Yeeeah there is really none of that here with like story-mode or quest chains that lead you thru the levels. EQ1 is pretty different from 2nd+ gen mmo's in that this is a closer design to a MUD (text/graphical) rather than a traditional video game RPG. EQ1 is an open-world mmo in a more traditional design of MUD's.
But there are some things that can guide you thru levels, to give you more purpose. Later on you can pursue the epic quest, which is pretty elaborate. You can start doing that in the late teens there abouts, though won't complete it for quite some time.
The other thing, if you are somewhat into crafting, you can go with tailoring as a very useful trade for a druid. What this will do is provoke you to hunt certain mobs for their drops as you level, and sometimes in certain zones. And then later, if you keep at it, you'd also pick up at least some brewing and smithing, but don't need a whole lot of that. Even though, it's a good trade to start with as you can make your basic starting armor rather than just dumping looted pelts on trash vendors. But just a suggestion, easy enough to get by w/o tailoring.
Anyway, mostly as said in above posts. The two good starting locations are Gfay and also Quynos. Qeynos has the Karanas and is just excellent for druids and rangers, and likely you will spend at least some time there past lvl 15 or so if you like overworld zones at all which is a druids forté. And if you do more advanced tailoring, it's about essential a zone for that.
Gfay is a great start though. Start in the newbie area. At around level 4 or so, get into a group on orc hill which is on that last hill to the right before heading into the CB ent (where the big orc camp is). Now when you move to CB, go with a group, it's a little difficult for a lowbie druid there to go it alone. You can, but it will be very slow going. As said, turn in CB belts and pads. You can hang out in CB until lvl 14 pretty easily. And there are some good quest items in there, such as
Prayer Cloth of Tunare which all you need to do is turn in the bracer which you will likely get at lvl10+ at the Wall group.
After 14... if you want to heal, go to Estate of Unreat for groups, some good equipment drops there. If you want to fight (and have a magic weapon) go
to the Gypsy camp in North Karana (NK) and fight willowisps to turn in their lightstones (good xp) then sell back the quest rewards for really nice plats at the level (no equipment drops but you can buy it with this coin). Whether Unrest or NK, this will take you to lvl 20. After that... well pretty much lots of opportunities out there.
edit: oh a tip on that 100pp, save some of it for a magic weapon (or all of it). You really don't have a dire need for good armor, but if you want to say slap around some willowisps (if you go that rout) you will need any magic weapon or it won't do damage to them. Personally I'd recommend working your way to making studded leather, it offers good protection and then just mix in stat items you can manage to get.