice that some Majiri find comfort in their Paths, choosing what they want, much like choosing a college major. On the other, they can end up very unhappy or regretting their decisions, or worse, being considered a pariah.
But we ALSO know the Majiri live in a world where their government, the Order, get to burn and ban books. As we all know, no good guy in history burned or banned books. The Order says they ban Flow and magic to protect people because the humans went extinct because of something happening with Flow--but the library also mentioned shadow being/creatures which could have aided in the downfall.
But the Grimalkin aren't beholden to Flow rules due to the trade wars and, therefore, neither are humans. In fact, humans aren't banned from using magic either because they weren't around when the laws were made. Does this mean the Order will try to enforce this rule on humans without fair representation in the Council?
Is the Order representing a strict police state Majiri live under? The Order hire mercenaries (like Sifuu) when monsters are involved or work with the military (per Ashura) and some look on them very positively (Hassian) yet others are very wary (Caleri cause of her banned books the Order will burn and Elouisa being distrustful of officials in power, and for good reason, I assume).
My theory is that the Order are, 100% beyond a shadow of a doubt, the bad guys.
They ban a normal part of the world (Flow) from every being used and ban magic--while using magic themselves!
"To keep people safe" yeah right, that's what all fascist police states say. "We learn about this to protect you from it, we ban and burn books because this is too dangerous for you" what is too dangerous? Knowledge? Tamala used to be part of the Order (I don't believe her "grandmother" excuse for a second) and yes, she used them and their knowledge to make herself younger, but okay?
There would be ways to ensure Flow and magic stay well-controlled and safe without burning and banning books, encouraging the eyes of children to join the Order for some mysticism in their lives...
The Majiri to me seem like a people whose culture is very stifled and knowledge is held away from them. Not even Jina, who is a researcher, can research human Flow without potentially getting in trouble!
The Order are the bad guys. And while Paths and the like don't make Majiri society bad, it does make it very divided, especially for people like Reth.
I think Embra brought humans back to bring some honest joy back to the world. No Paths, no bans, just being pure creatures happy to be alive and without the pressures of ancient culture bearing down on them. Humans can do anything and everything! They can join every guild! Why should Majiri be able to do so, too?
I don't think humans are a "savoir" thing either, I think Paths are good and Majiri society has so many positives and its so rich in its culture... but it fails some of them. It failed Reth and Kenli, Kenyatta is feeling forced to go to Governance but will choose Healing, and its failing Auni (pressure to become a Farmer despite him wanting something more out of life) as well as Jel (his own mother hasn't accepted him into the family name yet).
I think humans are Embra's way of trying to show these people--who haven't heard from Maji (per Chayne) in hundreds of years--that the Phoenix and Dragon are still here, and they want their creations to live life to the fullest and love their world. Humans got it wrong before, but with the aid of the Majiri they can live in balance with nature and each other. And with the aid of the humans, Majiri can live in balance with themselves.
After all, you can pick one Path and stick to it... but what's the harm if you stray? Its a big world out there and people are always changing as they grow older... why not explore all your options to the fullest?
I just think the Order is the main bad guy and I don't like them.
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