This is sort of an GM kata or something - first I'm going to generate a bunch of nano-scenarios requiring a skill check, then I'll figure out what skill gets tested, and then what the effects of a failure, partial, full, and extra success are. In theory there will be some heuristics that emerge for picking these.
PC climbs the rigging, grabs a rope, and swings onto the nearby ship
PC jumps out a window, lands on a horse hanging out there, and rides off
PC holding a glass of wine is accosted; he throws it at his opponent's face, blinding her
PC cuts the rope on a chandelier, sending it crashing down on someone's head
PC composes a poem on the spot to impress gentleman he's just met in the garden
PC intercepts a love letter containing a secret message and decodes it
PC rallies a group of villagers to get them to storm the church where the bad guy is holed up
PC judges a duel where he thinks one of the people is going to try to cheat
PC gets involved in a high-stakes card game to win back a family heirloom his nephew lost
PC is looking to find a smuggler who may have been involved in some art heist
PC duels a pirate on a gargoyle-studded rooftop
PC tries to start a rumor about another courtier that can't be traced back to her
PC shoots somebody across the deck of a pirate ship while the ship is on fire
PC, in the crow's nest at night, keeps an eye out for enemy ships
PC incites two duelists to fight over him
PC tries to help out the badly-wounded survivor of a duel
PC drives a wagon down a street and through a (closed) city gate
PC tries to drink somebody else under the table to get her out of the way for the evening
PC and his companion set off a blade trap; PC tries to push his companion out of the way
PC and her companion hold up a merchant in an alley
