NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer Community Update #1

Neverwinter Nights 2 community manager Shane DeFreest stopped by the official forums to post his first community update for the game's upcoming Mask of the Betrayer expansion pack.
So to start off our MotB Community Updates we went to Obsidian producer and Lead Designer Kevin Saunders to answer the communtiy questions on the Rashemen setting. Here is what he had to say...

1) Will there be any benefits of picking one of Rashemens patron dieties "the three" (Chauntea, Mielikki or Mystra) as the player characters diety?

Obsidian: No, sorry. As we intend for you to continue your character from NWN2, we wanted to concentrate on content that wouldn't depend on what choices you may have made way back when.

2) For those of us that know nothing about D&D outside of NWN and the BG series, can someone (doesn't even have to be a dev I suppose) give some general information about who or what the Rashemen are, and how they differ from the people on the Sword Coast?

Obsidian: For people not familiar with Rashemen setting we recommend you pick up the Forgotten Realms game accessory The Unapproachable East. In liew of that, here is a link to a basic overview of the setting as provided in that book:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unapproachable_East

3) Where *in* Rashemen will the game take place?

Obsidian: You'll spend much of your time near the edges of Lake Mulsantir. The game's primary hub is the city of Mulsantir.

4) Will the game take place entirely in Rashemen, or will be just starting out there? Also,will we be seeing any neighboring countries or lands close to Rashemen?

Obsidian: The majority of the game takes place within the borders of Rashemen, but you will visit a couple other locales as well.

5) Are we going to be able to play our old characters (choose one if we have multiple that finished NWN2?

Obsidian: Yes. This is what we are hoping you'll do!