In this quest Mercenaries are not unlocked; therefore this quest can't be completed. Make this step optional so that you can complete it.
You can still get the full stat charm without it - I understand the completionist gripe, but you're not losing out on anything by not doing that step.
You can still get the achievements https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/index.php?threads/impossible-achievements.257647/
There is no achievement for Gloomingdeep. The tutorial achievement is under Achievement: Tutorials - Out of Gloomingdeep which Moege has listed above and can be done by any level in POK
Mercenaries for Hire can not be completed on Phinigel if your character was created prior to the tutorial since the required kill, "an invading gnoll pup", is not spawning in Qeynos. It has been reported before and placed on a ticket but nobody seems to care.
Sure it can, you just need to delevel to 15. If people are serious about their achievements, this is very doable!
Can confirm at least one person on phinny deleveled and used expedient recovery to get the tutorial achievements. It was easier when the militia enforcer was around.
I guess de-leveling is an option, if you want to risk something going wrong heh, but I think just fixing the spawn of "an invading gnoll pup" would be so much easier. Would like to get this cleared up myself, checkbox OCD and all that. Put in a ticket, got a quick resonse of "Ticket closed, cant help with a ticket, bug it." (paraphrasing). Prathun please?
this should be fixed. put the merc step as optional or remove it when the feature is not available. put the new guy dev on it. good learning experience.