do not worry about it since it has nothing ( apparently ) to do with your initial question 
I read that part in the faerie book. They really should have used another word for that, not "sympathy" that is so prominently taken in the core book. Sorry for wasting your time, but good that we got it sorted out.
Here's Arktos at 20 years after G: dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/528 ... t%2020.htm
Breakdown:
Begin: 1080 xp @ year 1241 age 42 [10 deducted for longevity season + 20 for 2 work seasons]
End 1480 xp @ year 1251 age 52)
= 400 xp
Arts 100 xp:
Herbam 3 -> 6 = 15
Perdo 5 -> 9 = 30
Ignem 0 -> 5 = 15
Vim 2 -> 5 = 12
Muto 6 -> 8 = 15
Creo 5 -> 7 = 13
Abilities 195 xp:
Penetration 3 -> 5 = 45
Magic Theory 3 -> 5 = 45
Finesse 2 -> 4 = 35
Awareness 1 -> 2 = 10
Parma 4 -> 6 = 55
Faerie Lore 0 -> 1 = 5
Spells 65 xp:
The Hunter's Stealth 10
The Draftless Step 5
Strabo's Pencil 15
Understand Me, Beast 15
Wizard's Communion 20
Mastery 40 xp:
Circle of Hypnos 0 -> 1 = 5
Gaze of Hypnos 0 -> 2 = 15
Gaze of Hibernation 0 -> 2 = 15
Wizard's Leap 0 -> 1 = 5
= 400
Vis: 10*4 (2 base + 2 virtue) = 40 vis at 2051
1 Rego vis left over = 41 pawns
Longevity at 12th mag
9 Aging rolls with -1 living modifier, -12 longevity, and +5 age = -8 factored in:
-5 -6 -5 1 0 -5 -3 1 6
1 Aging roll with = -7 factored in:
1
-> Apparent Age increases by 1 from 37 to 38
The rolls are here: invisiblecastle.com/search/?search=Arktos
Here are Arktos' sheets, including the one at 30 years post gauntlet and his newfangled familiar Remus:
dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/528 ... t%2030.htm
dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/528 ... t%2020.htm
dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/528 ... t%2010.htm
dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/528 ... /Remus.htm
I made some minor changes to the earlier ones: I fitted the familiar binding in there, and removed fast casting from the sleep spells after reading your rules interpretation discussion in one of the threads. I include the current xp breadowns below, as well as the familiar's stats.
I had him enchant himself a talisman recently, a whip with rego and muto animal and rego aquam effects. I would like you to review it (in legible format below) to make sure we agree on the rules. I added levels of penetration to the moving effect to make it able to grapple things with MR.
Invisible castle is down, so I haven't been able to figure out all the aging stuff yet. I'll add it when it comes back up. I'll also write more backstory soonish.
Talisman: Tentacle
Arktos' talisman Tentacle is a black leather whip as long as a tall man and as thin as a little finger. The top of its hilt conceals a tiny mercury-filled topaz, a piece of magnetic magnetite, and a sliver of cinnabar. The bottom of the hilt is hollow with a leather lid. Arktos uses the space to store vis for boosting his spells. In human form, Arktos keeps the Tentacle curled around his forearm, hidden from view by his sleeve. Slithering and Clean are activated when he turns his forearm around its axis in a specific way.
Three effects have thus far been instilled into the talisman, occupying 8 of its 12-pawn capacity. The talisman has been attuned to Control Wild Beasts +5, Rego +2, and Muto +5.
Slithering, Level 30 ReAn: Base 3, R: Per, D: Conc +1, T: Ind; Unlimited uses +10 levels, maintains concentration +5 levels, Penetration 22 +11 levels. Allows Arktos to control the Tentacle's movement and shape by concentrating. When left on its own, the Tentacle keeps the shape last assigned and resists changes. Complex shapes, delicate or fast movements, and attacks may require Finesse rolls. The Tentacle has a strength of +5. It carries its own weight and is capable of lifting things at most 6 feet above the ground. It moves as fast as a person could swing it.
