[PvK]

I've been having a very lucky luck+3 (IIRC) game as Mictlan.

I've had a few population hits, but only on pretty low-population provinces (which is mostly all I had except my capital for most of the early game). I got attacked by knights and barbarians on my frontiers a couple of times. Then just some unrest events, IIRC.

On the plus side, I got:

A soul contract worth 80 gems, which has provided the backbone of my army, and my main means for defeating miasmatic C'tis and then Caelum.

Two other major magic items I had no means to forge.

Bunches of gems, usually without curses, including a useful number of gems which I had no other source for, and which let me cast the seeking spells that found income-bringing sites to get them.

Two increases of +10 in provincial defense, one on my home province, and one on my main chokepoint province, which brought it from 18 to 28 - very nice.

Several gold windfalls, which I could really use.

Three national heroes (very useful for Mictlan).

One milita army with Holy-3 priest (they were welcome, especially the priest).

Some other good stuff - celebrations, etc., and probably some things I'm forgetting.

In other words, especially with the soul contract, but also for the heroes and other stuff, I think luck actually tipped the scales and got me out of a dead-end stalemate battle and put me in #2 position.

No doubt this is my own actual good fortune in this game, too.

PvK