Oh, enchantresses. I would've loved some. The lack of enchantresses was killer for me. If I had any - I didn't - I'd have had Immortal Elixirs and some other cross-ele or ele-nature items *years* ago, and I'd be in much better shape. In fact, I venture to say, with enchantresses it would be me and not Pythium that everyone would've been complaining about in the midgame.
As it was, although I had every path of magic except substantial air, that was a strength of my nation. It was only recently that I acquired even a good share of the cross-elemental paths, and I never had nature-elemental casters.
It was killer, and the lack of enchantresses more-or-less-choked-off what was a very promising start. I did have Mount Chaining, which ought to be definitive for a blood nation. But without enchantresses, what could I do? I couldn't even build fire brands until my iron order came online, and I didn't find that until late, with a troll king, summoned by my God, spamming earth-site finding spells.
In the end, on a map this size, I was very powerful but had neighbors of above-average competence, and I had below-average luck on magic diversity from indies.
We should try this again on a wrap-around map
.