If I understand correctly, free players can't get real armies, and can't rank up.
Military production:
1. Your starting town has heightened resource production, but can produce only the 4 most basic military units.
2. Additional towns can either be the resource type, or one of the 2 town types that gets advanced units. The other 2 types produce far less resources, but of course, you can funnel resources from your starting town.
3. ...except that you can't, as no resource transfers are allowed unless you're a paying player.
Rank:
1. As you move up in rank in your realm, you advance from peon to dignitary to royal, with royals making the actual decisions that affect the realm, as well as getting a free lamp every day.
2. The main way you earn realm points is to provide resources to weaker players in your realm - the most helpful players get to lead.
3. ...except that you can't, as you can't transfer resources on a free account.
Knowing both of these, what can someone who doesn't pay reasonably expect to do in this? You can't aim for rank, and you can't produce a real military at a rate that will matter, and well, there doesn't seem to be much else to the game.
Is there something I'm missing here, or is this really a subscription game with a free trial?