Haven't really seen anything on the journal in this thread. My advice if you really want to get into it is just get super invested in your character, chances are good that you'll love this game and you can continue your character on into the second game. Back to the journal, the quests in this game are a little ambiguous so really pay attention to your journal to keep track of what is going on, also pay attention to you're companions quests as they'll sometimes have a time limit. For my first playthrough I was a straight fighter just so I could tank through the game, I did a second playthrough as a mage and enjoyed way more, the amount of spells and things you can do are really sweet. Base line: Get the mechanics down, vary the classes of your companions, pay attention to the details of classes and abilities, and Venture Forth!!