the 18th nation

[Daynarr]

You already have something like that. Ermor default theme goes something about Ermor surviving but barely. You can recruit troops, get living unholy priests and don't have to use nearly as destructive dominion as with other themes. You will still be relying on undead mostly but now you have more choices. Ermor still has 2 other themes that play mostly like standard Dom I Ermor.

[Nerfix]

OoooOOOOOoooooOOOOoooohhhhhhhh...
I'm so exited...

[Pocus]

so by default Ermor is living Ermor.

[Psitticine]

Yep, the "default" Ermor is now Broken Empire, where they survived the fall, but barely. Many non-undead troop choices but their Death magic isn't as powerful as with the other two themes. I found this option plays very differently than either of the other two.

There are two other themes/dominions available. One is called the Ashen Empire, where Ermor fell and now undead legions march, seeking to recreate the battles that one forged the original empire. (I love this stuff. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif )

The other is Soul Gates, where the Dusk Elders made the fatal mistake of opening the REALLY bad doorways, and now an array of alternate very high-powered units are available, but nothing lives in Ermor anymore. With both of these alternate themes, the population will slowly decay away to nothing in any Ermor-dominated province.

So, in a nutshell, not-so-dead, dead, or VERY dead. An array of Ermors! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Nerfix]

Ashen Empire is the Dom I Ermor. It's actualy called "Ashen Empire" at some places.

[Pocus]

psiticine ... errr ... Psiticcine ... Psitticine ! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif you are injecting massive doses of information into my frail body http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

joke aside... Broken empire seems the toned Version of Soul Gates. Perhaps the option cost 50 whereas the Last one cost 100? Or perhaps in Broken empire your troops are more mundane (I would have never thought I could qualify an undead legionaire as mundane!), but the dead mages a bit more powerful?

anyway, nice array of choices. Thats really wet the appetite!

[Kristoffer O]

The Broken Empire is an Ermor where thaumaturgs gathered the inhabitants of Ermor in a death cult to keep the darkness at bay. The thaumaturgs are able ro reamnimate the dead and soulless walk side by side with the legionaires.

- There are now several kinds of soulless. Soulless reanimated where there has been a battle comes equipped with arms, while soulless reanimated where there has been a disaster or a destructive ermorian dominion are unarmed and even worse fighters than in Dom I.

The Ashen Empire is a land of death and ashes. It is the Ermor you all know, led to doom by the Dusk Elders and the Bishops of Eldregate.

The Soul Gates: The final and Fatal mistake of the Dusk Elders was to open the Soul Gates. Through these unholy gates to the underworld spirits and spectral legionaires march to relive battles fought ages ago when Ermor ruled most of the world. The land is placed under the shadow and unrest and fear drives the living from the lands. There are no Bishops. They died in the cataclysm, but ancient senators have emerged from the Gates to lead the spectral forces in this world.

[Nerfix]

Cool, neat and nifty beyond words.
I'm so making "The Ages of Darkness" map.

"The world is falling into an eternal night. Pretenders to the throne, with the aid of their evil, dark powers. The death cults are taking over Vanheim(Helheim). Marignon has turned to the aid of Demons in order to keep the death cults at bay(Diabolical Faith), and it is said that horrible spirits have taken over the lands of Ermor(Soul Gate). Caelum has taken the Harab Seraphs back(Harab Seraph theme), and Pangaea has turned it's attention to the powers of undeath in order to eliminate the humans. Dark demigods and Pretenders are rising to the lead of entire nations. Can you save the world from the darkness, or will you be one of them who condemn it to the shadow?"

[ September 25, 2003, 17:44: Message edited by: Nerfix ]

[Daynarr]

Originally posted by Nerfix:
Pangaea has turned it's attention to the powers of undeath in order to eliminate the humans<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Carrion Woods theme. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Nerfix]

Exactly. I just forgot to put the (Carrion Woods) after that piece of text.
I have done my lurking...
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Bard of Prey]

The new themes all sound pretty cool. Would I be correct in assuming that Ermor's Soul Gates theme emphasizes 'ethereal'-type undead over corporeal undead?

[johan osterman]

Originally posted by Bard of Prey:
The new themes all sound pretty cool. Would I be correct in assuming that Ermor's Soul Gates theme emphasizes 'ethereal'-type undead over corporeal undead?<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Correct, they get a selection of mostly brand new undeads.

[Pocus]

It dawned on me, that the national theme which induce (perhaps, I guess) the most change to a nation, to the point that its nearly a new one, is perhaps ... drum roll ...

Living Ermor !

If I understand correctly, a living Ermor would be either the Ermorian kingdom before the Cataclysm (you shall not meddle with the forces of darkness), or Ermor during the Cataclysm.

If this is the first option, I think we would have something like a Pythium on steroids. It would be perhaps to redundant, so I favor the second option.

In the second option, units and mages are still living being, but they are well versed into the necromantic arts (death 4 ???). I wonder if the basic units, the legionaires and velites, are twisted too by dark intents, or if they are following the leading commanders without too much change.

Any infos from one of The Enlightened ?

[Bard of Prey]

Originally posted by johan osterman:
Correct, they get a selection of mostly brand new undeads.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Mwuhahahah... flee the wrath of my spectral minions you flimsy flesh-creatures! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

[Nerfix]

Yes, they get to "reanimate" Shadows.
Don't ask me what they are, i only lurk dom2progress!

[ September 28, 2003, 06:38: Message edited by: Nerfix ]