Character Creation Advice

Creating your Character

Stats: Use the DND Beyond Point Buy system. This will give slightly under-powered stats, but that will be compensated for later.
Add one regular health potion to your inventory as well.

Races

Samarya is home to many unusual races, and so generally anything you pick, we can make it work within the universe. No Changelings, kobolds, or succubus race. One is OP, one inconsistent with the lore of this world, and one is idk.

Classes

All classes can work within the universe, and if you want to make something special work, we can. Magic-users are fairly commonplace, though naturally, some regions specialize more than others. We will want to hone in on where the source of your magical power comes from, if your class has some kind of spell-casting abilities. See Magic in Samarya for some ideas on sources of power.
The increase in continental trade has brought about the profession of artificer and technologies such as guns, though both of these are still extremely uncommon. I have not thought about it too much, but if someone chooses to go Gunslinger, I may hold them strictly to all of the breakage and rebuilding rules. This will require you to put your trading and resource-finding skills to use!

Alignment

Please do not make my life difficult.
I think the more task-focused and motivated towards something the characters are, the more content you can see. You will also be interacting with a legendary empire and other major political bodies, so certain actions may have very dire consequences (when will you learn???). There is always a way out, but prepare yourself to be on the backfoot for a while.

Religion

Samarya practices polytheism of the Wishmaker dragons: powerful draconic entities that once roamed the skies, using the power of the Wish spell to keep humanity in balance. The most powerful dragons were known as the Prime Deities, with Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon seen as the all-powerful creator of the universe. The Prime Deities are primarily worshiped in their humanoid form (as opposed to their metallic dragon form).
Worship of each Wishmaker depends on the individual. The most frequently worshipped gods are Bahamut, Avandra, the Change Bringer , and Erathis, the Law Bearer. There are also many lesser gods, demigods, and spirits, who may be worshipped on a more regional basis.
Additionally, there are the Betrayer Gods, who have corresponding chromatic dragon forms. Though still uncommon, thieves, assassins, and politicians pray to these evil gods for assistance with their wrongdoings. The everyday religious person may occasionally pray to avoid their wrath and misfortune.
It is generally believed that the more worship a deity receives, the stronger their power.
Whomever you want to worship, let me know and I can unlock a World Anvil article for you. Otherwise, you can read up on the most well known deities under Party's Journal-> Deities & Religions -> Divine Beings.

Language

Overall, most NPCs will know Common, and I do not anticipate any long-term situations in which it will be nearly essential to know a certain language. With that said, the Standard Languages (Elvish, Gnomish, etc.) may be the preferred language for some NPCs, especially those in more remote areas. Draconic is commonly used during religious ceremonies, and almost all ancient transcriptions are written in Draconic. The Exotic Languages may be used to communicate with certain creatures.

Reason for Adventuring

You will additionally need a reason for being in Panalo, a rather remote village, and one of the few regions not under the influence of the Oda Empire. Perhaps you wanted to escape the rapid pace of city life. Or maybe you just came to try their famous Dragon Bone Chili Flakes.

Attitude towards Oda Empire

Establishing how your character feels towards the Oda Empire will shape many interactions going forward. On one hand, the Oda Empire has brought about widespread improvements in infrastructure (including running water and better roads), public safety (especially along trade routes), and a sense of unity among Samarya unlike anything its ever seen. On the other hand, the Oda's methods of dealing with those opposed to their conquests have ranged from humiliating to cruel. Your attitude may be dictated by where you grew up (either within the Empire, in a nation heavily controlled by but still technically independent, or completely independent), or your alignment.
Note that the Oda Empire has had significant influence over the entire continent for the past 8-10 years, and has been a major power for the last 18. Thus, anyone under the age of 25 will likely have little recollection of a time when the Oda Empire was not the most powerful force in Samarya.