>Does your Hit and Dam bonuses listed in the score sheet affect
>your forms while shifted?

No; forms have their own base damroll/hitroll which overrides your gear.

>Do item bonuses?

Most things that aren't hit or damage do.

>I'm noticing my forms confidence levels increasing. Is there a
>cap for these increases based on level? My teens leveled
>shifter can't seem to get past "skilled".

Nope.

>Will a character using a shield without the shield block skill
>benefit from the shield at all?

Well, it's armor.

Other than that, I can't remember if you can shield block at all or not without the shield. If so, very little.

>I have a character that wanted to join the Empire, but is
>neutral/evil. I believe the helpfile suggests only orderly
>evil characters can apply for the cabal. Is it possible to
>change from neutral to orderly, and if so are there
>penalties/what are they?

Taking the Bloodoath will make you orderly evil. This probably won't cause you any problems unless you're a communer, in which case you should talk to your immortal first.

>I read something about shapeshifters completing quests to
>obtain additional forms. Are these quests limited in any way,
>or do I simply need to find the quest giver? I'm assuming
>they're all probably higher level if they exist, correct me if
>wrong.

There are no automated quests that grant additional forms -- they can only be received through immortal intervention.