Part of why I ask is because if we can discuss what our characters are like OOCly, then we can figure out why they would be working as a group ICly. I've always found the "gather the group together" parts to be some of the most annoying bits of D&D games simply because it's a given that the characters are going to be working in a group anyway, the outcome is already known and so the entire time that they're chewing the fat about WHY they're joining together, actual adventuring is being missed out on. As such, having the characters have established connections ahead of time seems to work best.

It's not spoilers, this is part of the planning phase.