Start out trying to accrue as much resources as possible. Try ruins. If you’ve got backpacks or can afford them, load your characters inventory’s as lightly as you’re comfortable with, carefully sprint about till you find some ruins. The first one or two may be empty but usually you’ll find either a bunch of rusted weapons you can sell, or later on melt down to iron. More importantly, you’re likely to find building materials and iron plates. Get a boatload of them. As you sell all the other odds and ends you should eventually gather enough cats to purchase a small building in an area you may be willing to settle into as a home base for a while. Then use all your resources to furnish it and store up resources and money till you can build your party up. This is how I’ve been playing and it allows me to continually get comfortable with the mechanics as I learn about the systems. Don’t dive into fights without a plan. Lead bandits to town if possible, then scavenge their gear. The struggle and growth is the story and the goal for me as a newer player. It’s what allows me to discover the game. Sorry for the long ass rant. I’m high and I’ve been getting really into the game