Things Betwixt

When you start the game, walk straight ahead. Don't bother with the creatures here since they won't be hostile. Turn to the right as soon as you get past the two stones and go through the crevice. You should see a corpse near the edge of the cliff. Examine the body to get a Rusted Coin.

Backtrack to the main path and enter the hut ahead. You'll find some old hags here. This is also the point where you'll customize your character. Enter your name and you'll get a Human Effigy. These are used to reverse the effects of Hollowing and are really scarce at the early parts of the game. Hold on to it and don't use it unless really necessary.

Next, you'll have to customize your character, select your class and your gift. Once done, go the second floor and open the chest to get another Human Effigy. Talk to the Fire Keepers and Millibeth several times if you want then leave the hut.

Before crossing the bridge, go to the small hidden path beside a rock leading to a ledge right under the waterfall. Loot a Small Smooth and Silky Stone from the corpse there.

(Optional) Cross the bridge and turn to the right where you'll find a small opening with some large footprints heading uphill. There's a large beast waiting ahead. It will be hard to take down at the start but characters with ranged weapons should be able to kite it and fall back to the crevice. Melee characters can do some hit and run attacks; just don't be aggressive in swinging your weapons since you won't have enough stamina to dodge. The cyclops is slow but be careful of its long reach. You have to watch out of its grab attack since it can instantly kill your character.

Defeating it will earn you 1000 souls and a Stone Ring. Equip it and continue uphill. If you can't seem to defeat it, you can just leave it for now and come back later. There's a corpse in the grass where the monster was standing earlier. Loot it to get a Pine Gold Resin. The path past the wooden walkway will lead you back to the Fire Keepers' hut.

Open the door beside the fireplace to find the first bonfire. Bonfires are your resting place. They can restore your HP to full (but not 100% if you're Hollowed), restore the durability of your weapons and equipment, restore the use count of spells and miracles and they can used to fast-travel between various bonfires as well. Resting in a bonfire however, resets the enemies in area.

Destroy the wagon nearby to a Torch and Soul of a Lost Undead (when used this item gives +200 souls). Torches have a duration when they can remain alight. Torches are very helpful in lighting up dark places. Some enemies will also have a different reaction or even shy away from fire. Since they're consumable, you have to make sure that you'll light up sconces you encounter since they stay alight permanently. Light the bonfire and rest. Once done, head through the tunnel to find a winding path will several misted entrances.

Enter the first misted entrance to the left. You'll find several undead along the way. They're slow so just attack and dodge their attacks. Don't forget to light the other sconces to illuminate the corridors and to give you nearby fire sources where you can light your torch again. Don't forget to read the stone tablets along the way since they contain tutorial tips that may help you.

Continue along the main path as it goes uphill. You'll find a corpse hanging on the edge of the cliff. Loot a Dagger from it and continue forth. There's an undead archer ahead so roll to evade its slow arrows and take him out. Be careful since there's another undead in the same room with him. Continue forth and you'll find another large room with an undead archer and swordsman. Lure the swordsman back to the tunnel and defeat him there. Take out the archer then loot the Lifegem from the nearby corpse. Go through the misty exit.

There's a nest here where you can leave Small Smooth and Silky Stones on the nest in exchange for some random items. You should have one in your possession right now so leave it there and wait for a few seconds before picking it up. I got a Divine Blessing item in this trade. If you selected a Petrified Something as your gift, you can leave it here as well and wait for a few seconds before picking it up to get a random item.

Kick the ladder here but don't go down yet. Drop down the second ledge below to find another corpse. Loot it to get a Soul of a Nameless Soldier (this item gives you +800 souls). Drop down to the main path and you can enter the next misty entrance.

Be careful since there are two undead enemies inside. You can fall back outside to avoid getting flanked. You can also rest anytime in the bonfire outside the Fire Keepers' place. Once the enemies inside are defeated, head to the next exit where there's a gap that you must jump over. Since the sprint+jump using the L3 is a bit tricky. I suggest changing it to the X button in the game options. Now press and hold the X button and run towards the gap. Press X again to jump. This will allow you to reach the corpse containing an Amber Herb in the ledge across. Return back and climb up the ladder.

There are unwary enemies below. Read the tutorial stone blocks if you want then use a plunging attack from above to deal heavy damage to the enemy below. Take them out and open the door nearby to loot a Cracked Red Eye Orb from the corpse. Clear the mist and leave the area.

Jump down to the main path below and enter the next misty entrance. Approach the tree trunk and knock it down to create a bridge. Take out the undead archer and look at the hole below. Position yourself above the undead and do a plunging attack to take him out. Be careful since there's an archer in the upper ledge. When you hear the bowstring being pulled, prepare to dodge. Climb the ladder and take out the archer. Exit through the next mist.

Take out the undead there. You can also lure the two cyclops then fall back to the tree so you can defeat them safely. One of them is hiding right after you go down the ledge. The best way to deal with them is lure them back to the room where you came from and stay near the entrance just enough to aggro them. For characters with ranged weapons, you can kite them safely from here. For melee characters, you have to evade their attacks and hit them when they're down. They carry 1000 souls each so killing them can be rewarding early on.

The coffin at the edge of the water can change your gender if you sleep in there; other than that, it doesn't seem to have anything else of interest. Sleeping in the coffin will reset the undead enemies but not the cyclops.

When done, follow the path and kick the withered tree ahead to create a pathway for you back to the main path. You can return to the bonfire to rest if you want or kill all enemies again to get more souls. If you managed to defeat all cyclopes, you can talk to Millibeth to receive a Handmaid's Ladle. Once done, head to the end of the main path to reach the next area.