At the moment I am still doing the preparatory work for this game, so play will not begin for a while (months, at least). People who managed to find the game on their own (since I have not advertised) are welcome to submit an RTJ, as long as they understand the game will start when it starts...

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Factions within the Order have decided to found a new covenant in the Taurus peninsula. They have called for volunteers among the older magi: this is not a task for youngsters just past their apprenticeship.

You are one of these volunteers. You, a powerful magus or maga, have decided, for whatever reason, to pack up all your belongings and relocate to this new covenant where all is yet to build. Certainly a powerful reason must motivate you, since this is no small endeavor.

This is what I need from prospective players:
1) A name and House. This is not set in stone, character creation is going to take a while and changing one's mind is allowed, but I do need something to put under player name.

2) The reason you have volunteered. Possible reasons are noted below, or you can come up with your own, but it must be something important to the character.

3) What you are bringing to the covenant and the whole endeavor; what you can do, not what you own. A sizable fraction of the Order is coming together to make this possible, they will make sure the people selected will go through with the mission. Again, suggestions can be found below.

4) If you already have one, a character concept (including potential magical specializations). This is not required, but it will help me suggest some changes in case two players come up with the same concept, hopefully before the players spend too much time on character creation.

Character creation is going to take a while. Please be prepared for that. It will also require a significant investment in time by the player, and so will the game, so if you cannot make this investment, this is probably not the game for you.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:36, Sun 31 July 2016.

The official (though still kept secret from the Order at large) reason for the covenant's foundation is to investigate the closing of the Silk Road, and reestablish it (along with the trade routes to the North, if possible).

Thus, any magus with a keen interest in trade might volunteer, or any magus who wants first choice of the future bounty flowing through (or at least passing by) the covenant. Also any magus interested in the political power such control might bring.

The covenant is on the border of Mythic Europe, and the intent to explore past it. This means an almost guaranteed chance of conflict with anything from bandits to non-hermetic magi to supernatural creatures, with minimal supervision from the Order itself. Aggressively militant magi might thus volunteer.

Conversely, magi interested in non-Hermetic traditions, or even mundane knowledge of the East might volunteer for the chance to study them.

There are of course more possible reasons, and the players are free to come up with their own, but it should be very important to the character. Which means that, yes, Personality or Story Flaws centered on that reason are very suitable (though not necessary).

There are many things the covenant will need to accomplish its goals, and the magi will be selected for what they bring. Here are a list of possible, valuable contributions, in no particular order:

• The ability to interact with mundanes. The Gentle Gift, social skills, languages (even if they are not the right ones, they show a willingness to learn), and even the right spells all contribute to it.
• The ability to spy on mundanes without being detected.
• The ability to travel long distances, either singly or (preferably) leading an entourage, through unknown and potentially hostile territory.
• Martial prowess against mundanes. Ideally, the covenant should be able to defend both itself and at least one outside party against a small (mundane) army.
• Martial prowess against powerful adversaries, such as non-Order magi or powerful supernatural creatures.
• The ability to interact and organize magi toward a common goal. The chosen magi will need to work as a team, and teams need leaders, official or not.
• The ability to spot and investigate vis, regios, supernatural creatures, and people with supernatural powers.
• The ability to research new spells and create new magical items of all kinds. A broad mastery of all Arts is vastly preferred to over-specialization here.

The player may come up with other contributions, and they will be evaluated. This is not a case of "all positions must be filled" nor of "only one character by contribution", so there is no "right" or "wrong" contribution to choose no matter what others have already chosen.