Recapping is a bit of a tough one - the game has been going since about 2013 I think (though with a recent two-year pause). The recent history page brings together a lot of what has happened over the years. There’s a LOT however, so your best bet is to decide on your nation, territory, and interests, and then focus on the recent events relevant to those things.
I’d recommend reading these wonderful guides put together by one of our players for when it comes to character creation and understanding the world in general:
Choosing a nation is your first step, and ideally you’ll want to be in one together if you want to do most of your stuff together. Start there and see how you go! As Ricohard says, there’s no real starter choice, they all have pros and cons. We’re here if you’ve got any questions during the process!