... how about giving them some cool, high-lvl spell that does something really nice but backfires in a most disastrous way?
It doesnt really have to be worth it; what I have in mind is purely flavour. We know some kind of magical cataclysm has befallen both nations, and I think it would be cool to be able to actually cause it.
For Ermor, it may be a spell that promises immortality to all national mages and nobles, but actually transforms them into LA Ermor summons we know, or simply grants them a 'twiceborn' effect, and adds the domkill effect to your dominion.
For Ulm... I dont even know.
Too little is known about the Malediction.
This is probably too much to mod, so its more of an unlikely feature request.