Thats why you are force fed quests by them giving you the EXP you need to level and gear you will need to be initially passable once you start dungeons and than to open up the higher level dungeons. It's a boring story that has little eye popping moments. Hence why you have to do it to progress in the game. If it was optional, hardly anybody would do it cause it's boring at best.

If this is the best SE has to offer at this point, no wonder they arent the powerhouse gaming company they used to be.