So I've had this game for the better part of 2 years and never made it out of the first area. Kept getting my butt whooped by stuff, got frustrated, and stopped playing.

I think I know what I was doing wrong -- I wasn't including a bard in my team!

Seriously, add a bard. At the start of combat, click the bard, click use item, and use the instrument you start with. It can put groups of mobs to sleep. This single change got me out of the starting area, and onto the first set of quests in the town!

I'm sure there are other ways to get through it, but as someone completely new to the series, this was a pretty huge breakthrough for me, and maybe it will help you as well.