Gula
Orc bandit chief (chaotic neutral), who was raised in a stronghold and told at seventeen that she'd be sent off to to marry the chief of another hold. She undertook the journey by herself, met a few bandits along the way, and managed to kill all but one of them—and decided that she'd rather have their job than be anyone's wife. Years later (she's about 25), she now commands the bandits she joined, and she's held onto that position with tenacity and bloodshed. The camp has become something of her own tiny stronghold, and she leads by the idea that Malacath favors the strong. She tends not to permit her bandits to attack travelers who don't look like they'd put up much of a fight, but they're encouraged to go for Imperials, Stormcloaks, and Thalmor, the latter being her favorite. She has a small collection of elf skulls under her favorite chair. (I realize that this doesn't present much opportunity for RP—I like the idea of her being displaced from her position, so I'd probably have her crew die by a dragon attack, or something similar, which would give her a reason to help a Dragonborn.)


Firion
Altmer auxiliary for the Empire (lawful good), once a Thalmor battlemage. Firion was born in the Imperial City, but his parents were not. When the tension between the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion became really pronounced, they returned to the land they felt most loyal to, and took Firion, who was about twelve, with them. Because he wasn't technically from Alinor, and because of his seeming lack of enthusiasm for the cause, he was constantly asked over the years to demonstrate his loyalty to the Dominion, sometimes in cruel ways. He always did, and he has a pile of regrets because of it. He was sent to Skyrim when the Civil War began, and there, where the control of the Thalmor seemed distant, he took the opportunity to defect. He's dedicated himself to the Imperial Legion, though for security reasons they can't send him on as many missions as he'd like, and his rank has remained low. He spends his time in cities with an Imperial presence, generally stays at the barracks, where he isn't particularly welcome, and practices his skills while he waits for action. He's strait-laced, law-abiding, and disapproving of those who aren't.


Velana
Dunmer enchanter and (secret) devotee of Boethiah (neutral evil), and aspiring political firestarter. She wasn't raised in Skyrim, but she's learned to adapt to its culture. She favors the Stormcloaks, oddly enough, and though the xenophobia of the local nords has affected her personally many times over the decades, it never seems to bother her. She uses the perception that a dark elf would never side with the Stormcloaks to wriggle her way into the good graces of those on the Imperial side, where she tries to covertly influence their decisions in ways that will hurt them or the cause. She's fascinated by all things magic, but especially all varieties of daedra, and dragons.


Glithir
Bosmer thief/mercenary/aimless wanderer (chaotic neutral). He was born in the Valenwood, but he's been traveling long enough to know that certain practices aren't acceptable outside of it. He seems to have no purpose, going wherever his whims take him, making friends fast and leaving them easily. His morals are flexible, but his worst offense is usually petty thievery—it seems to be almost an unconscious addiction for him; something he can't really control, and never results in violence unless he gets caught. He's adaptable, chatty, and all too happy to talk about his homeland. He's a pretty good musician, and carries a lute when he can; but without the stability of a constant place to stay, his lutes often get destroyed.