I tried to make an oversight of all the 867 characters suggested so far. I may have missed a few, but this is most of them. Just to make an oversight so that it will be easier incorporated into the OP.
I didn't list characters of a later start date, except the pig herding, mongol murdering cabbage emperor of Bulgaria for his level of epicness.
Norse
Kingdom of Lotharingia
Hrodulfr Hildetonn, count of Ostfriesland.
You are the only Pagan vassal in the kingdom of Lotharingia. Your uncle, Hrorek is as the duke of Holland your liege. Hrorek has betrayed The Old Gods already and is Catholic. They call you the black sheep of te family. Can you show them what you are really worth? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodulf_Haraldsson
Nantes
Hæsteinn, Count of Nantes (independent)
One of the most famous and prolific vikings, there were few cities in Europe and North Africa which weren't raided by this man. Unlike most vikings, who used the money and fame for specific reasons, Hæsteinn seemed to just enjoy raiding and carried on well into old age.
Sjælland
Holmger Hammer, count of Burgundaholmr (Bornholm)
So while this fine gent starts out as a vassal to Sigurdr Snake-in-the-eye, his home castle is the largest military fortification in Northern Europe! Also, his dynastic name is HAMMER. How cool is it to be a viking, raiding Constantinople, with the surname of HAMMER? Very cool, my friends.
Austisland (Iceland)
Garðar Svavarsson, count of Austisland, 867.
Can one man build an empire alone? And I do mean one man.
Historically, he got lost in a storm and stayed for a winter in the 860s on the virtually uninhabited (there may have been Irish monks living there) island of Iceland. CK2 can't model this, so in game he's a lord with his own castle - but still, you rule an OPM in a very isolated position. Can you make his descendents rulers of Europe?
Trondelag
Hrolfr (Rollo) de Normandie, courtier of the Count of Trondelag, 867 (unlanded)
A famous viking warrior and the great-great-great-grandfather of William the Conqueror. Historically, he settled in Normandy and founded the dynasty that would one day take the throne of England.
Start as the count of Trondelag, grab some land, give it to Hrolfr, and play on as him and see if you can re-create history!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollo
Catholic
East Francia
Werner Salian, Count of Pfalz:
Try to climb insurmountable odds and establish the Salian Dynasty as masters of the Holy Roman Empire. House Salian provided 4 Holy Roman Emperors, an immense task to be sure!
Kingdom of Lotharingia
Hrörekr Hilditönn, Duke of Holland
aka Rorik of Dorestad, a catholic viking, you were given the duchy to protect the coast against your fellow Norse-men
Kingdom of Italy
Louis II, King of Italy: January 1, 867
As the eldest son of Lothair of Middle Francia (himself the eldest son of Emperor Louis the Pious), Louis II is the rightful successor to the entire Frankish Empire. At the moment, however, he's only the King of Italy, and none of the other crowned heads of Europe are likely to let go of their titles without a fight. As a member of the Karling dynasty, you start out as heir to at least one kingdom and highly placed on the succession to a number of others, so a few discreet assassinations and well-timed claim wars can eventually make you ruler of a good chunk of Western Europe, from which you can create either the Empire of Francia or the Holy Roman Empire, depending on what route you take. Or you could focus your ambitions southward to territory outside your family's control and eventually crown yourself Emperor of Italia.
Kingdom of Wessex
Alfred, the count of Dorset
A very interesting guy to play. He is the younger brother of the petty king of Wessex. Historically, he was known as Alfred the Great. Your brother has no sons which means that if you assassinate him then you will inherit Wessex.
Then your goal is to create the kingdom of England in wars against both vikings and your fellow Saxon rulers.
