Covenants (Fifth Edition)
Covenants is an Ars Magica supplement greatly expanding the rules and background for covenants and related issues.
Rules Edition: Fifth Authors: Timothy Ferguson, Mark Shirley, Andrew Smith, and Neil Taylor Publisher: Atlas Games ISBN: 1-58978-083-3 Release Date: January 2006 Format: Hardcover, 144 pages Availability: In print
Subject and Contents
Covenants builds on the rules presented in core ArM5 to enrich the covenant creation and maintenance with more details and options. It greatly expands the number of boons and hooks, and in so doing offers many ideas and situations for the covenant. It adds new options and examples for the covenant's resources, like new types of books and example vis sources. It proposes a system for keeping tabs on the covenant's economics, and discusses its governance and charter. Overall, using this book can greatly increase the details and flavor of your covenant, but often at the cost of greater rules complexity or book-keeping.
Other Content
In addition to enriching the covenant's description and maintenance, Covenants offers some content of general interest to the individual magus or character.
Rules for crossbows are given on p. 18. Note that these have been criticized, and there are alternatives floating around (read the Ars Magica FAQ).
A spell enforcing instant loyalty is given on p. 41. New spells related to agriculture and craft are given on p. 51. A money-making spell is on p. 61. A minor spell is given on p. 62, another on p. 77, another on p. 79. Spells relating to book use and manufacture are on p. 96-97. Further similar spells are on p. 99-100. Sanctum wards are on p. 104. Laboratory-related spells are on p. 122.
Spell Guidelines regarding Rego Craft Magic are given on p. 49-50. Further guidelines involving various topics (used in "agriculture" spells) are given on p. 50-51. Note also the guidelines on using spells to improve the laboratory.
A Price List for various things is given on p. 71. Covenants also describes a way to simulate the economical and agricultural evolution of the covenant.
An extended discussion of book-manufacture as well as options for books are presented, see in particular p. 86-91 for rules, including rules for Casting Tablets.
Rules for Research are on p. 98-99.
Rules for Significanto are on p. 101, rules for Realia on p. 102.
A discussion of Sancta is on p. 103-105.
The entire library chapter is probably of use to most magi. This includes non-standard laboratory routines on p. 107-109, and extensive Laboratory Personalization rules on p. 109-122.
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Related Sites
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Previous Editions
A previous supplement by the same name was published for Ars Magica Second Edition in 1990 by Lion Rampant. It detailed four covenants, in addition to providing general rules. See the product page.
Legacy Page
The history of this page before August 6, 2010 is archived at Legacy:covenants_book