few basic elements seem to have shifted in getting the game up and going that I would like to see corrected:
First and foremost familiars- every familiar should be either a magical animal companion, an animal companion (if you don't want a magical familiar) or a companion played by someone else, preferably designed by the person playing the familiar. A familiar should be a character in it's own right, not an appendage asset for a magus.
secondly, the limitation on the number of magi and companions you may have had two categories- starting the game (which is now no longer an issue) and in the game- the in the game rules are minimum of 3 grogs/companion and no more magi than you have companions. also that once started nobody gets handwaved into the game- there has to be solid game play of one form or another to introduce them. We have had one ex-caravan member returned (with solid meta-game reasons) and one faerie quest for a Merinita which led to introduction. Future joining will likely happen outside the covenant and being brought in.
3)Grog does not mean soldier (except on the economics spreadsheet). While I am allowing a certain amount of generic recruitment for servants and laborers (and teamsters should they be hosted at the covenant), others need to be made as characters, which means craftsmen who cut costs and support the covenant are something which the covenant needs to see more of instead of just soldiers.
To begin with, the following familiars need players to claim them, or for the players to be identified:
Julia familiar of Antonius- to be played by Kuiti Itijin
Vita Familiar of Terra
Vulpus, familiar of Tartesso
Cheech is a magical animal companion, and does not need a player
We also currently have 8 magi, with a 9th about to join (including one redcap who is actually a companion).A typical covenant size being 6, so I would like to stop focusing on experienced magi to drag in and wait until we can bring in some apprentices for future magi.
I am counting 5 active companions currently counting the redcap, thoughI have not seen all of these in play- I will revisit the roster here and add the character category as well.
Also anyone who has experience from summer or spring which they have not assigned needs to do so.
I had kind of assumed someone else would play Vita or she would be a group character, but if nobody wants to I'll play her. I've already contributed to making her and a few actions.
It should be someone other than the magus who plays the familiar... it would be far better to volunteer to play someone else's familiar than your own...
I'll play a familiar, but it needs to be one I understand the mechanics of, which at this point means Julia; I don;t know what astrologic magic is, or what Vita can do with it.
Tartessos will be in the market for an apprentice soon, but likely he'll wait a few years until the covenant gets a little more settled.
As with familiars, I want apprentices played by someone other than their instructor. I want to avoid characters that become so supporting cast that they stop being characters in their own right.
grogs are made as per the book, and tend to be more adventure rewards to the covenant than anything (help the widowed baker whose business burns down and in gratitude she joins the covenant). Grogs should generally come from Malta, though there could be exceptions- for example next year there will be a journey to the Normandy tribunal and right now Germany (Rhine tribunal) could be the source of a few characters...