D&D 5E First time playing D&D and I'm the DM. Anyone feeling helpful?

[Denalz]

So I have never actually played D&D. I spent a lot of time and money preparing to try it a few years ago, but one disgruntled player flipping the board over 5 minutes into the game later and.... yeah, I wasn't in a hurry to try again. If anyone was curious, the tantrum was because the DM decided that the PC's would be starting with the standard adventure'rs pack. It was literally the first call he made.

So this time I happen to be the DM as no one else was eager to try (we are all new players). I was hoping you guys could look over the basics of the campaign I'm going to run and tell me if you see any glaring issues. If you have any recommended changes just for the sake of making things more interesting, I'm all ears... or eyes... or... you get the idea.

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4 Lvl 3 PC's (Paladin, Wizard, Ranger, Druid), 1 potential NPC may assist in most encounters (Lvl 3 Fighter)

I hope to run this campaign over three sessions. That may be wishful thinking since we are all new and trudging through the rule books is likely to slow us way down.
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Session 1

The first session will consist of the players being shipwrecked on a tropical island near sunset. The first encounter consists of two giant crabs and one king crab (a monster of my own design). They will begin as perfect strangers. The only other survivor will be the ship's captain who tells them that this island has a trading post where a major merchant line stops every month. He refuses to say when or where however, he holds this information as incentive for the PC's to protect him. I am prepared for the possibility that the PC's may choose to interrogate him. Though I don't expect it.

The next morning, the PC's will awaken to being attacked by a giant poisonous snake. This snake will end up killing the captain. Once the PC's defeat it, they will be confronted by several tribal warriors of the Tongu tribe (my invention, based off the Maori people). These warriors, who speak their own language, will beckon the PC's to join them back to their village. I am prepared for the possibility that the PC's will refuse, or choose to fight.

Once to the village, the chief will use a translator to inform the PC's that they have been chosen by their god, Lono, to put an end to the growing threat of the snake people (Yuan-ti) who are the only other major civilization upon this island. They Yuan-ti have been abducting people at random for about a year now and their attacks have grown more frequent. The night the PC's arrived the chief's future daughter-in-law was taken. They are obliged to respond, but they lack the strength/courage to do so.

In exchange, the Tongu will arrange for passage off of the island for the PC's the next time the merchants come to trade. I am prepared for the possibility of refusal, but they really won't have a better option. Before they set off, the Chief will bless them with a ritual including the acceptance of a tribal tattoo representing their god (I need help deciding on this tattoo's effect).

The PC's will be given the option of traveling with the translator, a Lvl 3 fighter named Akira who will serve as a guide. This woman is obliged to accompany them since her younger sister was the young woman captured in the most recent Yuan-ti attack. She hopes her sister is alive and she intends to rescue her. Should they refuse her help, she will follow after at a distance, looking for an opportunity to aid the PC's in their fight against the Yuan-ti, or perhaps using their presence as a necessary distraction to rescue her sister.

The session will end with the PC's entering the jungle toward the hovel of a Tongu hag whom the Tongu believe have the secret to bringing down the Yuan-Ti.
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Here are the main things I need help with for session 1...

1. I need a minor buff provided by the tribal tattoo. It needs to be small due to the permanence of such a mark.

2. I am unsure if I should create another encounter as a condition for receiving the tattoo. I was thinking like a trial by fire or one on one combat with the tribesmen (I like this idea less as it would be time consuming individually). Any ideas?

3. I'm not sure if the events described in the first session will be enough to fill out a 3 hour block. Maybe they will be too much, what do you all think? Are there enough encounters to keep things interesting?

4. Since there are no shops on this island, what starting items (like healing potions) should I allow my PC's? They have no dedicated cleric.

5. Is it too boring to end the session without combat? Is entering the jungle exciting enough to make the players wan to return?
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If you are still reading then let me know if you would like a synopsis of the second and third session, especially if you think it would help you answer my questions for the first session. Thank you very much!

 

[AntiStateQuixote]

one disgruntled player flipping the board over 5 minutes into the game later

Don't play with that guy again ... ever.

4 Lvl 3 PC's (Paladin, Wizard, Ranger, Druid), 1 potential NPC may assist in most encounters (Lvl 3 Fighter)

Start at 1st level for your first game. If you're worried about PC death give the PCs hp equal to 2nd or 3rd level characters.

I hope to run this campaign over three sessions. That may be wishful thinking since we are all new and trudging through the rule books is likely to slow us way down.

...snip the rest...

Don't script the game. Don't assume success or failure for any particular action (including that of your NPCs and monsters). Let the players have agency ... if they manage to save the captain from the snake, don't deny them that victory. If the captain has to die, then narrate the events that happen. Don't roll dice if the dice don't matter. I'd still lean FAR away from telling the players what happens. It's a cooperative story game. The players should have as much (more!) impact on the outcome of the story as the DM has.

I recommend setting up situations and characters and deciding "X" would happen if the PCs weren't here. I know the motivations of my NPCs and monsters and can figure out how they will react to the PCs' presence and actions.

I am prepared for the possibility that the PC's will refuse, or choose to fight.

I'd argue you're not prepared for that possibility because your next sentence is

Once to the village, the chief will use a translator to inform the PC's ...

You assume they will go the village. Why would they do that if they killed all of the tribal warriors?

I'm not trying to break your balls, just trying to help you head of some mistakes I've seen many times by new DMs, including me!

