Pirate/Sea campaign

[Xavrias]

Main idea is that the mother of all dragons is imprisoned below the ocean, a wizard named Valthaen is trying to release it to control it with a fused orb made of all orbs of dragonkind. To release it he needs 4 artifacts. Dragons are not intelligent in this campaign.

Pcs start in a port town and are hired to escort an emissary across the sea in his ship. 2 warships also accompany you. Pcs start at level 3. After 6 days at sea a storm hits and 1 warship is sunk/lost. The emissary is attacked by a pirate ship after a dragon burns the other warship. The pirates eventually over come the pcs and they take an ornate box from the hold and give it to the dragon who flies off with it. The pirates burn the boat leaving the pcs and crew in a few rowboats. They are eventually washed up on a Jurassic Park island basically. They have to escape and make it back to the port city. Once back they will likely investigate the box.

Need ideas for stuff on the island, how they escape, and wht should be in the box and a cool pirate captain name for the pirate who attacks them. Also plz critique this stuff as well.
Thxs all.

[McQ]

Sounds like a neat campaign. I'll help out a bit if I can, but if you're like me you just need some input to jump start you into good ideas.

The idea of the dragons remind me of "How to Train Your Dragon," where as Jurassic Park..well..reminds me of that awesome movie.

So there will be an island of dinosaurs, would dragons also be in that mix? Might there be other reptilian creatures? Yuan Ti? Lizardfolk? Lizardfolk tribes would be interesting around there. Also, what kind of terrain are you thinking? Volcanoes? Tar pits? Tropical Jungle?

Maybe do something like with Dinotopia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinotopia)? Maybe Un`Goro Crater (http://www.wowwiki.com/Un%27goro_Crater)? I guess it's late and I've got nothing but referring to movies...and I don't think I'll suggest Land Before Time. Caveman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caveman_%28film%29) has Ringo Starr in it, and it's a comedy..then there is Dinosaur (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaur_(film)), the movie by Disney, sure it has intelligent talking dinosaurs, but it's still a good source for terrain.

[NOhara24]

Dragons are not intelligent in this campaign.



I think you're missing out on a lot of potential plot twists here. Dragons in the D&D world are ridiculously smart for a reason. Maybe have it so that as far as the PCs know, dragons aren't intelligent. And then *PLOT TWIST*. I feel like not only would that lead to a "Holy s*** talking dragons?!" moment, but it opens things up later on should the mother of all dragons actually be released. A scenario I'm thinking of...

The Wizard actually succeeds to release the Mother of all Dragons. If she were intelligent, the Wizard could convey to her that she owes him a debt. Applying typical Dragon logic, "F*** you, I'm a Dragon." She crushes him under her claw/burns him alive in front of the PCs and then sets off to exact revenge against those who imprisoned her. (She can be Chromatic, at least that way it would be easy to tag her as Evil.) I Imagine it would take quite a bit of power to subdue a Dragon, so she could potentially be wanting to kill a specific deity.

Of course, I don't know how serious/in-depth you want your campaign to be. But I do think that stripping dragons of their intelligence is a big loss either way.

[marcielle]

Dinos and dragons, huh? Thats a lot of reptiles. Whate about a tribe of lizardfolk that SEEM savage at first but were actually just trying to prevent the dragon's resurrection at all cost? Or maybe have kobolds who WANT the dragon to come back and will try to stop anyone but the pirates from setting foot on the island? If you want soom manner of realism, remember that a small island probably can't support many larger predators. An island with a dragon living on it probably won't have any predator larger than a horse left. Fleshrakers are suitable but anything bigger would probably have been hunted down by the dragon for food. Contrary to popular fiction, predators probably won't intentionally hunt intelligent humanoids, especially if there are prey that won't fight back about. That's not to say they won't attack if the PCs stumble onto their nest though. Good way to scare the beejesus out of a player will be to tell them they have come upon a nest on the ground. Especially if they know there are dinosaurs about. Giralons and treants such aren't that 'jurassic' but normal animals wouldn't have stood a chance against dinosaurs.

