tldr; I am essentially a new GM new to Pathfinder, and one of my players -in our about to begin 6 player RotRL campaign- wants to play an evil drow bard. Should I go along with this? (FYI, he would be one of up to three characters potentially playing evil alignments. I'm still waiting to get character sheets from 2/3 of the party so its unclear what exactly I'll be dealing with, though given that we will have an Inquisitor, inter-party conflict is nigh inevitable, regardless of the race of the evil characters)
Background: I participated in a 3.5 gaming group that was in a 6 year long campaign that went from 1st level to 27th level epic + 6 tier Mythic using standalone modules, GM created content, the full Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk, and a smattering of modified late game Age of Worms content. Essentially the same group of players - who are all adults in our 30s with families and careers - have decided to move to Pathfinder and continue our gaming via the internets using group chat, VTT, etc. The GM from our previous campaign has requested that he be allowed to temporarily step down and the group decided to attempt a rotating GM position running RotRL. (For the record, I was not in favor of running a full adventure path if using a rotating GM; I thought that using standalone modules would be the way to go, but that's beside the point). I was asked to head up the initial foray as GM and run the first 1 or 2 books of the AP. Approximately 6 years ago I ran a 1st level module for a 4 player Pathfinder party that lasted 3 sessions. That is the extent of my GM experience.
Situation:
One of my players, the GM from our previous epic 3.5 campaign, has requested to play an evil Drow in RotRL. I initially said yes to this request as he served as GM for such a long and awesome campaign, in which he allowed pretty much anything -including Dragon Mag -except 3rd party content. I've read in other threads that new GM's should not allow evil characters at all, but I feel somewhat compelled to be flexible due to our history.
Since then (a couple weeks ago), as we are all basically new to Golarion. I have been trying to read up on everything that I can in the setting that would be pertinent to our campaign. I've read up on the origin of the Drow and the basics of the plot of Second Darkness.
I've also tried to read through some forum threads here, but I'm not certain I can take it all in and prep for the campaign in the time I have left. We are scheduled to play this Saturday the 11th of February.
Question:
Understanding that as GM I have the power to change most anything I want with regards to setting and plot, but assuming that I decide to play according to the canon of the published materials, would it make sense to allow a Drow player in RotRL?
*potential spoilerishness for Second Darkness AP below*
Given the time-frame of RotRL as taking place in the year prior to the events of SD, my understanding of operations of the Lantern Bearers and the general orders of the then still strong and active Winter Council, as well as Shalelu Andosana's association with Cryingleaf - the home of a Lantern Bearers contingent - and the general proximity of the locales our players will be operating in relative to the Elves of the Mierani Forest, I am given to think that any Drow character in the area would likely be a target for assassination. Subsequently, it seems likely to me that any Drow moving about in Varisia would not be long for that world as it were.
Furthermore, should a Drow have escaped notice long enough to start adventuring in the Runelords campaign, it would seem likely that any other characters associated with a Drow would also be in the crosshairs of the Lantern Bearers once they do get noticed. I could see all of the above leading to a potential poisoning of the well with the party's relationship to Sandpoint, subsequent to Shalelu's being turned against the Drow and potentially by extension, the rest of the party. While I've not been able to read every page of the RotRL, I do know that the party would need to be going back to Sandpoint repeatedly throughout the campaign, and that this would be potentially problematic.
Epilogue:
Assuming I allow the Drow (as published in the ARG), should I consider removing the Drow's SR for balance or let it ride? Also, I've thought of recommending a Fetchling as an alternative - opinions there?
Thanks to anyone who reads this novel and provides constructive input. Any advice regarding the situation or the campaign is welcomed.