Archimedes doesn't want to be a refuge for Muslims as that would put the covenant in opposition to the government; he will look into purchasing labor-saving covenant enchantments that can reduce the necessary headcount.
What is the best mechanical way to figure out replacing points of people-support with magic? As far as I can tell, the rules in covenants are about magic items lowering costs, rather than reducing the need for people.
doing inhabitants here:
3 magi (Archimedes, Taliha, Mercator) = 15
1 companion (Julia) = 3
3 shield grogs = 3
21 points
4 points servants needed
25
3 points teamsters needed
28
if we add 3 magi:
6 magi (Archimedes, Taliha, Mercator) +? = 30
1 companion (Julia) = 3
3 shield grogs = 3
36 points, need 8 servants
44 points, need 5 teamsters
Which gets us to 49.
So we will be understaffed on servants and teamsters, we will ask applicants to solve this problem, and the first 3 who do will be invited as guests.
Building a Huge/Excellent manor house costs 250 pounds, which is manageable, and will ultimately hold 250 points worth of people (Cov 71); are we working under the basis that it's only partially built and the 50 points is the part that's currently habitable?
We are working on the basis that when you were discussing this previously and contracted to have it built you were looking at a huge/standard manor house, which was being built at double cost due to the labor shortage. You can of course ad more buildings to the covenant, since the current building certainly does not take up the available space.
replacing people with magic is essentially a SG call but the easiest guideline is with craft magic, though servants and laborers can always be recruited if you are willing to pay enough... with some potential delay for shipping.
Let's say that once the covenant is recognized, we start building a second manor house, excellent quality, of whatever size will fit. Positioning the two so a wall between them will encircle the hill (not a fortification-quality wall, just something for privacy like a high brick wall).
We will pay extra for servants from the mainland, also pay double the base for loyalty purposes (so they are less likely to get poached away.) Also try to sell a bit more vis, enough to get an investment vehicle that will give us enough interest income to keep the covenant stable.
Mercator bites her lip "Fundamentally I dislike the idea of selling Vis for money, but depending on the investment I suppose it isn't that different from investing in an enchantment to produce consumables that can be sold for income. If vis were not so abundant here I'd even suggest developing casting tablets to generate such resources. realistically though I suspect you are right, selling vis back to the tribunal is likely to generate some goodwill, I just worry about relying on mundane investments."
"In the long-term, I agree that developing a primary source of mundane income is a good idea; but right now an investment is a good quick solution, and it will remain a good backup for the future."
"I need to learn the local language and scout teh area, I'm sure I can come up with some ideas for local income that are not dependent on what shipping is available here. It won't do to have Gold in Geneva and need food here."
Archimedes nods. "I tend to stay indoors... my gift is especially distasteful to mundanes, so it behooves me to be secluded. But I can tend to the correspondence, if you agree with my strategy."
"As junior member I certainly don't object, and I find no flaw in it. Shall we invite one of the Verditius as a starting point while we make the other arrangements?"
Archimedes nods. "I thought to invite both, to avoid the one who doesn't get invited calling a Vendetta. If they are both pleasant, we have room."
"Once we add them and their servants that doesn't leave us a lot of room for other people until we finish the expansion. Hopefully newly guantleted magi won't declare a vendetta over something so trivial."
"Just one, then, it doesn't make a big difference to me. We can see how they respond to our letters before deciding more."
The letters begin trickling back in. The first Verditius is jewler who has specialized in imagonem, as does his parens. He is certain, given the demand that he saw from his pater that give a decent aura and workshop he will have plentiful orders from Mercere tha can help to keep the house supplied with vis.
The second is a woodworker who is already an initiate of the cofraternity of Balento, and specializes is ignem.
One Bonisagus also gets back to you quickly, indicating that while he had not considered the logistical situation of a newly established covenant that he is a seeker and hopes to explore the mysteries both of what might surround your covenant and of Africa, noting that exploratory expeditions are not against the code or the treaty, and hopes that you will see your way past this deficiency to support his important research.
Both Tytalus claim they have been secret supporters of your covenant from the beginning and that it was largely due to their individual secret mechanizations at the Tribunal that your covenant was recognized, and suggest that you could continue to enjoy their expertise as a member of your covenant.
the Merinita claims that the entire island of Malta is under a powerful faerie aura for some faerie called the Black Guthrie and that her help will b absolutely essential in dealing with this entity.
A second Magus Bonisagus is a Trianoma who has studied some particularly fascinating history regarding a Theban cvenant she believes used to be on the site you are on, or one very close by She gives no indication of how this will help the logistics of the covenant.
The third Magus Bonisagus is a self described lab rat, who wishes a remote location, apparently having decided that while he is required to share his research with anyone who asks they have to find him before they can ask, and he can certainly spend a portion of his time researching spells of a utilitarian nature that he covenant might require.
Of the two magi ex miscelania, one is an orphic maga who has an a magical animal companion, and thereby an affinity for the outdoors, which she finds the mainland of the Roman tribunal stifling and is certain her affinity for nature will be of benefit to the covenant. The other magus is of a tradition you have never heard of which originated in Iberia and apparently was introduced to the order in a fashion similar to the Hermetic Sahirs, except that their tradition is pagan rather than Muslim, and the flambeau of Iberia were apparently convinced it was infernal, and thus he is seeking a remote area in which to grow in his magic and eventually seek an apprentice. In terms of what he can contribute to the covenant he simply states that he will do what he can, "as though my life depends upon it".
Archimedes sends out letters as below (but more formal/flowery). Being open with Mercator and Taliha about how he's responding and allowing feedback. If challenged about the Iberian, he will explain that he is not a fan of how Christian the Order is becoming, and he wishes to give solace to those of the old faiths whenever he can.
To the woodworking Verditius:
We invite you to come and be our guest; we will ask that once you have built your laboratory you spend a little time on making some labor-saving devices for the covenant.
To the Iberian pagan magus:
We invite you to come and be our guest; we ask that you exercise the utmost discretion to leave old enemies behind.
To the Seeker Bonisagus:
We will be in the forefront of expeditions to Africa, but it will be over two decades until then; we are currently working on expanding. You will be remembered and invited to join us when the expedition to Africa enters the serious planning phases.
To the two Tytalus:
Our space is limited, but are currently in the process of construction. We appreciate the efforts, past and future, on behalf of our covenant, and will extend an invitation to our benefactor when the next new sanctum has been built. To each: Please be aware that [so-and-so] claims it was he who secretly aided us. We wonder which it really was?
To the rest:
Our space is limited, but we are currently in the process of construction. We will remain in correspondence with you, and as space opens up we will be sending out invitations.
This seems complete- adventure experience is supposed to be awarded based on how important the adventure is plus opportunities for learning- I think that despite the low level of immediate risk both of these are quite high so there will be 10xp, but no confidence earned.
You do also get responses again from each of the Tytalus magi, each indicates that they were not alone in helping you, but that the other magus may simply believe their efforts were more productive than they were because the other mage was unaware of what they themselves had accomplished.
Those choices seem acceptable to Taliha. She would have stated a preference for the wood working Verditius, as you did, despite wood not being found in great quantities on Malta. The others seem either useful or diplomatic choices. She is amused by the competition engendered with your response to both Tytalus.
At some point fairly soon after his arrival, Archimedes will try to cultivate the friendship of the pagan from Iberia, trying to learn more about his faith, and sharing his own veneration for the ancient greeks and Plato (without getting specific about cults, yet.)