Okay, here goes:
As usual, I have several possible character ideas. I'll post them in capsule form here- let me know if any of them fit particularly well with the story and setting (and conversely, if any of them are particularly unappealing or inappropriate). Other players can feel free to offer up opinions as well- we're going to be in this together, after all. I've focused mostly on caster-types, with at least some healing, as we seem a bit lacking there.
>1. Kadai bin Hakim; Half-elf, male; Sage Cleric 1 (of Knowledge), further progression as Bard; has been in town a few years. After his initiation in the priesthood, Kadai was sent to Is-Merith to act as a scribe and archivist to the noble houses (in his free time, he was allowed to use the extensive library resources to further his own studies). In the course of his duties, he might have met Daedarai (in his 'business' identity). Recently, during the course of his studies and routine collection work, he discovered several rare (and potentially dangerous) volumes were missing. Had his superiors unscrupulously sold them to greedy nobles, or was the truth even more dangerous? Whatever the answer, his persistent questions led to his being used as a scapegoat- he was expelled from his order, and from the inner ring. If he wanted answers (and he did) he would have to find them on his own- and that meant using his wits and his few resources to earn some coin, to start with. Luckily he knew a scribe in the city who might be able to help...
>2. "Sister Philippi"; Human, female; Acolyte Bard 1, further progression as Cleric (Life) and Lore Bard; has been in town a week or two. Raised as the ward of a temple of Pelor in a foreign city, she was sent to serve in Is-Merith as part of her studies (the equivalent of a doctor's Residency after med school). Except that when she arrived, there was no official record of her being sent there, and no chance of her being allowed into the center city. There were other temples in the city of course, but something strange was at work here. (Though she does not know it, she was born here, but sent abroad to be adopted, as many non-noble children are- and her true family, for some reason, has been meddling in her life. But why?). So far, she has been able to eke out a living, but misfortune seems to follow her- and she is getting tired of it; she wants answers, and it is clear that following official channels is going to get her nowhere. Luckily she is a likeable sort, quite clever, and a talented healer.
>3. Yasmina; Half-elf, female; Noble/courtier Bard 1, further progression as Lore Bard and Fey Warlock; was born in the city. Yasmina's family is mid-level nobility- one of her ancestors was an archmage in the army that defeated the previous empire 700 years ago (before he went mad). Yasmina's mother vanished into the desert years ago- and her father died recently (He was, in fact, murdered by Yasmina's older brother as part of a political maneuver between families). When her brother inherited the family estate, Yasmina fled, taking only a few things. As a "mere girl", no one is looking too hard for her- most think she fled into the desert for parts unknown. Driven by strange dreams (spurred by a crystal from her mother's rooms, and connected to an ancient fey power), she is determined to find a way to expose her brother's crimes and regain her family's good name. (She is a repurposed version of an old character from a dead game- while technically a Noble she has no status or meaningful resources- but she does have an extensive knowledge of the city's families and estates and other courtly operations).
>4. Miranna; Eladrin (if allowed, otherwise High Elf), female; Noble (Knight) Bard 1, further progression as Lore Bard and Fighter (Eldritch Knight) (as a swordmage or tactical warlord type). Many of the city's noble families exchange 'extraneous' children as squires, to broaden their nets of influence- Miranna is one such. She was well-educated, in history and in the arts of war and magic, despite her youth. She had, in fact, almost completed her military apprenticeship when some kind of scandal erupted in the Household guard that she was in; the leaders of the unit were killed, and many of the troops were expelled from the city entirely. Miranna was just a bit too well-connected to execute or exile (but only barely- keeping her around cost her family an enormous amount of political resources). She is determined to get to the bottom of that scandal (Was it manufactured? And if so, why?), both to gain vengeance for her friends, and to repay her family's efforts on her behalf. Of course, she will need to do so without any further help...