Would't this end in a huge conflict potential if the mages who did look for a lasting methode to live longer and payed a price for this get only a fraction of the vis the other got?
I.e. Qendal will probably lose a complet year and the ability to use fatigue through The Becoming to make his body ageless, not to count that he probably also gain a new flaw.
(1 Saison travling, 1 Saison doing work at the covenant for his parent, 1 Saison initation, 1 Saison spending in his lab)
Are you'll want to pay the penalties for that so soon into the character's life? It becomes so very expensive to progress after Becoming (or any other form of immortality, actually). In that particular case, the restrictions on spontaneous magic seem especially painful to me. Also, when speaking of vis, remember you'll need to power the three rituals with something. They won't necessarily be Creo, but you'll need to come up with something and, if that's your goal, it might be best to start planning for the TeFo combo you'll be using now and start securing the resources.
FWIW and pending SG approval, I was planning to start with a Personal Vis Source (Creo). I hadn't really given a thought towards a Longevity ritual when I added it; it actually just made the most sense with the source I had in mind, but it should definitely cover my needs in that area.
I'd like to see a reasonably diverse collection of sources for our covenant. As has been pointed out, with Merceres in the group, we should be able to trade at reasonable rates, but it is still nice to have a nice range available natively, as it were.
It might be a conflict but the concept of need before greed would state that those who were still looking at aging issues have a greater need than those who are looking for Cr vis to, say, whip up some better lab equipment. If an immortal magus had a need just as pressing, I'm sure it would be considered with equal weight, but I think he'd otherwise be waiting for his turn, just like those who had already completed their conventional Longevity Rituals.
In the same vein, I'd expect my magus, with his own source of Creo, to be bypassed when it comes to handing out the Creo vis from covenant sources unless he was doing something for the entire community that was pressing enough to warrant the allocation.
Al that might imply that I lean towards a distribution-by-Council-approval method. I'm not really sure that I do, although I don't think I'd argue against it either. I think we'll have to plan out other details of the covenant first.
A vis salary and/or stipend is a nice, orderly, and conflict-free solution that can save problems later. The difficulty is establishing what those rates are in the first place, and it relies on there being enough to share that everybody's equal portion is really something meaningful, in terms of both quantity and type. 2 pawns of Perdo vis a year isn't going to do my magus (with his Pe of 0) much good at all.
If we don't end up with enough vis of sufficient types (and given that there are 7 magi, I don't think we can assume we will until we get further along into covenant design), we may have to go with a council-driven, project-based allotment scheme just to make sure everybody with an important project has enough to work with.
Regarding covenant creation, here's a start (keeping in mind that each of us by default start with one laboratory).
30 points Intelligo summa (a first quality summa is around 30 build points, we can nitpick the exact quality/level later)
30 points Vim summa
30 points Magic Theory summa (assuming magic theory includes the theory of regios while Magic Lore covers their location)
This assumes that the Tribunal gave us the means to study the regio, and went to the trouble of getting the best summa available on the three subjects
40 points 8p Vim vis grant (a yearly grant taken directly from the Tribunal's stores)
10 points 2p Intelligo vis grant (a yearly grant taken directly from the Tribunal's stores)
10 points 2p Creo vis source (a source deeded to our covenant)
5 points 1p Rego vis source (a source deeded to our covenant)
10 points 2p Aquam vis source (a source deeded to our covenant)
10 points 2p Corpus vis source (a source deeded to our covenant)
10 points 2p Herbam vis source (a source deeded to our covenant)
5 points 1p Terram vis source (a source deeded to our covenant)
A good mix of the most useful/needed vis types and of the ones most likely to be abundant near our covenant
15 points one retired bard (Comm 2, Teaching 6, Highest Ability 7, scores in Scottish Gaelic, Lowland Scots, Area Lore (Scotland), Music, and anything else appropriate)
6 points one magically competent scribe (Magic Theory 5, Latin 5, Prof. Scribe 5)
6 points one book binder (Craft.6)
6 points one illuminator (Craft 6)
6 points one percamenarious (parchment maker, Craft 6)
6 points one brewer (Craft 6, and we already have an inn).
With 8 magi, Crepuscidor, the Dead Librarian, a scribe, a binder and an illuminator we're paying 12 pounds of silver a year for writing supplies, the percamenarious will save us 6 and is thematically very appropriate for a covenant deliberately looking to set itself up for the book trade. We're also looking at around 150 points of inhabitants, which means 150 pounds a year in related expenses (provisions account for half, then consumables, wages, and building maintenance). We could save some with the appropriate craftsmen, but that's not really significant, so I'd rather go for the thematic: a brewer, since we have an inn. He will save all of 4 pounds a year 
5 points 25 points of vis in store
5 points 100 pounds of silver (or tradeable goods) in store
That accounts for 245 points, less than half. We can either fill up with more books, more vis, and so forth, or we can start looking into individual magi's desires (bigger lab, magic item, specific books...)
