When I start a new game I can only roll one character. Browsing some of the threads here, how is it that some players appear to have more than one custom character in their party?

At any Inn you can create custom party members. There is a catch though they will start off 1 level behind you when you pick them up so early on they are worse than story characters but later the levels will even out.

I try to grab them immediately once I reach the first town. I move they Ciant Lis , go tot he vale, only save the cook then go to town. After Urgeat the Butthole’s speech, go directly to the inn, saving Aloth’s arse in the meantime but don’t pick add him yet, talk to the innkeeper to get your 639 do boost. This will barely get you to level 3. Then sell all gear (if you sold everything possible from your inventory at the camp you would get much better cash there) and you should have over 2500 in cash. Then hire 5 lvl 2 NPCs. They will only be 2k behind in XP.

Thank you.