Continentia

There are several options you have when you start the game, the second is to skip it all until you have the best army (this is described here), the first way, which is described in this page creates a more challenging game and saves valuable game time.

In this option you can create a beginning level army and go throughout the game villain by villain. The army building is described here.

There are many units on the first continent you may want to look for when creating your beginning army. The first place to look is in King Maximus's castle, pick up as many militias and pikemen as you can, with some archers if you want. Then search the nearby area (and if you want to far away areas with the boat, avoiding enemies) and see what is available to you. My 1st continent recommendations to hire are wolves, Sprites (they can be good in the beginning, but suck horribly later on, don't have any left in your army by the time you get to caneghor or you will have lots of trouble), skeletons, and orcs, I do not recommend having any peasants, they are slow unskilled fighters that can only kill in huge groups.

Once you have a decent army (compare it to the one Murray the Miser has, if its more than his its good for now) its time to start hunting villains

Note:If you aren't the sorceress remember to get the ability to use magic in the area north of the castle.

Go to a town, rent a boat, buy siege weapons, and get the contract for Murray the Miser (also get spells if you want).

Find Murray's castle and lay siege to it, he should be easy if you have a decent army.

Fight all the villains on continentia in this way, get a promotion (this raises your character's stats and allows the hiring of better units), get the map to Forestria, sail to the edge of the map and continue your adventure on the next continent: Forestria.