Welcome to Layonara.
Just tossing that one out there.
I don't think it would be a wasted effort at all to start up a new character. You might not make level 20 (or even 10, if you gain XP like me
), but learning the world lore, interacting with other characters... It's still a lot of fun. A lot of effort, yes, but a lot of fun.
The best place to find information is the Layonara Official Resource Encyclopedia, or LORE. It can be found at lore.layonara.com. Not ALL the data therein is accurate - for example, some references remain to Port Hampshire (rather than Hempstead), or Drow rather than Dark Elves... However, the majority of the things you'll find there are accurate, particularly all data pertaining to game mechanics in NWN.
Tied for best place to find info is the players and DMs, like myself and Dorganath, respectively. Most of the players will gladly take time out to help a new player, and some will actually help you build a bio - though final approval goes through the Character Approvers (who are also there to help you make a character that fits the world!).
Don't feel pressed to make an extremely detailed bio - "Farmer's son from Hempstead, decided to go out to make his fortune" usually suffices as a basic idea (though a bit more body would be nice), for example. A generic character to get a feel for the world usually ends up being a primary character for a long time.
That's what happened to me, and, apparently, to Dorganath.