WARNING: you must have all of the Npcs on you at the same time. You can not drop off or lose any of them during your 1 playthrough.
I did this guide as a Dwarf/Bard. It is probably easier as a Hero, but I figured I would structure it around a different class in case others haven't unlocked the Hero. Also YOU CANNOT BE TREANT (you can't get Mushroom Queen companion if you are). Choose either human or dwarf. (Dwarf for more health)
This guide will go in order of what I thought the best route would be. You can alter slightly from this, but I don't advise it. Also, choose the best options that you think are for each encounter that I don't mention, otherwise choose what I say. The companions you need are Max, Barmaiden, Old Hag, Fallen Star, Mushroom Queen, Sckozhak, and Merchant.
START:
-Wherever you spawned at make your way to the Dunes. (Racer class starts in dunes and with max I believe, but you still need to do the steps I mention)
DUNES:
-Ignore everything until you get to oasis.
-----At Oasis:
-----------Leave flower til you have 100 karma. Tame and take the horse with you by gripping harder, drink spring water to stay at full health til other 2 tasks are complete. Then leave oasis
-Dune Riders: Choose Speed Parts to get MAX.
-Head to the road once the above is completed.
ROAD:
-If you ever come across the old hag throughout this run, take her with you to get the OLD HAG companion.
-Enter Alluris
ALLURIS:
-Fair: Right option for Jouste, Sword Fight, Cannon, Archer until you get each victory medal thingy. At which point you will be crowned Fair King. Stay at the fair til you take the BARMAIDEN companion with you. (If you get shot out of town by the cannon, just return and try again) (Archery champ takes quite a few tries til you shoot the bullseye arrow in half)
-Tavern: Rest/Hang out in tavern, until somebody mentions the falling star in the forest and you accept the old mill quest to get the cane.
-Head back out to the road once the above tasks are done.
At this point I was already at day 250...The archer contest took me over 100 days ='(. If you are over 300 at this point in the guide, you should restart. Your luck would have to be horrible to take this long.
ROAD:
-If you come across the old hag, take her with you.
-Old Mill: Go in and grab the cane from the ghost.
-Enter Alluris
ALLURIS:
-Turn in the cane to the guy. Completing this quest should get you to around lvl 7 or 8 at this point. If not this lvl, kill a few things.
-Leave town once full health.
ROAD:
-Enter Dunes.
DUNES
-Ancient Pyramid: Choose the Doors in this order: Right/Left/Left/Right/Right. Kill all the golems. Answer whatever you want to the bookkeeper.
-------Genie: Only answers that matter are 13/ A Tankard/ 3. Wish for Immense power/ A Dragon/ Genies Freedom.
-Head back to road.
I was at day 340 at this point. Day 400 at this point is probably the limit.
ROAD:
-If not full health, heal up in either Bradford or Alluris at a tavern.
-Enter Forest or Frozen Wastes. These next 2 can be done in either order, just make sure to have decent health.
FOREST:
-Fallen Star: Take with you to get FALLEN STAR companion.
-Bear: Not needed but give a hug to get one and heal at bees.
-Mysterious Sword Pedestal: Try to pull it (need 100 Karma).
-Overgrown Grove: (after getting sword) smash inside. Fight Veneroth and choose right option til it's dead. Follow Trees. Didn't do it for reward. This gets you MUSHROOM QUEEN companion.
-Head back out to road (you can now get the Merchant cart companion from the road).
FROZEN WASTES:
-Foot of Mount Originous: Climb
-------Prisoner: Break him out to get the SCKOZHAK companion.
ROAD:
-Merchant Cart: Pick him up using your heroic option to get the MERCHANT companion. Can be done if you are the Hero or after you pull the sword in the forest.