[Starshine_Monarch]

More on LA C'tis

If lying dormant isn't really your thing, with CBM C'tis also has access to the very thematic Lord of the Gates pretender that can easily be turned into an early game SC. Try this build on for size:

Awake Lord of the Gates
A2 E3 D5
Dom 9 O3 H3 L-1 M1

Like I said before, Magic 1 is sort of a luxury. A helpful luxury, but still ultimately something you won't really need in the end with so many research boosters going around. You can trade out Magic 1 and instead take Dom 10 for +2 to your Awe or buy E4, A3 or D6 if you're so inclined.

The Lord of the Gates is meant to supercharge your expansion so that you have more gold to spend on more forts and thusly buy more Sauromancers with which to climb up the research ladder faster. Awe and Fear is a great combination, and his basic weapon creates even more fear with each swing. Once you dip into Alteration, this guy becomes quite formidable as he can now lay down Ironskin, Summon Earthpower and Mistform early on, protecting him against lots of things. With Air magic also comes the ability to Cloud Trapeeze, allowing him to show up wherever he's needed most. The Shades and Shade Beasts he generates are ethereal and can block for him while he's buffing up, as well as providing some chaff for him to eat when he puts down Soul Vortex. (Shades are not lifeless, but I haven't tested if SV works on undead at all)

The Lord is no slouch in the lab either. He's really the only guy you have that can give you the Dwarven Hammers you need to build your Skull Mentors. He can also make a pair of Earth Boots for an Earth random Sauromancer so that you can start off Gnome Lore. With D5, the Lord of the Gates is already able to summon Tartatians with just a Skull Staff and Skullface. No expensive Empowerment needed. This is of course after he or one of your D4 Sauromancers uses those to put up Well of Misery. If you can find a province with your old buddies the Lizard Shamans, a (relatively) cheap 30 gem empowerment will give them all they need to forge a Thistle Mace and Moonvine Bracelet, so you then have someone to cast Gift of Reason on your Tartarians. With a Cap and a Coin, this Shaman can also forge the Chalice if you somehow manage to get to it first.

With the magic you put on your LotG and a few boosters, he's also quite a nice combat mage (As if you need any more of those). In addition to the stuff any Sauromancer can lay down, minus the Fire Evocations, The Lord can cast fun stuff like Wailing Winds, Wind of Death, Marble Warriors, Army of Gold/Lead, Earthquake, Rain of Stones and Weapons of Sharpness.