[lonnarin]

Well, I'd certainly suspect regeneration and healing magic to be a big part of it. The only reason we even age is that our body cells slow down regenerating. Throwing magic into the mix and an occasional curing of disease would effectively boilster your immune system and put some pep in your mitosis cycles. All that cartilidge would grow back into place, an excellent cure for arthritis!

Of course with all the hundreds upon thousands of NPC monster deaths we go through just before level 10, maybe we're getting a wee bit of windfall from Soul Mother for sending her so many tastey Souls. Every goblin tribe vanquished is like sending her a box of chocolates. :P