Are you guys talking about going past the fortress?  I thought I looked all through there and didn't see any other passages.  I have walked the wall of the entire "zone".  I have been all over both cliffside trails leading up to the fortress.  I couldn't find a way into the bottom of the ravine, so I am guessing they are not there.  I have climbed up everything that lets me up it.  I got really excited when I saw the thoklas or whatever they are called.  The Xiosia holy animal, but when I got close I realized they were not mushrooms. :/

I am not sure what you mean by "Herbalist."  Is that reference to a player or an NPC?  If NPC I have no idea where to find one.  Most NPCs are not very well identified.  There are many that appear to be a vendor for specific items that are actually not.  Like Jeyarp or however he spells his name.  Has a nice little tent with some leather out but doesn't have much to say. 

Information seems to be a tough commodity in this world.  I still have no clue how magic works.  I did everything in the tutorial.  I read everything in the library.  I started talking to the Lake Mushroom NPC in hopes of learning something, but all I have really gotten is some Xiosia and Seed faction.  I have tried playing with the glyphs and have burned about 3/4 of my lifebar multiple times, but nothing seems to do anything.

I really like the RP community and the exploration factor.  This game has some of the magic from when games like Everquest and Asheron's Call first started.  I like that you can run into someone in the middle of nowhere and have a conversation about their armor or weapon without hearing "STFU noob!"

Thanks for the replies, any info is help at this point.
Laedlin