Prefer to start sooner rather than later.
In regards to being picked up sooner or later, it doesn't particularly matter to me. Just whenever you stop by the Circle, so I guess that depends on our templar friend and when s/he wants to be picked up.

[s]Also, a question. Are we going to stick by a lot of things that happen in the game? Like Uldred fucking up the Circle, the undead assault on Redcliff, all that good stuff?[/s]

Fuck I'm retarded, just ignore me for now. Completely forgot that this is going to lead up to Ostagar.