Tough, level 25 MuAn: Base 4, R: Per, D: Sun +2, T: Ind, +1 Frequency: 2/day, +3 Trigger: Sunrise/sundown, +11 Penetration 22. The Tentacle is unnaturally durable. It cannot be cut by weapons or broken by force.
Clean, level 20 ReAq: Base 5, R: Touch +1, D: Sun +2, T: Ind, Frequency: 1/day. Keeps Arktos and his apparel, including the Tentacle, dry even if submerged.
Remus the Familiar
Magic Might: 15 (Animal)
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +4, Pre -3, Com 0, Str +1, Sta +3, Dex +2, Qik +2
Size: 0
Season: Summer
Age: -- (--), Height: 168 cm, Weight: 72 kg, Gender: Male
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws not bought with qualities (based on Mundane Animals hound):
Improved Characteristics, Long-Winded (Fatigue Rolls: +3), Sharp Ears (Hearing: +3) Magical Friend, Reckless, Covenant Upbringing
Free: Magic Animal, Magical Covenfolk,
Virtues and Flaws bought with qualities:
Tough (Soak: +3), Minor Essential Virtue (Finds by Scent), Great Perception*, Second Sight*, Improved Characteristics (×2)*,
Qualities and Inferiorities from base animal:
Domesticated, Pursuit Predator, Vocal, Keen Sense of Smell (+3 smell, +1 Per, +2 Hunt rolls)
Magical Qualities and Inferiorities:
Minor Virtue (Tough), Minor Virtue (Great Perception), Improved Abilities × 1 (+50 exp), Gift of Speech, Greater Power × 1: 50/50, Improved Powers × 2: 10/10, Personal Power × 1: 25/25, Minor Virtue (Second Sight), Minor Virtue (Minor Essential Virtue), Minor Virtue × 2 (Improved Characteristics), Improved Damage × 1 (Bite: +3), Improved Initiative × 1 (Bite: +3)
Susceptible to Deprivation
Personality Traits: Hound +3, Finds by Scent* (Per) +3, Loyal +3, Brave +3, Reckless +3
Combat:
Bite: Init: +5, Attack +10, Defense +8, Damage +5
Dodge: Init: +2, Attack --, Defense +6, Damage --
Soak: +6
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Athletics 4 (running), Latin 4 (hermetic usage), Second Sight 4, Awareness 4 (searching), Folk Ken 1 (magi), Brawl 4 (bite), Concentration 2 (powers), Swim 2 (chase), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (personalities), Magic Theory 3 (helping in the lab) (16), Animal Handling 3 (Canines), Penetration 3 (Intellego), Magic Lore 2 (creatures), Hunt 4 (track by scent)
Powers:
Foolish Creatures (Greater: 25), Points: 0, Initiative: Qik+0, Form: Mentem, Range: Voice, +2, Duration: Diam, +1, Target: Group, +2, Level: ReMe25, Design: 25 levels, Base 4, +2 Voice, +1 Diam, +2 Group, -3 Might cost, +2 Initiative cost, 5 mastery points. As Confusion of the Numbed Will, p 151 core, but Voice, Diameter, Group. Remus' growl clouds the mind of its prey.
The Inexorable Hunter (Greater: 25), Points: 0, Initiative: Qik-2, Form: Corpus, Range: Arc, +4, Duration: Conc, +1, Target: Ind, +0, Level: InCo25, Requisite: Animal, Design: 25 levels, Base 3, +4 Arc, +1 Conc, +1 An requisite, -3 Might cost, 3 mastery points. Animal or Corpus. Once the hound is set on the scent of a creature or person, it can follow flawlessly for as long as is needed to locate it. The hound is not fooled by the various ruses of his prey, such as heading through water or doubling back. If the prey has Magic Resistance, this effect has to Penetrate in the usual fashion.
