The more I look at it the more I feel like there's two potentially separate but interesting ideas here, that might each deserve consideration individually.
A:
Starting with cursed ring of bad stuff (or equivalent malus that can be easily applied to every character but isnt actually permanent) + something quite good. I don't think there's a background in the game currently which dips below a theoretical neutral start but gives you compensation for it, and I think that would be interesting.
B:
Starting with no skill + potion of experience + some stuff maybe? (You might need a little bit of help to leave early game). Do you chug the potion now to get a head start on life? Do you save it until you know for sure that you want 10 Conjurations, you want it now dammit? Who knows. (I'm guessing chug now is the better option)
Option B is actually maybe not the worst way to implement
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=18026as it provides the choice of not quaffing, starting a bit behind, but then getting to expend the xp resource later to slide into a discovered niche faster than another background might have.