Pelagia was the first kingdom to form in the deeps. It is a nation of Tritons, humanoid beings with fin-like legs. The Tritons of the Coral Clan and the Pearl Clan have formed a kingdom and allied themselves with mermen. Under the wise rule of the ancient Pearl Kings they dominate the oceans and harvest their riches. Pearls, corals, kelp silk and purple dyes are traded at coastal markets in Berytos and before that in Therodos. But recently other races have been stirring in the depths and new powers are forming. The wild beings of the kelp forests have spread, strange beings have emerged from the deepest seas, and the ghosts of ancient Therodos are stirring. The Pearl Kings muster their forces and the Tritons of the Turtle and Shark tribes have joined forces with the Triton kingdom. Tritons are unable to leave the sea, but mermen can shed their tails and walk on dry land to trade or wage war. The extensive trade with Berytos has given Pelagia a much needed ally. In the few coastal cities Pelagia has built, Berytian infantry have helped in their defense. Over time the mermen have adopted Berytian and Therodian culture and tactics. Now there are few Berytian soldiers left in the cities and Pelagia fields its own mermen infantry. Both Tritons and mermen have mages, but only the merman mages can leave the sea.

"Oceania and Pelagia are nations inspired by medieval bestiaries abundant with creatures of the sea corresponding to beings living on land. As most of these creatures are half-men and fish-beasts, Oceania as a nation became quite similar to Pangaea. The development of the Triton Kings incorporated modern concepts and imagery of mermen, and in Dominions 4, Pelagia was made a nation of its own, less Pangaean in style. Knights armed in mother-of-pearl armor, Triton Kings on hippocampoii-drawn sea- shell chariots, and golden tridents are all part of the Pelagia setting.

With the release of the Dominions 4 UW-patch the backstory of Pelagia was developed. It became intermingled with Berytos and my first ideas on later developments for the nation emerged. I prefer if nations are primarily culturally defined, and secondarily racially defined. Pelagia always felt more like a race thing and less like a kingdom with its own cultural setting. The changes in the patch was a step in this direction, although I find the new nation Erytheia more interesting" -Illwinter

If you are considering picking this nation to play, what should you know?

AQUATIC

Magic Access	Alt. Access	Unit Summary	Core Abilities	Buildings
4 (Rare 5) 2 (Rare 3) 2 (Rare 3) 1 (Rare 2) 1 3 in Sea 1 on Land	Hero 34313	Aquatic Tritons Amphibious Mermen Light, Medium, Sacred, and Aquatic Infantry	Aquatic Amphibious Pearl Cultivator Poison Barbs	Standard Forts

Capitol Gems: 42

Order Limit + 1

• Coral Blade (Construction 3) 1 and 4
• Clam of Pearls (Construction 3) 11 and 44

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

• No Fire magic
• 1 on around 1-in-3 Pearl Kings (capital only), and on 1-in-4 mages off-capital
• 4 on Pearl Kings (capital only), 3 on 1-in-4 Pearl Mages in other seas, and 1 on-land
• 1 on 1-in-4 Merman Mages, both on-land and in the sea

• 2 on around 1-in-3 Pearl Kings (capital only) and 1-in-4 Pearl Mages in other seas, uncommon 1 on-land
• No Death magic
• 2 on around 1-in-3 Pearl Kings (captial only) and 1-in-4 Pearl Mages in other seas, uncommon 1 on-land
• No Glamour magic

• No Blood magic
• 3 on Pearl Kings (capital only), 2 in other seas, 1 on-land

EA Pelagia's better mages cannot go on land without Shambler Skin Armor, a Robe of the Sea, or an Amulet of the Fish. The real limiting factor of Pelagia's magic is that Pelagia has trouble getting onto shore at all, however, as there aren't many booster combinations that require both the miscellaneous slots and the armor slot to be filled. Being aquatic has its own benefits, however, such as easier access to the Bishop Fish for relatively-swift Throne-grabbing.

Pelagia does have Thaumas - Wondrous, who possesses 3431. This is an awkward array to have, since it's just shy of multiple thresholds, but he really is better than nothing.

No native access.

Thaumas needs only one empowerment to get to 4 for the grand ladder-climb; or he can forge the Tome of High Power when you reach Construction level 9. There is no way to have a Queen of Air underwater, however, so the climb ends at 6 unless Pelagia maintains a persistent presence on the Closed Realm. Without Thaumas, Pelagia's Air access is what it is.

Notably, Pelagia needs only Construction Level 5 (and Conjuration Level 8) to summon a Queen of Water, due to their 4 Pearl Kings. The only big Water booster out of Pelagia's reach (that only boosts Water) is the Orb of Atlantis.

1 is a sad path to have, almost completely unboostable without Empowerment. Oh well.

Like with Air, Thaumas can forge the Tome of High Power to get 4 at Conjuration Level 9. With the Starshine Skullcap, the book, and an empowerment, he can start forging the Ring of Sorcery and the Ring of Wizardry; or, if you're not patient enough for artifacts (or if you don't like Horror Marks, you can empower him twice for the task. Pelagia can get a good deal more Astral Pearls than other nations, due to its efficient Alchemy with Pearl Cultivation. By empowering themselves up to casting Wish, the Pelagians can then spend 100 to boost all of their magic paths by 1 at the same time.

No native access. A 3 with lungs or an air-breather can summon a Forest Troll Tribe, however; that can give the nation a 2 with a little luck, or a 1 otherwise, if the nation can maintain a lab on-shore.

Contact Naiad lets 31 mages (such as any of your Pearl Kings) get a 33 mage, and an amphibious one at that. A 12 mage with a Thistle Mace (such as a third of your Pearl Kings) can then craft a Moonvine Bracelet. Then the Naiad can craft the Treelord's Staff for 6. Unfortunately, 7 is unattainable without Empowerment, as the Treelords don't have arms.

No native access. Forest Troll Tribe has a 1-in-4 chance to give you a 1 Troll Shaman, however.

No native access. If you really want some Blood, but you don't have land provinces for bootstrapping… well, you'll need a land province to summon the 41 Treelord, so you better start working. That Treelord can't move, so you'll need a province with a decent population as well.

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 • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Erytheia