Aquila Saxum:Covenant

This is the covenant for the Aquila Saxum saga for the Ars Magica game.

Resources

A baseline covenant has no magical resources. However, each player may choose up to 40 build points worth of resources (see AM5 p. 71) at the start of the game. More resources may be acquired during game play.

Library

This is a list of the Summae and Tractati of the covenant's library.

Laboratory Texts

This is a list of the Lab Texts of the covenant's library.

Vis

This is a list of the vis sources and vis stocks available to the covenant.

Enchanted Items

This is a list of the enchanted items available for use by the covenant.

Specialists

This is a list of the NPC specialists available to the covenant. Some important roles to fill (by NPCs or PCs) would be Chamberlain, Turb Captain, and/or Steward. Also, craftsmen would be useful as well (mason, carpenter, furniture maker, thatcher, blacksmith, chandler, tinker, weaver, leatherworker, cooper, cobbler, glass-blower, goldsmith, lapidary, brewer, vinter, baker, chef, miller, swordsmith, armorer, bowyer, ink-maker, bookbinder, illuminator, or scribe).

The covenant possesses, as a baseline the following craftsmen:

• Blacksmith 4
• Carpenter 4
• Bookbinder 4

Hooks and Boons

The players may each choose one hook (either a major hook, or a minor hook) and a corresponding boon or boons to balance it out (one minor boon for a minor hook; three minor boons or one major boon for a major hook). Hooks and Boons may be chosen from the core book, from the 5th edition Covenants book, or you can come up with your own!

Site

The baseline site of a covenant is in a magical aura of 3, located somewhat distant from other settlements such that unexpected visitations are uncommon events.

MAJOR HOOK Monster.

It lives among us. You can hear it skittering just at the edge of your hearing at night. In the empty halls of the covenant it prowls at night - and it lurks darkly in the closets and crawlspaces that litter the buildings of the covenant. Tales have circled about some devious thing that stalks the darker hours of the (Name to be announced?) covenant's lands. Some have said it takes the form of a shadowy hound, with glowing green eyes... and others say its a shadow itself, amorphous, save for its gnarly, grasping talons... stories about the thing appear more often than its own physical appearances.

Whatever it is, it is real. And it is dangerous. And it is hungry.

Fortifications and Buildings

The baseline fortifications of a covenant is a manor house or small tower (choose one). Baseline buildings are whatever buildings are required from the fortifications and residences for the magi and their covenfolk.

Resources

The baseline covenant possesses either one typical source of income (100 pounds per year), or two lesser (40 pounds per year each -- there are benefits, however, to diversity).

Residents

The baseline residents of a covenant are normal medieval peasants whose customs are neither particular convenient nor inconvenient to magi, making difficulties with its inhabitants an uncommon event.. In addition to any specialists and magi, the covenant possesses a number of NPC soldiers equal to the number of magi, and a number of NPC servants and laborers equal to twice the number of magi.

External Relations

The baseline covenant exists in a state of unsteady neutrality with its neighbors, making conflicts and intrigue an uncommon events.

Surroundings

The surroundings of a covenant deal with everything within 20 miles around it. The baseline surroundings of a covenant are somewhat common and mundane, making emergencies and issues involving the surroundings uncommon.

Governance

This is how the covenant is governed.

• Democracy - the covenant's magi make their decisions based on equal votes.
• Autocracy - the covenant has placed one of its magi in charge of all decisions.
• Hierarchy - the weight of the magi's votes is based on some sort of criteria.
• Bureaucracy - Each aspect of the covenant's operation have been placed in the hands of one or more magi who are then responsible for its individual governance.
• Anarchy - no established method of governance.

Prevailing Loyalty

This is the prevailing loyalty of the covenfolk.

Wealth

This is a record of the covenant's wealth.

Income

The average covenant has an income of 80 or 100 pounds.

Expenditures

The covenant has many expenses.

• Buildings - The cost of upkeeping the covenant's buildings and fortifications.
• Consumables - The cost of everyday consumables for the day to day operations of the covenant.
• Inflation - Covenants that spend too much money cause local inflation in the economy, and thus end up having to pay more and more each year.
• Laboratories - The cost of upkeeping the magi's laboratories.
• Provisions - The cost of food.
• Debts - The repayment of debts.
• Wages - The payment of wages.
• Weapons and Armor - The cost of upkeeping arms and armor.
• Writing Materials - The cost of writing materials.