Questions from a Newb

[Ferrosol]

After being persuaded by a couple of dom3 playing friends and playing the demo a few times.I have bought this game, but before I plunge into the game I was wondering if anyone would be willing to answer a few questions from a confused newbie

Q1.What do the following terms mean SC and Thug?
Q2.What are the most important things to consider when designing a pretender god? (i.e. Is it which is more important scales,magic or Dominons)
Q3. From playing the demo it seems like the key to victory is to mass magic users and build a horde of cheap troops (popcorn?) does this hold true for the main game?
Q4. Is it better to design a pretender that focuses on one particular field(i.e. air magic)or is a balanced approach better?
Q5. What should I look for in selecting a prophet?

Thanks in advance for any help