I'm fine with playing an apprentice. I'll pick that over the companion for now because I'd like to start to get some hands-on experience with the magic and lab systems.
As for my character's master: What do you recommend? If it's preferred that I use an existing master I'll look at what's available and pick a house from that pool.
What guidelines should I follow when constructing my character?
The character should be ready to be recruited as an apprentice, so obviously not to old. Supernatural virtues should be kept where opening her gifts will be possible for whomever winds up opening them, and your master will be from amongst the PCs capable of taking an apprentice f you are going with existing, so you might want to find out what they are looking for in an apprentice.
Yes, points earned through exposure do benefit from affinity if they go into the appropriate ability.
All right, this is a character I'm making as a proposal to Ignes.Festivus, who is playing Lady Agniezka - but I'm obviously seeking storyguide approval too.
Gianvincenzo de Preposulo
House: Jerbiton
Birthdate: 1103 [Age 5] (This is based on my assumption that the current year is 1123 - adjust if this is inaccurate)
Characteristics: Int +4; Per +0; Str +1; Sta +1; Pre +2; Com +1; Dex +0; Qik +1
Virtues (10): Affinity with Intellego [Hermetic, Minor (+1)]; Affinity with Rego [Hermetic, Minor (+1)]; Flawless Magic [Hermetic, Major (+3)]; Gentleman [Social Status, Minor (+1)]; Great Intelligence [General, Minor (+1)]; x2 Improved Characteristics [General, Minor (+2)]; Large [General, Minor (+1)]
Flaws (10): Ambitious [Personality, Major (+3)]; Close Family Ties [Story, Minor (+1)]; Feud [Story, Major (+3)]; Proud [Personality, Minor (+3)]
Abilities: Athletics 1 (Running); Awareness 1 (Alertness); Brawl (Punching) 1; Living Language: French (Interrogation) 3; Native Language: Italian (Formal) 5
Gianvincenzo de Preposulo is a child of the nobility from Lombardy in northern Italy. He has an intensity and willfulness that will develop into ruthless ambition and egotism when he reaches majority - his inheritance from a driven family with an appetite for power. But for the time being he is a bright and curious child, if emotionally delicate after his recent separation from his mother. Physically he's a handsome boy. He's athletic and large for his age. The gentleman virtue and feud flaw are for his family link - he won't soon forget them or their enemies.
I wasn't sure if I was supposed to build the character up to the point he'd be at after his apprenticeship ends - so I stopped here. Also wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the development thread, I can cross-post it there if you'd like.
Hi! And welcome!
Unfortunately, Lady A is a Companion, a Failed Apprentice, she is not Gifted nor a Magus, it's part of her background. Maybe you saw Eumelia, a Jerbiton created by a player no longer in this game?
For my part, I control Andros ex Flambeau, a pretty good teacher, looking for an Apprentice a few years down the line. He'd be available as Master.
Oops! Back to the drawing board. Is there a handy place where I can find all the magi available to teach?
Here's a list of all the Magi. However, Taurus Bjornaer and his apprentice Giovanni are apparently gone. Both Anna Romano and Gloriana Sentis are newly-gauntleted. Aurthor and Evandrus, Ex Miscellanea Pralician and Merinita respectively have recently finished being parens to those two. Andros ex Flambeau is available, Danaë is a Mercere Mythic companion (unGifted), Olliverius and Arduino are currently Master and Apprentice, Eumelia ex Jerbiton and Callisthenes are not being used, they never actually made it into the game proper, Neleos is about to be Apprenticed, don't know if raccoonmansk has chosen who will be his Parens.
There's not currently an abundance of house variety in the covenant - I can introduce some. Perhaps I can use Gianvincenzo after all.
If I went with making my magus' own master would that indicate that Gianvincenzo will join the covenant in 15 years rather than being taught here? And should I fully stat-out the NPC master or is a description sufficient?
I'm not 100% on how the campaign is being run. Is my understanding correct that the covenant is in a sort of fast-play phase until arriving at 1220?
I appreciate your patience.
The covenant is in fast play mode for a very long time. Players are expected to have three* characters: an elder magus, a younger magus, and a companion. The youngers start as apprentices, and are sort of the 'primary' characters.
Just to make sure we're all on the same page:
Oliverius has Arduino as an apprentice.
Anna and Gloriana are both new mages who have no desire to get apprentices yet.
Andros of Flambeau is going to look for an apprentice in a number of years.
Evandrus of Merenita has recently released an apprentice, no promises as to when he wants another.
Aurthor Ex Miscllanea also recently gauntleted an Apprentice. He does have a reputation as a skilled parens though.
You are going to build an apprentice, and I already have an apprentice waiting to get adopted by a master.
Are we going to juggle parens mages around again? o.O I hope not.
If Tillforpie makes a mentor magus I will play the mentor and take him as an apprentice- the student characters are made as they begin their apprenticeship and play through that, you only wait if the mentor wants to do some things before taking an apprentice- which will allow the apprentice character to be younger when 1220 arrives...
If I go this route should I stat the mentor out? And would this mentor be a part of the covenant or would the apprentice be someone who joins the covenant later after his apprenticeship is done?
The mentor will be part of the covenant, and yes, they must be created as a full character, including stating out.
Hey, I'm potentially interested in joining.
Edit: I create an elder magus and an apprentice, I understand.
depends on what house you want to be part of- if it already exists in the game then you only need to create the apprentice.
I'm considering a Verditius - I see Oliverius already has an apprentice, so would it make sense to make a new parens, or could he take a second apprentice?
you could be his second apprentice, but would probably be recruited after he is done with the current one.
I would argue about 20-30 years before Oliverius wants to deal with children again 
No worries, I'll write up an elder magus.
We may want to move the discussion on Verditius prices here from the Council Chamber section.
Familiars can read a book at the same time their magi reads that book and gain full xp from it right?