The tailors and tickets post gave me an idea, I dont know if this is already implemented but it would be neat if it isnt already, a reading skill, working like the language skill ya know jumbling up all the letters?, and maby add a bookshop or two :P.
There are both reading and writing skills. The reason your character does not have them, is because commoners are not presented the opportunity to learn. As well, it is illegal for commoners to possess literacy.
Commoners are not allowed to be able to read. It is against the law, and is considered a mystical ability that only nobles, templars, and a few very carefully chosen Merchant house merchants can do. I imagine there might be a slave whose only function is to act as a scribe, locked up and chained somewhere within this or that noble or merchant estate..never being allowed to leave their room due to the risk that he might teach a house servant the skill and then all hell would break loose.
This has been brought up many times and I would like to point out that it's not illegal it might get you killed if anyone finds out thou' :cry:
If city-sanctioned authorities will punish(kill) you for a certain activity/skill(writing/reading), and this fact is widely known, then how is that different from being illegal?
I guess if your definition of a law was that then it is. All I wanted to point out that is if your in a tavern talking.....Let me use an example.
a fat guy says, leaning in a sturdy old bar. "Ya' mate its illegal to know what those templars are doing with that piece a paper."
a slim guy says in reply. "really I jus' thought ya'ould get in big trouble"
See the difference?
Honestly, I don't.
you get killed for knowing how to write. It's illegal ;)
The only people allowed to read are nobles, templars, maybe some merchant big-wigs, and a few sneaky bastards that some how learned to do it themselves and hide their ability like it was a magickal steel zweihander. I think there's a handful of literate slave-scribes in the world, virtually, as well. If I was ever to play a slave role, man oh man, that would be it... *Licks lips*
But, yeah, writing and reading will get you in as much trouble as having your defiler cult shoot fireballs at templars as you mind-bend some gith into storming the main gates of Allanak, smoking spice, shouting orders in Tatlum, kicking fluffy tregils and spitting on the steel dragon all the while...
Yeah, if you know how to read, FORGET HOW! Unless you happen to enjoy slow, painful deaths. In which case, rock on.
1) Reading and writing are already skills in game.
2) Its illegal for commoners to know how to read and write. Punishments for knowing how to do read and write range very, depending on the Templar who catches you. If you're lucky, they'll kill you after a few days of torture. If you aren't, they'll cut off your tongue and hands, and gouge out your eyeballs, but leave you alive to wallow in the misery of the knoweldge that you learned, or one day could have learned (after a few days of torture, of course).
Its that simple.