[SurvivalistMerc]

I am a total newb. So take this with a grain of salt.... It represents only 1 game's worth of experience, and that game is not even over.

40 Admin Castle, Great sage, Order 3, production 2, growth even, misfortune 3, drain 3.

3 in every magic skill but blood. 2 in blood. This doesn't work well with iron faith as there are no bless effects. But with standard ulm it rocks. Your great sage will start out with 30 research points. And with judicious use of smiths, you can actually be ahead in research in a drain 3 dominion.