I'd been assuming it was the same skill, just easier for someone with a classical education to learn.

Perhaps humanities ought also to include what Oxbridge called 'Greats' (Greek, Latin, Ancient History and Philosophy)?

Also, Greetings Gospodin Severin. Are you the Severin of whom she in Ermine furs speaks so slightly?

Hah...had to look for the reference (Venus in Furs correct?).  Actually Severin in this case is a reference French branch of a noble family located on the border of Germany (different last name(s) depending on what side of the border you are one but essentially same family but different branches).  Considering Victor is 19 (doing the math) he was born in exile a year after the revolution (leading to his overly optimistic first name;-).  I haven't finalized his background but it zigzags a bit.

As far as the 'Greats', they're a part of it (called the Great Books or nowadays I think more the term the 'Western canon' is used).  Education changes a bunch in the 19th and up to the mid-20th century but in the early part of the 19th classical education is still pretty much the traditional Trivium and Quadrivium with the addition of things like literature, history, poetry, art, drama, etc.  Public education doesn't really get off the ground a bit more universally until the 1820s or so (though Pennsylvania, Virginia, & Massachusetts have public systems by then, the UK sortof doesn't but does have charity schools or I think they were called infant schools... and some instruction via Sunday school).

Thought 'classical education' as a skill replacement for literacy would be a way to show a bit of class divide as well that the poorer classes could be educated in the three R's but those with means went a step further with their kids.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:36, Fri 15 Oct 2021.

In reply to Victor Severin (msg # 25):

As this game is going to be based on European characters, the skills have a European bent to them, I am not trying to make the rules 'all things to all men'.

I do have an artillery skill however I deliberately left it out of these rules as the ship is an unarmed merchant vessel and I have no intention of introducing artillery into this game.

I do have a Chemistry skill as well which I will probably add to the Natural Sciences 'class'.

I name the 'classes' of Classical Education and Natural Sciences that way specifically to add 19th century 'flavor'

I have added the skills of Chemistry and Geology to the "Natural Sciences".

I will be bumping the 'looking for players thread in two days' but that will be the last opportunity for other players to begin the game as part of the original group.

I have had one more player confirm they will be joining the game but it might be a week or two before they begin posting, I have already developed a story to allow for their slightly delayed appearance in the game so I expect to begin the game in a couple of days.

Once we get under way there will only be limited opportunities for any new players to join the game.

If anyone drops out or ghosts the playing group (does not post for a 2 week period) then they will most likely be written out of the game (wander off, never to be seen or heard from again)

Ooh.  I just realised.  If you have any chemists on board, they can isolate phosphorus (from urine - the first new element discovered in modern times, namely 1669) and they can discover iodine (from seaweed - first discovered in 1811).

Now that I have kicked off the game I will generally wait for everyone to post at least once before I will write an update.  Thus means the pace of the game will generally be determined by the 'slowest poster' although sometimes I will post earlier if there is a need or to keep the game running smoothly.

We only have 3 confirmed players at the moment however i have a 4th who has said they will be generating a character within the week and I have run a final add for players.  The first week or two might take a little while to get into a groove, so bear with us :)

Since Sophie is upper class and Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1922, surely, while her birthplace is Dublin, her nationality is British?

Lets go with country of birth for now

Fair enough.

Alright we now have six players, more than enough for this type of game, welcome to the new folks.  I will wait for everyone to complete character generation and then make their first post before I write the next update.

Please make sure you have a description of your character available for public viewing on your sheet as well as any information about your character that would be available to the other passengers/crew, background etc.

Howdy folks, I'll be joining in here. I'll hopefully have everything sorted on my end shortly.

Hello there Wilbur and greetings to Christopher and Craig as well.

Hello there. Glad to be here.

Main map has been updated, hopefully Wilbur Francis-Wright will come out of his cabin soon :)

I have run one last add for players if they can send an RTJ and get their character generation completed in the next couple of days but I am not going to be waiting for anyone from this point onwards.

Let's push on folks, show me how you are going to deal with your predicament.  If any new players join that's a bonus but for now let's assume those who have posted are all the active players.

Can Craig or Jane hear each other or is the weather (and ship creaking etc) too loud?

Both groups can hear voices so if you call out loud enough you can make yourself heard, the wind has died down

Another tip folks, I have been slowly adding bits of info to the Game Wiki, things you would know from being on the ship.

Edited my last post, given that I had missed the state of the Captain's cabin the first time around.

Left his destination vague to allow a little more info on which ways might still be available.

Strauser and Elena both pulled out of the game today. Nothing more frustrating as a DM on RPoL than investing time helping new players with character generation only to have them pull out :(
Let's move on, both characters will be written out of the story ASAP, there was never any intention of having NPCs.  I will eliminate Elena from the story as she had barely exited her cabin and deal with Strauser ASAP.

Hey, I'll post tomorrow. I had my booster shot yesterday, so I've had a fever all day.

A reminder to those who have not posted in the Preface thread, this is an opportunity to earn a couple of X Points before being stranded in the island.

And for everyone, the pace of the game will be pretty much determined by you, the players.  I am usually online to check posts most days so if you are searching for something or attempting something that may or may not require a skill, I can usually post an update most days.

I will try to get in a decently-sized post in that thread tomorrow. :)

Craig, are you going to take the lead on getting Chris off the rocks or?

Yeah, was waiting on a reply to his last efforts and then once that's handled I figured we could probably approach it as a team. It looks like we are all going to have to cross the water anyway.