Character Creation

       Players start by generating six statistics: Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma.  Attributes are rolled with 4d6, dropping one low die to produce a total of 3 - 18.  Players receive seven such rolls to allocate between the six statistics however desired, with the lowest total discarded. 

       Alternatively, instead of rolling, or if your dice appear cursed, a player may select the general statistic package of (16, 15, 15, 14, 13, 12).  Yes, you can choose this after trying your own dice first.  

     Note that all racial types have some type of additional attribute modification.

      When asked "What kind of race can I be?", my cautious reply is "Well, what do you want to be?".  That question is a lot more complicated now than in the old days.  In the old days, there were a few basic concepts that everyone understood, taken from the relatively few great fantasy series that existed.  Since then, a virtual explosion of fantasy literature and video games has spawned an almost endless range of both new fantasy races and variations on the old ones.  While they're all cool in their own right, not every idea fits every GM's game.  The popular dragon-born concept is a good example.  It's a great idea in its own right, and in an appropriate world, but what about a world where dragons don't go around having regular sexual relations with humans?  Obviously, I'm the GM, and I can justify anything I really want.  And I'm acutely aware that for many players, a primary interest of the game is in being "different" than a normal human (being quite guilty of it myself).

      However, what I don't want is players choosing a character race based purely on its statistical advantages.  I'd like there to be at least some kind of role-playing value in the decision.  While humans are intentionally framed as the "race of infinite possibilities", the non-human races are (or should be) more stereotyped in their interpretations and in their behavior as characters.  A halfling that isn't curious or a dwarf that doesn't lust for gold is just a human in a Halloween costume.  But what this means is that players and GM have to agree on what a given nonhuman race is and is all about, and have the same expectations about what that character type means in a campaign context.  

     As a result, there is no table of racial abilities presented here;  after all, that's not what the decision is supposed to be about, right?  I do, in fact, have templates for all the classic races, including full human, barbarian human, half-elf, half-orc, wood elf, high elf, drow elf, mountain dwarf, hill dwarf, and halfling (currently one flavor only).  None are particularly radical and all should live up to expectations.  There are some others I consider "experimental", and I'm even willing to listen (guardedly) to new ideas.  All have appropriate advantages, but only humans have no limitations or disadvantages as well;  they are the "default" suggested race because they can be and/or do anything, as noted above.  But if you want to be something else, we'll talk about it, and as long as we speak the same language, the results should make sense.    

     A character class is not a choice a player makes in order to gain specific abilities, it is instead a description of the abilities that player wants to have.  In a sense, all my character classes are actually customized creations.  You explain to me what you think your character is, and I’ll assign you both an Archetype and a specific Class that embodies your ideas. 

     Archetypes are the familiar categories of Fighter, Cleric, Magician, and Rogue;  they define certain basics like hit point dice and saving throw modifiers.  Within each archetype are many specific classes which represent different variations of that type.  The Fighter archetype, for example, includes the classes of Warrior, Soldier, Paladin, Ranger, Monk, Cavalier, Mercenary, and Berserker.  Each of these is a Fighter in the general sense, with the same kind of core skills, but with appropriate skill and ability variations based on their particular flavor.  

     On the whole, my class concepts are a little bit "vanilla" compared with recent game editions.  I do not use extensive pre-set lists of ever-increasing abilities or spectacular combat feats.  On the other hand, there are areas where I am highly flexible.  Class concepts are not limited to existing lists;  if you have a unique character idea that fits into the campaign mold, then we’ll invent a new appropriate class for it.  Multi-classing is possible for all races and most class types, but requires division of experience points.  Merged classes are possible as well (multi-classing gives all abilities of both classes, merging makes a single class with selected abilities from each root class).

     Classes are listed below, and the list is not exclusive and new classes are possible.  Not all classes are necessarily appropriate for characters and are included here for informational purposes.  Playing of these classes is not prohibited, but as these classes possess problematic characteristics, careful discussion with the GM will be necessary for the player determined to take such a role.

