1. This is a “sandbox”.  There is a general flow of events, but for the most part, you can pick and choose (particularly for the first 3-4 levels) where you want to go, and what you want to do.  You are not obligated to complete a quest.  There’s literally too much for you to do it all.  

2. Consider yourself “Level 0” at the start.  You’ll have a lot of mini-quests, encounters, and hooks available to you.  The first 3 levels are milestone-based.  You don’t know what these milestones are, but you’re going to be stuck at level 1 for what will seem like a loooong time. You already have a number of advantages not afforded characters regularly.  Instead of working on leveling up your abilities, work on gaining insight, influence, money, and equipment you’ll need for later.  

3. There are a number of “big things”going on, some are connected, some are not. Not every bit of information has to do with the same overarching quests.  Organizing information and how it may or not pertain to your goals is on you.  If you forget something in game-time that your character learned, your PC can do an INT check to remember vs. the number of days/tendays ago you learned something.  (e.g. DM repeating the info). Something you learn at level 1 might not come into play until level 6 or 7… or not at all.

4. In order to learn much of anything in this game, your character will have to ask questions.  Few hints and clues will be served to you on a silver platter.  

5. People lie and withhold information.  Ask for an insight check to see if you can tell anything about their demeanor or mannerisms that might give them away. Truthful or not, the DM will roll NPC’s performance ability check (results secret) counter to your insight.  

6. Apart from meals and inn stays, most prices are not fixed.  You can and should bargain with the seller (performance/intimidation vs. INT or WIS or Insight).  Dealing favorably with the same seller repeatedly will (generally) increase your standing and improve the prices.  

7. Write it down.  I’ll try to do a basic recap each time here, but if you forget something you can roll your PCs INT vs # game-days ago you learned something, to see if they remember.  +/- for complexity.

Bargaining

After given a price in most markets or stores (restaurants or inns, less so) you may choose to bargain.  

Decide on CHA or STR: Intimidation, CHA: Performance - and the 

NPC’s roll  INT

PC announces their roll, NPC (DM) does not.

If NPC wins,  you will be unable to bargain successfully.

If PC wins, DM will subtract NPC's INT or roll (whichever's higher) from PC's roll, and multiply the difference x 5%.  This is the total amount the NPC is willing to take off the price.  It is still up to the player to bargain down to this price.  

Magic Items

Magic items are few and far between.  If you find one (or think you found one) there will be few or no hints to let you know whether an item is magic or not. Detect Magic and Identify are available as paid services in certain locations, you 

Detect Magic: For the duration, you sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you. If you sense magic in this way, you can use your action to see a faint aura around any visible creature or object in the area that bears magic, and you learn its School of Magic, if any. 

Identify: You choose one object that you must touch throughout the casting of the spell. If it is a magic item or some other magic-imbued object, you learn its properties and how to use them, whether it requires attunement to use, and how many charges it has, if any. You learn whether any Spells are affecting the item and what they are. If the item was created by a spell, you learn which spell created it. 

Short Rest: Alternatively, a character can focus on one magic item during a short rest, while being in physical contact with the item. At the end of the rest, the character learns the item’s properties, as well as how to use them. Potions are an exception; a little taste is enough to tell the taster what the potion does. The amount of information character's receive in this manner is up to DM's discretion, although will almost always be complete if the item is "uncommon" or "rare".