The key to enjoying Meridian and to being successful is meeting friends and allies. NPCs may send you on quests, and they will reward you if you complete them. When you exit the game, your character is stored and will appear exactly as you left it when you return. To avoid a penalty, you should always log-off from an Inn. There is one in each town.
Some guilds also have storage chests for their members.
Anything stored in a bank account, vault, or chest will still be there when you return from the Underworld. If you are traveling with friends, they may salvage some of your belongings. If they're very good friends indeed, they may even give them back to you when you return. You may lose a point of health and find some of your spell and skill percentages slightly reduced as a result of your traumatic experience. Mana and vigor will also be depleted but can be recharged by resting and eating.