"Which reminds me, is there like a quest log I can use to keep track of all the stuff I have to do?"
Yes, but it's well-hidden: press the "Kingdom Info" button on the left of the HUD, then select "Kingdom Report", Then pick the "Quests" tab at the top of the dialog.
It just has the basic quest details: It'd be nice if it told you what needed to be done next on the quest (ie: return to inn with the rat), and who it was assigned to.