There will probably be quests at low levels to get you started but then once you're done you'll be able to go out and explore the north.
I'm not sure about shops though, i'm thinking about just having crafting/find armor and weapons.
Good idea, but then near the end, maybe you could have 3 missions that players must go through to get to maybe a new type of Swords of the North?
Just so that it's a challenge, but of course, you can always have it so it never ends, it just continues.