Skill Level Examples

Active Skills

Administration

Running noble houses, businesses, and anything in between. This includes logistics and general financial planning, but not extensive knowledge of micro or macro economics.
1 - Someone who knows that a noble house needs to have food brought in.
2 - The assistant shift manager at a convenience store.
3 - The shift manager at a small chain store.
4 - Someone who might run a small neighborhood business themselves.
5 - Someone who could run a minor vassal house efficiently.
6 - A savvy business person or someone who could run a major vassal house.
7 - Someone who could run a single very successful business or small chain business.
8 - Someone who could efficiently run a Paramount House.
9 - CEO of a multi-continent or even multi-planet business.
10 - Someone who could be Master of Coin, with the appropriate Economics skill level.
11 - A master of logistics and administration.
12 - One of the few most savvy business people in the Haven System.

Alertness

Noticing things and being aware of your surroundings. This includes both active searching and the passive ability to notice things.
1 - Someone who notices when someone close to them shaves their head.
2 - Someone who notices when someone close to them gets a haircut.
3 - Someone who wins most every game of hide and seek that they play.
4 - A member of the Watch or wary noble.
5 - An experienced member of the Watch of a professional scout.
6 - A professional scout or a long-time member of the Watch.
7 - Someone who misses very little that goes on around them.
8 - An experienced noble who notices even nuanced facial expressions.
9 - Someone whose pockets are almost impossible to pick without being noticed.
10 - Someone with exceptional senses and the ability to process the necessary information quickly.
11 - Someone who catches even the slightest change in the world around them.
12 - The spiritual successor to Old Earth's Sherlock Holmes.

Archery

The use of bows and crossbows.
1 - Someone who has had a few lessons.
2 - Someone with regular but infrequent lessons.
3 - Someone with regular lessons but no actual experience.
4 - A generic professional archer.
5 - An experienced professional archer or new Arboren knight.
6 - An experienced Arboren knight or long-time professional archer.
7 - An Arboren knight with years of combat experience.
8 - A champion archer.
9 - A twenty-year veteran with extensive combat experience.
10 - A master archer.
11 - A master among masters.
12 - One of the best few archers in all of the Haven System.

Athletics

Running, climbing, tumbling, and the like. This includes general ability at common sports.
1 - Someone who has gone to a climbing wall once or twice.
2 - Someone who plays sports now and then on the weekends.
3 - Someone who is part of a casual sports team.
4 - A frequent weekend athlete.
5 - Someone who could try out for a professional sports team and not embarrass themselves.
6 - Someone who might actually make a professional sports team.
7 - Someone who could run marathons regularly.
8 - Able to climb a basic cliff free-hand.
9 - Someone who could be a sports star.
10 - Winner of multiple athletic events at major tournaments.
11 - Near-peak human ability.
12 - One of the few most athletically-able people in the Haven System.

Blasters

The use of blaster weapons ranging from hunting pistols and rifles up through siege weapons and ramship guns. Keep in mind that these are really only useful against wild animals and large structures/vehicles.
1 - Someone who has had a few lessons.
2 - Someone with regular but infrequent lessons.
3 - Someone with regular lessons but no actual experience.
4 - A newly professional animal hunter, siege engineer, or starship gunner.
5 - An experienced animal hunter, siege engineer, or starship gunner.
6 - A long-time animal hunter, siege engineer, or starship gunner.
7 - A animal hunter, siege engineer, or starship gunner with years of combat experience.
8 - An expert marksman with a blaster weapon of any size.
9 - A twenty-year veteran with extensive combat experience.
10 - A master with a blaster weapon of any size.
11 - A master among masters.
12 - One of the best with a blaster in all of the Haven System.

Bludgeons

The use of and defense against axes, clubs, and flails.
1 - Someone who has had a few lessons.
2 - Someone with regular but infrequent lessons.
3 - Someone with regular lessons but no actual experience.
4 - A generic man-at-arms or a squire.
5 - A new knight or experienced man-at-arms.
6 - An experienced knight or long-time man-at-arms.
7 - A knight with years of combat experience.
8 - A champion among fighters.
9 - A twenty-year veteran with extensive combat experience.
10 - A master with a bludgeon.
11 - A master among masters.
12 - One of the best few bludgeon users in all of the Haven System.

