ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

I think this every time I start a new corrupter; especially if it is a Shalore elf. Yes making a pilgrimage to the Scintillating Caves makes sense. You collect all of the great lore about the discovery of corruption and perhaps a friendly giant crystal grants you new insights at the end . . . that fits in with the lore. But why would a Reaver or a Corrupter ever attack the Rhaloran Camp or the Inquisitor?

It makes much more sense to be out on a quest as a young corrupter or Reaver in service to the Inquisitor doing a pilgrimage to the Scintillating Caves, and then perhaps some other errand related to understanding corruption, preparing for the attack against the Zigguranth, or defending against the Shalore. Later, when you are worthy, you could then JOIN the Grand Corruptor at the spellblaze scar for the final attack on Zigur.

I could see Demonologists or Doom Bringers taking either side in the Shalore Rhahloren conflict but they already have their own starting area and separate lore . . . Corruptors and Reavers however obviously were trained by the Rhaloren, the Grand Corrupter, or one of his disciples.

Defilers are definitely the most underdeveloped class from lore standpoint I hope Forbidden Cults will add something to remedy that.

Forced starts are generally annoying. Searing Halls is incredibly tedious and makes me never want to play a Doomelf, Doombringer, or Demonologist.

You could play a yeek or undead doombringer if you don't like searing halls.

The option of choosing which start you get would be nice, but not if it stops the awkward starts from being made better.

Well there is a popular addon that makes you start in Last Hope.

Yeek doombringers still start in searing halls, the problem is really the random area teleport at the end of it which leads to you and sometimes an escort dying for no reason on insane+, ie you get teleported into gloom lv 2 which has randbosses and isn't survivable, so it's RNG whether you get a decent start or not.
The addon to start in LH shouldn't change anything for races that can't already access LH IIRC, either way I feel like this has long been due for improving without addons.