Hey Eric,
Don't get me wrong; I wasn't criticizing the backgrounds. I suppose I could've been clearer; when I said "strange" I didn't mean that in a bad way.
I think it's awesome that I can build a 200 kilo Spanish nanny with a built-in talent for grappling.
On talents, I agree that in the contexts of some games most can be useful, but I still don't see the utility in many of heroic feats that make them worth either four skillups or four basic talents. When you guys start cashing the big cheques and look at supplements, I'd like to see heroic talents get a lot more love.
-SC