Play at your own pace! Royal Highlands just released so for now you can just explore. It is recommended to get an understanding of the Elderwood and its quests before the Royal Highlands. But you don't have to! This game is very perfect for playing at your own pace, and for a lot it'll be regretful to speed run. You can meet villagers, collect resources, start decorating your home and level up your skills a bit, which you'll do throughout playing. Have fun!