I think this is where its one of the few games that makes it hard to do a walkthrough. A lot of the stuff you do later on is dependant on choices you make early in the game.
I might try going the route you say as have cleared out Grayditch of all hostiles already (this is another touch I like in this game. Enemies stay dead, and dont respawn when you go back somewhere. Even to the point that their bodies never vanish).
