I know this is probably answered somewhere but what seas exactly are you currently sailing on? I was intrigued by the fact that you included Oriental Adventures and was considering playing a Shou migrant (if only to get some use of of that book) but if we would be splashing around in the Sea of Swords or somewhat I may be just a little too far from home.
Also what, pray tell, is your opinion on the Leadership feat? I ask not for an army of minions but because it's a prerequisite for Purple Dragon Knights.
Edit: Obviously the migrant and knight are two different ideas. A migrant from the empire would have a hard time explaining why he is a member of long line of what are traditionally Cormyr nobility.
I'm open to most things, and someone already tore apart a Shugenja, so I'm very much in favor of people using the Oriental Adventures. Very cool stuff. The Shugenja was fleeing from overbearing lords looking to abuse her Spellfire ability. Anyway, there's a dozen reasons why a character could be halfway around the world. What class is the Shou migrant, please? (monk?) I am unfamiliar with the reference.
Also, Leadership doesn't mean you always have an army, as there are other applications, and every leader gets down at times. Maybe that's why you're headed east across the Trackless Sea from the continent to the north of Maztica (my custom area where the land is blank and I inserted my continent of Castelon, with Southport as the main port city on the east coast). 3e Forgotten Realms was awesome for putting your own spin on it. Armies can be raised later. What did you have in mind with it?
I personally love Purple Dragon Knights for the record. Very flavorful, very Faerunian.