Dominions 3 lore and nation backgrounds !

[Foodstamp]

That's really interesting. I guess the two cultures they were based on are hodge-podged together due to France and Spain being close neighbors.

[Festin]

A short summary of Dominions world history
A lengthier post on Dominions world history
Kristoffer Osterman's comment on my take of Dominions world history

I have always liked that idea that LA Ermor should actually be in MA, and MA Ermor in LA. It would make sense thematically (plus Kristoffer himself supports this version), and it would be good for general gameplay IMO. If only somebody made a mod like that.

[Graeme Dice]

It would also imply that all the people that the Ashen empire killed came back to life in the Broken Empire.

[Belac]

What I want to know is, where is Agartha?

Most other nations have historically-referenced contact in-game (Arco and Bandar Log, Abysia and Ashdod, etc) or are specifically references to real-world areas. Agartha seems to be an outlier there.

The name "Agartha" originates from India--could they have had some contact with Bandar Log/Lanka?

Also, it would be nice to have LA Caelum and Arco have references to conflict between the two, since Caelum is Zoroastrian-themed. Perhaps LA Caelum could have some human hoplite units, referencing the Greek mercenaries who fought in the Persian civil wars (Xenophon's Ten Thousand).

[Stavis_L]

Originally Posted by Graeme Dice

It would also imply that all the people that the Ashen empire killed came back to life in the Broken Empire.

Or that there were 100's of years for the lands to repopulate after the Ashen Empire was abolished. Presumably the new Ermor (perhaps populated by re-immigrants from satellites) keeps with the Ermorian traditions/trappings for political expediency, although explaining the legionnaires might take some doing.

[DonCorazon]

Re: Marverni -. Marignon: One area in Northwestern Spain is Galicia -

The name Galicia comes from the Latin name Gallaecia, associated with the name of the ancient Celtic tribe that resided above the Douro river, the Gallaeci or Callaeci in Latin, and Kallaikói (καλλαικoι) in Greek (as mentioned by Herodotus).

[13lackGu4rd]

few things I wish to add to what has already been mentioned. the Hinnom line(Hinnom, Ashdod, Gath) are somewhat based on the Bible. Hinnom, which is short of the Biblical phrase "Gey Ben Hinnom" in Hebrew, which literally means hell. Ashdod was a Philistine(those guys Goliath came from) city and is now the 4th largest city in modern Israel. Gath was the capital of the Philistines and is now in modern day Gaza Strip. also most of the names, such as Rephaites(Rephaim in Hebrew means ghosts or wraiths), Shedim(in Hebrew means demons), Seirim(in Hebrew means the hairy ones, linked perhaps to the Biblical story of Esau and Jacob), Baal(linked perhaps to the arch demon of hell, same Baal as in the Diablo games), Merkava(in Hebrew means chariot, which summons a Chayot, in Hebrew simply means animals), etc. also in Gath notice units such as the Naphtali Spearman, Reubenite Archer, Benjaminite Slinger, etc which are names of some(out of a total of 12) of the Israelite tribes mentioned in the Bible.

as for C'tis, Ermor and Pythium. Pythium was Sauromatia at first, which is perhaps the Sauromatian tribe which was around what is modern day Iran. Ermor is clearly Rome and C'tis is clearly Egypt. Egypt is well known for its myths of Death Magic, Necromancy, etc, which are empowered by the whole mummy usage and all that... Pythium, while descendants of the Sauromatian tribe, are in fact the Eastern Roman Empire in the middle era, and in the late era the Byzantines. however Dominions 3 messed with the fall of Rome, and attributed it to Egyptian Necromancy and Death Magic instead of simply Barbarian invasions and corruption. not sure if MA C'tis has any historical reference(doubtful as the whole C'tissian influence on Ermor is not historical) but when the Sauromancers taught Ermor some of the secrets of Necromancy they probably betrayed their C'tissian brethren and their Lizard Kings, thus went underground and cleared the area for the rise of the Marshmasters who are weaker in Death magic than the Sauromancers. in the LA after Ermor collapsed the Sauromancers, now old men, came back to C'tis who was losing its power in the middle era, thus the Sauromancers are now sacred and old.

[SciencePro]

Originally Posted by Trumanator

IMO, it isn't so much a waning of magic so much as a degeneration of it. Blood and Death seem to become more common. What DOES decline is the number of inherent "mythic" units.

hmmm i didn't think about it that way - that makes a lot of sense though. A lot of nations do gain death paths while losing other paths as they go from EA to LA.

[Mithras]

First I'd like to note that the manual contains some interesting if rather scant notes on the inspiration for each set of nations. I found them quite interesting.

Also now you mention it Alantis is quite an interesting nation. Seeing as the popular legend has it as a technologically advanced nation which ruled the seas from an island, which then sank in a cataclysm leading to the nations demise. While the game (Or perhaps Lovecraft, I'm afraid I haven't read enough of his works.) Has the nation begin in the sea and forced slowly from the water gaining technology (Ice weaponry from the Caleans)in the proccess. At the same time they are advanced enough to take control of isolated Mictlan usurping priestly power quiet quickly.

There's lots of interesting subtext in the reversal of he legend, going out from the sea on to the land. The disaster that drives the Atlanteans out of the Oceon isn't sudden, it is slow and unstopabble. Ry'leh itslef is a steady transformation from subtle manipulation and slavery into the very depths of powerful, indiscriminate insanity.I'm sure I'm reading to much into the sub text but the idea of a knock on affect, all that destruction and desperation caused by a falling star a foriegn object...

There's a lot to think/speculate about, and it seems we don't spend enough time doing it! Well I don't certainly.

[Zeldor]

Agartha is also based on loose myths, mainly hollow earth theory - check Shangri-La legends.