Players begin on the starter island and may remain there playing for free as long as they wish, however each day the starter island will be wiped and reset to its default condition, including all characters on the starter island. Characters on starter island are limited to 150pts of skill gain while on the island.
When you are ready to join the game properly, you pay a single fee (currently planned at 20 Euro) to activate your account and move one character from the Starter Island to the Mainland, either at the central city or in a random location in the wilderness. You will keep any skills, up to 150 skill points, gained on the Starter Island, and possibly some crafting tools. [1]