When you are starting, it is a very arduous battle, using melee.
So good melee weapons, and good armour are required. Below are
some recommended newbie items.

I recommend to check out dawn's newbie page, it is quite helpful.
Dawn's Newbie Guide
Directions for Newbies

Kilara's newbie guide, including XP SPOTS!

Ok, For you TRUE newbies, a few definitions.
AC - Armour Class, The system the mud uses to judge how much
damage, if any, you take.

Here are some Definitions of Basic terms
PC - Platinum coins.
GC - Gold Coins.
SC - Silver Coins.
CC - Copper Coins.
BC - Brass Coins.
Plat - Platinum coins.
Pk - Player kill.


Weapons:
All of the below weapons are usually easily obtained by higher level
players, so just ask, and you shall probably receive. I will talk to a friend
or two about stocking newbie items in their shops.
Remember, Ask on Chat, and You Shall Recieve.


Shovel - Found in Encampment - Save Level - 20 for sure
War hatchet - Found in Encampment - Save Level - 20 for sure
Xiphos - Found in Ebwy - Save Level - 20 for sure
Gladius - Found in Ebwy - Save Level - 20 for sure
Plombee - Found in Ebwy - Save Level - 20 for sure
Katana - Found Bandits on way to Pesvint - Save Level - 20 for sure
Conch blades - Found on Eternia Guards in Eternia
Save Level - 100
Long Spear - Found on some guards in Rialt, and Hoplites in
Treeth. Save Level - 100


Armours:
The Items Below are Easily obtained by a level 100+ player of most
any guild. Ask on chat and you shall recieve.

Coral Bracelet - On Eternia guards. It's some AC.
Sting Ray Mask - On Kai, Captain of the Eternia guards. Additional
AC
Kelp Boots - Also on Kai. All the AC you can get helps, at
this level, Kai's items will make you invincible
to the newbie area monsters.
Sea Dragon Hide- Also on Kai. This is a main slot armour, so it's
important, it's very good AC.
Shell Pauldrons- Also on Kai. More AC.

-XP AREAS-
Encampment. For Levels 10 and up
From Cliff face
2 n,8 w,4 nw,s,e,2 sw,2 s,se,5 s

To get back, get back to the entrance which is
"The entrance to a huge encampment. [n,s]."
then 5 n,nw,2 n,ne,w,n,4 se,8 e,2 s

For information on races, click the link below to go to the
Official Dawn Page Races area.