Perhaps you are not getting the Rescue Paida quest because you are talking to Valden at the Wench, not at his home. Go to his home during the daytime if you haven't already.
I did, but I'm NG that's got to be why. Not sure why I never got the ORc cave quest. And I thought the moathouse respawned or did that change?
The moathouse respawn doesn't happen until the smyth tells you to talk to the small boy in Homlett and that doesn't happen until you've met the other requirements listed in another thread. Use the search feature cause I'm old and forget.