Great Leap (Personal: 25), Points: 2, Initiative: Qik+3, Form: Animal, Range: Per, +0, Duration: Mom, +0, Target: Ind, +0, Level: ReAn15, Design: 15 levels, Base 15, +4 Initiative cost, 2 mastery points. (As per RoP:M p 60). Remus is able to leap instantly up to 30 paces vertically or 50 paces horizontally. It must make a Dexterity + Encumbrance stress roll of 0+ to land without injury.
Changes during years 20-30 Post gauntlet:
Begin: 1470 xp @ year 1251 age 52 [10 deducted for longevity season + 20 for 2 work seasons + 10 for familiar binding]
End 1820 xp @ year 1261 age 62 [altogether deducted 40 from before and 50 for talisman = 90 deducted at 30 years post-gauntlet)
= 350 xp added
Arts 160 xp:
Rego 17 -> 19 = 25
Animal 14 -> 16 = 31
Mentem 17 -> 19 = 25
Terram 0 -> 6 = 21
Auram 0 -> 5 = 15
Aquam 2 -> 6 = 18
Creo 7 -> 8 = 8
Muto 8 -> 9 = 9
Herbam 6 -> 7 = 7
Corpus 0 -> 1 = 1
Abilities 20 xp:
Magic Lore 2 -> 3 = 15
Covenant Lore: Polyaigos (personalities) 0 -> 1 5
Spells 170 xp:
The Tiger's Leap 35
Spot the Quarry 15
A Day's Honey 20
The Tentacle's Elongation 5
The Tentacle of the Eye 5
The Tentacle's Slime 5
Commanding the Humongous Beast 35
Commanding the Conscious Creature 35
Relocate the Vis 15
= 350 xp added
Work on talisman The Tentacle (leather whip with a tiny topaz filled with mercury, magnetite magnet, and cinnabar embedded within the hilt) in years 1259-1260 :
1 season open for enchantment: topaz (12), tiny (x1) = 12 vis expended
1 season attune as talisman
1 season instill Slithering, level 30, 3 vis expended (attunement Rego +2):
Lab total Rego 19 + Animal 16 + int 3 + theory 6 + aura 3 + rego 2 from magnet + animal 3 from magnetite + familiar's theory and int 6 + talisman 5= 63
1 season instill Tough, level 25, 3 vis expended (attunement Muto +5):
Lab total Muto 9 + Animal 16 + int 3 + theory 6 + aura 3 + muto 5 from mercury + familiar's theory and int 6 + talisman 5 = 53
1 season instill Clean, level 20, 2 vis expended (attunement Control Wild Beasts +5):
Lab total Rego 19 + aquam 6 + int 3 + theory 6 + aura 3 + aquam 3 from mercury + familiar's theory and int 6 + talisman 5 = 51
Had 51 vis from before
Received 10*4 (2 base + 2 virtue) = 40 vis during 10 years
Spent 20 on talisman
51 + 40 - 20 = 71
71 pawns left over at 1261
Longevity at 12th mag
9 Aging rolls with -1 living modifier, -12 longevity, - 3 bronze and +6 age = -10 factored in: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4796656/
1 Aging roll with = -9 factored in: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4796655/
-> Apparent Age stays at 38
Familiar has 26+20=46 xp in Magic Theory, score 3 (specialty helping in the lab) and 16 towards the next
Changes during 10-20 post gauntlet:
Begin: 1070 xp @ year 1241 age 42 [10 deducted for longevity season + 20 for 2 work seasons + 10 for familiar]
End 1470 xp @ year 1251 age 52)
= 400 xp
Arts 100 xp:
Herbam 3 -> 6 = 15
Perdo 5 -> 9 = 30
Ignem 0 -> 5 = 15
Vim 2 -> 5 = 12
Muto 6 -> 8 = 15
Creo 5 -> 7 = 13
Abilities 205 xp:
Penetration 3 -> 5 = 45
Magic Theory 3 -> 5 = 45
Finesse 2 -> 4 = 35
Awareness 1 -> 2 = 10
Parma 4 -> 6 = 55
Faerie Lore 0 -> 1 = 5
Artes Liberales 1 -> 2 = 10
Spells 65 xp:
The Hunter's Stealth 10
The Draftless Step 5
Strabo's Pencil 15
Understand Me, Beast 15
Wizard's Communion 20
Mastery xp:
Circle of Hypnos 0 -> 1 = 5
Gaze of Hypnos 0 -> 1 = 5
Gaze of Hibernation 0 -> 1 = 5
Wizard's Leap 0 -> 1 = 5
The Aura of Rightful Authority 0 -> 1 = 5
Look at Me 0 -> 1 =5
= 400
Had 13 vis left over from before.
