All right. I have ventured forth (carefully).
I will be alone until I have collected enough sacrifices to start calling for troops. But I am in a hurry to discover some targets for our expansions. Since we are near jungles and deserts I have decided we are near the southern coastline. So I will begin by going South and then work my way toward my "ally".
By the time I get there he might have managed to destroy himself against some strong site. And I will easily claim his abandoned resources.
http://www.dom3minions.com/~gandalf/CoE3/AAR2/t1.JPG
(so far the actual game has consisted of startup and 2 mouse clicks)