Many view the Al'Shaine as an aberration in what was an otherwise relatively peaceful era. Others take the view that they were the first in a series of convulsions that signaled the end of the long rule of House Oncillia. In either case, the Al'Shaine's realization of the military uses for the Convection Engine changed the face of warfare forever.

Even with their superior technology and tactics, it is unquestionable that the Al'Shaine would not have been successful in seizing control of the central Oncillian fiefs had the Septarch Quintillian's ruthless consolidation of power combined with his untimely assassination not left House Oncillia with weak leadership.

The Al'Shaine gained power through what amounts to a coupe. With their tactical superiority and strong ideology, they were able to convince a sizable number of fiefs to join their cause or remain neutral. House Oncillia only succeeded in mobilizing approximately one third of their full strength to stop the Al'Shaine advance. The decisive Battle of Raviia and the subsequent capture and trial of Septarch Tartarian cemented the ascendancy of the Al'Shaine.

The reign of the Stratocracy was brief but left a lasting mark. Understanding the Straylight Reforms is, even today, an integral part of understand the politics, economics and - most importantly - religion of the region.

While the Straylight Reforms were generally viewed as a positive change, the removed nature of the Stratocracy and the radical changes their rule prompted made many enemies. At the same time, Jukat Oncillia's successful guerilla tactics and propaganda campaigns in the outer baronies gave those enemies a rallying banner. The Al'Shaine's mislaid ambush in the Kendran Mountains, which led to the famous Fording of the Cerulean Banks and the subsequent route of the Al'Shaine forces spelled the end for the Stratocracy. Within a year, House Oncillia, under the leadership of the now Septarch Jukat, had completely retaken the central fiefs and reestablished its dominance. Whether this was a brief return to the golden age or simply the last quiet before the storm is a question that remains hotly debated.

—Gwydion Vadeki