I used Yahoo the last time, as well as occasional IM's. I won't say just yet that it's a bad idea, but the one advantage of this format is that it's easy to keep track of multiple stories at once. The one big disadvantage of this format is the fact that the board is unreliable about notifying people of new posts.
Scott
What kinds of characters did you have in mind? Grogs in particular would be great!
Scott
I ran a concept by Scott and he said to mention it to you all. I think I'm starting late enough I'd show up as a guest and so I won't make decisions on the covenant's starting situation.
I have a vision of a Merinita with Faerie (Padfoot) Blood (probably with Monstrous Appearance) who focuses on hounds and glamour. I'd want to start him a few years out of gauntlet, enough time to pick up Glamour and to have a hound familiar and to have bred the familiar to produce a bunch of magical puppies (I'm thinking MM1-5 for all the hounds, including the familiar, not something really powerful.) that he will raise as his hunting dogs/shield grogs. (I've got RoP:M with the animal training rules but haven't had the opportunity to use them.) He would probably develop some bloodline spells to cast on his familiar to affect the other hounds. I expect Rego and Imaginem will be his best Arts, Creo, Muto, Animal, and Corpus being his runner-up Arts. He would be a hunter/adventurer who would certainly enjoy venturing forth against the Mongols.
I think this concept might work well with a bunch of the others, but it's starting to look like there might be a lot of animal-focused magi. Too many too similar? Let me know. I can come up with other interesting ideas.
As for RoP:M and magical animals / familiars, I like the RoP:M rules. I like having to choose between power and the ability to learn Magic Theory and the like.
Other rules questions:
Chris
I like this. Though I would like to see it taken one step further-- when crafting a specialised item, magically or mundane, you should have at least some idea how to use what you're making in order to get a top notch result: at least a 3 in the relevant ability in order to get something above average. i.e. A woodworker should have at least a 3 in Profession: Architect in order to make a good house, or at least a 3 in Profession: Sailor to build a good ship, or at least a 3 in Bows to make a good bow. A blacksmith should have at least a 3 in a melee ability in order to make an exceptional blade.
I realise I'm probably shooting myself in the foot here, but the more realistic things are, the better!
I think so.
I'm not sure. I think magi ought to be able to create things they wouldn't be able to make by hand, but perhaps not to a high level of quality?
Scott
Does this apply to Aegis of the Hearth, too? If so, that will most likely mean all familiars are blocked from entering other covenants and most visiting magi will need two tokens.
Chris
All magi could still create Quality items via craft magic since there is no rank requirement, just a workshop total; but the same would not be true with Excellent items without having at least one rank in Craft: X.
Chris
No reason the familiars can't be included in the Aegis ritual, is there?
Right, but that's why I wrote "other covenants." It will mean the standard practice will be to provide visiting magi multiple tokens. In the case of my magus, I would need a handful of tokens when visiting another covenant. If the Aegis has to penetrate, then, since I plan on spreading my Parma Magica over my pack, they could probably walk right in.
Chris
Isn't it simpler to say that inviting a magus includes the familiar, since they are so intimately linked? That way, if you haven't invited the magus, the familiar can't get in, but once you've invited the magus (and so long as you don't withdraw the invitation) the familiar can move freely.
Yes, that will be easier in general. I'll still have to ask for a pile of tokens anywhere I go, but that will be something I'll have to deal with.
Chris
I think it would require a token, but I would assume that by standard practice tokens would be created and given out for familiars and the like.
Scott
Based on what the conversation on the other thread was about I thought it might be fun to switch to a Quaesitor Hoplite. Also, someone else is looking at a pack of dogs/wolves, so moving in another direction would be good. I figure protecting the Order from without is quite valuable and appropriate for a Quaesitor Hoplite, too. Though I'd still use Faerie Blood, going with House Guernicas I wouldn't be using Glamour.
Chris
Thinking about it again, assuming they come with the magus may work better--otherwise, you have to figure out how to make tokens small enough that tiny familiars can carry them (says the guy with the Size -12 butterfly).
Scott
Ah, another point to clarify on wards and Aegis: If you have Spell Mastery with Resistance towards such an effect and the effect doesn't normally allow magic resistance, would the mastery option allow normal magic resistance (not doubled), effectively having the option give the same bonus it would normally but also maintaining the magic resistance reduction offered by the ward?
Chris
I would say that double 0 is still 0. I might double the Characteristic and/or Ability involved in a natural resistance roll, though.
Scott
Scott, a question on the Tremere system of aid.
HoH: TL states that forms of support to younger magi include:
As I'm not in a House Covenant, I'll presumably get the standard 3 month turn-around from returning the previous item and receiving a new one.
Can I have minor books on sensible abilities (e.g. penetration, magic theory) as well as Arts? What about lab texts for common low level spells? Can I start with a book on loan? Roughly what does "minor" mean in terms of level and quality?
In this context, "minor" would mean something that a younger magus would find useful, but a senior magus probably wouldn't--so, low-level spells, low-level (but good-Quality) Summae, etc. And yes, you can start with something on loan, but before picking it, I'd wait to see what our library turns out looking like.
That reminds me...anyone who wants to start adding books to the library, or even making suggestions, please do. 
Scott
How much, if any, influence will our magi have had over the library contents? In other words, to what extent do we want to just be building up a general Hermetic library (with all the vanity books the writers of the tribunal would really like to get people using), and to what extent do we want to have been tailoring it to our interests?
I like it's reasonable to have at least a handful of books tailored to each magu's tastes.
Scott