I will put a small advertisement here since this game is very much designed for new players.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=45583
Its direct connect (plays like a solo game)
no mods
no downloads
Just create a middle age god for the nation of your choice and join
The map is a "tower" map meaning it limits the placement of players to being "stacked" above each other (and wrapped at the top). So everyone gets 2 neighbors. One above them and one below them. No early-gang ganging up. This map also cuts down on micromanagement of the game, and makes the F1 key more useful to new players.
So if you have done some solo playing, and you are considering getting into a game with multiple human players, this is a good start. The link will take you to the MP forum and the thread where the game can be further discussed if you have any questions.