"Vanarus was partly conceived during the development of Dominions 3. Hints were included in the descriptions of Bogarus, but I never got around to finishing it.
Vanarus is the predecessor of Bogarus. It is a nation of ruling Vanir that have subjugated and
intermingled themselves with the previous rulers of the land. Kievan Rus' is one of the sources here, but
I've also used the Chudes, a people that appears in the myths of various peoples from the eastern Baltic
seaboard. I haven't found very much on the Chuds, so they are mostly my creation. The "Pine of Skulls,"
shape-shifting and shamanic bear cult practices fit the nation. These features, as well as the Thunder
Priests mentioned in the descriptions of the nation appear in Rus, the early version of the nation.
I wanted the national troops of the nation to reflect the change from the earlier era to the late Bogarus.
Versatile Vanarusian sages are slowly replacing the mighty Vanir and will eventually develop into the
Starets and mages of the late era. " –Illwinter
When the Vanir entered the land of Rus in between the Early & Middle Ages, they were simply exploring & looking to trade. However, conflict between them and the local Humans & Chuds over a sacred site spiraled into war. The Vanir won the initial battles, founding the city of Novgård at that site. When the Humans & Chudes allied to push the Vanir back into the sea, the Vanir subdued the Humans with their illusions & superior strength, forcing the Chudes to fight the Humans as well. Then came the Black Knights of Ulm, who were certainly there to conquer. In the face of a greater threat, Novgård & Rus rallied together, defeating the Ulmic invasion. From there, the Kingdom of Vanarus was formed, led by the precious few Vanir that were remaining. As a result of this chaotic period, the Chudes had fallen behind the Humans in terms of numbers, but they still held a bit of their former prestige.
Vanarus trades Astral for Water and Death, and its Skinshifters of old have been lost their sacred status in favor of the nation's few "true" elves. Compared to the Early Ages, most of Vanarus's troops have fallen behind in edge, while the magic spread has somehow gotten even more awkward. Still, you have a wide toolkit you can use to address most problems that come your way, especially once you get your hands on a forest or two.
The bear-worshiping humans and the Elves of Vanheim combined to make a more Rus with better Stealth raiders with better access to Blood and Death.
Race | Military | Magic Access | Priests | Buildings |
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Prefers Cold 2 Snow-Move Humans Cold Resistance (3) Chudes Cold Resistance (5) Above Human HP, Attack Skill, Strength, and MR Vanir Cold Resistance (3) Glamour Stealthy (65) | All Infantry Berserkers Large Skinshifters Sacred Elves Lousy Range | 3 (rare 4) 2 (rare 3) 2 (rare 3) 2 2 2 1 National Summons 22 (Requires 3) 213 (Requires 4 ) 2124 (Requires 6) 312 (Requires 4) 11 (Requires 11) 31 (Requires 2) 312 (Requires 31) | Average (2) Stealthy Summonable 3 (Requires 2) Can perform blood sacrifices | Standard Forts Forest Wizards & Witches |
Novgård | Pine of Skulls |
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* Enables recruitment of Oath-Bound * Enables recruitment of Vanabogs * Produces 2 per month * Produces 1 per month | * Enable recruitment of Chud Skinshifters * Produces 1 per month * Produces 1 per month |
Your nation is made up of common human Rus, having cold Resistance (3) which grants them immunity to chill Auras combined with most foot troops having Snow-Move, lets them scert by most downsides of being a cold nation.
