Playing an illiterate character

[sticky runes]

So after my little rant about guards complimenting me on skills that I've only picked up from looking at books, I've decided to play as a character who can't read. So he doesn't pay any attention to books. He doesn't even pick a book up and flick through it out of curiosity. What's the point if I can't read? So there, no chance of suddenly leveling up my skill as a destruction mage or archer. If an NPC asks me to find a book, I decline the request. Can't tell my spell tomes from my bandit's journals, so asking me to find a certain book out of hundreds scattered throughout Skyrim is like a needle in a haystack.

And I find it quite refreshing. One of my bad habits in this game has always been opening books just to gain a level up or activate a quest. Forcing myself to NOT give into that habit has been quite liberating. If there is an important document I need to read as part of a quest, then I will "ask" a friend or follower to read it for me (meaning I'll activate the book in his or her presence just after talking to them)

 

[DarkBeckyhood]

That's a novel (lol) way of getting around it. I'd never considered that before. Would that also make it difficult for the character to navigate Skyrim in general, though? They wouldn't be able to read a map, or road signs, or signs on shops. Interesting...

 

[imaginepageant]

Nice idea, I may try that next time I play. Could be a fun roleplaying element to try to navigate the world in respects other than skill books without knowing how to read. For instance, you'd never finish the main quest because you wouldn't be able to read Delphine's note... though I guess you could just happen to stay at the Riverwood inn and find her that way.

For skill books, though, a lot of them will have a symbol of the corresponding magic school on the front cover. So a book that ups restoration skill would have the restoration symbol on the front. I usually use those to avoid learning magic my character doesn't use. I don't think there's any way to distinguish other skill books like heavy armor or pickpocketing, though.

 

[sticky runes]

That's a novel (lol) way of getting around it. I'd never considered that before. Would that also make it difficult for the character to navigate Skyrim in general, though? They wouldn't be able to read a map, or road signs, or signs on shops. Interesting...

I must admit, I overlooked the map reading part! Maybe he has some form of autism where he can read maps easily but not text? But he basically travels to his next destination by going in a straight line, ignoring the paths. He doesn't pay attention to road signs. He can understand shop signs because of the pictures. So he is geo-literate! He knows his left and right. He can tell where the sun is rising and setting. And he's at least smart enough to know that the jarl lives in the biggest building in town. Let's just say he frequently asks passersby for directions!

 

[sticky runes]

Nice idea, I may try that next time I play. Could be a fun roleplaying element to try to navigate the world in respects other than skill books without knowing how to read. For instance, you'd never finish the main quest because you wouldn't be able to read Delphine's note... though I guess you could just happen to stay at the Riverwood inn and find her that way.

For skill books, though, a lot of them will have a symbol of the corresponding magic school on the front cover. So a book that ups restoration skill would have the restoration symbol on the front. I usually use those to avoid learning magic my character doesn't use. I don't think there's any way to distinguish other skill books like heavy armor or pickpocketing, though.

I sometimes get my follower to "read notes for me". So after my follower helped me kill an assassin, we searched his body and found a note with my death warrant and he read it for me. And after we cleared a bandit fort and searched the place for loot, my follower discovered the bandit's journal which reveals where his secret treasure stash is hidden. Not interested in any fiction novels or history books though!

 

[imaginepageant]

I must admit, I overlooked the map reading part! Maybe he has some form of autism where he can read maps easily but not text?

I wouldn't think maps would be a problem. That's probably something you'd learn at a young age. He'd have memorized cities and other important locations, or could use the same icon system we do with the map and compass (i.e. he knows giant camps are marked with the teepee-like icon, villages with the house icon, etc).

 

[sticky runes]

Well today I was exploring the Darkwater Pass, where it's fricking dark inside. And as I was fumbling around the arcane enchanter in the Shaman's quarters, I inadvertently opened the book titled "catalogue of Weapon enchantments" and leveled up my character's enchanting skills. Had to reload from an earlier point for my RP's sake. Then I had to laugh at the fact that A) Surely the falmer can't be able to read human text if they are blind, and B) even if my character was able to read, how the hell could he read in THAT place? I didn't even have a torch or candle light spell.