[PvK]

If you're up for the modding effort it would require, one way to achieve a non-immortal pretender would be to make the only pretender available something lame and magicless, but then have players pick pretenders in email to the game master, who could then add them as starting commanders to the player's nation or starting province. Then they can have a pretender-class unit who would not be immortal. Of course, his magic wouldn't give any blessings.

PvK