Full Immersion [for what it's worth]

Find out how to get money. Quests? Monster Slaying?

Usually these games start you off with some money, unless the devs went with a more unforgiving approach. Check your Inventory for cash.

If you have a good amount, go to the shop first and buy better stuff. Replace that sword ASAP.

Jeannette says, "Well, perhaps we should check if the store she mentioned has a map, or supplies."
"Yeah. Wait..do we have any money?" Louis calls his screen and pokes the inventory button. "Kinda hard to buy s*** without money..hey, look at that. Ten gold. Or..whatever it is in this. Uh.." He holds a hand palm-up and a small bag appears in it, its contents clinking slightly.
"It seems my bag is empty," says Jeanette, not bothering with the menu and just pulling out a similar sack, which is indeed devoid of coins. "Well, what are you going to buy with that? A new sword, perhaps?"
"Naw, this sword's fine. It's just beginner equipment is all. I mean, I'm pretty sure it has some kind of special enchantment to cut through space or whatever, and it's probably stupid hard to find anyone who can do that enchantment. Not like I can afford a weapon with this anyway." Louis looks around. "She didn't even say where the shop was."

"We can ask somebody."
"Yeah," says Louis, going to a nearby tree and starting up a ladder. 'Archemedia' follows.
"So why is it you have money and I do not, Louis?"
"I'unno. Maybe 'cause I killed that big wolf?"
"How does that follow?"
"Monsters drop money in video games. It's not supposed to make sense, it's just supposed to give the player a reliable way to make money."

They make it to the platform around one of the tree-houses. This one seems to be empty, so Louis starts his way across the nearest bridge. "Is there no other reliable way of making money?"
"Well, it's an RPG, so probably quests or whatever. But your usual quests are either 'go somewhere and come back', which involves fightin' monsters that get in your way, or 'kill things'."
"This seems an odd way for a society to work," replies the mathematician.
"Not gonna argue with that. Hey." He points to a sign above a door across the next bridge. It has lettering on it neither of them can read, and next to that, a drawing of a bag. "That's prob'ly it."

Louis cautiously cracks the door to look inside, and then just opens it and walks in, the human following him. The inside has a long counter opposite the front door, with shelves of various trinkets and items behind it and a blond-haired elfin man sitting on a stool. He has a wide grin and waves at them. The counter splits the room's space roughly in half, and the only things on the same side as the customers are a couple of..what appear to be suits of armor made of wood. "Welcome! Oh, hey, visitors! We don't get too many these days." He seems delighted and eager to have visitors in his store.

"You never actually said what you intended to buy, Louis."
"Oh! Can I interest you in a souvenirs? Maybe a.." The elf ducks under the counter and starts digging for something.
"Uh, maybe, but do you have a map first?"
He pops his head back up again. "A map? Oh, you mean..yeah, sure! This guy came in yesterday and bought my last one, so I bought ten more copies! Lemme just see here.." He digs under the counter again and comes up with a rolled-up piece of paper. "Weird fella, too. He was an elf..I think..but had green skin. And he talked kinda funny. Nice guy though!" He unrolls the paper to show them that it is indeed a map.
"What'll that cost?" asks Louis.
"Ahh, just a couple of coins. I can get these made pretty cheap."

Louis nods and gets his bag of money out again, taking out two of the coins inside. Before handing them to him, he pauses a second at what the coins are stamped with. It is a very familiar symbol: A circle with a line through it, going from up-right to down-left if the coin is held where the words on it can be read. He tries not to pause too long before handing the money over to the shopkeeper; Jeanette notices, but the elf does not.

"Thanks! Here you go." The man hands Louis the map, and he gives it to Jeanette to look at.
"So what kinda souvenirs do you have here, anyway?"
"Oh, uh, lots of things! There are these great carved statues my brother makes..um, the armor over there is his work, but that's decoration! Not for sale. He makes smaller pieces..uh, and we have some good luck charms, dream catchers, magic compasses with the town name on them--see, with the little picture of the chief's house--and oh! There are these little bead necklace things that are supposed to glow when a bear is near, but I've never had someone I sold one of these come back to tell me if it actually works...." As he mentions each item, he pulls an example out from under the counter and places it on the counter, close to him. He might keep going like this for a while if he's not interrupted.

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