Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 BamCam Jul 10, 2015 23:03:46	My character is a 5th level Wood Elf monk with 8 intelligence. When making her I thought it would be an interesting trait for her not to be able to read, and while it's amused the rest of my group, they've asked me why she can't read if she spent over 50 years in a monastery. They just accept it because of the great moments it makes, but I'd like to have a reason for it. Any ideas?
#2 FrogReaver Jul 10, 2015 23:10:47	BamCam wrote:
#3 Macv12 Jul 11, 2015 1:04:23	Reading is of this world. True enlightenment requires only self-reflection; reliance on the words of others obscures the path.
#4 Slagger_the_Chuul Jul 11, 2015 3:01:56	Specific words restrain thought and discourage introspection; all "written" communication in the monastery was through pictures and symbology.  Handling day-to-day tasks and basic training would just involve speaking, while deeper wisdom came from seeing a symbol or image and reflecting upon its many meanings and relationships to the world both seen and unseen.
#5 Steerpike84 Jul 11, 2015 8:44:02	Dyslexia?
#6 jaappleton Jul 11, 2015 9:08:18	Never saw a book before. What's this "reading" you speak of?
#7 Rorek55 Jul 11, 2015 12:12:04	I like the idea of a temple based on picture / symbol drive writing. The idea of relfecting on an images meaning has some good monk like aspect to it. Its more open to personal interpretation so works with enlightenment.
#8 Coredump00 Jul 11, 2015 13:08:01	Historically, people didn't learn to read because there was no need to read.  Why would they need to read? No newspapers or magazines, no Harry Potter books or David Drake novels.  Store signs are all in pictures, people told stories, you learned things by being shown, not by reading about it.  The real question is why do so many PCs know how to read...?? I mean really, the PC is a half orc raised by orcs, captured to spend a life in the gladiatorial pits until he could win his freedom.... but he can read and write with the best of them..... mmmmkay.....   Even better, many monks in monastaries were trained to copy books and scrolls, and they spent years doing so, yet never knew how to read. They were copying, they didn't know how to read....didn't need to.   I think an interesting quirk for your monk is while she spent decades coping various books and scrolls, she never needed to read. But.... she has seen almost every single language and script around.  So while she can't read anything, she instantly recognizes the language of anything written.    DM: You come across a door with some strange writting above it. Monk: Ah, that sure looks a lot like the ancient Dwarven dialect from the Aberdeen Mountain range.... Player: Cool, what does it say? Monk:  ??  who knows....??
#9 BamCam Jul 11, 2015 14:35:19	Love these ideas, thank you! I might go for the 'enlightenment' thing, although the recognizing languages but not being able to read them is great. Just talked to my DM and he's allowing it so this'll be fun
#10 cannonfodder Jul 11, 2015 15:54:39	Cassandra Cain it. Scribbles mean nothing. Actions are enough.
#11 DarthMacho Jul 12, 2015 15:09:56	Some ideas that may have already been suggested:   Tribe has an oral tradition. Monastary has an oral tradition. Has an urchin background. Has an outlander background, perhaps even raised by wolves, lol.   Good luck
#12 Saeviomagy Jul 12, 2015 21:02:13	To prepare ones mind and body to be a vessel, one must purge unnecessary thoughts. Reading is not necessary for this one's purpose, so it was purged.   As a final rite of the monastary, each monk must visit a thought eater and give up a fundamental part of their self. This was the part that was given up.   You could read if you wanted to, but as an exercise of will, you choose not to comprehend writing.
#13 OrwellianHaggis Jul 12, 2015 23:35:38	You are unable to read. The why doesn't matter, though the monks tried and tried over the years to teach you and nothing seemed to stick. What you lack for in literary skill you more than make up for in virtue and physical skill, and it is a wonder to watch you in the practice yard with your spade or in the temple in prayer, where you turn combat movement into poetry and stillness of self into an art.
#14 DemoMonkey Jul 13, 2015 10:03:11	You CAN read. Just not an alphabet that any of the unenlightened cultures use. But if they are willing to spend 250 days of downtime with you you could teach them!