Class List

   Fighter                Cleric                     Magician                  Rogue

      Warrior                Hierarch                Wizard                       Explorer

      Soldier                 Templar                 Sorcerer                    Burglar

      Paladin                Healer                    Bard                           Freelancer

      Ranger                Holy Man               Magus                       Assassin

      Monk                   Druid                      Warlock/Witch         Scout/Spy

      Cavalier               Shaman                                                    Mobster

      Mercenary

      Berserker 

     Alignment is expressed in traditional terms of Law v. Chaos and Good v. Evil, arranged like a Cartesian plane x- and y-axis, with the center point representing "true neutrality" (itself somewhat of a slippery concept).  Everyone fits somewhere on that plane.   

     I believe that alignment is an important indicator of what a character, creature, or NPC is all about, but it's not a strait jacket or a jail cell.  If the Good-aligned fighter is having a bad day and kicks a puppy, or if the Vampire actually helps the little old lady across the road, neither is going to be swallowed by the earth (if it starts happening every day, we have issues).  For some classes, like clerics and paladins, it's obviously more important than others, and a creature or character may be anywhere between fanatical and apathetic regarding their alignment.

     What I don't encourage is choosing an alignment because it seems chic or convenient.  One friend told me "I like Chaotic Neutral because it lets me do what I want".  But, of course, every alignment lets you do whatever you want, since alignment is supposed to be a description of what you want.  Gotta say, I'm tired of parties of all supposedly "Chaotic" characters who happily cooperate like a fine-tuned machine without a shred of individualism.    

    Character alignment is entirely a player's choice, but its parameters and expectations are part of character creation and something the GM watches over time.  A player whose character behavior consistently fails to match their alignments expectations will find their alignment may change to reflect actual reality.  Plenty of warnings, including rumblings from both gods and GM, are part of the process.   

     Religious affiliation is also important.  In a fantasy world of angels and demons, every character (player or non-) will have religious beliefs, whether a product of their cultural heritage or a deliberate choice/conversion.  Religious options for human characters in my games have traditionally been based on the 1980 publication "Deities & Demigods" from TSR publications.  This text provided mythological interpretations of a number of historical religions, including Babylonian, Celtic, Chinese, Egyptian, Finnish, Greek/Roman, Indian, Japanese, Mayan/Aztec, Norse, and Sumerian pantheons, as well as some fantasy literature pantheons of the day.  The latter have since proliferated beyond my count, and I am open to incorporate any more modern literary pantheons that fit the campaign's background.

     For most characters (clerics, paladins and the like being the exception) religious affiliation is important but strictly in a role-playing/background sense.  I do have dungeon and adventure ideas in my repertoire tied to various pantheon themes, and they can open up some classic campaign themes.   However, players should not confuse their characters having a religion versus being required to be pious about it, or technically well-versed in its lore;  and (at least in fantasy world) the belief in any given religion does not mandate hostility against others --  it's hard not to "believe" in all religions, particularly if "belief" means believing in that healing spell you're about to receive.  

     Parameters for casting abilities are listed below in the Spellcasting section.  Specific spell lists are available in the Library.  Detailed spell descriptions are not included here;  these are provided to appropriate players by the GM as spells are gained throughout the campaign.  There is a deliberate degree of "need to know" regarding this.   

    Characters receive initial skills from several sources, and they are allocated in a specific order.  Most are assigned, some allow player choice.

      First, all characters receive a Basic Skill package, which represents their cultural background and includes literacy skills and social knowledge.  These are mostly assigned, there can be player options. 

      Second, each character receives 1 - 2 Background Skills, representing skills developed during a characters' childhood, typically a product of their parent’s social and economic background.  These are agreed upon by player and GM based on the details of the character’s chosen background.