Receives 10*4 (2 base + 2 virtue) = 40 vis at 2051
Altogether 51 pawns at 20 years post gauntlet
Longevity at 12th mag
9 Aging rolls with -1 living modifier, -12 longevity, -3 bronze, and +5 age = -11 factored in:
-8 -9 -8 -2 -3 -8 -6 -2 3
1 Aging roll with = -10 factored in:
-2
-> Apparent Age increases by 1 from 37 to 38
Familiar had 6 xp in Magic Theory
Familiar receives 10 * 2 = 20 xp in Magic Theory
Familiar has 26 xp in Magic Theory at 20 yeas post gauntlet
Changes from 0 to 10 post gauntlet:
Begin: 660 xp @ year 1231 age 32
End 1070 xp [10 deducted for longevity season + 20 for 2 work seasons + 10 for binding familiar] @ year 1241 age 42)
= 410 xp
Arts 160 xp:
Rego 12->17 = 50
Mentem 12-> 17 = 50
Animal 9 ->14 = 60
Abilities 100 xp:
Parma 1 -> 4 = 45
Scribe 0 -> 1 = 5
Concentration 2 -> 4 =35
Latin 4 -> 5 = 25
Spells xp 160:
Understand Me 20
Personal Veil of Invisibility 15
The Gaze of Hibernation 25
The Circle of Hibernation 20
The Gaze of Hypnos 20
The Circle of Hypnos 15
Look at Me, Beast 5
Look at Me 15
Sympathy for the Magus 5
= 410
Years from gauntlet to ritual = 4
4*4 (2 base + 2 virtue) = 16 vis at ritual
2 seasons of work = 6 pawns
= 22 vis altogether at ritual
Longevity at 35 = base 7 + 10 + 2 = 21 for 12th mag
1 vis left after ritual
Binds familiar after 3 years at age 38, has earned 3 years x 4 vis =12 vis; has altogether 13 vis before familiar binding
Familiar binding total: Rego 17 + (Mentem 17 x 2 [focus: control mental state] = 34) + theory 3 + int 3 + aura 3 = 60, so magnitude 12, cost 12 vis. Cords: Gold +2, Silver +2, Bronze +3
1 vis left after familiar binding
3 years from ritual to 10 years after gauntlet = 3x4=12 pawns of vis, +1 left over = 13 vis left over 10 years after gauntlet
13 vis left @ 10 years post-G
Familiar has received 3x2 =6 xp to Magic Theory
Apparent age to 37 years, 1 aging to Presence
Shapeshifter and Lycanthrope. How do you see those working? I assume that you retain normal intelligence when shapeshifted but do not when a Lycanthrope.
Yes.Full moon = cunning lycanthrope, otherwise normal shapechanger. I was thinking Arktos handles the lycantrophy with a circle-range animal sleep spell that he sleeps in, so that when he transforms the spell kicks in and puts him back to sleep. Then he just has to hope nothing breaks the circle, so he wakes up when he transforms back and gets his int back.
