The Salvation of Korthos

Module 8, game update of October 2008, revamped entire starter experience of the game. You have to have this story arc (quest-chain) completed before you can get to Stormreach, the most populated city on the continent of Xen'drik.

Shipwreck Shore
This is the introduction. Obtain a weapon from the halfling rogue and then proceed to The Grotto quest. This is a tutorial quest. Here you will learn what DDO's adventure experience is about. You will get starter items as reward, at the end of the quest.
 * The Grotto

Korthos Village
This is the first town area. Talk to a nearby NPC and get the quest flag, Welcome to Korthos, then go and find Wavecrest Tavern. Talk to the tavernkeep in there, he will direct you to other quest givers. After finishing the three quests above, go back to the tavern and proceed to The Collaborator quest.
 * Heyton's Rest
 * The Storehouse's Secret
 * Korthos Hall
 * The Collaborator

Korthos Island
Once you are done with The Collaborator, talk to the mayor outside. He will grant you access to Korthos Island's wilderness adventure area. Collect quests in the village, then enter the area, find dungeon entrances located within and complete them.
 * Sacrifices
 * Redemption
 * Necromancer's Doom
 * Stopping the Sahuagin (quest giver located within the zone)

The Salvation of Korthos
You are now "flagged" for the quest Misery's Peak. Go and talk to a Warforged in the Korthos Island adventure area and start the quest. Keep in mind that your party members have to be flagged as well to do this quest together. Upon completion, you will get The Salvation of Korthos flag, go back to the village (its not snowing anymore!) and talk to a NPC, grab reward item for it. Then you'll get Sail to Stormreach flag (now you are done with Korthos!). Don't forget collect reward items for the quest flag, as soon as you reach Stormreach (Small Gem Bag and Small Collectable Bag).
 * Misery's Peak

"Skipping" Korthos
It is required to go through The Grotto tutorial at least once per server, but thereafter, players are allowed to skip the tutorial and the entire Korthos experience ("Skip tutorial" option will appear in the halfing rogue's dialog box).

It is popular among veteran players to create a "junk" toon, go through a tutorial, then start over with a toon they really want to play and select "skip tutorial" option, as this grants them faster access to Stormreach and mailboxes, thus their "twink" gears.

"Snowy" Korthos and "sunny" Korthos - possible grouping issues
After The Grotto tutorial, you will be in a "snowy" version of Korthos Village. This can be an issue, as this means you are locked out from other players and only allowed to group with those in same "snowy" Korthos (yes, its a bad design decision...). As usually the only people in the "snowy" Korthos are people like yourself who are just starting the game. Being 3 years old MMORPG, we're not seeing hundreds of subscribers a day anymore.

The good thing is that most of these Korthos quests have a Solo option, or are at least very solo friendly. It will take you in the neighborhood of an hour to 3 to complete all the required quests in the starter area. Once you complete the Misery's Peak quest, you can join the "sunny" Korthos and will have many more people to group with and can then book passage to Stormreach.