       Third, each character is assigned a Class Skill package specific to their character class.  These represent skills gained during the "basic training" process for their class and society.  Most of these are assigned, there are options in some cases.   

      Finally, each character may receive Optional Skills, if appropriate to background or character development, and agreed upon by GM and player.  

      Skills chosen at start are not a permanent limitation, new ones can and are added through game play and character experience.  A list of skills is given in the Skill section.    

           combat modifier 

            fighter  other   (equivalent)         Feat of Strength 

7              -2        -2

8              -1        -1 

9     

10

11                                  (human average)

12   

13            +1   

14            +1       +1                                                1%

15            +2       +2     (gnome maximum)         2%

16            +3       +3      (halfling maximum)       4%

17            +4       +4      (elven maximum)           8%

18            +5       +5      (human max)                  15%

19            +6       +6      (ogre strength)               30%

20            +8       +7      (hill giant/ettin)              50%

21          +10       +8      (stone, cloud giant)       70%

22          +12       +9      (frost giant)                     85%

23          +14     +10      (fire giant)                       95%

24          +17     +11      (storm giant)                  105%

25          +20     +12      (titan, divinity)                125% 

     note: the "to hit" bonus gained from strength cannot exceed a character's level. Thus a third level warrior with 18 strength would be +3 hit, +5 damage, at fourth level +4/+5, etc.   

        skill bonus     magician Spell Bonus                Limitations

7           -2                                                                      (not allowed)

8           -1                                                                      (not allowed)

9           -1                                                                      (not allowed)

10                                                                                  (not allowed)

11                                                                                  (max level 2)

12         +1                                                                     (max level 4)

13         +1               1                                                    (max level 5)

14         +1               2    1                                              (max level 6)

15         +2               2    2    1                                        (max Level 7)

16         +2               2    2    2    1                                  (max level 8)

17         +2               3    2    2    2    1  

18         +3               3    3    2    2    2    1

19         +4               3    3    3    2    2    2    1

20         +5               3    3    3    2    2    2    2    1

Skill bonus applies to all classes 

Spell bonus only to arcane casters

        Save   Heal           Clerical Spell Bonus

7         -1       -2

8         -1       -1

9                   -1

10

11

12 

13       +1                       1 

14       +1      +1             2  

15       +1      +1             2    1  

16       +2      +2             2    2    1  

17       +3      +2             3    2    2    1  

18       +4      +3             3    3    2    2    1  

19       +5      +4             4    3    3    2    2    1

20       +7      +5             4    4    3    3    2    2   

Saving throw modifiers apply to all classes

Heal and spell bonuses only to holy magic users

      Dodge  Hit   Save  Initiative

7        -2       -3      -2          -3

8        -1       -2      -1          -2

9         0        -1      -1          -1

10       0  

11       0  

12       0                              

13       0                              +1

14       1        +1     +1        +2

15       2        +2     +1        +3 

16       3        +3     +2        +4

17       4        +4     +2        +5

18       5        +5     +3        +6 

19       6        +6     +3        +8

20       8        +8     +4      +10

21      10      +10    +4      +12

22      12      +12    +5      +15

23      14      +14    +6      +18

24      17      +17    +7      +21 

25      20      +20    +8      +25

     Hit point bonus Save System Shock

7           -1                  -1             40%

8           -1                  -1             45% 

9                                 -1             50%

10                                               55% 

11                                               60%

12                                               65%

13                                               70%

14          +1                +1             75%

15          +2                +1             80%

16          +3                +2             85%

17          +4                +2             90%

18          +5                +3             95%

19          +6                +3            105%

20          +7                +4            115%

      reaction adj.   Influence      Save

7         - 30%                  -3              -4

8         - 20%                  -2              -3

9         - 15%                  -1              -2

10       - 10%                  -1              -1

11       - 5%

12          0                      

13       + 5%                                    +1

14      +10%                  +1              +1

15      +20%                  +1              +2

16      +30%                  +2              +3

17      +40%                  +3              +4

18      +50%                  +4              +5

19      +75%                  +7              +4

20    +100%                  +9              +6

21    +125%                  +11            +8

Charisma levels higher than 21 will overwhelm normal individuals and 

     induce automatic obedience.  

