Thursday Night Questing events are not official Realms events, and as such, you cannot get spell credit from them. However TNQ will simulate the process of learning spells through a character progression system.
Additionally, since the staff cannot guarantee that actual armor will be available to new players who do not have armor of their own, the character progression system will include a feature to allow players to gain armor in a mechanical sense.
At each TNQ event, every player has two (2) Progression Points to spend on their character's build. Players who register for an event at least 24 hours in advance will be granted a third Progression Point at that event. Points cannot be transferred between players and do not carry over between events.
Players who gain spells through the TNQ Character Progression System must follow the rules for spell books established by the current omnibus (here). The spell book which a player uses for TNQ must be clearly labeled with the words "UNOFFICIAL SPELL BOOK - TNQ ONLY" in addition to the other required information. Spells learned at TNQ events do not carry over to Realms events.
Players must prepare their spell books ahead of time prior to learning spells at a TNQ event. The staff will ensure that players understand their new spells prior to signing the spell book.
Some spells require material components. It is the primary responsibility of the player to obtain the materials required to cast a spell. A player may contact the staff for assistance in acquiring or borrowing a prop, although the staff does not guarantee the ability to provide said components, especially if the request is made less than 24 hours before an event.
All characters start in the Character Progression System without any spells, regardless of any spells which were learned at official Realms events. Spells which are part of a character's official Realms build are not unlearned or affected in any way by the TNQ Character Progression System.
Armor gained through the Character Progression System is considered "sectional" (i.e. each hit location has its own armor) and can be either "one-point" or "two-point" (rules on armor in the current omnibus can be found here). TNQ armor covers an entire hit location. For all intents and purposes, TNQ functions just like armor in the Realms, except for the fact that the player is not physically wearing any armor. Players may choose to physically wear armor anyway, but they cannot utilize its protection without spending Progression Points.
Players may adjust their TNQ builds by "selling back" aspects of the build for the same price at which they were purchased. A player may not gain more than two (2) Progression Points in this manner per event. TNQ builds can only be adjusted between events.
Over the course of the TNQ series, it is possible that some players will have more developed build than others. Players who have particularly underdeveloped builds will have opportunities to catch up to other players at the discretion of the staff.