The vis grants from the tribunal assumes that the tribunal functions in this way, so we definitely need GM buy-in on that, I think.
If not we can always fall back on standard vis sources, or individual grants from other covenants. But since this is a Dedicated Covenant it seemed appropriate.
Right not be able to spend fatigue is painfull (bether sayed to have to pay confidence instead of fatigue) but that works for this char.
But the complet transformation to a fearie is split in 3 steps that don't have to be done in following saisons (for most its not even posible to do so), at last to my understanding of the Becoming.
So my plan is actual instead of the first time to use the longvity ritual he makes his body immortal and keep the next 2 steps for be done in a vew hundred years later when it looks like it becomes necesary from warping.
Beside its new to me that the labwork for this need vis as it is not mentioned in Transforming the Body or the Becoming.
But if you have expirience with the Innitation in Becomming and the following 3 step Labworks that in it self sounds in some things similiar to initations please post here:
There are still ways to learn post Becoming especially if you don't go the whole way through. You can even learn new abilities if you try hard enough. Similarly, Binding allows for continued learning. Transformed Human allows for continued learning.
Looks good to start with. What do people think? I'll post Crepuscidor's stats tonight. If people want to take bigger laboratories with Personal vis sources, then that'll come out of the Build Points. I'm ruling that there isn't a big book trade covenant in Loch leglean yet so if you guys want to go with that it should work. There is a large book production covenant in Cambridge in the Stonehenge tribunal so you'll be taking some of their trade.
@Zaubersberg I'm fine with this even if I hoped we haved a bit more in books.
Could you answer to some of my questions please?
Do we start with the Labs set up alread or start with setting up the Labs? (The question is if we should do it in our story of the 10 years or then ingame)
Do we start with personal Vis/Money from the time we spend at a other covenant?
Do someone have statts for a Private or Public Teacher to learn the local language? Answeared if we take the Bard of the posting above.
As I have 1 year open right now to get the 10 years full I thinking right now about 2 saison to set up Lab + learn Language from said teacher
Nice things to delay the time you need to start with the Lonvity Ritual and so the yearly Warping you get from it. Especial the Healty Lab is something every mage can try to do (and I didn't think about so fare)
Maybe the most powerfull methode via Initations mentioned in the official book to extend the age at last from the books I know
Interesting maybe I need to get me RoP:I
Isn't here warping a problem as one get 2 points each year in oposit to the Longvity Ritual with just 1?
I was thinking more of the inability to cast spontaneous magic unless you already have a similar formulaic spell. That always seemed a bit crippling to me; typically, spontaneous magic is most often used when you don't have anything similar in your formulaic repertoire.
Looking back at the book, I think you are right about the rituals involved not requiring vis. It surprises me but there's no mention of it at all. I would have anticipated a clear statement saying there is no vis used, but I suppose it is because of the odd way this one seems to be a fusion between an initiation and normal lab work.
Very odd procedure all the way around, actually. The write-up leaves a lot of questions unanswered, like if you can delay later stages or if you can't exist in a partially transformed state for that long. I guess those are open to SG interpretation, as always, but normally they do a bit better at clarifying intent.
In any case, it sounds like a reasonable goal. Even the problem with spontaneous magic is held off until the second ritual so it wouldn't necessarily be something you'd have to worry about until you had a more extensive library of formulaic spells to draw upon. That could go a long way towards mitigating the issue.
I agree with Adauli that more books would be nice. Only 3 books seems really slim, especially given that there are 7 of us to share them.
I also wouldn't mind seeing Muto and Perdo vim sources. I may be biased as my magus is Muto focused but it does seem like we should cover all 5 techniques. After all, it is easier to trade technique vis than form vis, and with those 5 covered, we can give at least some power to anything we might want to do, even without trading. Honestly, I think our vis sources are our single greatest asset. The more the better here, within reason, so maybe we should think about bumping all except maybe the Vim source up somewhat.
I'm not terribly interested in the bard but if others see value in him, I'm happy enough to go with him. It does seems like a lot of points to invest in languages that can be picked up very rapidly through exposure. Wouldn't it be better for somebody's companion character to fill that sort of niche? Seems like a brilliant set of skills to compliment a Redcap.
Percamenarious is a big yes from me. We might even consider an ink-maker as well. Also agree completely on the thematic brewer and lack of other non-book-related craftsmen. We don't really have the economy of scale or demands of isolation that'd make them a priority.
Some of us might want a virtue or two for our labs, assuming we're starting with them already set up. If we allocate 20 points a piece, we could still cover that for everybody. I haven't gotten to designing mine but I really enjoy the lab customization rules. It makes a lab seem so much less generic to have it tweaked a bit!
I don't see any really obvious enchanted item needs right now. We might do with a non-disruptive way to help deal with mundanes who wander in by accident, but my impression of the regio is that it might not really be possible to plug up all the entrances without a really big investment. Does anybody see anything different? Any ideas for must-have items?