Kingdom of Aquitaine
Guifré el Pilós (Wilfred "the Hairy"), Count of Rosselló, 867
The founder of the House of Barcelona, son of Sunifred, (earlier Count of Barcelona, Urgell, Cerdanya Girona, Osona, Besalú, etc) he starts as a vassal of Duke Bernard Gellones of Barcelona and Count of Narbonne. He's the only historical catalan feudal lord in this bookmark (the Balear ones aren't real afaik) and has a Strong claim on the Duchy of Barcelona. He was granted the Count of Barcelona after siding with Charles and his son Lois against a faction of Noble rebels, among them the Count of Barcelona at the time, Bernard of Gothia (Bernard Gellones in-game). He's the founding father of the de facto independent Catalan counties and maybe the main Warrior-Hero in the catalan medieval folklore . A legend tells that the Arms of the House of Barcelona (which became the Catalan national flag) were created by Emperor Lois, who gave him a golden shield and plotted it with the blood of his wounded vassal. A hard game if you wish to reenact his steps and take over the catalan counties, as you have a quite powerful frankish liege and the Carolingian mess can be less tumultuous than in real life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfred_the_Hairy
Zoroastrian
---Bey Kurush of Chimboy, 867
A Zoroastrian vassal to the Tengriist Yagbuids, you are the only follower of your ancient faith amongst the Turks. You are at the very edge of civilisation and in a dangerous part of the world, following a faith that is close to death. Can you bring the other Turks round to the true faith? Can you unite the Zorostrian faith and retake the Persian Empire? You have a weak start and you are an outsider to all, but outsiders are often the driving force of history.
--- Rostam Bavandid, Count of Tabaristan, 867: A Zoroastrian count that starts as vassal of a Shia ruler in the mountainous region of northern Persia. Although this is unfortunatly not reflected in-game, he is directly descended from the Sassanid Emperor Kavadh I. He starts with two counties in his demesne, which makes him twice as big as the neighboring Justanids, but sadly he is lacking any event army. Even if he can overthrow his liege, he is stuck between the regional Muslim powers. Can you make him rise to power, drive out the Mohammedans and lead the Persian Empire to a new golden age?
1279
King Ivaljo I Bardokva of Bulgaria: 1 January 1279
Ivaljo was a peasant who led a rising against the Kingdom of Bulgaria, claiming that he could defend the Bulgarian people against the Mongols. His dynasty, Bardokva, is a nickname meaning 'radish'. He was able to defeat and kill Tsar Konstantin, and take control of the country. He married the widow of the former Tsar, and began to defend against the Byzantines, Mongols and the Bulgarian nobility who were outraged that a peasant took control of their country. Historically, he was forced into exile and then assassinated, but a skilled player could create a prestigious dynasty from this unique peasant-turned-king.
I didn't list characters of a later start date, except the pig herding, mongol murdering cabbage emperor of Bulgaria for his level of epicness.
Norse
Kingdom of Lotharingia
Hrodulfr Hildetonn, count of Ostfriesland.
You are the only Pagan vassal in the kingdom of Lotharingia. Your uncle, Hrorek is as the duke of Holland your liege. Hrorek has betrayed The Old Gods already and is Catholic. They call you the black sheep of te family. Can you show them what you are really worth? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodulf_Haraldsson
Nantes
Hæsteinn, Count of Nantes (independent)
One of the most famous and prolific vikings, there were few cities in Europe and North Africa which weren't raided by this man. Unlike most vikings, who used the money and fame for specific reasons, Hæsteinn seemed to just enjoy raiding and carried on well into old age.
Sjælland
Holmger Hammer, count of Burgundaholmr (Bornholm)
So while this fine gent starts out as a vassal to Sigurdr Snake-in-the-eye, his home castle is the largest military fortification in Northern Europe! Also, his dynastic name is HAMMER. How cool is it to be a viking, raiding Constantinople, with the surname of HAMMER? Very cool, my friends.
Austisland (Iceland)
Garðar Svavarsson, count of Austisland, 867.
Can one man build an empire alone? And I do mean one man.
Historically, he got lost in a storm and stayed for a winter in the 860s on the virtually uninhabited (there may have been Irish monks living there) island of Iceland. CK2 can't model this, so in game he's a lord with his own castle - but still, you rule an OPM in a very isolated position. Can you make his descendents rulers of Europe?
Trondelag
Hrolfr (Rollo) de Normandie, courtier of the Count of Trondelag, 867 (unlanded)
A famous viking warrior and the great-great-great-grandfather of William the Conqueror. Historically, he settled in Normandy and founded the dynasty that would one day take the throne of England.
Start as the count of Trondelag, grab some land, give it to Hrolfr, and play on as him and see if you can re-create history!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollo
Catholic
East Francia
Werner Salian, Count of Pfalz:
Try to climb insurmountable odds and establish the Salian Dynasty as masters of the Holy Roman Empire. House Salian provided 4 Holy Roman Emperors, an immense task to be sure!
