You didn't miss anything, there is just very little content yet to prepare you.
The process I use and has been proven quite good in the long run is to
- Introduce some initial tools/skills (done the last couple of months e.g. Eastern Forest of Runes, Nephlune, rescued refugee rewards, bar job, etc.)
- Design main content challenge / puzzle based on available tools/skills (done in last release for fortress of wrath)
- Design side content to make it easier to obtain the initial tools or provide new ways to beat the main content (done some work on this last week in the latest prerelease, was priorly still busy creating side content to make the pre-Festival part a bit easier for example Artist Job.)
- Repeat
Currently, I am setting up all three main quests so it will be some time until I can focus on side content.
The disadvantage is that some new content may seem really difficult.
But on the other hand I don't need to rebalance and rework old content all the time and can get to the right difficulty by adding content.
hahahaha