If the question is “where do I go next?”, follow the objective spine; do not let optional boards replace the current main route.
The route at a glance
Follow Earlwood objectives into Wildwood, resolve Lost Child / Northern Crossing, find the Goblin Hideout, clear the raid, reach Hoard King's Fall, defeat the Goblin King, open the Forest Throne route, complete Crown of Thorns and enter Forest Path for Aelwynor the Wildroot Father, the current Forest King. Steam achievement text also exposes Woldroot the Path Guardian as a main-route Boss record; keep its exact transition marked for verification.
Lost Child is a route problem
When the Lost Child marker looks close but terrain blocks a direct approach, do not assume you are missing a key or combat trigger. Northern Crossing is the paired progression clue; look for the entrance into the enclosed section rather than clearing every nearby event.
Find the Goblin Hideout before looking for the King
The objective Find the Goblin Hideout means the story is still in its navigation phase. Wildwood Center and the Wildwood Caverns branch can make the wrong cave look useful. The objective changing to Clear the Raid is the sign that this checkpoint is complete.
Hoard King's Fall is the boss cue
When Hoard King's Fall asks you to collect Tamsin's explosive from the camp, the Goblin King setup is active. Prepare at the Sanctum, but do not mistake the first Deeds or Bounties for the end of the main story; after the victory, return to Corin and keep following the forest route.
Open the Forest Throne path
After the Goblin King, the remaining story route is gated by three named objectives: Clear the Way, Keys of Bark and Stone, and Light the Wayfinder Line. Once Crown of Thorns appears, follow it toward Confront the Forest King and Forest Path instead of searching for another regional prerequisite.
Current Early Access endpoint
Defeating Aelwynor the Wildroot Father completes the current linear story route. The character remains playable, but the next progression layer is repeatable Deeds and Bounties, NPC and pet work, Stronghold upgrades, build farming and co-op—not a hidden mandatory forest quest.
Use achievements to audit the route
Village Hero, River Crosser, Blood and Bread, Death of a Tyrant, Corrupted Exploration and Heavy is the Crown correspond to Village in Crisis, Broken Bridge, Bread and Blood, Hoard King's Fall, Opening the Throne Path and Crown of Thorns. They are useful checklist labels for the quest database, but achievement unlocks do not replace current-client prerequisite testing.