Add Inventive Genius +3 too.
Question: I'm assuming that it would apply for new spells. Does it also apply for other lab activity? In other sagas it has applied for any time the character uses their MT in the lab t generate a lab total, other saga it is more strict.
I don't think it would apply. Inventive Genius is for inventing new things (spells, enchanted items, familiar bond, etc.), not being taught a spell by another magus or inventing it using a lab text.
For Inventive Genius to apply, you would need to have invented the spell from scratch without help -- thus accumulating points over the level of the spell. So, even accounting for the focus, you would have accumulated only 3 points per season (based on your stats at Gauntlet!) and taken 9 seasons to invent the spell. I'm pretty sure you'll agree that is unlikely to happen during apprenticeship.
All IMHO. 
BTW, I'm not impying that the covenant would rely or actively participate in the smuggling activities. He might pose as a merchant, providing the magi with "hard to get" or "unusual" items in exchange for services or cash. If the magi can plunder some items they don't need from the ruins of the covenant, he might be able to monetize those for them. With his travelling, he might also have access to local information, rumors and gossip that might help them locate resources for themselves. Example of these are, out of hand: vis sources, grogs, a potential source of income like an abandoned mine.
This would of course work best if he is aware that they are magi, fulfilling a role similar to that of a venditor for Verditius magi. He might even be a former apprentice (though not necessarily have the Failed Apprentice virtue).
(The opening theme for the TV series Firefly has been running through my head since yesterday, even though I wasn't thinking of it when I got the idea for a smuggler. 
)
[hr][/hr]
Take my love, take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don't care, I'm still free
You can't take the sky from me.
I disagree with that statement. Inventive Genius would also apply to spells that were invented from a lab text. The rules describe a spell created from a lab text as being "invented." Remember, each spell is unique (and encompasses the magus' sigil), and must be invented by each magus, whether from scratch or from a lab text.
The real question, then, is whether we assume that apprentices learn their spells from being taught by their masters or from lab texts. And that's a sticky question.
One argument for the lab text interpretation is the limit of Te + Fo + Int + MT + Aura for starting spells. Coincidentally, this is the same target needed to invent a spell from a lab text.
I think it would be hard to hide the fact that we're magi from companions. So even if he didn't know it from the start, he'd learn it pretty quickly.
Technically even spells that are taught are invented with the teacher's assistance...
That is not the interpretation generally used on these boards. The virtue's description states you gain a bonus when "inventing new spells". If you have a lab text, it is not a new spell. If it applied to all spells, then why mention "new"?
When using a lab text, you gain a bonus if you have Adept Laboratory Student. I don't see the two virtues as overlapping.
Of course, Koschei has the final word on this.
That is basically the definition of a Lab Total, more broadly. That is also the same formula that is used on p.95 ("Learning Spells from a Teacher") -- specifically the "Highest Level of an Individual Spell: Student’s Lab Total in the Technique and Form of the Spell"
During apprenticeship, it is much more efficient to spend a season or two teaching your apprentice spells that you know (those seasons count towards the number of seasons owed an apprentice). The level limit for individual spells is by TeFo lab total of the student, but the total levels of spells that can be taught in a season is based on the teacher's lab totals (which is presumably much higher than the apprentice's).
Otherwise you'd need to let him use your lab for many seasons on his own.
But again, these are not "new" spells.
Gideon was raised in the Hungarian capital by a reasonably well to do merchant. There would be some link there, though of course, his life has taken another path.
Too soon.
I'm not familiar with the discussions on the board about the subject. But technically, every spell is new.
That's a good countervailing argument. It would seem odd to double dip if you had both virtues. No other virtues I'm aware of overlap like that.
Hmm, also a very good point.
I've looked at how to get an apprentice to 240 xp and 120 levels of spells in 15 years, and I tend to agree that most of the spells known would be taught. But there is some wiggle room for apprentices learning the occasional spell from a lab text.
What really convinces me that IG shouldn't apply to lab texts, however, is the argument about ALS specifically applying to lab texts. It seems unlikely that two virtues should give a bonus to the same activity. I can't think of any other situation where that would be the case.
First Draft, advice sought at the end.
Joshua grew up in Esztergom, Hungary, where being a Jew is not (yet) the problem it is in much of Europe. He was a middle son of a prosperous minor merchant and was, as is so often the case, little liked. But his family educated him and had even begun teaching the rudiments of the family business when a Tremere talent scout realized the bookish lad that no one like was gifted, and arranged an apprenticeship.
