I may be wrong on this, but I was under the impression that characters can only be built as companions if they are going to actually played by someone as their companion character.
Most of our familiars are built at Companion level power... so I disagree.
I don't see what one has to do with the other. We each have one magus, one companion, and (in most cases) one familiar. That's the standard package. Beyond that, it's grogs. The power level of the familiar doesn't seem relevant, because we're not talking about familiars. We're talking about an unplayed specialist. That sounds like a grog to me, especially considering you already have a companion-level character and a familiar. Of course, if a player who hasn't yet made a companion (Fixer?) volunteers to run your venditor, my objection is withdrawn. 
And to be clear, I'm not trying to give you a hard time over this. I just don't like the precedent this sets, making an unplayed specialist at companion-level. If we're doing that, we might as well make several 'shield Companions' while we're at it. The swordmaster grog I put together would be much more impressive with a few more virtues. I know Marko keeps pushing the 'playing with power' concept, but this is a little much, IMO. 
What they have to do with each other is that a familiar and a specialist are both largely unplayed characters who offer a tangible benefit to the magus employing him/her. The difference between them is that the specialist has a cost, and the familiar doesn't. And of course that you can buy multiple specialists but only have one familiar.
The case against "shield Companions" is that you'd be hard-pressed to convince someone to be your meatshield when they have the self-worth one would expect of a Companion-level character.
I don't particularly care if the specialist is Companion level or not, but I do not like the precedent that grog-only specialists would set, because it means no one can buy Magister or Doctor specialists. Or Venditor specialists, for that matter.
Specialists bought with resource (or benefit) points are not made at all. Just assign the high skill score and leave the rest to the SG.
Or you can flesh them out, but they are still an SG NPC
I also say leave Venditor as a Major Virtue and boost the results, accumulate magic items as a Redcap does (stuff for sale).
And Grogs can progress to Companion level characters in play, using rules from the Grogs book. I think a Venditor is supposed to be a companion anyway. But as a Specialist, it does not matter what they are. The SG will keep all stats secret and to himself.
Ryu, I actually have a thought for a venditor character if you'd be interested in having one as a companion. The nice thing is you already have a forge companion so I wouldn't need to pick that up as well.
That'd be fantastic. Then my glassblower can be just a glassblower 
Peanut gallery: they just need to put their lips together and blow...
Sorry, couldn't resist. I'll resume my lurker status. Proceed with your gaming experience.
If someone wants to create the Venditor as a Companion, that would be cool. Otherwise I'll create them as an NPC. But in either case, a Venditor is an important and influential character, and should not be a Grog level type.
Okay, final version of Solomon has been posted.
One question though, what was the decision on familiar XP during creation? Right now the only XP I gave my familiar was exposure XP for lab work.
I don't think familiar xp is finalized. Marko's latest proposal has them getting 5 xp per season after being bonded.
Hey all. I'm pretty interested in playing. Been doing Ars Magica since the 3rd edition, but I am usually the Storyguide, so I almost never get to play.
I haven't been able to figure out what the covenant has so far (PC-wise), so I figured I'd reach into my kit bag of "concepts that haven't seen enough play", grab a handful and see if any of them would be a good fit thematically.
- Gentle Gifted "School of Ramius" knightly type, although not necessarily Flambeau -- Jerbiton, Tremere, possibly even Verditius might be a good fit.
- A Merinita who's fascinated by mundanes, and honestly kinda dislikes faeries.
- Bonisagus Corpus-based lab rat who's trying to modify (not break, that'd be impossible, but modify) the Limit of Essential Nature.
- Creepy little Verditius weaver based on the myth of Arachne.
Any of these sound interesting?
Er. Please scratch the "creepy spider Verditius" concept, there's one that's fairly similar already in the game. Neeever mind...
I know the feeling. Welcome.
There is a list of members in the Covenant Information thread.
As you mentioned, we have the Arachne concept covered. Esteban of Jerbiton is pretty similar to your knight concept. The other two would work. Marko has also been very clear that redundancy is not a bad thing.
Vulcanus would LOVE for a Corpus lab rat to move in. (He needs a longevity ritual next year...)
I reccomend you focus on what sort of character you want to play. Roles may overlap slightly, but that's okay. Some specialization is cool, but being over-specializaed is discouraged.
I would love an entire covenant of Flambeau combat magi, but that ain't ever gonna happen 
I myself like stories of adventure and excitment. Romance, Intrigue, Drama, Mystery; these are all important components as well. But being an old school gamer and a comic geek, I like interjecting a little action. So don't be a total couch potato lab-rat. Have the ability to do some stuff that you will have fun doing.
I took a peek at Esteban's stats. While in broad details he looks similar to what I had in mind, the details are quite divergent. I think if I focus on emphasizing the things that make us different, I can make sure that we don't steal each other's thunder.
Now to go do some history research.
The current in-game date is early 1231, yes?
It is Winter 1230, January and the start of the year. The location is Andorra, on the Northern border of the Iberian Tribunal (belonging to neither Iberia nor Provencal).
Oh excellent! That works very well with what I have in mind. The last 'major event' I had in mind for my character is bound to history -- it happens in 1227 -- so I was kind of at a loss to figure out what he was doing in the intervening four years. Three are a little easier to deal with.