I must really be lucky, Furious Paladin was selling the Resurrection spell (Only remember because it cost 12000!). Ironic because I'm a paladin
Set items, yeah found a couple, one that increases leadership (level 1 was an impressive +250) but the keepers kicked my ass! 500 swordsman and six gremlin towers with 1600 hp each!
I also recently started using native troops, not crazy about casualties, prefer coming out without a scratch but in the pirate isles the sheer numbers make that impossible so my Paladin has become a pirate (don't ask me how that works!) Like the way the games forces you to change your tactics.