You're right, let me try again this way then:
* the keyboard and mouse respond very well in the shell (well not the mouse
of course), but after startx, which boots i3wm, it doesn't.
* the keyboard doesn't activate the screen after moments of inactivity.
* It did work after startx on an earlier non-encrypted install.
But after encrypting /home and /swap, I have this.
* i3/the X session didn't freeze as the time display progresses.
* This time I enabled the numpad, and what's odd is that he led stays on even
if I unplug, then replug the keyboard.
I tried to switch to a tty, or even kill the X session, but neither the mouse
or keyboard react.
* ALL of these issues cease if I use sudo startx instead, which isn't
recommended.
* my manual .xinitrc in ~ insn't recognised (it worked on the attempt without
encrypted partitions) because X and i3 aren't launched on startup.
* I have read and write rights, plus I'm the owner of the files in ~.
* removing .Xauthority didn't work.
* After a third install, this time only leaving /boot unencrypted,
my usb keyboard can't open the encrypted partition.
