A great way to earn experience to build your character is to go to the Island of the Moonbeasts in the northern part of the elvenland.
Once there set the Occurance Rate in the Options Screen to MORE and the Moonbeasts will appear like crazy. Make sure you stay in the water and start plugging away at them with your bow. They will not enter the water.
They are worth a ton of points apiece, so if you spend 30 minutes or so, you can really rack up the points. Only go on land long enough to regenerate another batch of Moonbeasts.
By the time I left the Elvenland I was at level 24. That makes going through the Forbidden Land like a walk in the park.
I like to set the Occurance Rate to LOW when I just want to go from place to place. But when I have some extra time, I find a good defensible spot, Set the Rate to MORE and go on a killing rampage.