I have updated the first two posts with the final information on Arktos and his familiar in legible format. I changed Remus around a little bit from what I had before, but nothing too drastic. I also switched Arktos' Magic Animal Friend minor flaw to Hermetic Patron (Lexander of Tremere, p. 44 AtD), and included Lexander in Arktos' background as the one who invited him into Transylvania.
This is new in Arktos' background:
Arktos has lived all his life in the covenant of Polyaigos in the Theban tribunal, where his pater Nuncius still resides. Arktos used to enjoy life at the militant covenant, capturing creatures and hunting down enemies of the Order. He was, however, troubled by declining populations of magical animals in the Aegean region. When Arktos wrote about these worries to his friend and patron Lexander of Tremere, the elderly Fector beast master arranged him a position in the Oppidum of Héviz cataloging, capturing, and taming the magical creatures. Arktos welcomed the fresh hunting grounds, the high prices of the regulated Tremere magical animal market, and the order and discipline of the Tremere social structure.
This is new in Remus' background:
Remus was born to a litter of bloodhounds at the kennels of the covenant Polyaigos. The magus Arktos, who often worked at the kennels, soon noticed its magical nature and started preparing it as his familiar. Remus now leads a pack of five bloodhounds, each of which it has personally raised and trained. Remus and its pack aid Arktos in tracking down and capturing magical creatures.
I also chose the kind of vis he has left over as stocks: 15 Rego, 16 Creo, 14 Intellego, 16 Muto, 10 Perdo
Wait...dogs? As in plural?
Oy... 
Not ok? I thought it fits with the "leader hound" rego thing as well as the hunter theme, and the rules are pretty straightforward. Is there something I am missing? They can be ditched easily, it's not central in any way.
It might hve been better if I said:
"D-d-d-dogs?! Zoinks!"
Zoltan is very frighened of dogs, and his faerie friend really doesn't like them.
Heh, didn't notice that. Might be fun, no? Or would you prefer that I ditch them, is it too much conflict?
No need to ditch them, it should make for some interesting stories. Take a look at the first page of the Beerskin thread to get an idea.
Here's a mechanical draft of Arktos' laboratory plans. If they seem OK, I will put some flesh around them bones.
After Arktos finishes setting up the lab in Spring 1261:
Virtues:
Minor: Spacious (+2 Safety, +1 Aesthetics)
Free: Dedicated Building (+1 Upkeep, +1 Aesthetics; +1 Re), Superior Tools (+1 Safety; +1 Items), Superior Equipment (+1 General Quality, [+2 Upkeep], +1 Safety; +1 Vis Extraction), Familiar Remus (+ 5 General Quality [Int 2 + Theory 3], +3 Safety [Bronze Cord])
Stats before reductions:
Size+2 (75m2; +1 occupied), Refinement 0, General Quality+6, Upkeep +1, Safety+7, Warping 0, Health 0, Aesthetics+2
Vis Extraction+1, Items+1, Rego+1
Reductions: Refinement 0 - Occupied Size 1 = -1 Safety
During Summer and Autumn 1261, Arktos adds a confinement facility 30 square meters in area and 4 meters in height, large enough to hold a Size +4 creature. This is a Greater Feature Virtue and Greater Focus Flaw akin to the Cage.
Virtues: Greater Feature (Cage, Aesthetics +2; Rego +3)
Flaws: Greater Focus (Cage, General Quality -2; Rego+4)
At the end of 1261, the stats are thus:
Size+2 (75m2; +1 occupied), Refinement 0, General Quality+4, Upkeep +1, Safety+6, Warping 0, Health 0, Aesthetics+4
Vis Extraction+1, Items+1, Rego+8
I finally finished Arktos' aging rolls since Invisible Castle is working again. Rolled well and didn't even get any apparent aging for the last 10 years. I edited this info to this post. https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/the-break-room/102/1
The character is now done.