Trade and contacts with dry land have increased to the point where Pelagian mermen have established colonies in coastal lands. A former Arcoscephalian colony and the Pelagian colony of Erytheia, the Red Land, were joined through marriage. When the Triton Kings of the deeps succumbed to a strange slumber the former capital of Pelagia was almost abandoned. The mermen had become more numerous and those Tritons who did not succumb to sleep gradually became a privileged minority ruling the scattered Pelagian seas. Eventually civil war between the Triton princes broke out. While the Tritons battled in the seas, the mermen withdrew and formed a new coastal kingdom of mermen, Tritons and humans in Erytheia. When the Triton principalities isolated themselves the Pelagian traditions and legacy were carried on by the mystics of the Red Land. Under the rule of the mermen ‘Kings of Both Worlds’ the former colony thrived and expanded on land and in the seas. Now Erytheia is a coastal kingdom with some under-water provinces governed by a marginalized Triton nobility unable to visit the high court of the merman king. The Tritons resent the current situation and some fear this might lead to a another civil war. Triton nobles and generals have started to gather armies to reclaim the deeps once theirs to gain wealth, or fiefdoms, or simply to prove their worth to the Kings of Both Worlds.

"Erytheia is the late era development of Pelagia. It is a nation heavily inspired by Ptolemaic Egypt. Like Ptolemaic Egypt, it is a nation of foreign conquerors adopting local traditions forming an isolated kingdom desperate to keep its royal blood lines and avoid foreign influence. I wanted the Ptolemaic practices of royal sibling marriages represented in the game and this led to some new mechanics developed for Erytheia. I also wanted Erytheia to be more of a contender for the closed realm, Pelagia's name for dry land. The idea of a merman kingdom of both worlds started to take form when I worked on the Dominions 4 UW-patch. The pairing with Ptolemaic concepts fit well and Erytheia became a nation quite different in feel from previous underwater nations." -Illwinter

Erytheia is an Underwater nation stuck on land, a bit like Atlantis in these Ages. Its amphibious fellows are only found on coasts, save for the Nomarch priests– or the capital-only fellows, if the world generation strokes out and places Erytheia inland. This presents a bit of a problem, putting a lower ceiling to its "elite" troop recruitment than what other nations possess. This clashes somewhat with Erytheia's Arcoscephalian desire for densely packed ranks of Formation Fighters. If it starts on the coast, Erytheia's capital will also have a lower Resource ceiling for how much it can produce, a bane shared with Sailing nations such as Marignon.

The Kingdom also pays a premium on its Amphibious heavy infantry; for example, the Erytheian Hoplite costs 2 gold more than its skill level suggests, and the elite Erytheian Phalangite costs 1 pound more than its equals in skill. Even Erytheia's Sacred Soldier of the Setting Sun is a little overpriced; he costs the same as Pangaea's Sacred troop, who has roughly the same capabilities (aside from needing to breathe air) but an extra point of Awe. Such is the price paid for flexibility, a price that makes pushing back onto land somewhat difficult; but hey, at least Erytheia can flee into the water.

The star of the Erytheian show is its mages. They are neat. Most of them are pretty cheap, the inland mages are both Astral fellows and Research Monkeys, and the underwater mages can convert Water Gems into Astral Pearls with a 50% discount. All of Erytheia's paths can be boosted via Communion, and any of its mages can turn out useful. Even the Daduchoi and the royals, who have incredibly random paths and may end up with only three magic levels, have a solid baseline for combat magic. Thus, an Erytheia who expands in any direction can stake a strong claim for the win in the late game; they just have to expand.

Magic Access	Alt. Access	Unit Summary	Core Abilities	Buildings
3 2 (rare 3) 2 2 (rare 3) 2 (rare 3) 1 2	Heroes 12 1 Summons 333 (req. 31) 2321100% 10% (req. 13) 1121100% 10% (req. 13)	Amphibious Mermen Aquatic Tritons Some Humans Light Infantry Heavy Infantry Aquatic Cavalry	Aquatic Amphibious Land Shape Formation Fighter Pearl Cultivator Insane	Standard Forts

Capitol Gems: 211

Heat Limit + 1
Prefers Heat Scale + 1

When Merman shift to sea form, they switch Poor Amphibian with Amphibious. It has no practical effect.

See Magic Access. These guides supplement the summaries at the top.

