Re: General Discussion (OOC)
This was going to be a question about if there was any difference between Literacy appearing under the Classical Education category and Language category beyond one costing four times as much per level as the other (considering CE Professionals get it automatically), but then got to thinking (yeah dangerous thing).
I'd suggest altering Literacy's description under the language category to-
'A character with this skill can read and write any language they can speak, including Indian languages. They also have been taught the basics of arithmetic. Whether schooled formally or at home so they can read the Bible, the three R's are recognized as the basic foundation for many trades and professions though the education of children in the late 18th and early 19th centuries was largely piecemeal because they were needed at home for farm work or other labor. The referee can require a skill check in cases where the material is complicated or the character doesn't get much practice.'
Then alter the skill category of 'Classical Education' to 'Humanities' changing Literacy under that heading to 'Classical Education' and the skill entry for it-
'Classical Education includes Literacy but represents a more formal education using an approach used since ancient times resurrected in the 12th and 13th centuries. Classical education is a general survey of the Trivium (Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric) and Quadrivium (Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy). By the early 19th century, classical education also embraced a broad-based study of literature, history, art, and geography.
While classical education generally infers a more Western approach, a character with an Eastern origin would have a classical education founded on their culture's core canon such as the Four Books and Five Classics that are required study for China's Imperial examination. Or on the study and understanding of the ancient texts the Vedas, or through a Madrasa or Ijazah for those with an Indian or Islamic education background respectively.
Classical education represents the knowledge that every educated person should know from their culture, but in broad strokes. Other skills that have some crossover with the classical education skill are more specialized knowledge or training. As such the referee may apply a penalty to a skill check using classical education in some circumstances.'
Other than that I'd change 'Natural Sciences' to just Sciences so that it includes Formal Sciences (like mathematics, calculus, statistics) and Applied Sciences (various Engineering fields and other practical applications/technology). Chemistry is probably something to add to the category and technically Medicine is an applied science but is a bit of an odd duck considering that iirc you could go straight to medical school (4 year schooling) without an undergrad degree until around the 1920's (and then intern or basically apprentice under a practicing physician).
Anyway, psychiatry for the mentally ill (rather than just custodial care) basically had its start around the mid 18th century. So some psycho-social aspects may be transferred from Star Frontiers but I'd put it under the Medical category directly and probably use the term 'Alienism' for psycho-pathology and probably move hypnosis over there as well (though Lurgan Sahib in Kipling's "Kim" was probably more a Classical Education profession given the breadth of his knowledge & skill set).
On military, I'd suggest adding an 'Artillery' skill (and geometry, ballistics, mathematics a big part of that as well). The Royal Navy is the exemplar for the period for naval officer training (starting between the ages of 11 to 13 as midshipmen and sitting for examination and/or boards for promotion) but running a ship up to a fleet is more than just the Sailor skill so I'd go with 'Naval Science' (which would also count as the sailor skill as well as handle the logistics & command of a crew up to a fleet). And conversely 'Military Science' would be the logistics, command, maneuver of soldiery, and handle military engineering (as it's version of sailor...handling fortification construction, siege work, etc).
This message was last edited by the player at 17:59, Fri 15 Oct 2021.