Did you visit Alix and solved the escort healer quest? Got the quest to visit Mitox?
What about a phase of peace? Verdistis has several non-fighting quests for you. Rivertown gets harder in monsters if you move east or south, that's just my humble opinion. I wouldn't tackle elite orcs as a 10er. But what about the farmlands and around the poor quarters. Can you deal with these orcs? (Take care of the thug lair in the west, though).
Kiya
