Growing Your Character

• Health, Mana, and Vigor -- Your current status is summed up in the three slider bars at the upper right of the World Window, which measure your health, mana, and vigor. These bars move to reflect your overall physical power, your magical power, and how well rested and fed you are.
• Appearance -- Your character's appearance may undergo some changes from time to time. Changes in your armor and weaponry can be seen by others, and possibly by you as well. If you're a good shopper, you may acquire fashionable new clothing -- a helmet, a voluminous pair of silk pants, a magical circlet, or a set of steel gauntlets.
• Guild and Order Affiliations -- When your health point rating rises above 30 -- in other words, when you are free from the protection of the Gods, and at the full mercy of your fellow citizens -- you may be invited to join a guild. See Guilds for more information.

At any time, you may also choose to affiliate yourself with one of the magical schools. These were established by the Gods for the purpose of educating their most promising disciples in the secret Path of each God. Although some elder citizens of Meridian 59 have taken degrees in several of the schools, they recommend that you begin by choosing one Path and mastering it fully before attempting to pursue another. There is a great deal of wisdom to be found in this strategy. See Magic for more information.