Electronics

The use and construction of computers and other devices. A basic level of computer ability is assumed of everyone, but this skill helps you repair and construct electronic devices and get the best out of them (including armor HUDs).
1 - Someone who can troubleshoot really basic computer problems (Not working? Reboot!).
2 - Someone who could install a light switch, or knows a few tricks with a HUD.
3 - Someone who could hook up a LAN party.
4 - Someone who could build themselves a basic computer from pre-constructed parts.
5 - Someone who could rewire a small house.
6 - Someone who could begin to access lightly-encrypted files.
7 - Someone who has mastered even esoteric HUD functionality.
8 - Someone who could rewire a complex piece of equipment under duress.
9 - Someone who could be very dangerous if they chose to access encrypted information.
10 - A genius with electronics and computers alike.
11 - Someone even computer geniuses look up to.
12 - Someone who had better be working for House Sauveur, or else they're probably on top of the wanted list for computer crimes.

Etiquette

Knowing how to act properly for the situation and company. This includes knowing the proper term of address for nobles and Citizens alike, as well as what is expected out of you in social situations.
1 - Someone who knows to bow to nobles.
2 - Someone who knows how to address various levels of nobility.
3 - Someone who could manage a visit to a vassal house without major offense.
4 - Someone who could manage a visit to a liege house without major offense.
5 - Someone who could visit with royalty without too much fear of offense.
6 - Someone who could manage a long stay with another house without offense.
7 - Someone who could impress royalty with their etiquette and decorum.
8 - Someone who could live with another house without giving any offense.
9 - A known and reliable source on difficult points of decorum.
10 - Someone who could be an etiquette instructor to a Young Lord or Lady or a Prince (with the appropriate Training level).
11 - A known and reliable source on even the trickiest points of decorum.
12 - One of the experts on etiquette and decorum in the Haven System.

Medicine

Treating injuries immediately and long-term. This includes the use of first-aid kits and, at higher levels, full on scalpel-less surgical suites.
1 - Someone who took a first-aid class.
2 - Someone who actually took a ride-along with an ambulance.
3 - Someone who has regular but infrequent first-aid lessons.
4 - A paramedic or EMT.
5 - A resident or experienced paramedic.
6 - A trained general practice doctor.
7 - An experienced trauma surgeon or specialist.
8 - Someone capable of teaching a few tricks to experienced doctors (with appropriate Training level).
9 - A doctor with twenty years experience and multiple specialties.
10 - A master of the healing arts.
11 - Someone the masters look up to.
12 - One of the best few doctors in the Haven System.

Polearms

The use of and defense against spears and polearms. This is a key skill for anyone who wishes to be a jouster.
1 - Someone who has had a few lessons.
2 - Someone with regular but infrequent lessons.
3 - Someone with regular lessons but no actual experience.
4 - A generic man-at-arms or a squire.
5 - A new knight or experienced man-at-arms.
6 - An experienced knight or long-time man-at-arms.
7 - A knight with years of combat experience.
8 - A champion jouster (with appropriate Riding skill).
9 - A twenty-year veteran with extensive combat experience.
10 - A master with a polearm.
11 - A master among masters.
12 - One of the best few polearm users in all of the Haven System.

Psychometry

Controlling Awakened powers. This also determines which abilities an Awakened character has access to. There are special limits on improving Psychometry. Please note, raising Psychometry must be approved by Staff before each step.
1 - Someone with the barest amount of power. A newborn babe in skill if not in age.
2 - Someone who can almost-reliably float a small object over their hand.
3 - Someone who can reliably lift small objects.
4 - Someone who can control their powers reliably enough to use them in combat — barely.
5 - Someone who has begun to learn the secrets of their discipline (with appropriate Awakened Discipline skill).
6 - Someone who can occasionally understand the true meaning behind their dreams.
7 - Someone who has actually begun to be a Psychometric force in combat.
8 - Someone who has nearly mastered the art of telepathic communication.
9 - Someone who has begun to learn the real secrets of their discipline (with appropriate Awakened Discipline skill).
10 - Someone who is at one with themselves, their power, and the world around them.
11 - Likely one of the leaders of one of the Awakened Disciplines.
12 - One of the best few Awakened talents in the Haven System — Edward Taelith.

Riding

Riding a horse or other beast of burden. This is a key skill for anyone who wishes to be a jouster.
1 - Someone who rode a pony a few times when they were young.
2 - Someone with a few lessons in horsemanship, but not many.
3 - Someone who doesn't fall off more than half the time when they jump their horse.
4 - A cavalryman or jouster who hopes to win a single tilt.
5 - Someone who hopes to race horses.
6 - A skilled and experienced jouster or horse racer.
7 - A jouster with years of experience.
8 - A champion jouster (with appropriate Polearms skill).
9 - Someone who has won multiple major riding competitions.
10 - A master horseman or horsewoman.
11 - A master among master.
12 - One of the best few horsemen or horsewomen in the Haven System.

