I intend to run RotRL sometime shortly. It is my intention to first, however, run a prologue of sorts during the time of the Late Unpleasantness. I know this has done before, thus I already have ideas on what to do despite not knowing yet how to integrate the PCs.
After the five year gap between the Late Unpleasantness and the Swallowtail Festival, I intend to introduce the PCs to almost all of the NPCs that hadn't been introduced during the prologue, and even reintroduce some that had, such as Sheriff Hemlock and Das Korvut (intending to use Chopper Isle side quest).
My question is, who would you say is most important to introduce during the Late Unpleasantness time period? The obvious answers are Nualia and Ezakien Tobyn, the named Chopper victims, Hemlock, Korvut, Casp Evertin, anyone else that may have died, and possibly the Kaijitsus.
Who else would you advise are important enough to be introduced during the prologue sequence?