Influence can substitute/augment Intelligence modifier with certain skills

Save mod applies to mind-control spells and effects 

      Class types are not limited to the list below, and I am happy to entertain any concept that can be made to fit into the general world and story lines already established.  Exotic character classes are possible, and will be drawn up based on their appropriate iconic classification.  Multi-classing is possible for all races and most class types, but requires division of experience points.    

     There are classes are listed below as "not recommended" for player characters.  These classes are generally more appropriate for NPCs than PCs, and are included primarily for informational purposes.  

Warrior         Classic melee fighter with balanced all-around skills

Soldier          Professional military training, gov't or mercenary

Paladin         Holy Warrior of any alignment

Ranger         Outdoorsman, Scout, Guide

Cavalier        Romantic Swashbuckler 

Berserker     Warrior who invokes super-human rage episodes  

Monk            Specialized warrior with specialized clerical/aesthetic powers

Hierarch                 Temple priest of established social order

Hospitaler              Adventuring priest specializing in healing/support role

Templar                  Warrior-Cleric, stronger combat skills, less casting

Holy Man               Itinerant, without political or social associations 

Druid                      Shape-changer or classic caster varieties 

Shaman                 Combines primitive holy and arcane abilities.  NPC only

Burglar                   Professional adventurer with dungeoneering orientation

Combat Rogue     Stronger combat emphasis, fewer rogue skills

Freelancer            Lives outside legal society structure through personal skill

Explorer                Adventurer/traveler specializing in lore and knowledge

Mobster                Professional organized criminal, not recommended

Assassin                Killer for hire.  Not recommended. 

Magician           Arcane practitioner 

Sorcerer            Alternative system of spell learning and retention

Bard                  Multiple Varieties

        Spellsinger:  Dedicated caster using music as medium

        Troubadour:   Adds some rogue skills with lesser casting

        Jongeleur:    Adds some fighter skills with lesser casting

Specialist NPC classes  (examples, not recommended for characters)

        Necromancer specializes in undead creation/control. 

        Illusionist specializes in illusions

        Conjurer specializes in summoning creatures

        Demonologist summoner of demons/devils/etc. 

        Warlock magician with demonic patron (similar to cleric) 

        Alchemist is a low-power magician specializing in alchemy 

     Different spellcasting classes vary in their details, but certain principles apply to all.  All casters have a certain number of spells they can memorize at any one time (capacity), and a certain number they can cast before needing rest (power).  Once memorized (or known, if a sorcerer), a spell remains in the caster's memory until he/she chooses to replace it.  Memorized spells can otherwise be cast, repeatedly and as desired, as long as the caster has power.  This is the same for all casters. 

     All casters have an attribute bonus to either power or capacity.  The attribute used, and how it functions, differs by class.  

     Clerics, Paladins, Druids, and druidical Rangers use Wisdom to determine their spell bonus.  Mages, Sorcerers, Bards, and arcane Rangers use their Intelligence.  Bards can choose to substitute their Charisma score for Intelligence for determining this value. 

     Clerics, Paladins, and Holy Druids apply their bonus to the number of spells they can cast (power), but memorization capacity is not affected.  Magicians, Sorcerers, Bards, Feral Druids, and Rangers apply their bonus to the number of spells they can memorize (capacity), but power is not affected.

    The tables below show the basic values for both capacity and power per level for each casting class.  Read the charts down for caster level, read them across for spell level (thus a level 3 mage has the base capacity and power for 4 first and 2 second level spells).