Sprite | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Comments |
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Scout 25 5 1 | Stealthy(60) cold Resistance (3) mountain survival Forest survival Snow-Move | Scout that can move unimpeded through the cold. | |
Vanarusian Herse 40 22 1 | cold Resistance (3) Snow-Move | Cheap commander, faster than independent commanders in cold. | |
Vanarusian Gode 45 3 1 | 1 sacred cold Resistance (3) Snow-Move | Cheap priests. Can bless contingents of non-stealthing Oath-Bound. | |
Vanarusian Jarl 90 13 1 | sacred cold Resistance (3) Snow-Move | Bigger 80ld leader. The Chud Jarl is 30 more gold to be a warrior priest with better stats. The Chud's higher Magic Resistance and Morale prevents an army from crumbling by sniping him. |
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Chud Jarl 120 13 1 | 1 sacred cold Resistance (5) Snow-Move |
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Vyedma 135 2 2 Forest Rec Only | 1111100% 11 stealthy (40) cold Resistance (3) Snow-Move supply Bonus (10) inept researcher (2) Forest survival Female | The mages from the forests (even without a fort) with a wide path spread like the Imperial Alchemist of MA T'ien Ch'i, but are cheaper and not cap only. Their stealth allows for sneak attacks. They start with 1 in Earth and Nature, with 1 in 4 getting Nature 2 that can be boosted to 3 or 4 in combat with Strength of Gaia and Thistle Mace. Vyedma is the cheaper of the two and starts with 1 path in water. Gives you a 1 in 4 chance for 2. Even if you don't get that random, she is still a water mage by giving her boosters (Water Bracelet) and gems. She is a guaranteed water fluffer: Mossbody, Quickness. Only needs a Thistle Mace in hand to cast Foul Vapors, and the person to turn to for Bone Melter. The Vyedun can be more important, starting with both fire and air instead of water. 3 in 4 are level 2 in a path (Fire, Air, or Nature). Has easier access to cross evocations like Sulphur Haze and Magma Eruption. Both can potentially do cross evocations such as Geyser, Freezing Mist, Acid Rain. |
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Vyedun 155 2 2 Forest Rec Only | 11111100% 13 stealthy (40) cold Resistance (3) Snow-Move supply Bonus (10) inept researcher (2) Forest survival |
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Vanarusian Sage 165 2 2 | 12100% 100% 15 cold Resistance (3) adept researcher (4) Snow-Move | Your fast researchers who get a large spread of different paths. Their first random is of the old Rus magic, while the second comes from the Vanir. Most of the crosspaths they don't get are covered by the forest mages or Vanabogs. Many are air 2 mages, few are even 3 for casting Storm and more. Few are Fire/Death that can decay the enemy. Though not cheap, 1 in 3 are blood mages for blood hunting and create communions which makes better use of their paths later in the game. |
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Vanabog 335 20 4 Capital Only | 21121100% 10% 15 sacred glamour stealthy (65) Mounted | Like many in the Van lines, he is your Viking Elf Lord Thug and master of Air, Death and Blood. If he is not raiding enemy lands, he is back home, forging, Raising Undead, or summoning Demons. In combat that Glamour and ability to Cloud Trapeze allows for surprise raids. Air is known for its thugging power, access to Fire and Skull of Fire also allows for army wipe evocations, Fire Shield, Phoenix Pyre and Bane Fire. The death randoms also spam undead and conjure Wailing Winds by spending an extra gem with a Skull Staff. |
description of the workhorse options, for the sake of sanity better skip the clearly subpar and generic stuff (common indie like units with no gimmicks), merge units into a single description entry if functionally similar battle roles with only minor differences in gear.
Sprite | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Comments |
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Vanarusian Archer 10 5 9 | Cold Resistance (3) Snow Move | Men with short bows. Vanarus has easy access to Wind Guide and moderately easy access to Flaming Arrows from Vyedun, making cheap archers a possible target for these buffs (alongside the many javelins Vanarus also has). | |
Vanarusian Huskarl 10 12 9 | Cold Resistance (3) Snow Move | Cheap humans with javelins. The spear is more defensive while the axe does more damage. |
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Vanarusian Huskarl 10 12 9 | Cold Resistance (3) Snow Move |
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Vanarusian Hirdman 12 17 14 | Cold Resistance (3) Snow Move | Upgrade on Huskarls with better armor, morale, attack skill and defense skill. | |
Vanarusian Hirdman 12 17 14 | Cold Resistance (3) Snow Move |
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Vanarusian Hirdman 12 19 14 | Cold Resistance (3) Snow Move | Hirdman with greater Attack and Defense skill. More balanced in offensive and defensive capabilities compared to the other two Hirdmen. | |
Vanarusian Berserker 15 17 21 | ambidextrous (1) berserker (2) Cold Resistance (3) Snow Move | Your DPS guy, being an armored Berserker with a sword and an axe. Doesn't get that shield prot but benefits when mixed in with shielded infantry for survivability while helping them grind down the enemy. Their faster movement means that they should still be behind a shieldwall so that they don't run past them. |
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Chud Hirdman 35 21 28 | ambidextrous (2) berserker (2) Cold Resistance (5) Snow Move | Successors of the Chud Berserkers. Higher stats and protection than the Vanarusian Berserker. They make expansion easier, though are a bit pricey. Will likely slow down the armies they are with. |
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Oath-Bound 35 22 25 Capital Only | sacred bodyguard(3) Cold Resistance (3) glamour stealthy (65) Snow Move | Sacred Elfs going sword and board. Are Hard to kill. Also useful for protecting your mages. As expanders, they will take fewer casualties than Chuds while being able to take a blessing. Like the Chud Hirdman, they are slow on the march. |
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Chud Skinshifter 40 5 33 Capital Only | Cold Resistance (5) Snow Move Berserker (+1) Mountain Survival Forest Survival Recuperation Wounded Shape: (Werebear) | Like the EA Skinshifter but suffers that standard demystifying, losing its sacred status and has a weaker Berserk. Now cheaper buying cost, don't have to create a blessing for them, but higher upkeep. Still needs support even though they hit hard and get more HP in bear form. Benefits greatly from casting Regeneration, but their lack of protection makes them more of a tool to be used carefully against tough enemies. |
any breakout hits that might sway someone towards luck or away from it ?
