> > Well back to the drawing board
>
> What you want is a rescue party. Create a new batch of characters, get them to the town with the dead ones, then (perhaps some at a time) drag the dead ones back to Kaliti, where the prices are more reasonable.
>
> 2) Go down to level 4, *once*, and see if you can get a level-up without dying. If you can't, stay on levels 1-2 (or maybe 3) for a few more levels, then try again.

I would recommend that you don't skip level 3, but make a few expeditions to its pool. Alternatively, you can go for the level 4 pools a few times. It doesn't take much longer, I think. I found that level 4 becomes *very* boring after a while, and when you skip level 3 you need an incredible lot of attempts to reach
the gatekeepers key.

I already had a dead, moneyless party at Kaliti, so I was warned and proceeded more carefully ;).

Gnaw "Fly Carefully" bird.