It was a normal (for the Tremere) apprenticeship for the first few years, re-orienting a boy somewhat dreamy and withdrawn into practical concerns and teaching him to fight and be useful. Then, one day as part of his training, his master instructed him to describe Hannibal's rise and fall. Joshua's explanations were clear, insightful and easily grasped. Pleased, his master (Etrius) instructed him to write a long essay describing a portion of the campaign. Etrius immediately saw that he had a good clear writer in this apprentice, and began supplementing his training with this in mind.
Sometime later, Joshua's training became a bit disjointed, as he found himself sent all over the Transylvanian tribunal. Eventually, he learned why. A Bonisagian named Archimedes sought to interview him, and perhaps take him in. Joshua, twenty by now, with a swordsman's callouses forming on his hands, was enthralled. He didn't enjoy the Tremere culture, which was both militaristic and atheistic, where as he was raised to call soldiering the gentiles' work and trust himself to the God of Abraham. But try as he might, he never could manage to meet his rescuer, despite three escape attempts, the last serious enough to earn him a sincere beating. Meanwhile, in the background, Archimedes waged a legal campaign against Etrius, but alas, unsuccessfully.
As the years of his apprenticeship drew to a close, Joshua began to plot for freedom. He was successfully gauntleted and took the name Dracul. Days later, his full field kit and all his possessions packed, Joshua visited Archimedes and asked to be admitted into the great House of Bonisagus. Archimedes spoke with the boy and tested him at length, eventually determining that the lad had missed his chance for the intensive training in Magical Theory required. The boy could never be Bonisagian.
But Archimedes was a kind man, and angry at the injustice done. Recognizing that the young Dracul's position was tenuous at best, he arranged an escape to a distant tribunal, and introduction to a Maga Ex Miscellanea. Joshua was duly admitted to the house as an Ordo (orphan) taking the name Gideon and discarding his Tremere name. Sadly, his role as a Tremere deserter has gotten around, and it marks him as persona non grata for one of two reasons, depending on the individual. If one believes he's left the house, the hierarchical Tremere are likely to view him as an enemy and seek to do him harm. Of course, many doubt the story and assume he's a spy. And all of that leaves to one side the rather obvious deficiency of his Jewishness. All in all, a young man lucky to have found any sodales to put up with him.
Gideon Ex Miscellanea, filius Etrius
Characteristics: Int +2, Per -1, Pre -1, Com +2, Str +2, Sta +2, Dex 0, Qik 0
Size: 0
Age: 25 (25)
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 185 lbs
Gender: Male
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues: Secondary Insight, Book Learner, Free Study, Good Teacher, Imp Char (x1), Cautious Sorcerer, Puissant Parma, Minor Focus: Certamen
Flaws: Outsider, Enemies, Pious (minor), Temperate (minor), Clumsy Magic, Susceptible to Divine
Arts: Cr 7, In 5, Mu 6, Pe 3, Re 3, An 2, Aq 1, Au 1, Co 2, He 1, Ig 6, Im 3, Me 1, Te 3, Vi 3
Abilities: Hungarian 5, Latin 4, Hebrew 3, Area Lore: Hungary 1 (Estergrom), Athletics 1 (running), Artes Liberales 2 (ritual magic), Awareness 2 (alertness), Bargain 1, Brawl 1 (dodge), Charm 1, Etiquette 1, Folk Ken 1, Great Weapon 2 (Great sword), Magic Theory 3 (items), Parma Magica 1+2 (Mentem), Penetration 1 (Creo), Philosophiae 1 (ritual magic), Profession Scribe 1, Single Weapon 1 (dagger), Stealth 1 (sneak), Survival 1 (foraging), Swim 1
Spells:
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk (MuAn 15) +11
Wizard's Sidestep (ReIm 10) +6
Blade of Virulent Flame (CrIg 15) +15
Pilum of Fire (CrIg 20) +15
Touch of the Pearls (InAq 5) +8
Cloak of Duck's Feathers (ReAq 5) +6
Bind Wound (CrCo 10) +11
Eyes of the Cat (MuCo 5) +10
Conjure the Sturdy Vine (CrHe 5) +10
Pass the Unyielding Portal (MuHe 5) +9
Unseen Arm (ReTe 5) +8
Scales of Magical Weight (InVi 5) +10
Sense the Nature of Vis (InVi 5) +10
Wizard's Eye for Vis (InVi 10) +10 (Net Wizard's Grimoire spell, Conc duration)
So, a question or two and then the advice. First of all, the flavor text on Free Study implies that it might not be compatible with Book Learner. What say you? Second, I've noticed that at least two folks are taking personal vis source. I've only played in one game, and we have a pretty high vis covenant. No one has that virtue. Should I try to find space for it? Is that a standard thing the most folks have most of the time?
