I think their intention is for people to do more side quests rather then run through the game story in an hour and see more of the content that it brings.

I found it rather odd aswell to get sent on a mission I wasn't able to finish on my lvl 3 either, I managed to kill the skeletons as a mage, but the ghost down there was simply too hard.

Don't play when you have a mushroom phobia! o.O xD