I think the time is nearing when I will restart with a better idea of what I'm doing. I mean Jeez, I payed 500 bob for a lousy Paint Horse when (a) I could get one for free apparently in a quest I completed right after! and (b) I had no idea about the quick travel feature. I'm pretty sure I even purchased my first few weapons and armour instead of just joining the arena/fighters guild for some free loot.
Talk about redundant! 
There's one thing I've also been meaning to do. How safe is it to store items on the dead bodies of NPC's or in obscure areas. e.g. I'd like to use the sewer in the Market district as a base early on because I noticed the following: I killed some bandits there, picked up their loot, got encumbered so I dropped some and some more I left because I didn't want. Surprisingly, when I came back a couple of days later, everything was still there, even though some other bandits were on site. So, short of buying a house, which I simply can't afford right now, how safe are the following locations:
1. In the Waterfront District, there's a nice abandoned shack right behind where you meet the first Doyen. Inside, next to one of the cots is a chest that is always empty. Alternatively, I've dropped stuff on the floor and come back to find it intact.
2. As mentioned above, there is a very small room with cots in the Market district sewers. I've left stuff lying around for days unintentionally and come back and found it as is. Good strategy or was it just luck?
3. What about various camp grounds etc. in the wilderness?
4. Finally, the most promising location is the masoleum from "Unfriendly Competition". Should I risk storing stuff there? I have the key afterall, right? In fact, if cots were an inventory item, I'd place one right there and make it my home - I'm not afraid of the dead.