Stealth

Moving quietly, hiding, and picking pockets.
1 - Someone who played Hide and Seek pretty seriously as a kid, but hasn't played in years.
2 - Someone who plays Capture the Flag on weekends.
3 - Someone who plays Capture the Flag on weekends — and wins.
4 - A new scout or mildly successful pickpocket.
5 - And experienced scout or someone who has only been arrested once or twice as a pickpocket.
6 - A long-time scout or someone who can actually make a living picking pockets.
7 - Someone who can disappear from a crowded room.
8 - Someone they're still looking for after that childhood game of Hide and Seek.
9 - Someone who can disappear from a nearly empty room.
10 - Someone who consults with the Watch — or is on their most wanted list.
11 - There are rumors about this person's existence.
12 - Who?

Swords

The use of and defense against swords and daggers.
1 - Someone who has had a few lessons.
2 - Someone with regular but infrequent lessons.
3 - Someone with regular lessons but no actual experience.
4 - A generic man-at-arms or a squire.
5 - A new knight or experienced man-at-arms.
6 - An experienced knight or long-time man-at-arms.
7 - A knight with years of combat experience.
8 - A champion among fighters.
9 - A twenty-year veteran with extensive combat experience.
10 - A master swordsman.
11 - A master among masters.
12 - One of the best few swordsmen in all of the Haven System.

Unarmed

The use of and defense against unarmed combat. This includes both Old Earth martial arts and straight-up brawling.
1 - Someone who threw a punch once.
2 - Someone who threw a punch once — and actually connected.
3 - Someone with the rudiments of a martial arts style or a little experience in brawls.
4 - Someone who could hold their own in a typical bar fight.
5 - Someone who wouldn't embarrass themselves in a small martial arts competition.
6 - A veteran of many bar fights or a skilled martial artist with real experience.
7 - Someone with years of experience in unarmed combat.
8 - Someone who could place at a continental martial arts competition.
9 - A nearly undefeated bar-room brawler.
10 - A martial arts master.
11 - A master among masters.
12 - One of the few martial arts grand masters in the Haven System.

Background Skills

Sciences

Astrophysics (includes starship navigation), Biology, Chemistry, Economics (including arranging trade agreements), Geology, Mathematics, etc.

Humanities

History, Hostile Lore (including tactics and technology of the first two Systems Wars), Literature, Mythology (including myths of Old Earth), Philosophy, Religion, etc.

Physical Arts

Painting, Photography (all digital, Electronics or Forgery are used to alter digital photos, depending on the purpose of the alteration), Sculpting (in clay, stone, wood, or metal), Sketching, etc.

Performance Arts

Acting (This is Stage Acting, not deception), Dancing, Playing an Instrument (including acoustic or electric), Singing, Storytelling, etc.

Outdoor Pursuits

Hunting (including cleaning prey), Survival (living off the land), Sailing, Gliding (piloting the gliders of Nubilis), etc.

Outdoor Pursuit dividing lines

The lines between Hunting and Survival are somewhat blurred. Here's the difference:
Hunting involves knowing the tendencies of prey animals, tracking them down, cleaning a kill, setting up a blind, and that sort of thing.
Survival involves living off the land and getting from point A to point B anywhere on the surface of a planet (Astrophysics covers space navigation).

Pastimes

Gambling, Forgery (digital forgeries requires Electronics as well), Gardening, etc.

Knightly Pursuits

Animal Handling (including horses, falcons, dogs), Command (leadership in a combat situation), Training, Warcraft (tactics and strategy)

Awakened Disciplines

Hermeticism, Sorcery, Mysticism (these all represent the philosophy and style behind a given discipline, rather than actual ability with Awakened powers)

Professions or Trades

Animal Handling, Cooking, Bartending, Brewing, Smithing (which also requires Electronics), Training (teaching), etc.

General Background Skill Level Examples

1 - A novice, someone who has just learned the slightest about a subject.
4 - Someone who could scrape a living by at a profession, a bachelor's degree.
6 - Someone who could make a solid living at a profession, a Master's degree.
9 - A PhD or master craftsman.
12 - One of the foremost specialists on a subject in the Haven System.

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