Hello.
We are starting up a new game, and it's our first time with Ars 5th. Any recommendations on covenant characteristics? Thanks.
Rex
It depends entirely on the kind of game you want to play.
Knowing something about the setting would help.
Covenants is due out in January of next year.
You might want to allow for changes to what your group decides now.
I agree with Ravenscroft.
You might want to play an adventure or two where the magi don't have a location. What if one or more of the magi in the would-be covenant grew up together at the same covenant, or know of each other through their Parens. They essentially advertised through the Red Caps that they want to develop a new covenant. The 'ad' has allowed interested magi to gather at this existing covenant.
Now the gathered magi have to decide, where the hell do we go? Perhaps a player has a suggestion, or perhaps an NPC has an ulterior motive and sends them to a place they would not want to visit themselves.
Also, through table top and discussion, you can just ask the players what setting they might be interested in. Do they want something easy like a fully operational castle, or do they want to earn it, living in tents until they can build a room, then a building, then a castle. Does the setting matter to the players, access to magic, to mundanes, how many adventures will be set at or around the covenant, or will they constantly travel?
All these things shape the design of the covenant and the campaign. Traveling around not only lets you feel out the characters it lets you feel out settings and it may be a fun way to set things up.
What a neat idea. We'll have to talk it over, but I think all the players would like it. Thanks.
Use the core rulebook system if you like. As an author I'm not allowed to mention the contents of Covenants, but I can remind you that David has described a design philosophy of strong backward compatibility for the line on the Berklist.
You really don't need to wait and see how the new book looks: the new book won't destroy the work you've put in if you use the core rulebook system. Get stuck in, have fun, and if there are new options ion January, well, you can incorporate them then.