Thanks man. I had a lot of fun putting it together and I'm hoping my players like it, but as I keep saying, this is my first time with Ars so I appreciate the feedback. I actually did catch the bit about boons and hooks balancing overall just like character virtues and flaws. I was pretty sure that, unlike characters, there was no limit to the total number, as long as they balanced overall and the SG and troupe approved of the choices, as I didn't see any definitive limits.
I almost noted this in my writeup - the funny thing was, I just went along through the book, picking things out that sounded interesting and supported my concept, planning on coming back and balancing it at the end. Without planning it that way, each group balanced neatly as I developed it.
Residents was at -1, but then I noticed that the Magical (Soldiers) major boon "requires any other soldier." I took this boon to represent the large numbers of grogs with second sight and other supernatural virtues, and because they may develop a menagerie - the regio has magical lions, eagles, and horses, although they currently only breed horses - can you say breeding for griffons and hippogriffs? So I decided to take the Cavalry minor boon to represent the magical horses the supernatural grogs use.
Similarly, the fortifications were at +3. Then I realized that, while the main covenant buildings are wooden, the guard "towers" taken through multiple Important Building Minor Boons could be enough to require the Castle Major Hook. They're pillboxes, really, in modern parlance. I used this boon rather than the similar Edifices minor boon, because that one is more focused on inspiring awe, IB is the generic catchall for significant structures that don't fit into another category. Covenants p14 states that "edifices do not require the castle hook unless several of them, grouped together, form a structure as threatening as a castle." I decided that, weather I called them edifices or important buildings, taken as a whole, positioned where they are in the regios, and with ballistas mounted on top, they justified the castle hook.
At that point, I realized that ALL my categories balanced without the need for any additions or subtractions...so I called it good.
Up next, the covenant's roster and annual income/expenses!