How do I start the main faction quest?

Octopuss

I have a character who used to be a mule, and I've had it for a few months. I don't remember anything I did back then. I believe I started in Vvardenfell though.
I'd like to start the main faction quest line (DC). The trouble is, I can't. The related NPCs on Stros M'Kai aren't there at all, but I am sure I didn't do the quest yet - I have no achievements for the zone.
I also have main quest sending me to the Harborage in the tracker already, so I think I already did the Coldharbour introduction - but why can't I start the quests?
Can anyone decipher the situation?

Beardimus

Not sure specifically as I started alliance quest pre Morrowind I'm not sure how the gig works now, but something must trigger the alliance questline. Maybe if you go to the traditional starter zone.

Also Main questline & Alliance are separate. Main (Prophet) starts automatically now, since OneT I think. And you can rattle thru them all.

Have you def finished the new Tutorial?

Taleof2Cities

I believe you’ll have to start the Stros M’kai questline in Daggerfall, @Octopuss ...

http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:The_Broken_Spearhead

VaranisArano

The captain should be in town, waiting to talk to you even if you didn't start Stros M'Kai from the regular route.

Octopuss

I think I abandoned a quest somewhere and the captain disappeared from the docks, but wasn't in the hideout yet. I finished some of the followup ones and then I got the messenger girl show up.
Pretty confusing.

SydneyGrey

You can start the main faction quest in Daggerfall by talking to a dog, as I remember. It's the dog that follows you around Daggerfall.
If you haven't done the Stros M'Kai quests yet, though, then you can just wander around until you find one of the quest givers. You can still get the main questline in Stros just by finding them, and if they arent there, it's probably because you already did those quests. An easy one to find is a High Elf woman in front of a prison called "The Grave," who is worried about her boyfriend who is imprisoned there. (I believe she says her boyfriend is a prince.) The prison is directly north of Port Hunding. Once you do that quest, it will point you to doing the rest of the main quest on that island.