[Psitticine]

One thing about Ulm is that they don't have anything but Earth magic "built-in", so to speak. Because of that, just about any magic you want to put on your Pretender will be useful. Some, such as Nature, might be more useful than others, but you can feel a bit freer to play with just whatever looks like fun. If you go with Earth on your Pretender, get it at 4+ so it'll make a difference compared to your Master Smiths. Otherwise, just grab a fun-looking combo and dive in. The subtlties can come later, especially since Ulm runs more on muscle than magic.

A good high-Admin castle is a good idea though, as are tipping the scales for Order and Productivity in a positive manner. Ulm needs a lot of money, resources, and supply to be 100% effective.