Zaubersberg, should we be paying for Personal Vis Sources with covenant points or from our character virtues? As I mentioned, I have one lined up for my magus but it is marked down as the character's virtue, not a covenant expense. Since it is his own personal headache (it is partnered with a Magical Animal Companion flaw), I figured that was the home for it.
If someone else casts it on you, and its level 30+ there will be trouble. 1 point for the cast and 5 more for each year. But if you are casting it yourself you should be just fine. A level 25 version using season durations and touch range still gives a +12 and doesn't warp the magi any extra, even if the magi isn't the one casting it. That's still more than the longevity rituals we'll be able to manage for ourselves.
I think personal Vis Source is generally something that the character has and the covenant doesn't. (And not paid for with build points anyway). We only have 4 creo corpus/year. That means that we are going to have a shortfall when it comes to the longevity rituals, we have what? 5 or 6 magi that need 4 pawns before the next few years are out? I for one support this for the story it will provide. Also because I have tracti I can sell for Creo Vis (which I will promptly hoard).
And for all this talk about not being able to spend fatigue on spont magic. I took weak spont magic, so I have no sympathy for you. Oh the plus side of having no fatigue: Certamen. That doesn't require spending fatigue levels.
On the resources: Yeah, we need more books. Probably one for finesse, and penetration and Parma at least. Secondly, I recommend, high level and lowish quality. (11-13). I can make a few tracti, but those aren't great for newbies. (That would be all of us.) Oh and on cost reductions, I have a spell to make plants insta-bloom, and another for quick growth. Somehow I think the tavern owner will have the cheapest supplier. Also are we using the advanced covenant book creation rules? I ask because those rules make it much harder to create a book, it goes from a magi deciding to write one, to a team effort of a magi and three more experts.
I'm willing, the issue is expense. We could afford another three, maybe more if we go all books... But there's no way we can cover all the subjects everyone needs. Hence the focus on our book-making and therefore book-trading capability.
Noted. 20 pawns of vis seems a lot... until we substract the Aegis and start to divy them up. Let's see if other also want more.
Don't forget Area Lore, and any other ability we can reasonably dump on him. Not necessarily to teach them, but just having someone who has them. That said, it would work even better as a companion.
True on the ink-maker.
With two income sources and the potential for one-off windfalls from the sale of books, we can do expense-reducing magic items. And we're not designing a high magic type covenant that requires magic for normal operation, so I guess we can do without.
There is a lab virtue "Vis Source", which for obvious reasons can't be refined into the lab, it has to be there from the start. So I guess taking it with the covenant creation points is logical... It will cost 10 build points, which is in line with a 2 pawns source. But that would definitely fall under giving the players an allocation of covenant points for personal purchases.
As mentioned bevore my char come with his wive a toolmaker (8) master and we can decide if the covenant pay for her work and all our lab have Superior Tools for free or if she set up a shop in the city and we have to pay if we need her service.
From his covenant in the Highlands Quendal can bring a Finesse Summa QL 15 lvl 6 or a Rego Summa Ql 12 lvl 15 if we are willing to pay for this with our covenant points.
But keep in mind trading this books might be more difficult then other ones.
I editted this into my last post, but I took so long three posts where following it. So... repost!
I personal disklike the advanced book creation rules from Covenants as they make the whole book thing unecesary complicated.
But if we actual go for a book copy covenant I think we should go with the Covenants rules for suma so that for copy them actual 3 master worker need to work on it.
Only Tractus should keep the base rule as needing 3 saison for copy one is getting to long and is not covered with the price one can get for them.
Edit: I think Zaubersberg should start asking for the seperate sub forum as we have different things all mixed in the same thread now.
Am I missing something in Covenants that says it takes a season of work to copy a tractatus? I was assuming the rates (3 per season) from the core book still applied, merely with the specialists dividing up the work as they need to in the background. I haven't read that section in awhile, so I could definitely be forgetting.
If I'm right, then a season to write a new one while the "team" cranks out three copies of last month's really isn't too bad. Might even talk some of the richer covenants into a subscription. Like Time-Life Books, but for magi! 
I agree completely. I believe this is now the longest thread in the GMs Looking For Players forum, which really isn't the place for it now that he's found us. 
And you are 100% right: it is getting hard to follow all the various sub-conversations in this one thread!
Thinking about Transformed Being as well since resources will be limited - just wanted to get a ruling on the major quality "No Fatigue." If it's an option I would love to take it (it gives you an extra two seasons every year for activities, reflecting that you don't need to sleep), but it seems like it might be unbalancing for magus characters (who will ostensibly have 0 might, otherwise how would we advance?) so I thought I'd check first.
I'd maybe err towards more books I guess.
Given my character's focus towards more Aurum and Mentem, that vis layout isn't as beneficial to me...but given the number of players we need to satisfy, it was inevitable that some of us wouldn't get a perfect spread. I'm not AS familiar with this game, so I many not be totally sure what's the most beneficial.
For the Becoming its ruled that the extra 2 saisons one get from not needing to sleep can't be used for laboratory activities.