Not that Veleia isn't a nice place and all, but I've been stuck in the surrounding area for hours. I've searched through the forests, and scoured the bodies of water and managed to make my way up to the toad village. But I can't seem to find a way to go further west, to other towns.

Your next step is to go talk to the oracles in the cave's of Ishad N'ha, (follow the river N, into a cave, just west of the toad village)
Make sure you have the Mavin Ring ('Signet of the Mavin', I believe it is called)
The character with the ring needs to talk to the oracles. They will open up the passage west to the rest of the game.
Good luck
Tarl

If you don't have the ring yet, you need to solve the crypt first. NE of Valeia in the graveyard.

Ahh, thanks.

Had this problem too. Thanks to this forum I was able to "escape" Valeia. As Wyvern suggested to key word that will open the passage is "Destiny". Now when you get through you'll come upon the Sepent Temple and Kol. Make sure you talk to him and get Kol's Key. I didn't. I'm not sure how important it is to have but that's for another post.