You know your words really hit home with me, i mean why read of far away lands in books if you can go there...why destroy it just to learn it's secrets. Any why be held down to one place if you can see them all!
But atleast in my own case, i wouldn't want to be tied down, even to no man's land, the candle should burn the same everywhere you go. On the offthought, you're still lacking something every alliance has, a purpouse in the society. The archivists have books, and read...stuff, the artisans doodle...then there are the "roleplaying alliances" that try to kill eachother.... what's your value?