Sprite | Unit Name | Special Attributes | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Old Bear Thunder - Last Perkunu Turn Arrival Limit: 5 | 4131 13 Sacred Poison Resistance(5) Cold Resistance(5) Shock Resistance (22) Shape Changer: (Werebear) Snow Move inept researcher (8) Mountain Survival Forest Survival Recuperation Supply Bonus (30) Summon in battle: (Great Bear) | Your break into high air magic. Also brings astral and Moonvine Bracelets to the table. | |
Yngvar - Varyag Turn Arrival Limit: 15 | 211 11 sacred Cold Resistance(3) inspirational(1) glamour stealthy (65) | Mini-Vanabog without horse. Always brings with him 3d6 Oath-Bounds once as an event. | |
Baba Yaga - Hag Turn Arrival Limit: 20 | 3132 23 Cold Resistance (15) Poison Resistance (15) Shock Resistance (5) Fear (8) Flying Forest Survival Supply Bonus (20) | Fills two holes in your Magic Path lineup, Water & High level Death with a Skull Staff, both of which are not particularly easy for Vanarus to fill. |
Blood is less about boosters and more about how many blood slaves you can gather so you can empower. Vanarus doesn't have cost-efficient blood hunters so that's a negative. A good way to start nationally is with a 2 Vanabog, empower until 4 so he can make the boosters and the Robe of the Magi to boost other paths, though blood is likely already on your pretender. Vanarusian Sages can make the Armor of Twisting Thorns with some help.
Fire naturally peaks at 2 but Vanabog and sages can forge Skull of Fire, to then summon Flame Spirits to then forge Flame Helmets end ending with a Fire King sitting at 7.
If the Last Perkunu arrives or a Vanabog is empowered, you can make Winged Helmets and then Bag of Winds for 7 Storm queens. in combat a Vanabog with gems can turn your 2 mages into Thunder Strikers with Storm.
Water is easy to boost with a Vyedma summon a Vodyanoy or Beregina. then use Water Bracelet and Robe of the Sea to make her 5 to summon a water queen.
Earth access is limited to 1 on Vyedun/Vyedma, or 11 on Vanarusian Sages for earth sabbaths. If you can grease the wheels with some gems or a pretender, you can create Earth Boots and Blood Stone to make a recruitable mage 4 in combat, but more likely to also spend Earth gems on Troll Kings, Earth Kings, and Father Illearth.
Astral is not a native path but if you have a 2 you get Gamayun. Give her a Starshine Skullcap to make her 3 and she can replicate.
You get a Vanabog with Skull Staff for 3 unless Baba Yaga shows her face, then we get into Liches.
We get 3 on a forest mage with a Thistle Mace and 4 in combat (Strength of Gaia). To go higher we need the Last Perkunu, or a Cloud Vila to make a Moonvine Bracelet to make a Treelord's Staff. This gets you a Leshiy. If you want to go absurdly high, get The Copper Arm to equip him with all the boosters so he is 8.
Vanarus has access to the following paths for the purposes of rituals:
Elements
Sorceries
national spell or summon cost and usecase, judgment if it's good. fix from Rus
One of Rus's selling points is its sheer amount of exclusive summons.
