Kingdom Come: Deliverance - A Comprehensive Guide to Learning to Read
In Kingdom Come: Deliverance, a historically accurate RPG set in medieval Bohemia, literacy is not a given. Unlike modern times where reading and writing are commonplace, in the medieval period, literacy was largely confined to priests, scribes, and the upper classes. As Henry, the blacksmith's son, players begin the game unable to decipher the written word. This guide provides a detailed walkthrough on how to learn to read in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, unlocking a new dimension of gameplay and character development.
Why Learn to Read?
At the beginning of your adventure, many books and scrolls you collect will merely seem as scribbles on parchment. Learning to read in Kingdom Come: Deliverance unscrambles the letters in books and recipes, opening up several significant advantages:
- Alchemy: Reading recipes allows Henry to brew his own potions, a crucial skill for survival and combat.
- Skill Books: These books provide a valuable way to increase important stats and character skills, accelerating Henry's development.
- Quest Progression: Literacy is essential for certain quests, such as "Last Will and Testament" (required before starting the "From the Ashes" DLC) and to progress the quest "Honeyed Words" of "The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon" DLC.
- Exploration and Lore: Reading books and documents scattered throughout the game world enriches the player's understanding of the game's lore and provides clues for quests and hidden treasures.
The "Mightier Than the Sword" Quest
The primary means of learning to read in Kingdom Come: Deliverance is through the side quest "Mightier Than the Sword." Here's a step-by-step guide to completing this quest:
- Starting the Quest: You can unlock it by, e.g. speaking to the Rattay town Bailiff. It’s a good idea to speak to him when you’re starting the Keeping the Peace quest, but otherwise, you can find him there again in the two storey building near the armourer. Alternatively, speak with the Apothecary in Rattay and ask him if he knows anyone that can teach you to read, and he’ll suggest you visit a Scribe in Uzhitz.
- Travel to Uzhitz: The Scribe resides in Uzhitz, a village located in the north-east part of the map. This journey is also part of the "Mysterious Ways" quest, so you may already be heading that way. It’s a long way so it is suggested you get a horse first.
- Find the Scribe: The Scribe’s house is northwest on the main town plaza, across from the tavern in Uzhitz. Enter the house and speak with the Scribe.
- Pay for the Lesson: The Scribe will agree to teach you for 50 Groschen. You may be able to haggle the price down if you wish. If you need cash, take a look at tips for making money in Kingdom Come Deliverance.
- The Reading Test: Following a cutscene, the Scribe will ask you to sit down and read the book on the left-hand side of the table. It's the fable of the Golden Goose. When you’ve finished, return to the Scribe and he’ll ask you what you read. Choose the dialogue option about how being greedy doesn’t pay. The correct response to his question is the response about greed.
- The Latin Text: He’ll then ask you to read the book on the right, in Latin. Though the words are legible, being able to pronounce them doesn't mean one understands the text itself. The text is "Nullus est liber tam malus, ut non aliqua parte prosit. Libri muti magistri sunt. Optimus orator est, qui paucis verbis plurima dicit." Roughly translated, this means: "There is no book so bad that it is not profitable in part. Books are silent teachers. The best orator is he who says many things with few words."
- Recite the Text: Once you’ve read it, go back to the Scribe again. He’ll ask you to recite what you just looked at. Choose the dialogue option that’s all in Latin - ie. the ones that don’t say “drop it” or “liquor party”. Select the second dialog option - Nullus est liber tam malus, ut non aliqua parte prosit.
The Benefits of Reading
Henry will gain the first Reading skill point during the quest. After completing "Mightier Than the Sword," Henry will have a basic understanding of reading and be able to unscramble some of the letters in books, alchemy recipes, and other texts. This marks the beginning of Henry's journey towards literacy, with further benefits unlocked as his Reading skill improves.
It is important to note that while the scribe mentions that several days will pass while Henry is learning to read, in-game time will not advance.
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Improving Your Reading Skill
Reading will still be difficult at first, with letters appearing scrambled, but the higher Henry's skill level, the less cryptic the text will appear. Reading skill influences the ability of your character to actually ready books. Without it, any book is just gibberish to him. Higher Reading skill reduces the amount of time required to read and comprehend a book. To further enhance Henry's reading abilities, players can:
- Read Everything: Examine various books and documents connected to quests. Read writings on the walls, items etc. Reading skill can be increased by reading skill books, lore books, quest documents, alchemy recipes, treasure maps, and books on display (e.g., Black Chronicle, Breviarium, Novice acceptance records, most of which can be found in Sasau Monastery). Reading skill level increases only the first time you read a particular item.
- Skill Books are Key: Certain books, mostly skill books, increase your characters experience with that skill. Go to your bed and you will notice a book icon near your health bar. Open your inventory while sitting on your bed and choose a book to read. This is the best way to read as it’s a lot quicker. Read your book of choice. Sometimes you will get a level up, other times it’s just experience. It depends on your current level. If you are unsure, check your experience points with a skill first and the read the book. You will see the increase for yourself. Unlike other books and documents, reading skill books requires the passage of in-game time in order to earn all stat or skill XP (including Reading XP) associated with the book. Skill books have fixed XP values. The rate at which a skill book's progress fills per hour will increase based on Reading skill. Actual reading of skill books will provide skill XP at roughly three times the rate provided when using the perk Avid Reader. Actual reading of skill books has a daily cap. After it is reached, a prompt on screen will state "You can't focus on reading anymore - you've read enough today".
- Visit the Scribe of Rattay: A good way to get a lot of reading material is to enter the usually unguarded chamber of the Scribe of Rattay. He sleeps until noon and can easily be knocked out from stealth. As an added bonus, you can loot Scribe Friedrich's study key from him, which gives you access to the record room relevant to the quests Money for Old Rope and Thick as Thieves - Peshek. The Scribe can offer you numerous books, including two that can help you increase your Reading skill fast. Buy them if you have enough money.
- Perk Points: As with other skills, you receive perk points after reaching certain skill levels. You will have one perk point to use after completing the quest which you can spend on one of the perks listed below. They say the pen is mightier than the sword. You now also have access to skill books, which are useful ways to increase your important stats.
Reading Perks
As you level up your Reading skill, you'll gain access to perks that further enhance your abilities. Some notable Reading perks include:
- In the Flow: Try to unlock one of the Reading perks (In the Flow) as quickly as possible. When reading, you will get tired and hungry twice as slowly as normal.
- Cushion: Later on you should also focus on Cushion, which doubles your reading bonus if Henry is sitting comfortably.
Reading and DLC
Literacy is crucial for accessing and progressing through certain DLC content. For example, the quest "Last Will and Testament" must be completed before starting the "From the Ashes" DLC. Completing the quest prevents the acquisition of the Trial-and-Error achievement.
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