General Skills
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A general mix of skills that don't fit well in any category. General skills are, however, quite indispensable to some activities and their holders are useful and respected members of their cultures.The following are the General skills: Beastriding, Cooking, Gambling, Gardening, Stablekeeping, Trading, Travel, Wilderness.
A skill that allows one to tame and ride a beast with any degree of grace. Different races ride different beasts, but only advanced holders can ride wild animals such as wolves and only masters can have a chance of success in riding even greater, ancient creatures (such as the Nazgul steeds).
This skill allows the holder to cook a decent satisfying meal. While a meal is not a lasting thing, everybody seems to like a good one. In an army, in a tavern, in a royal court a good cook can always find employment and appreciation - even among Orcs who, although they can live on garbage and poison, do not enjoy it in the least.
A skill that involves luck, gift and mathematical abilities. It allows the gambler to win a disproportionate amount of games of chance he engages in. While sometimes it is plainly called cheating, in practice there are many other ways to boost your odds. Proficient gamblers can conceal their cheating well, while master gamblers frequently use inspiration that reminds of foretelling to place their bets, and it rarely betrays them.
An aesthetic skill greatly esteemed by the Elves. Gardeners plant, arrange and supervise the growth of trees, shrubs and other garden components in an eye-pleasing fashion. Master gardeners are able to create new types of beautiful plants through the accelerated process of natural selection due to their strong communion with nature. Orcs and Dwarves cannot learn this skill.
Stablekeeping: Involves housing and caring for horses and the beasts of burden. A tavernkeeper will always employ a competent stablekeeper and include his fees in the price of lodging. Stablekeepers also operate on their own, leasing and selling animals. Master stablekeeper is able to offer to his customers the perfect animal for the tasks they need, bred for speed, power, endurance etc. Orcs and Dwarves cannot learn this skill.
An able merchant can influence the prices in his or her favor. Merchants reason with the seller or the buyer and find several convincing arguments as to why the price should be adjusted. Proficient merchants are often able to persuade a person to buy or sell something he/she did not intend to. Master merchants raise this art to greater heights, possessing full knowledge about the true values of all items and services.
The ability to find your way through unfamiliar land or cross the familiar land with greater speed. In essence, it is land navigation, very useful to hunters, trackers and rangers. Holders of this skill have a greater than normal chance to reach their destination in one piece and in less time. Orcs excel at this skill, tireless runners that they are.
The art of survival in the wilderness. Camping, camouflage, dispatching troublesome beasts and avoiding bigger threats as well as surviving on roots, leaves and other normally inedible things constitute the strengths of wilderness masters and their ability to cross snow, desert and mountains unhindered.
