From levels 1 through 20, though, the real focus is the Destiny Quest. Everything else really supports that, rather then the other way around: The multiplayer segments are designed to offer XP and diversions between jumping back into the story. If you complete your DQ segments before certain levels, you'll notice they tell you to go out and get more levels before returning.

I'v been saving up my White Isle quests to do en masse, only returning to Tortage when I'm ready to log off for the night. Part of the issue, of course, is that some quests go grey, but I found that there were only one or two that did.

Part of MMO playing, I believe, is knowing how to manage your movements. WoW does this for you by keeping you tied to an area before giving you the final "go to the next waypoint" quest. AoC treats WI and Tortage as one area (even some of the quests IN WI are listed as being in Tortage in the quest journal) so it's a little more hectic to keep up with.

I'm not sure if this whole Destiny Quest is a trick by Funcom to reduce alts or what, but they should really keep it open for the FIRST alt to complete, and then ditch it for alts who come after.