Me too. I've updated my character sheet with them (I chose the Wandering background and picked Haggle and Ettiquette as common skills). Just one quick question for Elliot, where did you find the default skill rating for common skill picks? I couldn't find it at all.

Quote from: DeadUematsu;268624Just one quick question for Elliot, where did you find the default skill rating for common skill picks? I couldn't find it at all.

It isn't stated in the rules, that's why you couldn't find it.  I've always assumed in my games that it was a skill level 1.  It appears that Elliot made that assumption as well.  

Also, the Background skill thing isn't clearly defined as well.  You pick one skill that is applicable to your character's background (see first paragraph on p. 12).  

"You'll need to choose a Background skill, based on the type of culture in which your character was raised."

I guess that we should get a ruling from One Horse Town on the starting skill level for the Background and Common skills.  What do you think OHT?

Aren't the Background skills the categories listed at the very beginning of the Skills chapter, i.e. Urban, Rural, Wandering, etc.?

Quote from: DeadUematsu;268732Aren't the Background skills the categories listed at the very beginning of the Skills chapter, i.e. Urban, Rural, Wandering, etc.?

Not to my understanding of the material, especially with the information under #5 on pages 11-12.  However, I may be wrong. Let's see how One Horse Town reads it.  I'm cool either way.  

Some ideas for you to employ your crew from. I'll get on the skill question later today.

Crew

20 normal deckhands required. (half the normal crew can be press-ganged if you like. They might not like it too much though).

Standard crewmen 3 gold lumens a month

You probably need at least 1 of each of the following crew-members also.

Carpenter/Sailmaker 4 gold lumens a month per ability level

Ships Doctor/healer 5 gold lumens a month per ability level

Navigator/Pilot/First Mate 5 gold lumens a month per ability level

Available NPC specialists

These guys are kicking around and are currently looking for work.

Chi-Chi-Kar
Green Aeriad Botanomancer - 45 gold lumens a month & 5% share of profits

Krosk, Zadz & Trask
Jhangaran Mercenaries - 6 gold lumens a month & 1 gold lumen per day on active guard duty & 2 kegs of grog a week for each one employed.

Yain
Yassan Technomancer – 80 gold lumens a month & 5% share of profits

I believe Elliot can handle this. I am not exactly flowing in lumen at this point.

Bueller?....

Well, you guys can do your background skills as Elliot has done his.

Then, you can decide on your crew.

I believe both Drohem and I have already chosen our skills and, since neither of us have the money, were expecting either Eliot or yourself to divulge the total amount of wealth we have to spend on crew.

Quote from: DeadUematsu;269935I believe both Drohem and I have already chosen our skills and, since neither of us have the money, were expecting either Eliot or yourself to divulge the total amount of wealth we have to spend on crew.

Well, i did give the option of 3000 gold lumens. I guess we're waiting for Elliot then.

Ah, it was still an open question whether bg skills were to be interpreted as urban rural etc or specific things like astromancy.

Anyway, if the 3000 is all mine from mortgaging the orchard I'll approach things thus. Mr. Slantaris, my good man, I offer you  150 gl to show I'm serious, plus ten percent of the prize or other profit which may flow from this endeavor. You may share this as you wish with your scaly friend. As you are captain and familiar with the ways of the sea I shall rely on you to provide me with a budget for necessary other personnel. I anticipate a voyage of up to a month.

[By the way although I've got healing spells I don't exacly advertise my repertoire and I would not object to a ship's doctor being included on the roster]

While Slantaris and Chan-Ra are engaged in this I shall wander Gao Din and hire the Jhangarans personally. If you wish to bring on the other specialists [speaking ooc I like them both] you can present them as part of your budget.

Shall we do the crew hiring before we start or do you guys want to do it IC? I can start up an IC thread if you want to get a feel for Gao Din before the expedition proper starts up.

I'll defer to my coplayers' preferences. I'm okay with either approach.

Slantaris, although desperate for money, feigns desirability to the miserly Cyrmilian with an affable smile, "Why, good sir, while your money would be most suitable, if not outright generous, for any other sailor in this here port town, the most exceptional Slantaris - that's me - is the best investment you can get within sixty miles and it would be insulting to you, myself, and my partner (he points to Chan-Ra) to accept only 150 lumen upfront. 300 lumen would be more suitable and I would humbly accept such an appropriate sum."

He continues, smiling more sincerely, pulling for his more taciturn friend, "And before I forget, a shared payment would be the death of both me and Chan-Ra. To divide the money and the share of the prize money amongst us two grown men would lead to a pair of distended stomachs and a shattered friendship. Therefore, for the sake of continuing friendship and good health, we will also humbly accept 300 gold lumen apiece and seperate 10% shares of the prize money."

I asked these questions on the Yahoo! Talislanta group and this is the consensus:  

1.  There are only four background skills: Nomadic, Rural, Urban, or Wandering.  Each is modified by Intelligence, and starts at skill level +7.

2.  If you wanted to use a background skill in place of a specific skill that may be associated with the background, then a -5 penalty is imposed on the roll.  For example, a character with the Urban background skill wants to use the Streetwise skill, but doesn't have any skill levels in Streetwise.  The GM may allow the character to roll their Urban skill at -5.

3.  The starting skill level for the two Common skills chosen is +3.