Newbie questions

Well I went and killed the Jade thieves and leader, and used the lockpicks before I found out what they were for. So I'm thinking I should restart my adventures-do I need to or is the lockpick thing not needed to finish the game? And if I do restart my adventures, do the quests I've completed for the guilds also start over, making my characters go back to level one in those guilds? Or will they stay at their current guild levels?

Also, on role ascension:
I have a level six priest. If I ascend to Paladin will my spirit and vine spells only work up through level three, or will I be able to gain more vine and spirit spells when I level?

Also, when I ascend roles do the traits and skills I've learned continue to work and develop even though the role I ascended to no longer supports that trait/skill? (for instance a barbarian with lockpicking skills moving on to ranger-will he still have lockpicking/pickpocketing skill?)

Thanks in advance!

[Sazerac]

The lockpicks are not necessary, although you can buy them back from wherever you've sold them. There is more than one way to make that prisoner talk in the Serpent Temple, if you are of an inventive (and somewhat sadistic) frame of mind, hehe!

However, you're probably still close to the beginning, so you can reset the game if you'd like and play through the beginning again. A lot of us do that (well, I do, that is) to get higher-level characters at the beginning.

On the Priest: it's the skill level, not the character level that matters. So if you have Vinecraft up to Level 6, you will be only able to cast up to level 3. If you get it all the way up to 12th level (the highest), you'll be able to cast Level 6 spells. Suggestion: hold off ascending the Priest until you get most of the spells you need in Vinecraft. Paladins can continue to learn Spirit spells at the current level like Priests do. Or, alternatively, if you really want that Paladin right now, you can ascend him, then later change him to a Ranger to get the Vine spells again. Better yet, though, to change one of your warriors if you have one to Paladin...then you have two characters with Spirit magic (which is very useful in the Crypt, not to mention Shurugeon Castle and Skull Castle much later).

As far as I know, as long as you've trained in a skill, you've got it and can use it. If you don't get the skill before you ascend, though, you probably won't be able to get it unless the new role supports it as well. For example, a Bard can train in Music and play instruments, and can continue to do so even if you make him/her a Ninja or Assassin or whatever. (Bards are great "stepping-stone" roles for prior Rogues).

Sazerac.