FYI, I will be away from my computer from Friday through Monday for the US Memorial Day holiday. I'll have access via my iPad, but less frequently since I'm on vacation. My posts will also tend to be short. I'll be back on Tuesday.
I'm still under a crap-ton of work, myself. I think I see the light in the tunnel. Whether the light is a barreling freight train or the end of it, I can't yet determine. 
So, the phrasing on one of Fiona's Flaws bothers me just a little bit. She has Chaotic Magic, which reads: "When you cast a spontaneous spell, you must specify a desired level of effect. If you fall short of or exceed that target by more than one level, the spell still works, but its effects are beyond your control."
I just realized yesterday that it says "level" and not "magnitude." Which makes a huge difference. I can eyeball her scores for the shrinking spell on her skirt, figure an average roll of 5 which would give her a "target" of 17 (after the halving). With the "level", that means that anything other than a 16, 17, or 18 results in Something Going Fantastically Wrong.
Is that right?
Fantastically wrong? Not necessarily, just I have a greater say in what happens than would normally happen with spontaneous magic. An effect goes off, but I determine the exact nature of how it goes off, if you exceed the level. So, in the future, you should define your target level (and guessing an average die roll of 5-6 isn't a bad idea) and if it goes beyond that, I need to adjudicate the exact result. I think you've made some spontaneous spells in your teaching thread, you can walk those back if it makes sense.
Keep in mind non fatiguing spontaneous magic will be really easy for you to precisely define your target level, and all of this applies to ceremonial magic.
I've been traveling to TN and back again since Thursday evening, so I haven't kept up on the threads. I'll do that tomorrow.
You can get close with the Chaotic magic. It just may have some odd side effects depending on how far off you are. The tricky ones will be when you want to cancel some magic.
Just a quick note that work got busy for me so that led to me being quiet for a couple of weeks. However, I'm on vacation now so I will be catching up. Just letting you know I'm not gone or dropped out.
It should be fairly obvious what Flaw Ambrose suffers from... It won't last forever.
Regarding faeries not lying, would you mind if we discussed that?
Is it known by others (like those with Faerie Lore), do the faeries even know?
I have a hard time seeing this rule staying consistent as I would argue that faeries by nature are almost always lying, and in fact only tell the truth when it suits them or by accident (ie they tell so many lies, once in awhile it's actually true). Their powers and natures involve deception; they use Glamours and they act out all of their Abilities as Pretenses. At the faerie's heart, they are telling stories that force mortals to act out a role that will provide them with vitality; the truth might not work too well to achieve that end. There are, no doubt faeries that for some reason or other always or must tell the truth, but by the same token I'd say there are plenty that are simply incapable of telling the truth by the same type of mystical force. And finally, unlike Devils, Hermetic magic can compel the truth from a fae.
Now then, having said that, if faeries are getting a basic rewrite for the purposes of this campaign, that could change the majority of the points I've made. My suggestion is that this rule shouldn't lightly be put into play as I think it will quickly paint the fae into corners.
If we could just clarify this. I can accept the idea that for the purposes of this campaign, they can't lie, but having said that, I think it will be problematic. It could also provide for interesting stories.
Faeries being unable to lie doesn't mean that they can't deceive. But if you ask them a question what they say will not be a lie. It's not Truth, it's simply not a false statement. Can they mislead? Sure. Are glamours and illusions a lie? Perhaps, but they aren't speaking that. If you're asking a faerie for food they can provide glamoured food, it's not their responsibility to make it safe for you to consume. If you stop to ask them if it's magicked before eating it they can't say no, it isn't. They can say, don't you trust me? Do you think I'd do that to you? Doesn't it smell delicious?
OK, I was pretty sure you had considered things, I've known you long enough for that. Just wanted to voice a concern or two.
Where is our list of Summae? I was going to give an assignment, I wasn't sure if I should use a tracti or not.
Any class on the Arts has L10Q10 summae available to the apprentices. I haven't named them. Any assignments to read would be based on the texts.
I knew I'd seen that somewhere! Ah, KoTD, been ages since I read anything from those.
I've been working with Severus Snape a new user to the forum to create an apprentice character. He indicated he would posting one soon. He's new to Ars (he posted in the players looking for games thread) and I suggested he come here and try an apprentice as a good way to get his feet wet with Ars.
Good day, fellow players!
I want to start by first thanking Jonathan for inviting me to join this saga; having read through some of the books I am loving what I'm reading, and I have been eagerly anticipating playing Ars Magica. I'm glad that at least one SG out there is willing to take a chance on a system noob. 
I am in the process of creating my character as we speak, and when I'm done I will be forwarding it to Jonathan for review. Once he's approved, I'll post him up here in the forum.
And if anyone has any advice that they want to throw out there, I will be most appreciative!
Welcome aboard! As for suggestions...maybe a Flambeau? They can be pretty straightforward if that's what you're looking for.
I'll be away for the weekend starting Friday and probably can't post until Monday, though I'll make sure to post up tomorrow.
Wow. I can't roll to save my life. Thank god we are only Apprentices and that none of this counts.
It happens. In another saga where we meet over Google Hangout we rolled awesome all night long and then we got into combat.
SG was rolling 1s like crazy and we rolled at least 20 0s and several of those resulted in double botches. One of our fighters botched on defense against the SGs roll of 1,1,8. Ow... A defensive botch is almost guaranteed lethal. But with the high offensive roll the SG said he proceeded to slice off his sword arm, then shield arm and finally the head.