SOU : Are you supposed to start with gear?

Question2

Started SOU with a fresh level 1 character and all I got was 50 GP. Theres some gear in Dorgan's room, but no melee simple weapons and no body armor. I left the house with a crossbow, got attacked by a kobold, couldnt fight back properly because i provoke AOOs without point blank shot and had to get rescued by the dogs.

When I did get to the smithy, I realised that the 50 gp I had buys me nearly nothing. It seems like you are forced to sell all the weapons in Dorgan's room + steal the stuff out of your fellow apprentices chests to get starting funds to buy your gear, which seems pretty strange.

I mean, if you look at the OC prelude, you get plenty of starting gear. A fighter gets a melee weapon, chain shirt, chainmail and longbow at the very least. Do you really start with only 50 gp in SOU? It seems really weird. I mean, you are supposed to be an apprentice adventurer, but you have no gear at all?

SkipBittman

it's a way of helping balance things at the start.

BelgarathMTH

In the room where you start the game, there is a chest with your gear in it. You start with the standard three healing potions, leather armor (or robe for mages), a class-appropriate minor magic item, and a simple class-appropriate weapon. It sounds like you left the room without opening the chest and getting your stuff.

As a mage, be sure your familiar is summoned, and memorize a summoning spell for a dire badger. You should also have a companion with you.

Jidokwon

It won't lead to much, but you should also visit the basement before heading outside.