[Uh-Nu-Buh]

So, I pick a comatose sage rainbow mage as my pretender. 1 growth, 1 luck, 1 order, 1 magic. He's comatose for 3 years as I expand into the nearby independants and grow up a cadre of research mages preparing for his return.

Then he awakens!! I'm ready to start making items and doing rituals. Except: no fire gems whatsoever. I have had a level 3 fire mage dedicated to this, but no good. No big deal. Just a little bad luck.

Then, turn 2 of his awakening my pretender is cursed. No message about it, no idea how it happened. Maybe a spell from far away.... No big deal, he won't go into battle anyways, so it shouldn't affect him. Just a little bad luck.

So, 2 turns later he has a battle affliction!! Never been in a battle. Just stays at home making items, whistling, and minding his own business. What the heck! Now he is diseased and losing a hit point every turn, and with only 24 to start with he is not looking at a rosy future. In addition, he is going to start getting other afflictions it says. I bring in my prophet and two priestesses (Oreides) and over the next few turns I cure his affliction. Ok, bad fate averted. Just a little more bad luck.

Then I notice that he is horror marked. WTH!! When did that happen??? This is ok, I think, since he is not a battle mage, just a sit-at-home kind've a mage. Enough is enough though. This can't just be bad luck. I put up Dome of Air. No new trouble since.

Moral: Dome of Air.

(note--didn't mention the hurricane, plague, nor the wretched events, all in my home province. the ai really had my number.)