Level:          1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th  9th

1                     3

2                     4

3                     4      2

4                     5      3

5                     5      3      2

6                     5      4      3  

7                     5      4      3      2

8                     5      4      4      3

9                     5      5      4      3      1

10                   5      5      4      4      2

11                   5      5      4      4      3      1

12                   6      5      5      4      3      2

13                   6      5      5      4      4      3  

14                   6      6      5      4      4      3      1

15                   6      6      6      4      4      3      2  

16                   6      6      6      5      4      3      2      1

17                   6      6      6      5      5      3      2      2   

18                   6      6      6      5      5      4      3      2      1 

19                   6      6      6      5      5      5      3      3      2 

20                   6      6      6      6      5      5      4      3      3

21                   6      6      6      6      5      5      5      4      4

Level            1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th  9th  

1                      2

2                      3

3                      3      1

4                      4      2

5                      4      3      1

6                      5      3      2

7                      5      3      3      1

8                      5      4      3      2

9                      5      4      4      2      1

10                    5      4      4      3      2

11                    5      5      4      3      2      1

12                    6      5      4      3      2      2

13                    6      5      5      4      2      2

14                    6      5      5      4      3      2      1

15                    6      5      5      4      4      2      2

16                    6      5      5      4      4      3      2      1

17                    6      5      5      5      4      3      2      2

18                    6      5      5      5      4      3      3      2      1

19                    6      5      5      5      4      4      3      3      1 

20                    6      5      5      5      4      4      4      3      2

21                    6      5      5      5      4      4      4      4      3

Level       1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th  

1               1

2               2     

3               2      1

4               3      1

5               3      2      1

6               4      2      2

7               4      2      2      1

8               4      3      2      2     

9               4      3      2      2      1

10             4      3      3      2      2

11             4      3      3      2      2      1

12             4      4      3      2      2      1

13             4      4      4      3      2      2

14             4      4      4      4      3      2

GD1          5      5      4      4      3      2     1     

GD2          5      5      4      4      4      2     1     

GD3          5      5      5      5      4      2     2      

GD4          5      5      5      5      4      3     2     1      

GD5          5      5      5      5      4      4     3     1      

GD6          5      5      5      5      4      4     3     2     

GD7          unique/special

Level     1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th

4             2

5             3

6             3      1

7             3      2

8             3      2      1

9             3      3      2

10           3      3      2      1

11           3      3      2      2

12           3      3      2      2      1

13           3      3      3      2      2

14           3      3      3      2      2      1

15           4      3      3      3      2      1

16           4      4      3      3      3      1

17           4      4      4      3      3      2

18           4      4      4      3      3      3

No further spellcasting progression 

Level     1st  2nd   3rd  4th  5th  6th 

1             2           

2             3

3             3       1

4             4       2 

5             4       2       1

6             4       3       2

7             4       3       2      1

8             4       3       3      2     

9             4       3       3      2      1

10           4       3       3      3      2

11           4       3       3      3      2      1   

12           4       3       3      3      3      2    

13           4       4       4      3      3      2

14           4       4       4      4      3      3     

15           4       4       4      4      4      4        

No further spellcasting progression

      Skills allow characters to do things.  Their use is situational.  Some tasks may be easy enough not to require a roll.  Alternatively, a roll might determine not success, but how long something takes, how pretty it looks, or how many resources were used. 

      When using a skill, a character rolls 1d20, and adds their skill level and intelligence bonus (certain skills can substitute charisma bonus instead).  This is usually compared against target totals of 15 - 20 - 25 - 30, depending either on the difficulty of the task or the specifics of the desired result.  For an "ordinary" task, 15+ suggests partial success, 20+ represents acceptable success, 25+ looks really good, and 30 is something exceptional indeed.  Easy or unusually difficult tasks will shift the targets.  

