how best to build tension before the villain returns?

[Spiritchaser]

So I want to scare my low level players...

By imperial contract, pcs were dropped off by a trading vessel on an island and charged with clearing it of pirates. The did this with some drama, and are now awaiting the ship to come and pick them up

They have realized that the ship dropped them off to die, the captain is one of the pirates, and the only reason they didn't all have an "accident at sea" is because the imperial officer was taking passage with them. This concerned them but does not scare them

Now they've cleaned up, rested up, camped out, enjoyed the local seafood, tried incubating some giant owl eggs and leveled.

I need to have a few encounters before the final set piece with the captain, so I can callibrate a bit now that they've levelled, and they will have some opportunity to slink/spy on the captain before the pirates try and hunt them to extinction, but the feel of this has to be one of dread. The pirates do have magic available to them

I want them to feel hunted, desperate, and ultimately VERY relieved when they succeed.

I don't want too many chase scenes, because one PC falling behind becomes unrecoverable very fast (one chase is good though)

Any and all suggestions are much appreciated!

[N810]

... Zombie Pirates! :elan:
(lots of them)

[gfishfunk]

Here is a three step process:

1. Have a HARD level encounter against something that is a generic, non-faction aligned enemy, like an abomination or a dire something, but just ONE of these slightly OP creatures.

2. Have the PCs see the pirates unloading cages of these beasts, and releasing them into the wild after having these beasts sniff clothing or something. Something from the ship that they traveled on earlier.

3. Have a second HARD level encounter against the same enemy (just another ONE), but have it end by TWO or THREE more of them showing up. Begin chase scene.

[Specter]

Thinking outside of combat now... cutscenes!

Portray a scene without the PCs, where the guys responsible for their dropping at the island plot together in shadows or something. "They haven't tasted real horror yet... HAHAHAHAHAH" Cut to black.

[Degwerks]

Sauhaugin, Merrow, Scrags, Sea Hags or any undead pirates can be another encounter before the Captain shows. Introduce a canon on the ship to blast at the island when the PC's are in the open. Like the previous poster said about the pirates releasing some nasty beasts to chase the party down, that's a solid encounter right there. Worgs or carnivorous apes maybe.

[Fishybugs]

Along similar lines, have the pirates drop off another group of exiled adventurers who have to finish off the party in order to be pardoned or rescued. If (when) that group is unable to finish the party, then the pirates come ashore.

[Uigeadaily]

Dash their hopes and dreams. Present them with what seems like an opportunity to escape their predicament, then sweep the rug out from underneath them when they least expect it. This can help to ramp up paranoia and uncertainty.
Let’s say they discover a small abandoned ship hidden in a secluded bay, only to find that the hull is rotten right through and filled with zombies, woodworm and woodworm zombies! Perhaps introduce a helpful NPC who could aid them numerous times before revealing that they’re actually a sea-hag in disguise who wants their guts to decorate her underwater cave with.

Shake them out their comfort zone. They’re being hunted, there’s no time to relax! Each night they take a rest, increase the chances of being discovered. Either they have to invest more time in finding a safe place to camp or have to deal with being ambushed more often. Finding an opportunity to safely rest should become as precious as their spells or other resources.
And Pelor help the players if they should be so foolish as to light a smoky campfire for all to see. (I imagine a few nights of eating raw meals might put a dampener on things)

Hit them where it hurts! That fresh water spring they drink from? Just got poisoned. Their favourite fishing spot? Now the hunting zone of a dangerous sea creature. They’re trying to incubate giant owl eggs? Too bad! They've been stolen by the pirates to be used against them. Better yet, those pack beasts the pirates released to hunt the party down just found an easy snack in Sarah, Percy and Bill.

When it rains, it pours. Perhaps being sentenced to death on a desert island is the least of their worries? Sickness and disease, dwindling food supplies, lost or damaged equipment, stolen treasure, information that casts suspicion on other members of the party. These issues can pile up pretty quickly. Even diarrhoea stops being funny after a few days, especially if the effects are also mechanical (Say a Poisoned effect or level of exhaustion).

Forshadowing. The occasional distant roar of a cannon. The tattered bandana remnant, the ship's flag insignia painted over where their stash of loot was previously hidden or where the last unfortunate group met their end. Remind the party exactly who it is who's making their lives a misery. The party should be able to feel the villain’s presence looming over them even if they never actually meet in person until the end. It can make the final confrontation more satisfying if they succeed.

Consider also how far the Captain is willing to go to beat the PCs? Is he confident enough to spend minimal resources in finding them? Is he a schemer who loves to toy with his victims, or will he become increasingly desperate with each failure, and further escalate the conflict?

[Laserlight]

They find a "message in a bottle" / hidden logbook from a previous set of victims. "They got Charlie today. We could hear the screams for hours." "Fred disappeared today. No sound, no trace, just...gone." "We only move at night, but they still hunt us down. How do they know where we are?" "We lost Janet and Al, but we got one of the pirates, the one we call Hook. Fiona used [a spell higher than the PCs know] on him." "We found what was left of Fred tonight. It was horrible." "We cannot hold out." "Hook was leading the hunters. I was sure he was dead." "I am the last one left."