Get Sages and Forest mages with wide path spreads, Lots of air, thug elf on horses, some Sabbath mages, some good summable mages in Gamayun.
the Vyedma and Vyedun are your mass-produced mages, grabbing a lot of them to focus on an Elemental or Nature of spells. while your fort sages perform a similar role with the exception of blood randomness.
with boosters and gems, they mass evocation and fluffing. Chaffing with Elementals or Swarm, and Sages can Skilly spam with a staff.
If you don't have Earth Boots a gem to Summon Earthpower lets your forest mages fluff your troops' strength and protection.
Some sages create Sabbaths with Blood and air being the main paths that course the least fatigue on the slaves, with Fire, Nature, and Earth also boosted on the master to cast big spells like Rain of Stones and Sulphur Haze, Purify Blood.
Vanabog is your recruitable magic powerhouse when not currently used as a thug. They put up Storm so your plentiful air mages become 2s, and 3s.
THough you don't have native astral the Gamayun should not be discounted as they can be just as hard to nail down as Vanabog, casting Astral spells like Soul Slay and also calling down Lighting.
A tactic in the late middlegame is during a big battle is Blood Rain and Wailing Winds to moral route mortal units.
You Have many National Summons.
Your are one of the few nations to benefit from Summon Flame Spirit as your evocator and Raging Hearts.
Having a Van, makes use of Cloud Trapeze. with Aupex to boost your precious air gem income.
Vanarus gets lots of way to invade underwater, Getting underwater mages, and raid with Send Bukavac. Also spend water gems on Clayman and Green Lions for troops.
You don't have astral in forts but Contact Gamayun gets you flying Air astral mages to summon more Gamayuns for 25. Gamayun can conjure Alkonost for throne claimers.
You do have good death even before Baba Yaga. Corpse Construct and Draug for chaff. Londead Archers to pain someone when you have Wind Guide. Ziz to siege Mound Fiend for more undead chaff. At higher death Wraith Lords is logical with your normal research priorities.
some sages get crossed with Earth and Nature, but your best blood is crossing it with air. With Storm Demons and messing up capitals with Wrath of Pazuzu.
Gets lots of crosspaths for forging.
Can make Kithaironic Lion Pelt to protect a mage's head and chest.
Is recommended to find a way to get Earth Boots so you can get more 2.
Your do have fast researchers, boosted by Owl Quills, Skull Mentor and Lightless Lantern
With 2 boosters you can make important Rune Smashers. Though not native making Spell Focus and Eye of the Void combined with a Rune Smasher grants High Magic penetration on a mage.
Lantern Shield is an interesting item giving your elf thug get an entourage of Corpse Candles and grants fear which pairs well with the van's hard-to-hit nature.
Mass produce Corpse Construct with Lightning Rod and Storm Spool
This is probably the most difficult section to get consensus for. Describe how strong the nation is during expansion, the early, mid and late game, and what makes it strong/weak at each of those points. This should give readers an idea of where the weaknesses of a nation lie (if they have not been shown already) and when to take advantage of a nation's strengths.
List some example expansion strategies here. If a strong bless or pretender is required then leave the specifics for the pretender section.
List some example pretender builds. Try to use the following format to keep authorship and pretender design rationale clear.
Deives of the Sun: awake, Order 3, Growth scales, above average dominion strength, Blood 3 at least, the rest may vary, but normally take Heat 1, Misfortune 1, Magic 0 or lower. The idea is to start blood hunting early, in order to start producing Soul Contracts early and en masse. Deives of the Sun reduces unrest in her province by 10 per turn without population loss, so does your Order 3 scales and good dominion candles. She also produces 2 fire gems per turn, in addition to the "free" blood slaves thanks to unrest reduction, which creates a significant discount towards forging Soul Contracts or towards empowering other commanders in Fire/Blood. Growth scales should offset population loss from blood hunting/patrolling, although the intention of this build is to patrol as little as possible. Vanabogs can have Death 2 or 3, meaning they can lead a lot of Devils. Vanabogs also can have Blood 2 or 3, as well as Fire 1, making them into good blood hunters or Soul Contract producers in the latter case. Chud Skinshifters can handle the early expansion. Since you will be using Chud Skinshifters and then Devils, a bless is not necessary.
Nations | |
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Early Ages | Arcoscephale • Ermor • Ulm • Marverni • Sauromatia • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Mictlan • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Agartha • Tir na n'Og • Fomoria • Vanheim • Helheim • Niefelheim • 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 • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Asphodel • Vanheim • Jotunheim • 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 • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Erytheia |