Due to the nature of tabletop RPGs, a campaign will often start with a random group of strangers.  Here are some ways to get them adventuring together, without resorting to the old Tavern trope.

A minor mess of magnates for myriad monarchies.

Now with Scroll functions!  Add your own!

"Aye, 'dis here is yer problem, squire. Yer gone and got yerself a Cog Devil infestation in the ol' gear box, haven't ya? Look at the little bugger squirm, eh? Nah, dont be embarrassed, squire. It's better than lice on yer privates, innit? Coz, they're harder to get rid of, they are. And a lot more expensive too.."

Istherm Mild (esq.), licensed steam engine mechanic, overheard advicing one of his customers…

Codex

Candles aren’t just for lighting, anymore.

She left me, I couldn't deal with it. I sat there with the barrel of the gun in my mouth for a long time before I pulled the trigger.

(Graphic Warning: Not for delicate eyes)

On a planet with no name, a group of lawmen must protect a colony nobody has heard of from the universe’s most effective killers.  All the while preserving the safety of both the guilty and the innocent in an effort to make society more about dignity and freedom than profit and force. 

Have you ever been in a position where you needed a quick break but your players were too ancy to break as well?