Some beginner tips could be:
1. Every Civ plays completely differently, depending on the Map. Therefore, it makes sense to stay with the one Civ you like most (flavourwise!) until you "dig" the game. I don't think there is a "best" beginner Civ, because if you like their flavour, you WANT to learn more about them, hence you will look up the Civilopaedia etc.
2. Every combination of Civ-Religion makes a huge difference, therefore until you grab how the religions are built up (Xienwolfs manual is a big help in that), try to stay with one Religion. To make a long explanation short: each religion has Missionaries buildable when the temple of the religion is built in the city, who can be upgraded to priests, which can be upgraded to high priests (this depends on researching the technologies). These religious units are called "disciples" and can cast spells that are independent of Mana (see point 6). There are also some religion-specific troops and heroes.
3. There are four "major paths" in research: Melee, Magic, Religion, Scouts.
4. You need to research certain technologies, before resources can be harvested (e.g. before an improvement can be built upon them).
5. Most units need certain buildings before you can build them.
6. Magic explained: you need Knowledge of the Aether -> build Adpets. Your palace gives you 3 Mana types (for free, that means you don't have to "harvest" them). The Adepts get promotions faster, because they get experience automatic. The Adepts "buy" spell levels with promotions. For each mana (14 different) there are 3 spell levels with 1 or 2 spells on each level. Adepts can only learn Level 1 spell levels.
This means after you have built your first Adept, you can choose the first of 3 spell levels from each of the 3 Mana your Palace provides. After you have researched more Magic Tech's you can upgrade (not build!) Adepts to Mages, and them to Archmages.
7. Heroes are very strong, because they have more strength compared to units of their time, and they do upgrade automatic (like Disciples and Adepts, but faster and with more choices). Be careful with them. But DO use them in battle (but save first).
ok, this was maybe not what you have asked for.
however I'd recomend you "just play" and look up things you want to know more about in the civilopaedia and Xienwolf's manual. The Lore helps also. I don't think they are outdated. Maybe a spell or two are missing, but the "concept" of the game can be found in it. This is escpecially true for religions.
