[@ShadowSunRisen] Prior to Adandum's invasion and the establishment of House Loyce and the kingdom, there were a hundred different First Tribes in the area. The King in the Mist could have been one who managed to rule all of the Misty Steps from a castle in the highest habitable plateau since its on the Steps where the mist is the heaviest.

The contacts sounds good actually now that I think about it some more. Maybe not all direct criminals and cuthroats but like maybe some beggars, poachers and rogue knights you don't officially associate yourself with. Maybe there's even a scout from the Steppe Nomads who sometimes contacts you with things. The bandit brotherhood idea is also good, maybe they're a mix of actual bandits and deserters from the royal army and refugees from other places trying to hide from the Mad King and in exchange for protecting and hunting the most vicious of criminals and ruthless of brigand gangs you let them off with light bandrity as a sort of "payment" for their service.

And yes, a character sheet is required.