Just letting you know, I tried creating a different character and now the game has loaded properly several times!
All I did differently was move the .exe from my downloads folder to desktop, and skip the story cutscene.
I still don't know how to speak to the NPCs in the first room though :o
As we said on the email the tutorials are still a big thing to add. I wrote the basic keys and added them to the itch page:
Keys:
Movement: A - D
Jump: W - Space bar
Interact with NPC: E
Open doors: E
Game menu: ESC
Inventory: Q
Equipped items: 1 - 2
Shield block: Right click
Attack: Left click
Shoot arrow: Press left click to load, release to shoot.
Map: M
Hope that helps!