@silveroak I do like the loyal covenfolk and strong community boons for the kind of secret covenant Serafino is currently building up. Are there specific actions to take that may lead to these boons developing?
I suppose the loyalty money can buy is very limited, but paying well is probably a fertile ground for it.
For the community growing in strength it could make sense to invite all inhabitants to live in the covenant with their families (if that is not already a given anyway).
«What do you want to secure it against, sir?»
We agreed that Larione received a rather full briefing on Prometheus' true nature en route from Palermo?
Larione will get busy pointing out how to secure windows and shutters. For instance, doors and windows should be barred, hatching the bar in place such that the hatch cannot be reached with a knife through a crack. He points out that it would be better to own adjacent buildings, and close off the narrow passages between them.
Prometheus does not employ an excessive number of guards, does he? Larione would consider that to be wasteful, although it wouid of course mean protection.
«Avaricious hands and curios looks.» Serafino says and then adds: «We should not change the facade a lot and it shouldn't look like fortification - other than that, just do what you deem necessary. For the people we hire, we should look for loyal folk that can keep their mouths shut. I will do my best to figure that out, but I'll consider your advise if you find something odd.»
Yes, we did. Not about his every secret, but the general nature of things, magic, the order, covenants, etc.
Larione will have full freedom regarding the physical security of the manor, as long as the outside appearance doesn't change to that of a fortress.
Serafino will try to acquire those that Larione points out in order of his priority - although he will make sure to do so slowly and inconspicuously. Who is living there? Who owns them? What cost are we talking about? If I got the building points comment right we anyhow have to add capacity.
I currently planned with two guards. I wouldn't say this is excessive.
Hopefully there is a carpenter to do the actual work.
And presumably, grills in front of ground floor windows, as we have seen in Palermo, is quite common for upper class craftsmen and merchants, so that they would not make it look suspiciously fortified.
Essentially, that means houses separated only by such a narrow passage that one can use both walls together to climb. This may or may mean buying an entire quarter of the town, so it is not necessarily feasible.
Indeed. It rules out a night watch 
You mean as in a carpenter specialist for the covenant? I can add it to the calculations.
I guess you are right.
I guess that is up to @silveroak to tell us.
So it is too less? Covenant says one grog per magus, so I already doubled. On the other hand there is not much content about solo covenants...
Not necessary. You just need one to repair and correct the existing construction, and he can be hired by the hour. My point is only that Larione does not have the craft skills
I cannot remember the stipulation that there be one grog per magus. Two grogs is plenty for a typical magus, but if you are paranoid, you may want 20.
Not sure about it yet, in particular looking into the future, but I currently think being within the city hiring by the hour makes sense. Might even raise suspicion if a completely self sustained merchant block emerges in the city.
Question was do you think we should make it three guards? What does Larione think and say?
Larione does not say much, and he is not a thinker. He may point out that he thinks he can break into any house, and his only real concern would be a waking guard.
OTOH, if you do keep a waking watch, it is going to be obvious that you have something worth steeling, so you make an attractive target.
Larione is not going to encourage you one way or another, he is merely pointing out the facts. He does not really know what you have to hide.
OOC. I have already diagnosed you with paranoia If I advice you to keep six guards to maintain a watch 24/7, it is to fuel that paranoia, and not because it objectively is a good investment.
Oh really... Paranoia. How is that? Really interested to hear.
Wouldn't that be clear?
- You take three-layer measures to hide your identity, even towards your supposed allies.
- You invest quite a lot of time in making the house secure.
I am sorry if paranoia is an unfortunate term. And for the order, it was Prometheus (not the player), I (but not Larione) had diagnosed.
Indeed, the first one wasn't obvious because of the OOC and usage of "you". Haven't taken offence though. Prometheus is precautious, maybe a bit more precautious than he would have to be. That's how I see and try to play it.
What was the third layer of disguise? The second was mostly because of the beloved rival...
Spending time to make the house secure? Do you mean making and keeping it a secret? His parens just got marched for mundane interference and he is heading into mundane interference as well, maybe. Not with a plague though, that's for sure.
I have no idea. I lost track.
I am not saying that you do anything wrong, but personally I cannot keep up with the details in this format. I just try to respond to questions when asked.
LOL
I mean, I switched to another persona (1) and applied a deep-cover disguise (2).
No worries, you don't have to keep track 
... and refraining from all obvious contact with Malta ...
@silveroak http://amfightorflight.wikidot.com/bahprometheus still has the major poverty hook and I was wondering when the aura grew from 5 to 6.
yeah, I should have made it level 6 originally from the covenant design notes, which means the specter is level 30 not 25...
The poverty I simply haven't gotten around to editing yet.
That makes additional buildings even more important to keep covenfolk out of the aura for most of the time, wouldn't it?
Did you see the additional questions towards you in this thread or should I try to summarize?
regarding buying additional buildings for security? You can always buy buildings and have them torn down if you want space, and the area you are in is a very old part of town, with largely wooden buildings over foundations of stone ruins (complete ruins, not as in adventure through hidden passageway ruins), which provide a default stone roadway. the buildings tend to be larger- roughly manor sized each, and an area of well to do merchants and government functionaries of moderately high status. As such they are not crowded together the way buildings tend to be in the poorer or more commercial parts of town.
and yes, keeping people who are not immune to warping from the aura out of the aura would be a very good idea... unless you want warped covenfolk.
Technically, with secondary buildings for covenfolk, one aura boon becomes major. 
As I see the description the major boon applies to a much smaller aura within the larger aura- it could be described as either a minor boon 3 times or as a missing aura with a major boon 6 times, and the first makes more sense since any coven folk living in the manor house will still be warped. In theory you could build buildings outside the aura of any covenant...