I can usually figure this stuff out, but...

[Therius]

Therius here - your friendly, neighbourhood n00b. I'm looking to change my skin-tone and gender, but can't, for the life of me, figure out how; I've also tried to buy a weapon - the newbie weapon, 25 copper/silver/whatever, and simply cannot - I started with 50 copper, now have ten, but there's nothing in my inventory, nor equip screen - what do I do? ; ;

[Tsemara]

The avatar button in in the top right hand of your screen between your messages and the trade icon. You sometimes have to wait for the items to load. At least I do. My computer sucks like that.

As for your weapon, you equip it when you enter the battle system, located under your avatar. The newbie weapon isn't pixelized, so you can't have your avatar hold it and have it show up when you post.

The Newbie Help Center is a good place to get information. Feel free to check it out. Hope this helped.

[Maeve]

I think Tsemara pretty much answered everything there was to answer. I'd only add that the skins (bases) show on the "Base" layer in the avatar page, and that the one with a little "M" are male bases.

That's strange, the newbie weapon should be visible in your inventory as a giant "?", since there's no pixel picture for it. Considering you have only 10 copper now, that's probably why you can't buy one, and I guess the rest of your money went on three other items? Just saying that 'cause your profile says you have three items...

[Catghost]

I checked your inventory, and you have the newbie spells + repair hammer. So I think you just didn't have enough copper for all of them and so you weren't able to buy the weapon.