The advice: astute observers will have noted that I have space for one more virtue, as the Certamen focus is free. I was leaning toward Affinity Creo, as not having an affinity is giving me hives and in the medium term I was shooting towards those stat bumping rituals to really crank up my books. Those are super high and I'm starting to worry that I won't be able to get there without the boost. I was also considering the last of the three good student virtues to give me the full set. Any advice? My theme here is that I'm a naturally good student and writer, who ended up diverted into a warlike and house and trained up (hence the Parma and Cautious). What rounds me out?
Also, if you'd like me to take the faerie wizard thing as a story hook, let me know. I'd swap in Free Study as free and pay for the focus (so no difference there), and then take Strong Faerie Blood and Deficient Longevity Ritual as my house effects. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind but it doesn't wreck anything for me.
Yes, my assumption would be that it applies to new spells, things that you innovate in the saga itself. My gut tells me that it does not apply to spells that you learn.
Edit: Now I would have thought that Inventive Genius and Adept Student could stack, but I find myself swayed by the suggestion that they do not. So yea I'll say they are non-stackable.
Sorry for the delay in replying. I've had work commitments.
On that note that, on most week days I am most likely to check in on this forum around 8pm GMT onwards, or any time at the weekends.
Looking good.
I see what you mean, but I see no reason for that to be taken literally, because there is no reason why someone can be good at figuring things out for themselves, and be good at gleaning knowledge from books.
It will be useful, it is not intended that you will be awash in vis, but neither that it will be too scarce. Also it represents vis that you can hoard away in your own personal stash. Not everyone takes it, but it is a desirable virtue.
I know exactly what you mean, affinities are great, personally I am always inclined to take two!
On regards of other virtues, apt student is probably not as useful as it could be. I am not sure you will find many Hermetic teachers, not for a while anyway. Study bonus sounds fun but potentially frustrating. Not sure really.
Hmm... either way is good. Not sure which option I prefer!
Actually, with no library, no vis and no labs when we start, I would expect that we would probably be open to teaching each other. About our specialty Arts, abilities and spells.
We'll see how things goes.
I am not cruel enough to deny you such basic resources for very long, and yes you could instruct each other. But to find an experienced Magus to teach you is probably a med to long term goal.
Possible background for my smuggler companion.
The son of a prosperous merchant, (insert local name) was raised much like a member of the nobility would have been. He learned his letters from tutors, was trained to handle weapons by a weapons master on retainer to his family, and learned about the business from his father. He even learned about something about the supernatural from a practitioner of minor magic, though he himself has no gift for it.
It was hinted that some day he might even marry into the nobility. Now, truth be told, not all of his family activities were strictly legal. Nothing serious, but sometimes the right official would be bribed to look the other way as merchandise was moved, or an less than legitimate customs document would be presented. All of this (name) knew about and was learning to do himself.
His father's plan cames to naught. Perhaps the (local middle nobility rank) felt he was becoming too indebted to this merchant family. Perhaps something happened to raise his ire. Be that as it may, greed seemed to have been the deciding factor. All that (name) knows is that, while he was away from home leading a commercial expedition, trumped up charge were brought against his father. The family business was seized by the noble and his father executed for treason.
Dread had followed (name) for many days when this happened. As he hurried up to get back home, driven by his unexplicable fear, his caravan stumbled upon the trap while it was still being set up. This caught the "brigands" by surprise, allowing the caravan's guards to send them packing without too many wounds. Finding refuge with one of his family's contacts, (name) learned of the perfidy commited upon his family.
Since then, he has made a living as a smuggler and occasionally a thief. He knows that taking on (noble's name) head on would be suicidal, so instead he strikes small blows against him whenever he can, disrupting his plans or "diverting" ressources, often using them to help those oppressed by (noble's name)'s actions. In this, he has the support from his family's many contacts throughout the region, many of whom are relatives on his mother's side. Some of these contacts will occasionally join him on a venture, provide him with information, or help him dispose of the goods he acquires.
How does that sound?
I'm sure the ruins of the covenant will yield some interesting and useful things for us. 
Sounds good, also I might be able to work him nicely into the start of the saga, or at least have you meet or be reunited with him fairly soon.
Great. That's my take as well.
Yeah, I figure that's why the bonus is higher. Important question: are there Parma books? I've seen suggestions on these boards that the Order doesn't (or shouldn't) allow them on account of the security risk, and as I plan on dumping a lot into Parma, that would make Apt Student worth it to me all on its own.
Anyway, assuming that's not an issue, I'll go with the Affinity. Thanks!
Guidance on companion characters. Should we make a character intended to be the sidekick of a particular magus, or just someone generally useful who has reason to hang out with this group of reprobates? Since we're theoretically not running this character, should we make our own sidekick?