I think it would be neat if there could be different 'classes' of Protectors, where one class of Protector has totally different spells than another. It is called worshipping a protector. Why not make it so the protectors are like a pantheon of gods? There'd be protectors of destruction, healing, harvest, etc. In addition to giving heat, worshippers can sacrifice relevant resources to empower their protectors. And no, protectors wouldn't be actual gods, they'd be powerful, specialized, magicians.
I would like to see more long-term protectors myself. Perhaps keep the number of adepts needed to become a protector the same, but after say, a week, reduce the number of adepts required to maintain protector status by half.
I'm not giving these suggestions so that I can be lazy though. If any changes are made, I want it so that protectors still need to work hard and be creative to be really good protectors. (Which I hope to be).