Are we ment to start with nothing?

[Dark Stalion]

It seems a little strange that I began this game with not a penny or the equivalent to my name, and I'm sure it said somewhere that you start with 50% xp and 5 points to use towarsd training a skill.  I wave none of these and I've already got quite attached to my character, so restarting is not really an option.  Are we truly expected to begg as our first action in the game.  I can't even hurt the rats with my bare fists, so I have no way of gaining gold that way, or doing quests which require equipment such as mining.  So basically I'm stuck unless I go begging which would be so completely out of character it's not funny.

[zhai]

there are plenty npc quests you can solve without having to buy any equipment, that will get you some money to buy the essentials. begging isn't necessary.

[Dark Stalion]

Hah, ok, so now to try to find them.  I swear I've asked virtually every NPC in the city twice and I still can find only Telenath's quest which is for some ore or something so he can teach me smelting.  This seems weird as in the players guide it says that he wants gold to finish a special order weapon.  Hmm, this sounds a little suspect as I actually started over by the gats to the city instead of the centre, which the players guide suggests is what is ment to happen for virtually everyone.

[zhai]

you can also ask other characters for help. just keep rp in mind and you can get lots of information.

[The Wandering Djinn]

During the Character Creation process, you start that process with a particular amount of Game Points (erm... might be Creation Points or Character Points - so long since I created a new character) depending on which race of character you chose. The next and important step is to answer the multi-choice option questions and to select options that lower or spend those Game Points (erm... might be Creation Points or Character Points - now even longer since I created a new character ) until there are almost 0 of them left (a negative number won't work)

With all this done, your character will enter the game with a few Stats and Skills already Trained... you might not have a weapon or 1000 trias to your name but you certainly won't start out with nothing if you have followed the above instructions  

[Nilrem]

About some incongruencies to be found on the player guide.
You're right.
It's not fully up to date now, but still it gives you a general overview of what to expect.
Previously all races spawned in a single spot at Hydlaa Plaza, that was changed ingame, but the player guide hasn't yet been updated to reflect this (and other) changes. It's really not a big issue right now. Don't follow it literally as a step to step kind of guide, just read it to have a global view (any game mechanic doubts you may have, you can ask in the help channel ingame)

As for hitting the NPC, you're completely right, there's something wrong going on with NPC fighting. It's nothing to do with new chars, I've chars from .14 version that haven't been trained, and cannot hit a rat neither (when previously could) it's also true that most commonly you won't be recieving damage from them neither, since seems that now chars are able to dodge lots of more times than before. Those issues are currently being looked into.

That said, don't desperate, try instead to fill your char with purpose. Build it in your mind, and try it to be somewhat different (at least for you) surely that will bring you more personal reward than a couple of rat tails. Think what he/she will be, what will do...