      For instance, a character attends a feast at the local Baron's castle.  During the meal, he spies a pretty girl, and with his poetry skill of 10 and +2 Int modifier, he tries a spontaneous poem to impress her.  He rolls 1d20 and adds 12.  If his total is less than 20, he's obviously drunk too much and the whole effort inspires only laughter and jibes (if less than 15, he might have just barfed on the dinner table).  With at least a total of 20, he can get the words to rhyme, and with a 25+, come up with a poem that people will actually remember.  If he can get to 30+, the pretty girl might just fall in love with this handsome and witty individual right on the spot.  Too bad she's the daughter of the highly possessive and suspicious Baron ... but that's another story.

      Skill use is somewhat "blind" in the sense that a player generally is not informed what kind of modifiers are in play with any given skill roll.  Either you attempt the deed or you don't, there's no pre-calculation of modifiers from a player's standpoint unless you're from planet Vulcan ("never tell me the odds!" --- J. T. Kirk).  However, a player always has a right to ask the GM for a commonsense character-perspective evaluation of an action before committing to a roll, particularly when there are potentially adverse results of failure.

      Knowledge Areas are not really skills, but subject areas that a character has formally studied and researched.  At any time during play, a player can use their character's Knowledge Areas in the same manner as a skill to gain additional insight or information in appropriate situations.  In addition, a player with a knowledge area can tap the GM outside the game for discussion time over general knowledge or specialized issues.  In some cases, there are even extra documents that will be made available to appropriate players.  Players should understand that website information represents general knowledge about the world, and has its limitations in both scope and accuracy, whereas Knowledge Areas represents a scholar's view, with greater scope and accuracy.   

      When an area lists categories in parenthesis, each of these categories is considered a separate skill. 

      Some skills appear to overlap. This can be because one skill may be a more limited but easier learned version of the other, or sometimes because they may share particular characteristics.  And, well, sometimes they just overlap.  Some skills are intended more specifically for NPCs than characters, and are included on the list more out of logic than game appeal. 

      Characters receive new skill points at each level.  At levels 2 through 4, characters gain 5 skill points.  At levels 5 through 9, they receive 6, and at level 10 or higher, 7 skill points.  Certain classes, primarily rogues, which have "package skills" receive additional skill points per level which must be assigned to those specific skills.  

      A skill point can be used to add a new skill or knowledge area, or to improve an existing one, with a maximum of 1 improvement per skill per level.  Maximum skill score is 20.

   The list below is not exclusive, I'm happy to add new ideas or possibilities that I've overlooked.

   Not all skills are created equal, some are truly campaign-important and others are strictly aesthetic.  The GM would like them all to be relevant, but makes no guarantees.  

Acting 

    Knowledge and performance of classical theatrical productions, both of personal and international cultural origin.  Not a "disguise" skill

Agriculture/Farming 

     Growing domesticated plants, usually in quantity

Alchemy 

     Knowledge and creation of potions and transmutations

Animal Empathy

     "Reading" and understanding wild animals

Animal Husbandry

     Caring for and breeding of domesticated animals

Animal Training 

     Training of domesticated animals, requires specialization for wild 

Appraisal 

     Evaluating and pricing objects at local market value

Armor Repair 

     Field repair and maintenance of armor

Blacksmithing 

     Basic forge work. This skill multi-specializes for greater detail

Bowyer/Fletcher 

     Making, repairing, and maintaining bows, crossbows, arrows, bolts

Brewer/Wine Maker 

     Brewing of beverages, alcoholic and otherwise

Butchering 

     Turning dead animals into safe food to eat

Camp Life

     Domestic skill in a wilderness (or at least non-urban) setting, includes handling cooking fires, camp hygiene and safety, and personal comfort skills. 

Carpentry 

     Construction with wood

Cartography/Mapping 

     Making and interpreting maps and similar diagrams. Many countries are highly restrictive with this profession, particularly regarding non-natives.

mountaineering techniques 

Chandler 

     Ship outfitter, includes some maintenance skills

Climbing

     Professional climbing skill, as opposed to simple climbing ability.  Includes free-climb and mountaineering.  

