There are a lot of RPGs and adventure games on GOG and I am hoping someone who is more familiar with the various titles might be able to help me out here. I have been looking for a long time for what I consider the classic RPG/Adventure game: a hero starts with humble beginnings, becomes a knight, saves the world, gets the girl/princess.

I suppose I consider it the "classic" game because those are the kind of games that I would play in the backyard when I was five and my imagination ran rampant. It'd be my little brother and I and a pair of sticks. We'd start as peasants, make our own equipment, work our way up the ranks, and save the world.

I am hoping an older game will satisfy this particular craving because modern games seem to be on this huge "darker, edgier" kick where the heroes aren't really heroes. I'm fine with the worlds being dark. That just makes the heroes brighter. The closest thing I've been able to find for a modern RPG is Dragon Age: Origins which is probably why I found that game to be so immensely satisfying.

Any suggestions?

I would suggest to have a look on the Ultima Series.

If you want more 3D Graphics, have a look at Gothic

The story of Neverwinter Nights is pretty balls, but it more or less follows that template.

I actually enjoyed NWN2. I played the paladin, got the castle, romanced the druidess, pacified the soul eater, rejected all romance options in the expansion by saying, "She's waiting for me and I need to get back to her," and ended the game by wandering the planes trying to find a way home. That is what I was hoping the second expansion would be: Resolving that issue and finding my way home.

Instead, it was something completely unrelated to the first two games. I didn't even buy it.

I had a hard time sticking to it through NWN1 though. Still haven't beat it... Maybe I should give it a try now.

I can't really blame you. The whole game begins with a "go to the four corners of this area and bring me an item from each one so that we can move on to the next area where you can do the whole thing all over again" quest and then keeps on repeating it until the end; that's how I felt, anyway. Gets quite dull after a while, but it is an easy way to extend the time needed to beat the game.

There are loads of mods available as well, though I haven't had the time to try them out. The premium modules are available somewhere for free, though I'm really struggling to find the links.

Kingmaker
Shadowguard + Witch's Wake
Pirates of the Sword Coast
Infinite Dungeons
Wyvern Crown of Cormyr

Sounds like the King's Quest series might interest you. There are a couple of great, free remakes of the first three games in the series.

http://www.agdinteractive.com/games/games.html

Also, gog has 1-8 for sale, but I'd recommend the remakes for the first three.

Quest for Glory! It's one of Sierra's best adventure game series, and has a lot of RPG influence.

Not on GOG yet, but it will probably arrive eventually.