[Socratov]

on the pirate, why make up a name if you can use the name of the most horrible and bloodthirsty pireate ever! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbeard)

maybe to reinforce it use some bits and pieces from the latest pirates of the caribean movie. would be fun :) Also, for escaping, have them find or bring an adamantine dagger (god those are useful, you have no idea) if you feel fun, try makeing it serrated (like a pocket saw of sorts) and have them find or bring lots of rope and tell them to go crazy as they like (i.e. enforce them using the rules of cool, fun and funny preferably at the same time).

[Ravens_cry]

Actually, making it up is better because everyone knows the nickname of Edward Teach. Try watching some older pirate movies for ideas, nicking from Pirates of the Caribbean would be too obvious and break immersion through recognition. If you do use ideas, twist them a little so they are less recognizable.

[marcielle]

BLOODSOAK VULPOON(cross of vulture and harpoon)

His WHOLE SHIP is forever stained red with the blood of his foes and captives. It rains terror upon the helpless with it's 100 HARPOON CANNONS.

[Aergoth]

Seconded on the dragons note. They're excellent monsters for a party to run into. Dragons of Eberron gives a really good look at how you could run a draconic "society".

If you want things that look like dragons but aren't intelligent in a walking, talking, casting spells sort of way, the Draconomicon is your book. Abyssal Drakes are Int 6 creatures, and you've got scaly monsters like dragonnels, elemental drakes, landwyrms and the like.

[Xavrias]

Wow. That is a lot of ideas, I'm pretty sure the island will be very jungley,with tar pits,volcanoes and so on. The lizardfolk and kobolds I'll use definetly. Maybe the Pcs will hav to help the lizardfolk kill the kobolds. I know I'm kind missing out with the dragons not being intelligent but I kinda of like dragons better as things more like the tarrasque I guess, very few,very big and extremelly powerful. And when babies are born the need to be killed quickly. I don't think the island will host the dragon, but could you tell me a lot of good dinos for levels 2-4. And more possible ways oof leaving the island. I was thinking maybe the pirates lair here and the pcs and the surviving crew must sneak onto the ship and sail off with it. Their probably also won't be many Dinos cause like one of you said, an island couldn't provide for them. Thanks guys, and plz keep putting ideas.

[Andorax]

This could turn into a novel. I'll give you some basics, and if you're not bored to tears by this wall of text, I'll continue. I once used the Isle of Dread (basically, your Jurassic Park setting) in a campaign to good effect, set about 5 levels of the campaign there and months of actual play time. If you can track down a copy of the old module X1, or the Dungeon issues that revisited it in the Savage Tide adventure path, it's good source material to refer to.

Started off shipwrecked as a result of a volcano blasting a massive rock in their ship's direction. Washed up on shore with no idea what to expect, and no means of getting off the island (while local teleportation effects work, massive beds of psi-active kelp well off the shore ringing the island prevented extradimenional travel to or from).

Initially, it was a combination of survival and exploration. Down the line, it was discovered that the island once had a powerful psionic-focused civilization living there, with religion predominantly focused on the worship of two powerful elemental entities...of Magma and of Ice. Ancient hot and cold shrines helped piece together clues about the civilization, as did other ruins.

[Xavrias]

I think I've found pdf of Isle of dread, I usually don't use psionics in my campaigns, but maybe it could be wizards instead? If thats what you were suggesting. I'd like to here more of what you did, everything is helpful, and I still need a good idea for how they get off the island. And plz tell me if having 1 tyrannosaurus or spinosaurus running around the island that the pcs have to aavoidis a good or bad idead? Thanks again.

[Xavrias]

The magma and Ice thing is cool too, maybe the lizardfolk I plan to have here might worship 2 deities of these, and are trying to release them while trying to stop the kobolds from releasing the mother dragon? So the pcs have to decide which threat is worse or just kill both tribes? either way, good ideas. As a first "boss" encounter, I was thinking about using A level 5 gnome druid with a fleshraker companion, Is this too strong for a group of level 3-4s or not?