Cobbler 

     Everyone wears shoes. Well, unless you’re a halfling …

Concealment

    How not to be seen.  Use is strongly influenced by terrain and conditions.

Cooking 

     Quality food preparation, haute cuisine

Cooper 

     Barrel-maker and woodworker

Dancing

     A significant social skill in many cultures, this skill links in part to a character's social background and any culture/history skills known. 

Diplomacy

      Professional political mediation, includes etiquette and protocol knowledge. Primarily regards human cultures, with application to friendly non-human cultures. 

Disguise

     Use of mundane (non-magical) means to alter appearance. 

First Aid 

      Minor non-magical healing and medical sense

Fishing 

     Catching fish and aquatic edibles

Food Preparation 

     Minimum skill cooking basics, particularly as applied to primitive settings, enough to prevent personal food poisoning at least. Inferior to Cooking at all skill levels.

Forgery

     Creation of false documents or objects, generally a rogue-only skill

Gardening  

     Growing and arranging plants, particularly non-edible plants, as an aesthetic activity.

Gem Cutter/Jeweler 

     Precision gem cutting and making of small jewelry items.

Heraldry

     Knowledge of heraldic signs, symbols, and designs of a specific culture, and an ability to attempt to interpret unknown ones. 

Herbalism

     Knowledge of plants and their medicinal/alchemic/other uses. Includes knowing where and when to find plants, specific blossoms, pollens, seeds, etc., as well as how to extract. 

Horticulture 

     Raising and breeding of uncommon or unusual plants, including reagent plants.  Similar to agriculture but smaller scale and more exotic plant types.

Hunting 

     Includes some tracking ability, stalking, and trapping

Inscription 

     Professional scribing, record-keeping, note-taking, etc.

Interrogation

     Skill in extracting information through verbal discourse, either direct or indirect, subtle or intimidating.

Intimidation

     Generates a bonus charisma modifier for influencing NPC actions, with risk of backlash or negative counter-reaction.  Can be used in combat to influence opponent's morale or to gain attention. 

Leatherworking

     Use of leathers and composite materials to make leather armor and other "non-clothing" leather items (saddles, etc.)

Literacy

     Language specific, covers both reading and writing.  A basic literacy score of 5 represents partial literacy, a skill of 10 represents full general literacy. Scores higher enable encoding/decoding, complicated verbal analysis, legal advocacy, etc. 

Lockpicking

     Generally a rogue-only skill

Locksmithing 

     Making, and opening (!) of locks and sealed devices

Marketing 

     Buying and selling, pricing and haggling

Metalworking/Smelting

     Smelting and alloying techniques

Milling 

     Process of converting plants into food or other resources

Masonry 

     Building and stonecarving

Move Quietly

     Note the title of the skill is quietly, not necessarily silently, the latter being dependent on clothing, accouterments, and other conditions. 

Music 

     Composition and performance with specific instrument classes

Nature Sense

     Ability to read natural surroundings to evaluate or anticipate conditions, threats, weather, or unusual events.  

Navigation 

     Accurate travel over distance, includes astronomy knowledge

Neutralize Traps

     Specialized rogue-only skill

Oratory

     Formal public speaking and legal advocacy techniques.  Varies by culture.

Painting/Drawing 

     Aesthetic skill, includes drawing

Persuasion

     Generates a bonus charisma modifier for influencing NPC actions.  Similar to Intimidation, but less intimidating. 

Pick Pockets

     Specialized a rogue-only skill

Poetry 

     Aesthetic poetry and heroic storytelling

Poison Expertise 

     Skill in creation and use of poisons

Pottery 

     Making of pottery items and containers, decorative and functional

Research

     Skill in the systematic search for information over time

Riding

     Governs the ability to ride horses and domesticated animals comfortably over long periods and handle the animal in stress situations. Pre-requisite for riding-related combat skills.

