Character Creation

Here are mundane and supernatural ideas of how you could all know each other more intimately than simply living in the same village:

Mundane

1. Two of you are directly related. Or maybe more, if you want to be cousins.
2. Several years ago two of you were helping out in the Wilds (trapping, logging, foraging, whatever) when the leader of the expedition was hurt badly. They fell down a ravine, the tree they were logging went the wrong way and crushed them or what have you. You two worked together to save that person (or you worked hard and failed, and now maybe there are people in the town who won't let you forget your failings.
3. One of you fell into Lake Criss, either when fishing or playing or trying to take a shortcut or something. One or more of the rest of the group helped fish you out of the water.

Supernatural

1. While on patrol or playing in the woods, one, two or more of you came across a circle of saplings, mushrooms and rocks in the woods.
2. While tending to the modest cemetery in the village, one or more of you kept seeing a shadow in the corner of your eye but when you turned to look at it, it was gone.
3. One of you got lost in the Wilds for quite some time. Everyone thought you were dead, there was even a funeral. You came back months later and you can't remember what happened.

Let me know if these help or reach out to me personally if you want some more personalized options.

Regarding Odin's connection to the Raven Queen:

Warlocks sworn to the Raven Queen receive visions and whispers from her in their dreams, sending them on quests and warning them of impending dangers.

Is it possible the Raven Queen guided Odin to the others? That they will be a part of something she feels he is needed for in order to succeed...or somwthing like that?

Are they undead, or something different?

So...are they communicating with the spirits (and the spirits remain in the spirit realm)? Or do the spirits existing on the material plane that have yet to go wherever it is spirits go? Or are they in the spirit realm and the summoned to the material plane?

From the entry for College of Spirits says:

Using occult trappings, these bards conjure spiritual embodiments of powerful forces to change the world once more. Such spirits are capricious, though, and what a bard summons isn't always entirely under their control.

This suggests to me the last of the 3. From my understanding of the Raven Queen, she (and her followers/warlocks) would have a problem with this. If the first, I think that would be fine.

That all said, you're the GM and I'm open to any changes you wish to make as to how the Raven Queen (and thus my character) view the practices of those from the college of spirits.

I was going to go criminal or Outlander but took a look at current options. If either Rewarded (lucky feat) or Rune Shaper are allowed I will take one of those to tie into awakening his sorcerers bloodline.

Finishing up Kethra, finalizing her starting gear. Only 90 gold, so can’t afford chain mail and still get all the survival-related gear I prolly want (tent, pack, blanket, travelers clothes etc). Prolly dual wielding a versatile weapon and taking a dip on my AC with scale Mail or a chain shirt.

So there is some skirting of the boundary between life and death involved, but it's more along the lines of "share your wisdom and skills with me, and then return to your peaceful slumber" than it is "join my blasphemous army of the dead!" So I guess it depends on exactly where the Raven Queen would draw the line?

Either way, I do like the idea that Nelie would do some work around the cemetary, singing elegies and gathering the stories of the dead.

I could see Odin working in the cemetary with more of a "get in the ground and stay in the ground" kind of attitude/mind set related to the dead.

Nelie is honoring their passage from this world and Odin is guarding against their possible return.

I think it's important when talking about where the Venn diagram of College of Spirits and the Raven Queen's tenants and practices merge, is that the College of Spirits isn't about control, it's about reverence. A skald of the people of Ormskirk who can make sure that the memories of the town live on.