Oh, a few temple priests have been predicting dire things in an effort to improve public morals, but no one takes them seriously. - John Jakes

He was just a lieutenant of the line, a small cog in an immense machine. Besides, all that really mattered to him was doing his job and survivng.

Iron can destroy anything: families, fortunes, governments,whole countries. It's the most powerful stuff in the universe."
"Oh?" Orry's skeptical glance fell down on the Plain below. "You really think it's more powerful than a big army?"
"Without weapons - without this - there are no big armies.

An astonishing story," Bomfils said. "I regret to say that I do not believe it.