Ancient Gods - New mid-game crisis

[Spaceception]

I honestly don't know if this is good. I was just about to finish the Percy Jackson series when I got the idea, but I hope some iteration could.

I also don't know how I would differentiate them from the FE (if needed). At least right now. Especially given what you get once they're defeated, since they feel like slightly weaker FE's in ways.
I even considered that FE's could turn into this, but it might not be a good idea, or one that would sit well with people. So ideas and changes on this aspect would be good.


This could be attached to the "Old Gods" chain, or be triggered by a new archeological chain. Either way, here's what I see.

The chain could be around finding ancient artifacts that point to a galactic wide war which left the inhabitants in tatters. During the event, your scientist finds out these God's watched over the galaxy long ago, predating any FE or Gate builders, but held the other races back. After a long war, they "fell asleep", but hadn't returned since for x reason. While looking through the artifacts, they activate something, starting the countdown for their arrival (with a chance you just find their remains, like the L-cluster).

This crisis could be based on whether you find that event or not, and based around a set/factions of God's (maybe 3-5). I was obviously thinking of the Greek Gods at the time, but new ones with unique lore are good.
These would each have a system they occupy (like the contingency) across the galaxy, with a couple worlds (either Gaia, or just their preferred type), with buildings as powerful as the FE, and rare resources in their systems. They would be guarded by a strong Citadel, and defense fleet.

Each faction would have their own goals as well. One could recruit other Spiritualists to wage a holy war against the galaxy, while another could just want to revert everyone to a primitive state and rule over them.

Their fleets would each have new weapons, and different setups (so you can't easily hard counter them), and will each have several or more. Each faction will also loosely work together while trying to fulfill their agendas.

Defeating them would take a lot of time, but would give you very nice rewards in regards to their system(s), and some technology.
EDIT: Some technology I could see would be a new type of shield that sits between Hyper shields, and Dark Matter shields. For whatever reason, I thought it would be called crystalline focused shields, but I'm sure there's a better version. You could also have Antimatter thrusters, which sits between Impulse and Dark Matter. This makes their fleets noticealby better than other mid-game crisis fleets, and gives them something to differentiate from Empires like FE's or other crisis'.

 

[Methone]

while another could just want to revert everyone to a primitive state and rule over them.

LAUN - LAUN - LAUNCH FIGHTERS

 

[Spaceception]

It may also be a good idea for this to be exclusive to the Marauders rising up, so you don't get both. But the L-Gate crisis can still happen. This may help make it less overwhelming. Or all 3 could still happen around the same time.
Which one is better?


EDIT
To make their worlds unique compared to a FE, their worlds could have special modifiers and rare features unique to them. They would provide decent bonuses special to each faction, maybe even a malus representing their weakness. But that's if you capture their world(s).

If you find what remains, there could be a cursed modifier, where occupying the planet could give you unwanted effects instead. Even Empire wide ones. But could also give you unique technologies and modifiers. You just have to take the risk if you want what they had.

 

[Spaceception]

With the new Dev diary today, the ancient worlds you find should be relic worlds. But the rest of the idea still applies with the cursed modifier and such.