[Brut]

Start with the paladins in Nfp. Kill tons of militia guards, turn in helmets, or just grab some big faction hits off Lucan kills. Or you can turn in gold to a bard standing on a table in a house near Efp gates.

There's a quest in Qeynos, forgot who, where you turn in Brandy to get fast merchant faction with Freeport vendors+bankers.

And once you're good with the pallys, you can start the tedium of farming and turning in Orc/Gnoll Scalps in Highpass for faction with militia. If you care. You can just rambo or invis through Wfp/Efp and you'll be safe in Nfp with the pally faction.