Confused about a few things

I just have a couple of questions:
1) My inventory is only that one napsack that can hold 20 items. Is there any way i can make it larger?
2) Is there any way I can learn more about the in-game items i get...like whether or not i can equipt them? (e.g. armour...i'm a ranger, and when i pick up armour, I can't equip it. Can i find this out beforehand?)
3) I'm in Ashford...where are the closest mercenaries, and if they're in ashford or ascalon, where can i find them?

Thanx

1) My inventory is only that one napsack that can hold 20 items. Is there any way i can make it larger?

In Pre searing you can do one of 2 quests that gives you a belt pouch (5 slot container)--this goes in next to the napsack. In Post Searing you can buy the same pouch if you did not get one beofre--and you can buy a backpack--twice. This gives you 2 more 5 slot containers. they go in the next two tabs. farther in the game you can customize all 3 of them I believe to have each hold doubple--so it goes to 10 slots each.

2) Is there any way I can learn more about the in-game items i get...like whether or not i can equipt them? (e.g. armour...i'm a ranger, and when i pick up armour, I can't equip it. Can i find this out beforehand?)

No Armor that drops is equippable--these are for salvage/selling purposes only. You can equip any and all weapons--regardless of your class. But your ability to use them effectively dis class/attribute dependant

3) I'm in Ashford...where are the closest mercenaries, and if they're in ashford or ascalon, where can i find them?

Henchman/mercs are ONLY in post searing. The first ones are in Ascalon City I think.

1) Just outside the main gates of Ascalon turn to you left and talk to the collector there. He will give you a belt pouch (5 more slots) for 5 Skale Fins. Once you pass through the Academy you can purchase 2 bags that have 5 slots each and further into the game you can buy runes of holding to increase the bags to 10 slots each.
2) Salvage the armor you pick up and save the crafting materials until after you go through the academy. In Post seared Ascalon you will be able to craft better armor for yourself using the materials. Pre-searing is a good place to stock up.
3) There are no henchmen available until you go through the Academy and get to Post Seared Ascalon. Make sure you have completed any quests you want to get done, gotten all the skills available to you and have obtained the belt pouch before you go through the Academy. There's no going back.

I feel like an idiot...but what's post/pre searing?

Pre-searing Ascalon is where you are right now. Once you're ready to go to the academy (after level 3, talk o Sir Tydus), you'll be in what's called Post-Searing Ascalon.

From the manual and NPC comments you'll discover that where you are now is more a intro/training phase (just a really long one). Once you go through the Academy, you'll need to start discovering this 'new' world again, post-change. Many of the NPCs remain and there's all new quests to perform.

Should I complete every mission that comes up before hand, or should i go to the academy now? also, where can i get scale fins from?

I told you it would be handy to have an RTFM page on this site!


Okay, joking aside, don't worry too much about doing every single quest if you don't want to. You can always make another character if you want. I do, however, suggest being at least level 5+ before going to the Academy, it will make the next part of the game a bit easier for you.

Oh, and Skale Fins drop off of Skales.