Amen on the skills issue. That is one of the things I don't like about this game...too many things you can fail to do just because you didn't know you needed a higher skill, like the Two Stones quest. I have tried to talk to everyone, but I don't always talk to the guards and dockmen. Yes, I know about Jared, but I only know because of the walkthrough.
If I understand you, I would have learned about Voriden by going to the Blackroot bar and finding captain Teach to get to Thanatos.
Unfortunately I had amassed $200,000 by that time and just bought a boat.
About the lost throwing weapons, I've had the same chakarum since Tarant and I have never lost a throwing weapon. I would like to hear more about it. I was referring to the Arial Decapitator. I never found anything on it in the game
So...do the Smurfs play a role in the game? Maybe one of the evil quests? They are the Smurfs, right? bunch of purpple guys...mushroom houses...dead wizard with a cat...