Skills (inspired by AD&D secondary skills and EPT skills)

Here is my loose idea for non-skill skills in Athanor/S&W, in a very loose format. I am NOT conceiving of skills as anything but a loose framework for adjudication. So, for these skills, you would propose an action ("I'm going to sneak up on Count Orlock") a reason ("because I'm trained as an assassin"), and I get to set some odds as the DM ("okay, roll a d6, on a 4-6 you surprise him.")

Skills may be obtained in-game through roleplaying. Usually you need to train for a level and gain the skill next time you level up, but it may take longer or less time in particular circumstances.

Characters get two kinds of skills: background and class, largely to have a mechanic for determining the initial spell(s) a journeyman first-level magic-user starts with.

Table 1: Number of Background Skills

d6      Number of Background Skills
-----   --------------------------------
1-3     1
4-5     2
6       None

Table 2: Random Background Skills

d%      Result
-----   --------------------------------
01-02   Alchemist
03-04   Animal Handler/Trainer
05-06   Armorer
07-08   Artist
09-10   Assassin
11-12   Bowyer/fletcher
13-14   Bricklacker
15-16   Butcher
17-18   Captain, Airship
19-20   Carpenter
21-22   Cobbler
23-24   Cook
25-26   Courtier/Courtesan
27-28   Dancer
29-30   Dyer/Fuller
31-32   Engineer/Architect
33-34   Former/Gardener/Horticulturalist
35-36   Gambler
37-38   Glass-blower
39-40   Healer
41-42   Hunter
43-44   Jeweler/lapidary
45-46   Leather worker/tanner
47-48   Limner/painter
49-50   Mason
51-52   Mathematician
53-54   Miner
55-56   Musician
57-58   Natural Philosopher (Physicist/Geologist)
59-60   Naturalist (Biologist)
61-62   Navigator/Astronomer
63-64   Orator
65-66   Poet
67-68   Potter
69-70   Priest
71-72   Sail-Maker
75-76   Scholar (Historian/Philosopher/Linguist)
77-78   Scribe
79-80   Shipwright, Airship
81-82   Smith
83-84   Spy
85-86   Tailor/seamstress/weaver
87-88   Tanner
89-90   Teacher/Professor
91-92   Tracker/Guide
93-94   Trader/Merchant
95-96   Weaponer
97-98   Weaver
99-00   Woodworker/cabinetmaker

Table 3: Number of Class Skills

d6  Number of Skills
1-2 Choose 1 from the top 2 for your class.
3-5 Choose 2 from the top 3 for your class.
6   Choose 3 from the top 5 for your class.

Table 4: Class Skills

Fighter         Magic-User          Rogue
--------------  --------------      --------------
Athlete         Light               Carouser
Carouser        Hold Portal         Streetwise
Streetwise      Cure Wounds I       Read/Speak 1 modern language
Cannoneer       Charm Person        Read 1 ancient language
Tactician       Sleep              

An athlete is skilled in physical tasks; a carouser in drinking and social tasks; and streetwise allows one to navigate the seamier parts of a city. Cannoneers are experts with heavy cannons. Tacticians lead armies. Magic-users start with Detect Magic, Read Magic, and whatever other spells the pick as class skills.

Not exactly the cleanest and most polished post I've ever put up here, but there it is.