This just dawned on me,and I'm not sure if you want to consider it, or even if it truly fits with in your game design.
Recently I have been reliving some of my childhood, by downloading and reading(devouring is a more accurate description) ebook copies of the ER Burroughs Tarzan Novels. (My fave is still Son of Tarzan).
Anyway, the idea of the "Nobel Savage", "Feral Child" or "Beast Reared" human is a motif that you may want to add. It could be a costly event, as it would provide pretty impressive starting attribute bonuses (namely Strength, Perception and Agility) plus some interesting Skill off shoots, like in Tarzan's case Speaking the Language of the Great Apes.
Again, it just kinda dawned on me that it may be something of interest to your game, then again it may not, though the real joy is re-reading all those old novels from my youth.
Check out Realms of Lore (RoL) at the RPGLabratory. (Rules) (1st Adventure) (2nd Adventure) (3rd Adventure)
That is something to think about. It could be done. We had talked about different Event build tracks for different parts of the world. Like one for America with native american Events available. One for Africa which could have the Tarzan Events and possibly a build track for Asia.
There's a certain lack of balance. Not all events provide skills, so characters end up with fairly different amount of skills. I cannot decide whether it's good or bad or neutral. On one hand, it reflects reality. Brisbane spent most of his life in his mansion, sometimes hunting = little amount of skills. Richards is a trained soldier/adventurer = lots of skills. But still, don't you think there could be some other way to gain skills alongsde Events?
I was trying to do that with the read and write skill but give the character the "book smart" potential. It sort of works. Maybe an Event like "Studied" but what would that give you? A choice of one skill?
Besides Events just buying a skill could be allowed but I like the idea of each bonus being explained by the character's life story.
You could allow Educated (+1 Skill Purchase) & University (+2 Skill purchases) events to give the character access to one or two skills (at the cost of 1sp each?) that can be "book learned", but with conditions like (they only get the methods, as Tricks are learned through practice), and that the Skills have to fit with skills the character has already gotten through events.
Like in Brisbane's case. He's an Explorer/Hunter so; Hunting, Marksmanship, Animal Handling, Navigation, and even Tactics could be considered good "purchases" but Mining, Airship, or Thief don't fit the "motif" and shouldn't be allowed.
In Richards' case as he is a Soldier/Adventurer/Hunter motif, if he bought a skill via educated, Skills like Command, Navigation, or Persuassion would fit. But ones like theif, Mining, Air Ship, Acrobatics, wouldn't match up to his theme.
Check out Realms of Lore (RoL) at the RPGLabratory. (Rules) (1st Adventure) (2nd Adventure) (3rd Adventure)
That's a little hard to define. Educated is more of a grade school education. I could see University allowing almost any skill except things like Thief there may be another skill, but I'd have to look.
A simple fix would be to qualify all the skills with a "Book" tag. Then allow someone with Universtiy (and possibly Tutored) event to gain a number of "book skills" equal to the intelligence attribute bonus.
So a Univesity Educated Character (+2 Intelligence) could gain 2 extra "Book" Skills.
I Would qualify "Book" Skills as those skills that could/would be taught in a classroom. Such as Air Ship, Navigation, Sword Play, Command, Ettiquite, Clockworks, etc.
I would also be temped to add that "Book Learned" should not gain use of "Tricks" only "Methods."
They can be used to enhance a challenge that is already a success. If you spent one when you pass a challenge, it makes the success more important than it was supposed to be.
There are quite a few things SP can do, but I started to cut them off because it was seeming a little ridiculous.