These are good suggestions.
Version 10.1 is now downloadable. Has "dark empire" where you have to build the dark beacon, cast the ritual, then all enthralled can join their societies together. Dark one enthralled are now the default, their darkness doesn't increase naturally but they do spread it down to their entourage, so those become broken faster, to make them better able to manage their city.
I'll look into the whole "make your society gain military power through ritual rather than the normal way" in a bit, but I'll need to think about that.