Ker-Ys was a Tuatha city of unrivaled splendor. Its walls of crystal and bronze rose above the shores of Kernou, a former Marverni province conquered by the Tuatha of Tir na n'Og. Through trade and sorcery it became a city of marvels inhabited by Tuatha, humans and Merrow, a race of mermen that lived in the seas near Tir na n'Og and Kernou. With the fall of Tir na n'Og, Dahut, a mighty Tuatha sorceress and queen of the city, hid Ker-Ys beneath the waves, creating a refuge for the sorceresses of Tir na n'Og. The city became inhabited by Tuatha and their Merrow allies. Living in the enchanted city underneath the waves transformed the Tuatha and they have turned into Morgen, a superior race of semi-divine beings, who are to the Merrow what the Tuatha were to men. Ys is an underwater queendom ruled by Morgen. Humans of Kernou ancestry comprise most of the coastal population.

"Ys is based on Breton myths of the sunken city of Ys/Kêr-Is and morgen water spirits. To expand the nation I added some Irish/Welsh ideas of the merrow as well as the Marverni tribe of Kernou to give the nation an opportunity to establish coastal forts with their own unique units. I initially intended to merge the Ysian backstory with Marignon and add a Melusine morgen hero for that nation, but never got around to finish my ideas. It is not unlikely that Melusine and some other Ys/Marignon connections appear in upcoming Dominions 6 patches." -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) 3 (Rare 4) 2 (Rare 3) 2 1 (Rare 2) 1 2	Hero 32232 13242	Human Infantry and Cavalry Merrow Infantry and Cavalry Sacred Morgen Elites	Darkvision Amphibious Skilled Rider Land Shape Iron Vulnerability Glamour Spell Singer	Standard Forts

Capitol Gems: 122

Luck Limit + 1
Magic Limit + 1

Citadel of Brass and Crystal: Ys has an underwater Citadel! This would even be remarkable in the Late Ages; the only way to build a Citadel underwater is through Three Red Seconds, a Blood spell you'd have to cast from the shore. The Citadel has 3 Commander Points per turn, compared to the meager 2 from Fortresses and Castles.

• Geas (Thaumaturgy 3)
  2
  Single-target magic that puts a stronger version of Rage upon the target, having them spend their rounds attacking random units nearby. Geas is very hard to resist with Magic Resistance (+4 to the penetration roll). Each round, Geased units may attempt a Morale check of some sort to shirk off the Geas; if they manage it, they get Cursed. The range of Geas is lacking, at least for mages far from the frontlines.

• 1 on 1 in 4 Morgen Sorceress (capital only)
• No Air magic.
• 3 on 1 in 4 Morgen Sorceress (capital only), 2 on 1 in 4 Ysian Druid
• 2 on 1 in 4 Morgen Sorceress (capital only) or on 1 in 4 Ysian Druid

• 2 on 1 in 4 Kernou Druid (coast only)
• No Death magic.
• 1 on 1 in 4 Ysian Druid
• 4 on 1 in 4 Morgen Sorceress (capital only)

• No Blood magic.
• 2 on Morgen Sorceress, Morgen Princess (capital only), 1 Ysian Druid

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

The hero, Malgven - Queen of the North, with a Fire booster and two Water boosters can make a Staff of Elemental Mastery. The Fire Booster is hard to get.

1 Morgen Sorceress (1 in 4), has no useful crosspaths.

The hero, Malgven - Queen of the North, has 3 and with a Fire booster and two Water boosters can make a Staff of Elemental Mastery.

No National Access 14 can cast Faerie Court not in cold for a 1 in 3 chance of 2, in cold for a 1 in 2 chance of 2.

3 Morgen Sorceress (1 in 4), with a Water booster can attempt the unique Orb of Atlantis. A 1 Morgen Sorceress (1 in 4) with many boosters can make a Staff of Elemental Mastery.

The hero, Malgven - Queen of the North, has 2 and the right crosspaths for Staff of Elemental Mastery and the unique Orb of Atlantis.

2 Morgen Sorceress (1 in 4), has no useful crosspaths. A 1 Kernou Druid with an Earth booster and a Nature booster can attempt the unique The Tome of Gaia. The Kernou Druid has the right crosspaths to attempt the unique Atlas of Creation, but it would take a large amount of boosters and/or empowerment.

The hero, Malgven - Queen of the North, has 2 and no useful crosspaths.

2 Kernou Druid (1 in 4) with an Earth booster can make a Coin of Meteoritic Iron. The Earth and Astral crosspath also potentially allows attempting the unique Atlas of Creation. It's a lot of boosters and empowerment though.

No National Access 14 can cast Faerie Court in cold for a 1 in 2 chance of 2.

3 can cast Forest Troll Tribe for at least 1.

1 Ysian Druid (1 in 4), with two Water boosters, can Contact Naiad. A 1 Kernou Druid (1 in 4), with one Nature booster and one Earth booster, can attempt The Tome of Gaia. With two Nature boosters, (which is hard to get,) it can make a Moonvine Bracelet.

4 Morgen Sorceress (1 in 4) with an Earth booster, (or 2 Morgen Sorceress (1 in 4) with no boosters), can make a Mirage Crystal. 1 Morgen Sorceress (1 in 4) with a Fire booster and a Glamour booster can attempt the unique The Sword of Many Colors.

The hero, Malgven - Queen of the North, has 3 and can make a Mirage Crystal and attempt the unique The Sword of Many Colors with a Glamour booster.

No National Access 5 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 • Pyrène • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Erytheia