Kingdom of Lotharingia
Hrörekr Hilditönn, Duke of Holland
aka Rorik of Dorestad, a catholic viking, you were given the duchy to protect the coast against your fellow Norse-men
Kingdom of Italy
Louis II, King of Italy: January 1, 867
As the eldest son of Lothair of Middle Francia (himself the eldest son of Emperor Louis the Pious), Louis II is the rightful successor to the entire Frankish Empire. At the moment, however, he's only the King of Italy, and none of the other crowned heads of Europe are likely to let go of their titles without a fight. As a member of the Karling dynasty, you start out as heir to at least one kingdom and highly placed on the succession to a number of others, so a few discreet assassinations and well-timed claim wars can eventually make you ruler of a good chunk of Western Europe, from which you can create either the Empire of Francia or the Holy Roman Empire, depending on what route you take. Or you could focus your ambitions southward to territory outside your family's control and eventually crown yourself Emperor of Italia.
Kingdom of Wessex
Alfred, the count of Dorset
A very interesting guy to play. He is the younger brother of the petty king of Wessex. Historically, he was known as Alfred the Great. Your brother has no sons which means that if you assassinate him then you will inherit Wessex.
Then your goal is to create the kingdom of England in wars against both vikings and your fellow Saxon rulers.
Kingdom of Aquitaine
Guifré el Pilós (Wilfred "the Hairy"), Count of Rosselló, 867
The founder of the House of Barcelona, son of Sunifred, (earlier Count of Barcelona, Urgell, Cerdanya Girona, Osona, Besalú, etc) he starts as a vassal of Duke Bernard Gellones of Barcelona and Count of Narbonne. He's the only historical catalan feudal lord in this bookmark (the Balear ones aren't real afaik) and has a Strong claim on the Duchy of Barcelona. He was granted the Count of Barcelona after siding with Charles and his son Lois against a faction of Noble rebels, among them the Count of Barcelona at the time, Bernard of Gothia (Bernard Gellones in-game). He's the founding father of the de facto independent Catalan counties and maybe the main Warrior-Hero in the catalan medieval folklore . A legend tells that the Arms of the House of Barcelona (which became the Catalan national flag) were created by Emperor Lois, who gave him a golden shield and plotted it with the blood of his wounded vassal. A hard game if you wish to reenact his steps and take over the catalan counties, as you have a quite powerful frankish liege and the Carolingian mess can be less tumultuous than in real life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfred_the_Hairy
Zoroastrian
---Bey Kurush of Chimboy, 867
A Zoroastrian vassal to the Tengriist Yagbuids, you are the only follower of your ancient faith amongst the Turks. You are at the very edge of civilisation and in a dangerous part of the world, following a faith that is close to death. Can you bring the other Turks round to the true faith? Can you unite the Zorostrian faith and retake the Persian Empire? You have a weak start and you are an outsider to all, but outsiders are often the driving force of history.
--- Rostam Bavandid, Count of Tabaristan, 867: A Zoroastrian count that starts as vassal of a Shia ruler in the mountainous region of northern Persia. Although this is unfortunatly not reflected in-game, he is directly descended from the Sassanid Emperor Kavadh I. He starts with two counties in his demesne, which makes him twice as big as the neighboring Justanids, but sadly he is lacking any event army. Even if he can overthrow his liege, he is stuck between the regional Muslim powers. Can you make him rise to power, drive out the Mohammedans and lead the Persian Empire to a new golden age?
1279
King Ivaljo I Bardokva of Bulgaria: 1 January 1279
Ivaljo was a peasant who led a rising against the Kingdom of Bulgaria, claiming that he could defend the Bulgarian people against the Mongols. His dynasty, Bardokva, is a nickname meaning 'radish'. He was able to defeat and kill Tsar Konstantin, and take control of the country. He married the widow of the former Tsar, and began to defend against the Byzantines, Mongols and the Bulgarian nobility who were outraged that a peasant took control of their country. Historically, he was forced into exile and then assassinated, but a skilled player could create a prestigious dynasty from this unique peasant-turned-king.
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But that also means I am never going to see Hungary 
