I miss the books, I also think they should add literacy like viking conquest or kingdom come. Maybe you start out literate or illiterate depending on your back story. Also companions you gain may need to be taught to read.
Happens all the time in the practice fights in towns. I don' t remember any specifics, but if you don't spawn in with a shield you might as well tab out until you get one.
I would just like to be able to have friends join my SP battle as one of my companions. That seems like it could be realistically implemented and I think was a mod in warband.
I really just want the ability to make a one or more preset characters (aesthetic or all the way into starting traits) and be able to save it. I'm the kind of person who puts like 30 minutes to an hour into making the character I want. Maybe a save gets corrupt, maybe your computer dies who...