Do you need to follow the fan-made guide to make any real progression?  Only started playing a couple days ago but don't seem to be making much headway into the game.

The guide just for to show you a some way in the game, what will you get from those way. For example the war event, in this event there is three routes, which is bull route , netral route, and lizard route. I chose the netral route but i will lost my skull emblem, but if i pick bull or lizard route one of the tribe will die and i will have 3 emblem. So you can chose any way you like.