[tab][/tab][tab][/tab]Physical State of the Covenant
[tab][/tab] This first official year as a Covenant, there have been some building and expanding of the main area of the Rotunda. Priority was given to building a house for the maga Raven and her Muslim family, a wooden structure that Anastaj conjured out of thin air but that needed a lot of modifications (one season from the carpenter and half a season from a mason) to make it worth living in. By Autumn it is completed, though whether Raven will share the space of keep it in the family has not been decided yet. The other five rickety shacks are still there, with minor repairs, and were again abandoned this winter for the safety and warmth of the main building. A small stable for two horses has been added next to the guard building, and ser Giorgios has moved in as senior officer, leaving the small room in the council chambers to be Dimitris' unofficial study. Summer and Autumn you had outside laborers toil on a new building outside the aura but still in sight of the Rotunda. This oblong stone structure is situated below the path leading to the main area, one long side built next to the dry gulch. Made out of local grey stone and a brown thatched roof, its easy to miss it as it is left without whitewash or paint, blending into the cliff rocks. It now houses a indoor smithy and a workshop for Alexios. A newly arrived young man who deals in hunting hawks and falcons has submitted ideas and plans to convert the roof of the Rotunda into a mews and a pigeon coop for their feed. He still awaits a decision on where he will start plying his trade (he keeps his birds in an used laboratory for the time being).
[tab][/tab] With the addition of three new magi things start to get crowded. There are two free spaces (three if Raven shares) and two shared ones (both of which are going to be free, Raven moving and Arni not playing). There is also the old lab of Christoforos which has not been cleaned up yet. However there is a provision in the charter that the Covenant needs to have accommodations for half as many visiting magi, meaning by charter five more free laboratories! It might be wise to purge the charter and/or make ready some other plans...
[tab][/tab] At the end of the year you have some more buildings, no improvement to living conditions though, especially the covenfolk situation. You also do not have a palisade or wall or other defensive structures. Outside the Covenant, besides the new workshop there has been no building or improving of conditions. Specifically:
[tab][/tab]-[tab][/tab] Laboratories and Workshops
[tab][/tab]Anastaj and Christoforos have working laboratories (you will have to decide what to do with Christoforos' one). Raven has finished furnishing 1δ which is a shared one. Pavo and Scylax have finished theirs too (1β and 2β). Aristocles did not finish his (and also needs to choose between Spacious and Empty). 2δ was used by Arni, both that and Aristocles' 2γ are at -3.
[tab][/tab] You need to state what is will become of Raven's house. There are two options: Raven keeps the whole building. This provides ample space for her laboratory plus a possible increase of living standards for the whole family. It will require an additional servant though. That nets Raven a laboratory with +2 size and thus 2 points of virtues to choose from. Or Raven can share. The family can stay on one side of the ground floor and the half the top floor, giving space for two laboratories, a top floor +0 and a base floor -1.
[tab][/tab] The workshop is ready for Alexios, allowing him to work there and provide bonuses to the covenant. Currently its large, with an Innovation value of 0 and a Raw materials value of 0. He now counts as a specialist reducing lab costs up to 20% (up to 6 pounds) for the new year.
[tab][/tab] Nicholas will need a mews and a pigeon coup to start plying his trade and make money. Ideally, he can start at the top of the Rotunda. Or you can find him another place. Anastaj thinks this should be a priority.
[tab][/tab]-[tab][/tab] Housing
[tab][/tab] While all Magi have quarters, not all covenfolk have a house. The five shacks you have can only house so many and only for three out of four seasons. You will have to deal with this situation, particularly since the new magi have potentially brought their own people. Living conditions are bad, and in winter the Rotunda is crowded. There are few amenities and fewer comforts.
[tab][/tab] While the blacksmith has his own house for his family and a new workshop, the carpenter does not. He is owed a house and probably a workshop some time in the future (or...complications).
[tab][/tab] The barracks is serviceable if a bit crowded. Ser Georgios is acting as Captain, thought that's a beneath his station. You should probably expand the guards and grogs you have, adding a captain and a sergeant, but you will need to expand the facilities (currently housing 6 grogs, 1 carpenter and 1 noble).
[tab][/tab] No guest quarters are available. This might lead to complications if/when travelers start arriving. You will need a library, a separate room at least (adding a true library will be a struggle in itself, baby steps), and treasury or a place to store both your mundane and magical wealth. Dimitris (your unofficial seneschal) should also have separate quarters and an office (or pick another seneschal, still need quarters and office). Currently he is acting as an autocrat (both steward and chamberlain). Larger council chambers or expand the one you already have.
[tab][/tab]-[tab][/tab] Other Structures
[tab][/tab] Besides the new small stables (can house an extra horse now), you have no paddocks for additional mounts or the mules your teamsters use. This makes for a complication as the need to winter down in the lowlands. The complex has no defensive posts or positions, the guards on duty are unprotected. The top of the Rotunda can be used and furnish for whatever use you want (mews and pigeon coop, new laboratories, lookout and guard post etc).
[tab][/tab] The small settlement of Vikos that hosts your herders is in a sorry state. Perhaps you should also invest in their living conditions? Talks between Arni (his maid) and the herders have broken down, especially since Arni has left for the north.
[tab][/tab][tab][/tab]Morale, Loyalty and Living Conditions
[tab][/tab] Morale is low but stable. Most of the covenfolk look up to Anastaj for direction. They hold high esteem for Dimitris, then Raven and Pavo. Most of the Greek and Vlach population are optimistic while the Slavs are fatalistic about the situation and the masters they serve.
[tab][/tab] Currently the base loyalty is -20, based on magi and the Gift. Steward and Chamberlain give +10 total, while the acting Acting Turb Captain gives 0. Living conditions are at -1 on average, giving a -10. Actions during the Spring adventure Things Bumping give a one time bonus of +5 this year. Total points are -15 giving you a Prevailing Loyalty score of -5 (see [i[covenants[/i] pg 37).
[tab][/tab] Living conditions vary. Magi are at +1, though there isn't anyone who has to do ageing rolls yet. Companions live at +0, while covenfolk are at -1 as stated. Living standards in the Vikos settlement are at -1 too, despite being self sustained peasants.
[tab][/tab] One point of observation for those who actually watch and care about the covenfolk is that there is a bit of a strange behavior. The folk are quite clannish to outsiders and reserved to frightened by the magi (mostly depending on ethnicity). This is normal at this point and time of the covenant creation. However there is also a feeling of bickering, with folks being suspicious of each other (again more between racial than social divided). This is a bit odd. Perhaps there is something going on there, some kind of influence...