To be clear, a personal ward is a spell that wards persons or objects (Ind or Group), as opposed to an area ward (Circle, Room, Structure or Boundary).
It can use any range, so you can apply a personal ward on someone else if your spell has R:Touch or above.
Even better, thanks for the clarification!
You all should just use Google more times: List of Major and Minor Magical Foci | The Iron-Bound Tome 
There are 3 references of Wards as a Focus:
So we have 2 pure Wards mentions, with no narrowing. One as classifing it as Major and another as Minor... but since the Major one it comes from a fanzine (that, to add more, im unable to find), personally I think the option that appears in an official book its much more solid.
And i mean... its logic. It just covers a single guideline from Rego. Yeah, all Forms, but its just a single guideline. It's useful? Yeah! A lot! But... its narrow? Yeah! A lot too!
So... 
My vote goes to say that Minor Foci: Wards it's perfectly good.
However, one has to look at the definition of warding. HoH:S offers in the Columbae section on p.114 (emphasis mine):
Here are the various guidelines for warding the different Forms in Ars Magica Fifth Edition. All of them are presented at Range Touch, Duration Ring, and Target Circle, since Warding always uses those same parameters.
Well, the wards made to maintain creatures outside (or inside) are like that always. But those aren't the only type of "wards"
There is a serious issue with wording in some points in ArM that lead to confusion. One of those is Wards xD
In my language is way easier, since they used very different naming for both types of wards.
The first, the one that you are talking, are (literal translation) "Circles of protection".
The others are... wards xD The ones that avoid/reduces damage from the Form.
It seems like Nithyn wants a Minor Focus: Wards (as the wards in my language). So i still not see the issue 
Moreover, i think that it could be argued that since Minor Focus: Wards is RAW and in the original language both types of spells are wards, the Minor Focus could cover both.
If it cover both types of wards, it would be too broad for a minor focus, IMHO. You have to say that warding is less than a tenth of Rego to still keep Rego in all ten Forms within the scope of a minor focus. I feel that it is a bit more than that.
Now, as a Major Magical Focus for all types of wards and warding, I'd be confortable with.
HoH:MC didn't clearly establish the scope of their Minor Magical Focus in wards, so I have to fall back on another official book (HoH:S) that does define the scope warding.
But I've already stated that I'm ok with a minor mgical focus in personal wards, which is broader than what Nithyn was asking for.
Keep in mind that Warding as defined in that page is the Columbae major virtue. It uses a single advanced ability, can use any ward guideline and doesn't need to penetrate, but it can only be used with Touch, Ring, Circle. That page collects all the guidelines for wards and set them at TRC to make things easier for anyone intending to play a Columbae.
Anyway, the mMF was already analyzed and agreed upon. Nothing to add to that. Just want to see arrows bouncing off from Belisarius.
I've been pondering a Familiar for you Nithyn.
The concept I have so far, going with your intended reorientation toward Terram being what it is bound with, is a Terram aligned Badger. I'll work on some concepts for powers and get back with you soon but I've been considering the personality and whatnot already.
Given the Terram alignment of the Familiar, and it being a digging/burrowing creature, I think we can assume it will have some earth oriented powers.
How would you feel about the name Dolabrius, named after the Roman entrenching tool the Dolabra? The Dolabra was versatile and could serve as an axe, pickaxe, or mattock and was one of the more common entrenching / earthworking tools used by the Roman Army. It was also known to have been used as a weapon from time to time. 
Makes me ponder a personality oriented towards something like "grizzled and cranky veteran sergeant" who is a very methodical organizer and vallationist. 8P
Curious for your ideas on the concept as well.
Fantastic mate, thanks!
And yeah, Terram powers, especially relating to dirt and stone feel apt.
Sold on the name!
I love the idea! I have this image in mind now of the badger making all these outlandish claims like having served in Caesar's Gaelic campaign, having help built the Appian Way, etc. He might be full of shit, he might not. He certainly knows enough that it's plausible at any rate. But yeah, just telling all sorts of grand and crazy stories, and constantly being grumpy about kids these days just not comparing to the legionaries back in his day.
Sorry for the late arrival, I've just now managed to read through the entire thread.
I do have one minor point, that seems to have been overlooked. When spending Adventure XP, you cannot spend more than 5 xp per Ability.
Not too worried about that during pre-play advancement, but you are correct.
You poor bugger, the entire bloody thread? Oh my.
And good catch! Literally never noticed that in all my years of play. I'll have to go edit accordingly then. Not the end of the world mind you. Might as well make sure my advancement log is up to date with any necessary tweaks thanks to recent changes while I'm at it.
If I start commenting on partial thread, I might raise issues already dealt with. No need to wake the dead... unless you're a necromancer.
Hah! Very very true. Ironically enough, a concept I had been toying with, but I digress...
