[Gandalf Parker]

a game with a better planned Early Age Ermor as an AI. Well designed god, well chosen scales, tweaked to play well as an AI. And then an outside program can watch the logs. When Ermors castle comes under siege then "Ermor casts a massive revenge spell" and suddely goes total undead with tweaks to be a big problem trying to take them out.

Or a "sacred forest" stretching across numerous provinces and when they are attacked then Pangaea erupts everywhere.

Game Progression: at 50 turns into the game the opponent AI will progress (as much as possible) from Early Age to Middle Age, and at 100 turns to Late Age.

SURPRISE: Someone has taught all Shamans a spell called "steroids". The applicable units with them are all highly buffed from this point on. (including any you recruit)

OOPS: an error in magic research has given all Amazons an STD. They are all diseased.

Sun Tzu has franchised: All "Arena" sites in all provinces (enter for training) have increased to include xxxxxxxxxx (this is an untested concept)

Snake Revolt: due to some very strange magic by a Sauromatian Mage, all magically captured snakes have been released. All Snake Rings, Serpent Kryss, and (stupid cobra amulet I cant remember) are now powerless.

AN ICE AGE IS COMING: in 30 turns astrologers predict that the world will grow cold, we will not be able to enter or leave water provinces, and all magic items not based on water-magic which grant water breathing will be worthless. (requires Watcher mod)

Pole Reversal: the magnetic poles have flip flopped. It was too fast for most people to notice but it did have the effect of cancelling ALL global spells which were in effect. (requires Watcher mod)

disclaimer yes I know some of these are laughably dumb but surely if they are then before saying so the poster can come up with something else to (A) react to in the game and (B) alter items, units, or magic sites