Sailing 

     Operation of sailing vessels

Search

     Specialized rogue-only skill

Singing

     Trained singing techniques, including harmonization and arrangement

Skinning

     Removing hides from animals to be made into leather

Stonecutting/Stonecarving

     Non-precious stonework, both aesthetic and for building purposes 

Storytelling 

     Skill in entertaining with either spontaneous or classical stories.

Streetwise

     Skill at evaluating urban conditions and situations, from finding the best tavern to recognizing the "wrong neighborhood".  Applies specifically to human-dominant communities;  it is best in a familiar culture but applies to any.  

Survival

     Basic survival principles, finding food or shelter, anticipating weather dangers, making fire.  Applies to all environments.

Swimming

     Floatation and movement in water

Tailor/Haberdasher 

     Making, repairing, and refining clothing

Tanning/Curing 

     Turning animal skins into leather

Teaching (skill)

     Skill in professional teaching (transmitting to others) of a specific skill or knowledge area. Requires the skill in question.

Teamster 

     Operating and care for animal teams 

Torture

     Use of specific pain-inducing techniques and equipment

Tracking

     Ability to find and follow creatures in wilderness environments

Weaving 

     Includes fabrics, natural plants, etc.

Wheelwright 

     Wheel-makers, often also wagons, carts, etc.     

Ancient Lore (world) (specific culture) 

     Knowledge of pre-Second Age human history and legend.  World application provides broad overviews, while choosing a specific culture for study allows greater depth of information, but limited to the appropriate culture. 

Ancient Languages (general) (specific) 

     See notes on Literacy, above.  This governs any pre-Second age language. 

Dungeons and Treasures

     The historical study of famous adventurer destinations, and some of the famous Artifacts found in them.  This skill is similar to Legends & Lore, but is focused on specific adventurer destinations and famous items.  

Legends and Lore

     Study of legendary creatures, items, and artifacts found on the Prime Material Plane.  Similar to Dungeons and Treasures, but is focused more on cultural legends and stories, histories and backgrounds, famous individuals, and the like. 

Modern Culture  (world)  (specific)

     Governs understanding of different cultures, including their laws, customs, formal and informal etiquette and mores, governments, history, etc.  Applicable to any individual culture of the Second Age.  All characters receive this skill specialized for their native culture for free.  

Multiverse (general) (plane specific)

     Study of the planes beyond the Prime, their nature and their creatures

Engineering (civil) (military)

     Civil engineering is reasonably common in many cultures, military engineering is a highly restricted skill in virtually all.

Extraplanar Creatures

     Knowledge of extraplanar creatures known to travel to Prime Material plane

Humanoid Cultures (general) (specific)

     Study of non-human races, their cultures and histories.  Can be applied to an individual race for greater detail regarding those specific creatures.

Nature

     An academic study of nature (as opposed to the pragmatics of Nature Sense), including understanding of ecosystems and biological processes. 

Geography, Cultural

     General knowledge of who (or what) lives where and believes in what.  Includes humans and humanoids (more limited on the latter). 

Geography, Physical

     Knowledge of earth structures, surface and sub-surface geography and geology

Modern History (Culture)

     Knowledge of historical persons and events of a specific culture in the Second Age.

Religion (specific)

     This is not just religious belief, but the comprehensive study of the dogma and doctrine of specific religions, including subjects like ceremonial and ritual practices, knowledge of gods, creatures, and individuals unique to that religion, holy days and events, songs and prayers, etc. 

Tactics - Siegecraft

     Covers knowledge of military tactics and operations in siege warfare.  Includes knowledge of creation and tactical use of siege engines, fortress design and construction, siege procedures, etc. 

Tactics - Leadership

     Refers to the coordination of multi-man (etc.) large-scale units in battle.  This is a highly restricted skill in virtually every culture, for obvious reasons, but non-denominational mercenary training opportunities exist world-wide.