Island Campaign Start

[SMac8988]

With a new game starting I am bouncing ideas till the group has finally set a start date and I have changed my idea for the introduction for the party.

I have read that a boat group meeting, forcing them into an adventure, is a good start to get them working together. My idea is to have them all be traveling on the boat together for one reason or another, when the boat hits a fierce storm and is raided by tribal pirates. They will fend them off but have to make landfall at the island near by due to damage done to the boat and the ferocity of the storm.

On the island they will need to try and gather supplies for the repairs, try and find people whom where thrown overboard during the storm and deal with the indigenous people attacking tthem. I also plan having quick sand, sink holes and the boss fight I am thinking an adult blue dragon laying in wait that the villagers worship.

Party is level 7 and is 4 to 6 players, unknown classes as of now. Does this sound like a fun and interesting start to a long term game?

[MBControl]

I like it.

One idea, I always like a treasure hunt on a tropical island.

As they are looking for survivors and supplies, they are attacked by the local tribesman/bandits. The attacks seem to be unprovoked, but after capturing an attacker, he accuses you of trying to steal the treasure. If interrogated, your crew can find out that his leader has a map to the treasure at his camp.

You could use the quicksand and sinkholes as natural traps used as the camps defenses, along with spike traps, etc.

Attack/Infiltrate/Negotiate for the map, which leads the party to a tunnel deep beneath the island. The entrance is behind a water fall or something.

The tunnel goes on, with more traps and spiders, and other guardians.

The party finds a massive treasure trove, and just as the begin to inspect the loot, a adult blue dragon descends upon them, trapping them in it's lair.

They could fight the dragon and gain some juicy loot to start the game, or, I think I would prefer this, is that the Dragon could offer them a deal of sorts. This could be a nice opportunity to send your players off into the main plot of the story. Forced into service as a party by the dragon, in return for their lives. He might even offer them some gold and items to aid them in the favor it asks of them.

Classic Tropical island trope with a dragon, but it could tie together a lot of the aspects you'd like to use.

[SMac8988]

I like it.

One idea, I always like a treasure hunt on a tropical island.

As they are looking for survivors and supplies, they are attacked by the local tribesman/bandits. The attacks seem to be unprovoked, but after capturing an attacker, he accuses you of trying to steal the treasure. If interrogated, your crew can find out that his leader has a map to the treasure at his camp.

You could use the quicksand and sinkholes as natural traps used as the camps defenses, along with spike traps, etc.

Attack/Infiltrate/Negotiate for the map, which leads the party to a tunnel deep beneath the island. The entrance is behind a water fall or something.

The tunnel goes on, with more traps and spiders, and other guardians.

The party finds a massive treasure trove, and just as the begin to inspect the loot, a adult blue dragon descends upon them, trapping them in it's lair.

They could fight the dragon and gain some juicy loot to start the game, or, I think I would prefer this, is that the Dragon could offer them a deal of sorts. This could be a nice opportunity to send your players off into the main plot of the story. Forced into service as a party by the dragon, in return for their lives. He might even offer them some gold and items to aid them in the favor it asks of them.

Classic Tropical island trope with a dragon, but it could tie together a lot of the aspects you'd like to use.

I actually really like that idea! The map could almost work as a detracting from everything else going on that leads it to being a dragon. Like the small cyclones and all.

I was considering the dragons lair would have like pillars of softly falling sand that he could blast with his wings and cause the room to slowly fill with difficult terrain as it fills deep and deep with lose sand. And if a player is completely covered they would be restrained till they do a str check.

[MBControl]

Looks like you're on your way. Great ideas, have fun!

[SMac8988]

Looks like you're on your way. Great ideas, have fun!

Thanks. I am most definitely taking your idea of the dragon trying to enslave them. Thinking he will want a relic from another dragon or a fiend of some sort. Even if the group just takes it for themselves they will then be hunter by big blue and his followers.