Elden Ring: a first evening in Limgrave

Two hours: a class, the tutorial cave, a horse, and a deliberate decision to ride past the first knight. You will die, and it will be fine.

Choose Vagabond or Samurai
Both start with good armour and a reliable weapon; the Tarnished Pack adds two more classes if you own it. Take the Golden Seed as your keepsake for an extra healing flask.
Lose to the first boss, then find the cave
After the scripted defeat, look for a hole in the floor near the first site of grace. The cave teaches guarding, dodging and jump attacks in ten minutes.
Rest at the first grace outside
Talk to the woman by the door to get your horse. Sit at every glowing site of grace you find; it saves and restores.
Ride past the knight on the road
The mounted patrol near the start is a wall for new players. Go around. Come back at level twenty.
Follow the golden light towards the ruins
The grace points a direction. Follow it as far as the first ruins, fight the small things, and look for a cellar.
Stop when you first feel the map open up
That feeling is the game. Save it for tomorrow.

Before you go

Spirit summons are not cheating; they are the difficulty setting.
Two-hand a weapon by holding the interact button; it changes everything early.
Levelling is done at a grace after you meet a certain character; the game will tell you when.
There is no shop, so every rune is for levels or the merchant.

Read the full Elden Ring chart entry for the bearings, the toll and who it suits.