Ok, general comment about the start of the game.
Each player will have a starting region, starting gold, and one or more starting discoveries. Your starting region will be devoid of any major threat, although I cannot promise that your neighbouring regions will be. You will have a certain amount of gold to start of with, which should be enough for two settlements if you want to build two, if you choose to start with two settlements please bear in mind that you will have little gold left over for development. You may decide that it is better for you to start with only one settlement and develop it with population, buildings and improvements. There will be several different buildings and improvements (as well as one or two units) available at the start of the game. To settle outside of your starting region you need to train a ''settling party'', which can be killed, captured, or in some other way destroyed with ease if you move them casually into a dangerous region. You must protect these units! And even still, there safetly is not guaranteed.
Every faction will start with one ''unique discovery'' which will relate to their faction in some way. You can suggest a UD but don't get pissed if I completely ignore your idea and give you something else, more then likely you will be able to get your choice of discovery at a later date.