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Covenant Dowry
This is based on a house rule posted by Troy at Atlas Forums. It has been amended and interpreted to suit my own style of ArM storytelling.
Covenant Dowry
It is quite reasonable, for a young magus joining a covenant, to bring some kind of contribution to the covenant resources. This is similar to the system of dowry in marriage. When young magi found a new Spring covenant from scratch, this kind of contribution is essential. They need to get the resources from somewhere.
In practice, the resources can come from anywhere. They can be a gradudation gift from the parens, the house, or the Alma Mater. They may have been earned in an adventure, possible just after gauntlet or during the gauntlet itself. The player should be free to narrate the background as they see fit.
For the sake of game balance, the Dowry represents the player’s individual influence on the covenant design. It is intended that the player design the Dowry to be useful for their own magus. Yet, the Dowry is not intended as personal possessions. In character, every magus is expected to bring a Gift of roughly this level of value, and it should be used for the common good. There is some scope for negotiation and bartering here, if the troupe enjoys this kind of roleplay.
The system
New Magi receive a number points to buy starting resources (see above). These points are spent using a pyramid scale (level 1 is 1pt, 2 is 3pt, 3 is 6p). Optionally they might also receive points of special gifts, which may only be used in category they have spent gift points in. What is gained from special gifts is added to what is received from normal gifts. Arguably, the special Gifts are more personal in some cases, and optionally may be private and not part of the dowry. This is a house call.
The default totals are 7 points of Gifts and 1 point of Special Gifts.
| Category | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personnel | None | 1x Shield Grog + 1x Specialist (ability 5) | 3x Shield Grog + 1-2 Specialist (12BP) | 5x Shield Grog + 2-3 Specialists (24BP) | See below |
| Wealth | £5 Silver | £20 Silver, Lock Box, 1x Excellent +1 Item, Cart w/Horses | £50 Silver, Lock Box, 3x Excellent +1 Item, Wagon w/ Horses, Riding Horse | £100 Silver, Lock Box, 6x Excellent +1 Item, Wagon w/ Horses, 2x Riding Horse | |
| Vis | 1x Pawn Vis | 10x Pawn Vis + 30 levels charged items (Max 10 level) | 30x Pawn Vis + 50 levels charged items (Max 20 level) | 50x Pawn Vis + 75 levels charged items (Max 30 level) | BP 2+/6+/10+ |
| Items | None | 25 levels | 50 levels (max 30 per effect) | 80 levels (max 40 per effect) | BP 10/20/32 |
| Books | No books | Tractatus Q11 | 1x Summa (28 total) | 2x Summa (27, and 30 total) | BP 11/28/57 |
| Lab Texts | 1 Lab Text (up to level 20) | 60 levels of Lab Text (Tablets take Double) | 160 levels of Lab Text (Tablets take Double) | 300 levels of Lab Text (Tablets take Double) | BP (4) 12/32/60 |
Personnel Grogs and specialists have normal/average loyalty. The grogs at +2 and +3 can fight as trained groups. At +2, one grog (captain) is particularly loyal to the magus. At +3, one grog and one specialist are particularly loyal. Specialists are capped by BP, i.e. by best skill or best skill+teaching for teachers. Com is assumed to be 0.
