[@Simple Unicycle] Backstories are optional so it's well and good.

[@ZeroEnder010] Splitting people up into smaller groups will probably be a good idea, but at the very beginning at least I'd like to have everyone together, have an 'everyone meets everyone' moment and set up the plot.  But yeah, you're right that it will be difficult to do that starting off which is why I'm asking.  Having your character start somewhere doing some mundane task is fine with me though.