I think I've absorbed all the house rules, etc., but now I need to actually work up the character. I am fired up for this, but something has just come up that requires me to take a long week-end. I don't know if I'll get at this until Monday, but I should definitely have a character by then. So far, as I said, I'm thinking some kind of Gestalt. Either a 32-point buy PC gestalt or a 40-point PC/NPC. I like the idea of an Aristocrat/x. Maybe Aristocrat/Sorcerer, but I'll have to take a look at the other characters and make sure I fill a useful niche.
Thanks.