I just bought Arcanum. The wife and I tried to play on lan. Noticed something strange. When we quit we didn't have the items we got during the game. We still have the levels but all the equipment is what our fist level characters started with. I didn't see a save option during the game and it asked if we wanted to save the chars when we quit and we did but again I restate, none of the equip stayed... In big trouble here someone please help. Marriage may be on the ropes on this cause she's not too happy about losing her stuff. We tried several tries to see if doing something wrong too but I don't this so. Thanks to whoever.
Unfortunately this is what happens. It's to stop major character building and allows all characters to start on a more even basis. It's one of the reasons why multoplayer Arcanum is so atrociously bad. Instead, it's the level and the skills of a character that determine the equipment that a character starts with. For example, if you have 6 ranks in smithy then you'll start with featherwieght chain. If you have all 7 ranks then you start with elite plate. If you have throwing skill then you start with better and better throwing weapons as you progress etc. The higer the skill, the better the equipment for that skill and the better the level, the higher overall starting equipment you get. Haggle effects money, lockpick affects the quality lockpicks, bow affects the bows you get etc. When it asks you to save your character it's only asking if you wish to save any level/skill/stat changes you have made. No equipment is saved. This is also due to the fact that people could start with everything they need to finished the module and that makes it unfair. My advice to you is to play single player. You can also export your singleplayer characters to multiplayer to save time by going to the character screen and I think, pressing X. Hope this helps. And good luck with the marriage.