In ages past, a distant star inhabited by a great race of strange, alien beings was struck with an unimaginable catastrophe. The star fell from the heavens, breaking into tiny shards. One such shard fell through the Spheres and down upon the world. The shard came to rest on the ocean floor and there a remnant of this great race adapted and survived. They multiplied and enslaved a race of fishlike humanoids by sheer strength of mind. R'lyeh, the Sunken City, is a mind-defying place built under the sea with an architecture unlike any known to man. In the halls of R'lyeh the Starspawns, the Great Ones who survived the Fall, plan the re-emergence of their Great Race. The Starspawns are powerful mages with great knowledge of distant stars and all of the Great Race are powerful mindcrafters. All coastal forts of R'lyeh have a special well where women can submerge themselves in the hope of being impregnated by a Great One. However, most will be taken by Deep Ones instead, and the women's offspring will be strange, fishlike humanoids instead of the noble Starchildren they wanted. These half-human hybrids are usually devoted to the cause of putting mankind below the sea and often join the army of R'lyeh free of charge.

"These two nations are heavily influenced by H.P. Lovecraft. While R'lyeh is closer to the Cthulhu mythos with Starspawns and strange beings from the stellar void, Atlantis is a nation of deep ones native to the depths….

R'lyeh is the other nation heavily influenced by the fiction of H.P. Lovecraft. While Atlantis represents the more tellurian aspects of the Cthulhu mythos, R'lyeh represents the stranger aspects and beings of the Lovecraftian universe. Starspawns, strange openings and beings of the Void are mixed with a bit of fantasy role-playing game clichés. The nation progresses from a D&D-ish nation of Aboleths to an insane nation of dreaming madmen, mutated lunatics and mind-defying void beasts. F’tagn." -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, 6) 3 (Rare 4, 5) 1 (Rare 2, 3) 1 1 (Rare 2, 3) 2	Heroes 251 5 342 Summon 14 (Void Gate)	Atlantian and Oceanian Slaves Hybrids Illithids Priests can summon Void Beings.	Aquatic Amphibious Slave Darkvision Spirit Sight Land Shape / Sea Shape Void Sanity	Standard Forts

Capitol Gems: 23

Magic Limit + 1

The Void Gate: In the capital, a priest can enter the site to summon void monsters.

• Armor of Meteoritic Iron (Construction 5)
  11 and 44
  Full Plate Mail that provides +3 Magic Resistance but is somehow even heavier than the regular stuff. It frees up an item slot that would otherwise hold a Magic Resistance item, and its HP bonus of 6 is pretty decent. This isn't something you'd typically put on your mages, due to their already-enormous Magic Resistance (twenty for the big Starspawn) and the 10 Spellcasting Encumbrance this item "provides".

• No Fire magic.
• No Air magic.
• 3 on one-in-four Slave Mages
• 2 on just under one-in-fourteen Starspawn (capital-only), 1 on one-in-four mages off-capital

• 5 on just under one-in-fourteen Starspawn (capital-only), 2 on one-in-four mages off-capital
• No Death magic.
• 1 on one-in-four Slave Mages
• 2 on just under one-in-fourteen Starspawn (capital only), 1 on one-in-four Starspawn off-capital

• No Blood magic.
• 2 on Starspawn (the ones with less Astral magic)

• 1131: Curse, Mind Blank, Communion plugs, Abominations, various useful items, neat tricks with Empowerment
• 211: Healing Light, Mossbody, Water Animals, Naiads, Foul Vapors

The exact odds for two random paths to line up on a capital-only Starspawn (15, 33, 123, 132, etc.) are 9/128 each, just over 7%. The chance of having one of the random paths be ideal (having 4, for example) is a little over 45%.

A lot of the crosspath magic for R'lyeh is found on-land, and is not mentioned here; for example, you can't drop meteors underwater.

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

No National Access.

No National Access.

3 Slave Mage is the likeliest 3 to get. A 1 Slave Mage, with two easy to get Water boosters, can attempt the unique Orb of Atlantis.

The hero, Shadhul Ummush - Traitor King, and the hero, Auluudh - Aboleth, have 5 and 3, respectively. Neither have useful crosspaths. (Not that they are necessary.)

2 Starspawn (1 in 16) (capital only), is the best starting place. 1 mages, the only alternative, need a level of empowerment. The Earth and Astral crosspaths mean the unique Atlas of Creation is technically possible, but realistically not. (Most of MA R'lyeh's mages don't have feet to wear Earth Boots.)

4 Starspawn (7 in 16) or 5 (1 in 16) (capital only), means starting pretty high in Astral. 2 Starspawn (1 in 16) (capital only) can make a Coin of Meteoritic Iron. Get it to 55 and it can attempt the unique Atlas of Creation. 2 Starspawn (1 in 16) (capital only) with one Astral booster and two Glamour boosters can attempt the unique The Trapped Dreams of Hruvur.

The hero, Cthugul - Stargazer, has 5. The hero, Auluudh - Aboleth, has 4, and with two Glamour boosters, can attempt the unique The Trapped Dreams of Hruvur.

No National Access. 3, (hard to get to), can cast Forest Troll Tribe for at least 1.

1 Slave Mage (1 in 4) is the only option. With two Nature boosters, it can make Moonvine Bracelets. With one Water booster, it can Contact Naiad for an 3 mage.

2 Starspawn (1 in 16) (capital only). With one Astral booster and two Glamour boosters can attempt the unique The Trapped Dreams of Hruvur. A 11 Starspawn (2 in 16) (capital only) with one Earth booster and two Glamour boosters, can make a Mirage Crystal.

The hero, Cthugul - Stargazer, has 1. The hero, Auluudh - Aboleth, has 2. With two Glamour boosters, it can attempt the unique The Trapped Dreams of Hruvur.

No National Access. 5, (very hard to get to), can Awaken Treelord for a 1 in 3 chance of a stationary 1.

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