Game! - Where the stick is mightier than the sword!

So I spent all of level seven going through the house. Still didn't find a key for the basement.

Then, on level 8, a new area shows up on the world map, but no quest from the quest master.

Is this because I have an unfinished L7 quest, or is that area questless?

You can only find the key in one of the rooms, so try each of them equally.

Also, there is a quest in the Dark Cave, but it's not for a few more levels yet.