So edits have been made to the log/sheet to reflect the aforementioned changes and any others necessary due to the recent discussion. Nothing particularly crazy mind you, just a few virtues swapped out, and the occasional year adjusted. If necessary to re-write everything, let me know, but it should all more or less still track with what I wrote previously.
With that in mind, here's the next year!
Year 7, Spring:
While he was loath to depart, Belisarius had duties back home in Constantinople that needed to be attended to. He had spent long enough gallivanting about the continent, and surely by now the covenfolk had forgiven him for the mess he had caused in the library? One would hope at any rate. Still, there was the small matter of the debt owed to his ersatz-pater, and thus upon his return to Castra Solis, the Jerbiton magus quickly found himself working with the archmage on one of his experiments. Not that he had been forced to do so, or particularly minded. In fact, he rather enjoyed the experience as it reminded him fondly of his younger years.
Belisarius: +2xp, Ignem, exposure
Dolabrius: +10xp, Magic Theory, L10 tract
Year 7, Summer:
Having been entirely sucked into Garus' project, Belisarius didn't seem to even notice as the months flew by, spring having been little more than a blink of an eye. It was only when the oppressive heat of summer was well and truly upon them that the pair snapped out of their work long enough to realize just how much time had flown by.
Belisarius: +2xp, Ignem, exposure
Dolabrius: +10xp, Magic Theory, L10 tract
Year 7, Fall:
Getting back to Constantinople would have taken Belisarius significantly longer if it weren't for the fact that the Flambeau primus called in a favor and secured transportation of the flying variety for the younger magus. After all, it was the least he could do given the fact that Belisarius had spent the better part of a year assisting in the lab. Thankfully the return trip was entirely uneventful, and the Jerbiton soon found himself back in familiar territory.
Upon his arrival, Belisarius immediately sought out Ahmad the famed swordsmith he had recruited to the covenant many years ago and turned over the alchemical steel he had saving. While the smith promised his finest work, it would be at least a few seasons before he would be able to turn his attention to it. Assuring the man that it wasn't a problem in the slightest, Belisarius quickly threw himself into work of his own.
Belisarius: Invent ReIm 15 The Wizard Displaced, +2xp Rego, exposure
Dolabrius: +2xp, Magic Theory, exposure
Year 7, Winter:
Winter was, once again, a relatively quiet affair. Studying a text from the library (though not in the library this time, much to the relief of the covenant staff) meant that he was able to spend most of the season getting caught back up with the goings ons in the city. While everything in the city nominally remained the same as it had before, the undercurrent of tension in the air was palatable. Everyone seemed on edge, and it was clear that something was certainly brewing. Just what it would be remained to be seen.
Belisarius: +15xp Perdo, L10,Q15 book
Dolabrius: +10xp, Magic Theory, L10 tract
*And with that double 'wasted' season, Belisarius is all caught up again!
**Spells as below
The Patient Spell
ReVi 5
R: Touch, D: Con, T: Ind
As Watching Ward, ArM5 pg 162, reduced to Concentration duration. May contain effects of up to level +3 magnitudes
(General, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration)
Lunar Alignment Of Forces
ReVi 20
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Ind
As Maintain The Demanding Spell, ArM5 pg 162, adjusted to Moon duration. Sustains an effect up to level -10.
(Gen: +1 Touch, +3 Moon)
Belisarius has the Study Requirement flaw. The arts are being raised from 0 to scores 5 and 6, which doesn't require an incredible example of the Te/Fo, but if you could define what is he using as a complementary source to study the Art and weave it in the narrative it would be nice. =]
Entirely fair mate. I'll freely admit that my brain is just a wee bit fried as of late (end of the school year does that), and I've been giving far less attention to my narratives than I'd like.
Is this custom spell being learned using a lab text? What is the lab total for that season?
Whoops, that's supposed to be a next year thing after a certain Norse comes and hangs out at the covenant. Based on our discussions @Vortigern I assume you would be willing to share the lab text? That said, if you're not a fan of the idea Arthur, that's fine, I'll just do it in play.
The spell created should instead be:
The Wizard Displaced
ReIm 15
R: Per, D: Con, T: Ind
As per the Wizard's Sidestep, but Concentration duration, the distance bumped to 5 paces from 1, and also affects sound.
(Base 3, +1 Concentration, +1 Changing Image, +1 Moved Image Matches Changes, +1 Affects Two Senses)
Even if his magus is willing to share the lab text, has he taken to time to write it up into a useable form (as per ArM5 p.102)?
Depends on if his pater just threw a lab text at him or taught him the spell I s'pose. Of course, I do have some vis leftover, and would be more than happy to just throw a little at Durenmar for access to their lab texts. Granted those are actually free to consult if I remember correctly, but I digress.
Seems like it's best done during play then, so I'll leave it be for now.