The Copper Arm
12 Daduchos (1 in 10), Prince of the Setting Sun (1 in 12), or Princess of the Setting Sun (~1 in 7) +

The Silver Arms Unique
12 Daduchos (1 in 10), Prince of the Setting Sun (1 in 12), or Princess of the Setting Sun (~1 in 7) +

The Arms allow a mage to hold more boosters, especially with Nature and Death. (LA Erytheia doesn't have native access to Death.)

Ring of Sorcery
3 Prince of the Setting Sun (1 in 16) +

Ring of Wizardry
3 Prince of the Setting Sun (1 in 16) + Ring of Sorcery +

Staff of Elemental Mastery
22 Princess of the Setting Sun (~1 in 5) +

Crown of the Elements Unique
22 Princess of the Setting Sun (~1 in 5) +

Highest Starting: 2 Daduchos (1 in 5), Princess of the Setting Sun (7 in 16), or Prince of the Setting Sun (7 in 16).
3 Princess of the Setting Sun (1 in 16) or Prince of the Setting Sun (1 in 16).

Highest Starting: 2 Daduchos (1 in 10), Princess of the Setting Sun (1 in 12), or Prince of the Setting Sun (1 in 12)

Tome of High Power Unique
21 Daduchos (1 in 10) +
12 Daduchos (1 in 10) or Prince of the Setting Sun (~1 in 7) +

Highest Starting: 3 Pearl Mage (1 in 4)

Trident from Beyond Unique
31 Pearl Mage (1 in 4) +
22 Pearl Mage (1 in 4) +

Highest Starting: 2 Daduchos (1 in 10), Princess of the Setting Sun (~1 in 7), or Prince of the Setting Sun (~1 in 7)

Highest Starting: 2 Daduchos (1 in 5), Pearl Mage (1 in 4), Princess of the Setting Sun (1 in 12), or Prince of the Setting Sun (7 in 16).
3 Prince of the Setting Sun (1 in 16).

Coin of Meteoritic Iron
11 Mystic +
21 Dadhuchos (1 in 10) or Princess of the Setting Sun (1 in 12) +
12 Princess of the Setting Sun (~1 in 7) +

Tome of High Power Unique
21 Daduchos (1 in 10) +
12 Daduchos (1 in 10) or Prince of the Setting Sun (~1 in 7) +

Golem Construction
11 Mystic +
21 Dadhuchos (1 in 10) or Princess of the Setting Sun (1 in 12) +
12 Princess of the Setting Sun (~1 in 7) +

No National Access.

Forest Troll Tribe
1 Pearl Mage (1 in 4) +
3 Naiad (See Nature section for summons.)
Troll Shaman has at least 1.

Highest Starting: 1 Pearl Mage (1 in 4)

Contact Naiad
21 Pearl Mage (1 in 4) +
Naiad has 3.

Moonvine Bracelet
11 Pearl Mage (1 in 4) +
Hard to get the nature boosters.

No National Access.

Troll King's Court
2 Daduchos (1 in 10), Princess of the Setting Sun (~1 in 7), or Prince of the Setting Sun (~1 in 7) +
Troll King has 1.

Forest Troll Tribe
1 Pearl Mage (1 in 4) +
3 Naiad (See Nature section for summons.)
1 in 4 chance Troll Shaman has 1.

No National Access.

How to win as the nation. Feel free to use the following sections, or delete them, or change them.

Different expansion options.

Early game options.

Mid game options.

Late game options.

What are the nation's weaknesses?

Add links to guides or other overviews for this nation here.

Nations
Early Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Ulm • Pyrène, • Marverni • Sauromatia • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Mictlan • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Agartha • Tir na n'Og • Fomoria • Vanheim • Helheim • Niefelheim • Muspelheim • Rus • Kailasa • Lanka • Yomi • Hinnom • Ur • Berytos • Xibalba • Mekone • Ubar • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Therodos
Middle Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Sceleria • Pythium • Man • Eriu • Ulm • Pyrène • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Asphodel • Vanheim • Jotunheim • Nidavangr • Vanarus • Bandar Log • Shinuyama • Ashdod • Uruk • Nazca • Xibalba • Phlegra • Phaeacia • Ind • Na'ba • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Ys
Late Ages	Arcoscephale • Pythium • Lemuria • Man • Ulm • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Jomon • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Midgård • Utgård • Bogarus • Patala • Gath • Ragha • Xibalba • Phlegra • Vaettiheim • Feminie • Piconye • Andramania • Pyrène • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Erytheia