Actually, this isn't Britay. Judging between the Troll Bridge and the Watchtowers, the region this takes place in can be pinpointed to that area between the Scary Mountains and the other Morcian mountain range. Sorry that I'm not making a story in a new exciting place, but this is where the story's taking me.
Did you think it was Britay because of Arcton? Or was it something else?
As for the new faces, an interesting thing is that I first envisioned the Wandering Bandits for another story, but this one ended up getting written first.