[McQ]

There are a few different types of Lizardfolk I think (aside from the standard Lizardfolk presented in MM1, there are a few in MM2?) and you could use them as warring tribes?

The "generic" Lizardfolk might be slightly more civilized, and willing to aid the PCs if they will help defeat the other brutal tribes. Just my two cents, but I wouldn't have many humanoids, keep with the idea of monstrous humanoids and the like.

A lizardfolk druid would be interesting, maybe able to shift into a large carnivore? Also have one tribe of the Lizardfolk be very Shamanistic, very religious, cannibalism, sacrifice, and a civilization complete with stone buildings and gem-cutting. This tribe is might use kobolds as slaves, and even use some dinosaurs as beasts of burden. Possibly they worship some great serpent?

The other Lizardfolk tribe (not our generic version) might be very war oriented, more barbaric, trophy taking, and blood rituals. They would emulate some legendary carnivorous dinosaur in the area as their God. A dinosaur that while large, scary, and rare, could be killed by the players.

The generic Lizardfolk, being the more civilized, would be nomadic and more nature oriented. They worship the aspects of a turtle or tortoise, and due to their less warlike or oppressive nature, they remain on the outskirts of the island catching fish and living within caves dug out by the surf. They cannot fight the multitude of kobolds from the one tribe, and cannot defend themselves against the warring tribe.

With this idea, you reduce the dinosaurs to being just the animals of the island. Larger and more dangerous, but no more than a boar on a tropical island. Also, consider there may be no birds, so dragons are the creatures within the canopies. I think since the generic Lizardfolk tribe is struggling, the PCs might venture into the treetops to claim that territory for them, giving them an advantage over the other tribes and a fair chance at competing.

An attempt to domestic, train, and possibly even fly the dragons would allow this tribe the ability to relocate anywhere on the island, and the canopy homes would scarcely if ever come under attack by the other lizardfolk tribes. Due to helping save their people, this tribe might hear of the PCs plight, and be willing to turn a gargantuan turtle shell (might be the chiefs house?) into a Coracle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coracle).

It's just me, but I like giving vehicles as a means of treasure. Since it's a nautical campaign, gradual upgrades of ships might be exciting for the PCs. This Coracle, built from a turtle shell, would likely have no weapons, but be resilient to damage and have plentiful room. There may be no sails, but it could have a few oars. It would also have many nets for catching fish, for ladders, and even as hammocks.

[Aergoth]

The MM1 presents a few solid options, though they're high CR, but if you're looking for dinosaurs, MM3 has some choice saurians as well.

Dinonychus (CR 3) Like a velociraptor, only not. MM Page 60/SRD
Cryptoclidus (CR 3) Aquatic beastie, if you want to threaten the players approach or escape attempts. MM2 Page 70
Fleshraker (CR 2) Again, a velociraptor, but not. MM3 Page 40
Swindlespitter (CR 1) Remember that dinosaur from Jurassic Park, the one that spat tar? That, only it spits blinding poison and steals things. MM3 Page 41
Fastieth (CR 1/2) Mounts for small creatures. Also a dinosaur. Eberron Campaign Setting Page 280
Pteranodon/Glidewing (CR 3) Flying mounts! Also a PTERANODON! ECS 280-281
Velociraptor/Clawfoot (CR2) Nothing more need be said. ECS 279-280
Proceratops (CR 3) Needs an herbivore somewhere, right? Sandstorm 147-148.

[marcielle]

With all the talk of druids and lizards, I am reminded of the Slaan army from Warhammer fantasy at this point. They field dinosaur riding dinosaurs that shoot lightningbolts.

[Xavrias]

You guys are great.Especially you McQ. Those were some good ideas. Thanks a lot, I have ideas for mostof the I need any more helpfor now. Thanks again.