I must admit, I believe a greater amount of smaller realms would be beneficial to Atamara. More realms equal more government positions for people to have a go at, it also enables a more diverse politics rather than people getting entrenched in large solid alliances.
Personally, I'd support colonies, and in fact, Coria did support the foundation of Hammarsett. Ironically I very much doubt the two will ever have great relations with one another, despite the fact I'd prefer to see more colonies. Multiple fronts in a war can be devastating and if smaller realms stuck together more, and they surrounded a much larger realm trying to exert dominance over them, they could become giant killers.
And anyway, who is to say that the alliance between Coria and Eston won't spice things up in the future? People are complaining about the same sides always duking it out and things never being shaken up. How does Coria, a Cagilan colony, taking a step closer in friendship to the Northern realms not add the possibility for change in the future?
I think politics around the Great Lake are going to be pretty interesting after this War is over. After all, with the current alliances, there are going to be a lot of landlocked allies, friends one day, enemies the next as they say
