You can buy silver charms from Kistandalius or (sometimes) Blake in Ars Magicana and Corinna or (sometimes) Mpenzak in Verdistis. If you think you will be keeping equipment till the end of the game, leave some open slots for gold charms which are much more plentiful in the wastelands (near the end of the game).
Save, then enter the Dark Forest. If you die or have a lot of trouble, come back at a higher level. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
