https://www.elementalgame.com/images/Screenshots/Elemental_City_Seaside.png

Funny...I was just commenting how much better this shot would look a Kraken or Leviathon in the distance.

But yes, I agree.

And some of these endgame summons should be uncontrollable.  It wouldn't add the powerhouse unit to your forces, it would merely unleash it upon the world as a whole.  You may control where it is summoned, but after that it just proceeds to wreak havoc on anything that crosses its path.  Sort of a spell to unleash chaos upon the world, and chaos by its nature shouldn't be controllable.

Lets try and keep the dragon as someting very rare and unique. not something you can just cast ands boom instant dragon...

But something that is uncontrobale and that you can send out in the world... sounds like the cataclysm all over again

I do like the idea of semi/un-controllable super summons. Although they wouldnt have to spells they could come from quests etc too.

Big monsters are cool, and there's the "oh crap" factor if it starts to head back to your own lands.

Limited forms of control for unique summons would be interesting, like maybe some quest where you find some cursed artifact. The artifact then summons some two headed ten armed giant god of destruction type thing half the map away. The angry creature then begins to make its way towards the artifact. You then have a choice, try to slay the monster so you have time to study and harness the artifacts power, or try and sneak the artifact into an enemies town and get some popcorn .

Anyway just rambling, Krakens are cool.

Totally agree particularly to the eater of the dead comment.

It was one of the most awesome creatures in Dominions.

Beings like it are awesome and teach your enemies a lesson about trying to contol the uncontrolable...and sometimes you are taught the lesson.

You know after reading the Late Game Tedium thread, Uncontrollable super beasts would be an awesome revenge for the AI as it goes down. 

    Leutinent:  "Sovereign we have the enemies last city surronded. Are forces are positioned to attack at dawn"

    Sovreign:  "Excellent, Are they doing anything noteworthy that might make our sorte tommorow problematic"

     Leutinent: "Well sire, Our outriders are reporting strange lights and weird chanting coming from behind the city walls"

BOOOOM!!!!! *Sounds of explosions, Fires, screams of the dying, and the awful din of reality tearing. In the the tent come a grime stained guard running at full tilt.

     Guard: " Sire the city is gone!.  All that we can see is a smoke cloud backlit by fire covering where the city was.

RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

  :In a hidden room below the twisted remains of the palace:

 Enemy Sovereign: "Well you may have killed me, but lets see how your armies fare against my revenge" *gasp* *gurgle* *choke*

The "manlands" from the worldwake mtg set gave me the idea of turning landscape into creatures. Imagine turning a mountain into a colossal rock elemental/ golem. Gain an ally and remove a mountain that might be in your way.

I like the idea of controllable/uncontrolable aspect to these 'megabeasts'. I think a good way to do this might be to not only require a certain number of shards to summon the creature but also maintain control over it. So if you have just enough shards to summon it, but then an opponent takes one of your shards, you lose control over it.

I like your previous post, it makes me think of my favorite Lovecraft short story: "The Doom that came to Sarnath"

As usual, you don't really 'see' the megabeast or what it is but it's a must read, and it's not long, won't take you more than 5 minutes.

Here it is: http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrary/lovecraft/thedoomthatcametosarnath.htm 

I'll love to see something similar happening in Elemental