Another idea that struck me while writing an AAR.

[Ballbarian]

That seems much more fitting than auto-killing of brigands ...

I could have misunderstood, but I do not believe that he was suggesting that the population was killed as is the case with patrolling. Simply that unrest decreased out of awe OR fear depending on how you want to look at it. The dominion of the pretender (to me) reflects his/her influence and renown among the populace there. This is good, but the divine presence walking the lands in which you live would seem logically to have a more obvious and immediate impact on the willingness of nay-sayers to speak out.