Door is open 
If the door is open, I'd like to be considered for a place in the covenant. I've read through the last couple of threads in the forum, but there's a lot there to look at...
Just thinking aloud - are any of the Flambeau a "burn all sahirs on sight" type? I've always liked the idea of playing a Hermetic Sahir from Societates in Iberia, but if it would just cause instant wizard's war or conflict in the covenant I wouldn't bother. Thinking of companions, I'm currently in love with RoP:D and The Church so am thinking along the lines of a relic-owning knight or a craftsman who is motivated to give his wealth away in the name of his patron saint.
Vibria's covenant of apprenticeship (Plateau, a non-canon covenant) is Reconquista, but I don't see her being political enough to really care, as long as the Order's safe, and she gets her bling, she's cool.
Oh...and Vibria says that if you're wanting to give all your wealth away... 
Arnau (a companion) is quite vocal in his opposition to anything sahir, since he believes his (minor) magical tradition comes down from the auxiliary forces that helped flambeau, and have sworn an oath to fight his (believed) killers. But he will have to suck it up if you play that character. I see this as a good option for roleplaying 
This is my view on it...
(and keep in mind that I am always willing to tailor that view to fit with what the players want to do)
It is sort of a Beloved Rival relationship. There may be a few violent magi, on both sides, that are willing to take it to the street". But that is rare and illegal. Most of the old Roman vs Reconquista debate was about political and military support of mundanes. Which side to back and what would benefit us greater and such. Not so much with the open conflict against one another.
But the Shadow Wars changed the political environment of the Order, and Las Navas changed the political environment of the mundanes. Since the Shadow Wars, there is no room for dissent in the Order. The enemy is the infernal powers that have tried to divide us and turn us against each other, and we must all stand strong together. Since Las Navas, the whole point is moot. For the most part, there are now two types of Tafias. The sort that are friendly to magi (including sahirs) are those that are allied with &/or subjugated by Castile. The rest are being systematically conquered by Aragon.
Not all Flambeau magi are concerned about Iberia,nor are that aware of the situation. They hear myths and rumors and think old stories re current news. In fact, it is these foreign magi that would be the most intolerant. The enemy is no longer the Arabs or the Sahirs. The current threat are the Almohad Berbers, and their power & influence is waning. Anyway, they hate Sahirs and are uber fundamentalist in their variation of Islam. They do have their own tradition of Hedge Wizards in support though. The Marabbouts, quasi holy men / saints / necromancers.
Anyway, there are no wizards affiliated with the Order of Suleiman in Iberia. For the most part. As far as anyone knows that is. It's an open door for a future story, but until then they do not exist. All sahirs in Iberia are Hermetic and full fledged magi. And the Flameau of the Knights of Seneca are in part responsible for that.
Around the time of El Cid, the Knights of Seneca were Reconquista magi of the old school. Some sahirs had joined the Order, but the fact that they were discriminated against and picked on kept many other sahirs from associating with magi. But the Almorvids were invading, and like their lattercousins the Almohads, they persecuted sahirs and were quite nasty. Then the great El Cid forced the sahirs and the Flambeau to sit at the negotiation table, and an alliance was formed. El Cid went on to capture Valencia and was the patron of a covenant there, comprised of Flambeau of the Knights of Seneca and the Sahirs newly recruited into the Order. After El Cid died, Valencia eventially falls to the Almorvids and the covenant disbands. The sahirs go on to form Estancia Escarida and the Flambeau discover and reinvigorate Andorra Covenant. Ever since then there has been a quiet alliance between this covenant and that one. When the Flaming Shadows attacked them, we were there to defend them.
Now Arnau is a Hedge Wizard. He knows nothing about the Shadow Wards. His cult is what it is. We will deal with that. Anyway, he was hired by the king of Aragon to hunt down any enemy hedge wizards serving Moslem forces resisting his conquest of the Balearic Islands. That is when he met Roberto of Flambeau, who was living in Ibiza protecting the coast from pirates (who happened to be aligned with hedge wizards).
Roerto will back you up. He already has an argument with Arnau about something like this. Anau views enemies according the political/religious bias. Roberto sees things as a Hermetic Magis; all magi are Oath bound together regardless of theology or creed (so long as said creed is in step with the code).
Also, keep in mind that Andorra is not technically part of the Iberian Tribunal. Nor are we part of Provencal. Whe hold an old charter from the original Val-Negra Tribunal, we slipped through the cracks when the borders shifted and changed, and the Grand Tribunal has yet to get around to being bothered with us. So the whole Roman versus Reconquista is not only in the past, but the covenant had nothing to do with it.
Moderately hypothetically, how many slots do you currently have, and do you take newbies?
My only campaign so far - The Covenant Adrift - appears to be mildly non-occurring at the moment, and I'd be interested in joining one with a proven track record. However, my working arrangements are changing in the next couple of weeks, so I kinda need to see how that shakes down. If there's a slot, though, I'd be keen to try to fit into it. I should know for sure about amounts of work within 2 to 3 weeks.
There has always been a constant flow of players that come and go. They usually come in bursts, such as I am currently experiencing. There is currently yourself, a guy already in forum, and another that just wrote me a letter.
You are all welcome in 
Honestly, though, my experience has been that only one out of five new players actually stick around long enough to make a significant impact. Not long ago, I had a flurry of new players join, only one made it into game, then they went on vacation a few weeks later and never came back.
My proven track record is, well, spotty to say the least. This whole thing collapsed a few years ago and it was dormant for awhile. It was even retired at one point. About a year and a half ago, I revived it. And the thing mainly lives because of me being stubborn and my awesome players. And luck.
Oh heck, and because of my brilliance. I can admit it :mrgreen:
Actually, the real key I feel is the way I let players really get into imagination and detail of their own individual characters. Two key concepts: Shared Imagination and Pantheistic Soliphism.
OK, cool. I'll look at some of your threads and see what you've already got covered, and come up with a concept. Is there anywhere I can easily see what your active characters are?
Are you wanting newly gauntleted mages?
This Link will lead you to our member list.
Don't think in terms of "what we got covered". That is artificial. Think in terms of what you want to do. redundancy is a good thing. It is realistic and is beneficial.
Fair point. I have a vague idea percolating about a mage leading with Imaginem, and not being much in the way of a combatant.
I'll repeat my earlier question - are you looking for newly-gauntleted mages, or older ones?
Both. I am figuring a new cap of around 15 years post gauntlet, but I am kind to younger magi.
Hello! I am a new member of this board. I have for some time tried to assemble a group to play Ars Magica, and have only recently discovered that there even WAS a PbP community of it. As this seems to be the only active and recruiting game of it's type, I was wondering if my total lack of playing experience (though I am quite experienced as a whole in PbP role plays and in RL rpg games) would be an issue for me joining?
I might suggest starting out playing a grog, companion, or maybe even an apprentice. That way you can demonstrate your playing skills while becoming accustomed to the setting and how the system works in actual practice.
I am recruiting new players once again
Expressing my interest to join. I'm quite happy creating a maga fresh from the gauntlet, and if there's anything you need me to do just say so!
I'd also be interested!
Join the PbP group and introduce yourselves in the General Table Talk thread
If you're not in a hurry I'll probably give It a try in a week or two.
Groovy
still in the process of recruiting?