Yes. Why would you assume that a bjornaer knows animal?
Now, you got me curious 
Well you probably can't assume any form from the house... Even Flambeau might specialize in Perdo, I would still be surprised to meet two and find no knowledge of Ignem...
The point for Bjornaer and Animal might be weaker - I give you that - however, I would have expected some knowledge...
I think that assumption makes as much sense as expecting every pair of human magi two know both Corpus and Mentem between them.
The point here being that heartbeast bjornaer has nothing to do with Animal, or any other Hermetic art, and bjornaer tend to shun magic which may superficially resemble the heartbeast (HoH:MC). There is a case to say that bjornaer are the least likely to know Animal.
Anyway, rechecking I see that we have some knowledge of An. Pavo, the other bjornaer has 6; which I counted only as generalist knowledge I think it is too low to make much difference to herd income, at least I have not been able to come up with a strategy that Pavo can use to boost income yet.
Pavo is a healer, but not specialised - with Creo 8 and Corpus and Animal at 6, he has 20+ Sta+aura for healing humans and animals. So far he only has Bind wounds and Purification of the Festering Wounds, but he brought the Animal equivalent of Purification as a lab text which even the notoriously poor student Pavo can use. So Pavo is an adventuring healer and a "fix-it-just-enough-and-let-bed-rest-do-the-work" healer rather than the "big ritual, now you're fixed!" sort of healer.
There are many things we don't have, so there's a lot of character types available. Just don't play a Bjornaer mystagogue or a Verditius and you'll avoid the worst overlaps.
The way is completely open for a Intellego specialist, or a Mentem specialist, or an illusionist, even a CrIg flambeau would be a positive novelty.
On a trip through next sunday. Posting will be extra erratic.
Ok Cat, I'll just move on the two stories your characters are involved.
Welcome Eldarin to the group. I hope you have much fun with us. Be sure to read all announcement threads, and more specifically thisone.
I hope you all will have much with me fun as well. Looking forward to starting my character creation thread soon.
From character creation thread
Native language 5 is free as part of early childhood anyway according to the core book page 29. I suppose this is just redundant information? If not, what does it mean?
The rest of us interpreted it as you do. The native language 5 is redundant info. The bonus on top of RAW is area lore 2 for home area, and classsical or romaic Greek 1 for immigrants.
Ok, posted a draft at [url]https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/prometheus-ex-tytalus-filius-kronos/11918/1]
Hi, I enjoyed the backstory and the focus of the character, looks very effective on the surface.
I would point out that Persona does require a Sta + Persona vs 9, it does not seem that Prometheus would be able to use this skill reliably, what with Sta 0 and Persona 1, even more difficult in a Divine Aura.
Also, what is his rationale for coming to the remote, Greek, secluded and poor covenant of Meru Mudi?
It seems that this character might be more effective in towns and cities, but the Divine Aura would hamper his spell casting greatly, adding botch dice as well. Perhaps Deft Caster (Me) could help you out more than Subtle/Quiet Magic, free up points to get Improved Characteristics and Minor Focus, or Puissant, or Affinity, or Special Circumstances or Careful Sorcerer.
Anyway these are things that jumped out at me, feel free to disregard all of what I wrote, certainly not meant as a criticism, I myself am very green in Ars character builds, so my analysis might be totally off.
Happy to hear that. You have some pretty valid points below...
I would point out that he would - most of the time - come prepared, i.e. switch personae before entering auras. But that of course leaves the low chances from Sta+Persona...
Meru Mudi is open for outsiders and relatively close to the Despotate. I do see him doing longer journeys.
What about
Is the comment about non-human form just an example reasoning for not using voice and/or gestures?
That's some food for thought, thanks.
Not sure how this applies, this is not really a point I raised.
Subtle + Quiet x2 is excellent, if a major investment, to cast any spell while in nonhuman form (one of the Bjornaer in the Covenant, Arni, has just such a set of Virtues). However, I saw the focus on InMe, and did not see high Muto or the Shapeshifter/Skinchanger virtue, thus my suggestion on the Deft Mentem virtue.
You obviously know best the direction you Magus wishes to take!
You are right. My reasoning for Subtle + Quiet was not shapeshifting to non-human form, but rather casting without being noticed. So the question of Deft Form (Me) applicability is indeed important.
There is - as you noticed - a clear preference for Mentem. Although Imaginem - most notably Aura of * is a second preference that cannot be seen yet in the build. Probably most Imaginem spells can be cast upfront so that voice and gestures is less problematic...
First reaction to my question is, of course Deft Form allows no gestures and no voice without penalty also in human form. See [url]https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/deft-form-while-in-human-form/11920/1]
I spent a lot of time considering deft form, and in the end I found it rather expensive. It really only helps the dedicated single-form specialist. It does not help you with any of those level five spont's which random situations keep calling for, and which you want to do regardless of you specialty. It is true that subtle + 2xQuiet magic is expensive though, and I am sure there exists a strategy which calls for deft form too.
BTW. Nice backstory. Nice character.
Yeah, I also not sure what to do about it. The comments about Sta and Persona and ease factor 9 were quite valid though...
It is ... supernatural ability virtues tend only to be worth the cost if you boost the relevant characteristic
You haven't spent all your xp, have you? There seems to be a lot left to raise persona Or did I miscount?
60xp from skilled parens are unspent. And - as usual - so many things worth raising,... Persona, Intrigue, Etiquette, Greek, Mu, Im,... 
But yeah spending all/most on Persona would be worth thinking about...
Could be a good excuse to base yourself in Meru Mudi, the 5 Aura gives a huge boost to the transformation. Would have to be really committed to that Persona, head out to the Despotate and return next season, probably no transformation mid-season. With just 2 points in Persona (10 xp) + a specialty, you'd only ever miss on a 10, which is anyway a possible botch. Still, that sort of full commitment to build an alternate identity is very Tytalus, yeah? It helps if you see the Persona as a Ritual, maybe, within your capabilities, but has to be planned for, not an everyday thing.
*edit: however, a boost to Sta 2 would be amazing for all the usual reasons