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Haha, that'd make for a wacky Pythium theme. Communicants and Gladiators running the show...
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Do we have any volunteers?
I can just imagine Spartacus as a national hero.
I can deal with the hydras problem easily (and the gladiator one, too; after all, having people fight to the death in the arenas for your pleasure isn't exactly Good) -- by not recruiting them.
I like the Wrath of God and the enslave mind suggestions! Re: communicants -- well, they are volunteers, they are paid better than Emerald Guards, and one fine day, after their Pretender has achieved godhood, they might become theurgs themselves...
I will also definitely be playing against the 'evil' AI opponents, although taking on R'lyeh might be problematic before the late-game, when I had magic/items that'd allow me to go into the sea and show them who's boss. I might also throw in the others, too, for more of a challenge -- what do you think?
Re: castles, do you mean that I should build them so as to hurt each individual fortress' resource production, in the interests of being able to churn out national mages/troops from a greater number of less productive provinces?