Alter Aeon Online Help

Keywords are:  'thief skill mechanical aptitude lore'

Skill: mechanical aptitude      Lvl 24 Thie  (21%)
                                (helpful)   Requires: lock picking
                                Group: Thief tinkering

Usage:
consider <machine>

This skill is a prerequisite to building complex machinery, including
traps and explosives.  Knowledge of machines is also required before
one is able to learn how to salvage parts from broken equipment.

As a side effect, this skill also serves to give an experienced thief
information about mechanical opponents.  It is used automatically
when you use the 'consider' command.