If you want to start DMing with a fresh crew of players and it's your first go at it, I really suggest you check out the D&D Beginner's Box and give Lost Mines of Phandelver a try. It's a solid adventure with some good guidance for new DMs.

 

[iserith]

Session 1

The first session will consist of the players being shipwrecked on a tropical island near sunset. The first encounter consists of two giant crabs and one king crab (a monster of my own design). They will begin as perfect strangers. The only other survivor will be the ship's captain who tells them that this island has a trading post where a major merchant line stops every month. He refuses to say when or where however, he holds this information as incentive for the PC's to protect him. I am prepared for the possibility that the PC's may choose to interrogate him. Though I don't expect it.

I would recommend that the PCs do NOT begin as perfect strangers, but as people who know and trust each other at least enough to adventure together. This will help move things along and prevents the chance that the players, who perhaps not fully understanding the importance of coming up with a reason to work together, have their characters not trust each other or spin off in different directions as a result. That can often lead to a rocky start.

I also suggest having the NPC just be up front with the information so that you can avoid a potential interrogation scene. That can get dark fast and may not be what you want. If you're concerned about the PCs just heading off in that direction without encountering your NPC tribe, just have the captain warn that it will be impossible to make it through the snake-infested jungle without help of the Tongu.

The next morning, the PC's will awaken to being attacked by a giant poisonous snake. This snake will end up killing the captain. Once the PC's defeat it, they will be confronted by several tribal warriors of the Tongu tribe (my invention, based off the Maori people). These warriors, who speak their own language, will beckon the PC's to join them back to their village. I am prepared for the possibility that the PC's will refuse, or choose to fight.

I suggest you kill the captain "off screen," that is, the threat of the giant snake is telegraphed by the death of the captain. If you roll it out as normal, you may end up with the captain living or not even being harmed at all because the dice are involved. If it's important to you that the captain die, then don't leave that to the dice. If you use my idea above of him warning the PCs about the snake-infested jungle, it will seem perfectly reasonable that he gets killed by a snake when off on his own.

1. I need a minor buff provided by the tribal tattoo. It needs to be small due to the permanence of such a mark.

Resistance to poison. It fades a little every time the PC takes poison damage. When a PC has taken three instances of poison damage, it goes away entirely.

Alternatively, have the tattoo grant advantage on Charisma-based ability checks in dealing with the yuan-ti, who recognize it as something to fear or whatever. Off the island, it is pretty much unrecognizable by others so should have no further effect.

2. I am unsure if I should create another encounter as a condition for receiving the tattoo. I was thinking like a trial by fire or one on one combat with the tribesmen (I like this idea less as it would be time consuming individually). Any ideas?

I think this is a good place for a social interaction challenge. Walk across hot coals. Learn and perform the Tongu war dance. Impress the tribal elders with tales of bravery from previous adventures. Etc.

3. I'm not sure if the events described in the first session will be enough to fill out a 3 hour block. Maybe they will be too much, what do you all think? Are there enough encounters to keep things interesting?

Initial setup and exposition, including character intros, will probably take 30 minutes. The giant poisonous snake encounter will take minutes since it's not even as difficult as an Easy encounter for three 3rd-level PCs. So you might beef that up a bit. Exposition and social interaction challenge, well fleshed out, will probably be another 30 minutes. You're probably looking at under 2 hours for all of this. Which might be fine for your first session. Wrap with some closing thoughts from your players that you can use the next session.

4. Since there are no shops on this island, what starting items (like healing potions) should I allow my PC's? They have no dedicated cleric.

I'd go with none with the option to forage for healing fruits on the island while they travel. But they need Akira to help them identify the good fruit from the poisonous kind.

5. Is it too boring to end the session without combat? Is entering the jungle exciting enough to make the players wan to return?

I think you need to work on the poisonous snake encounter and then at least one or two more combat challenges. Now is not the time to bring out the yuan-ti though. Talk them up to build tension before bringing them out in session two.

 

[robus]

Have a session 0 before your session 1, here's a good overview of what you should deal with in that session: http://www.tribality.com/2016/03/18/running-a-session-zero-for-a-new-campaign/

Also this seems quite ambitious for a bunch of newbs, a pre-written adventure wouldn't suffice (the first one in the TftYP would have a perfect
introduction...)?

Anyway... take all the advice in the posts above - it's very good. Be prepared to kill your babies (i.e. don't force the players to perform your script)

Good luck!

 

[aco175]

Overall I like the plot of the game you laid out. Starting at 4th level means that characters have more things they can do in terms of power and spells. This may take more time looking at books. I also must say that most people would just take the basic boxed set Lost Mine of Phandelvar and play that as their first game. Most will recommend it, but I like your jumping in to play and welcome to the message boards as well.

Having 2 combats and some roleplaying is good for 3 hours since some time is wasted with other things like jokes, introduction, and reference in the books. You could add a pair of low level snake people to the encounter where the captain dies. Maybe have him away from the PCs early in the morning, he could have went to the shore to see if anything was washed in by the tide from his ship. The 2 yuan-ti poison him and sounds of battle ring out, you could have the captain kill a 3rd yuan-ti. As the PCs come over the bluff they can see the captain die in all his movie glory. This may make the PCs want to explore the yuan-ti angle more when presented later. Also, with one encounter per day you may get the players to use their best firepower, so the fight could be fast and seem easy. This changes once you have a few encounters and start adding rests in the day.

The magic tattoo could be something easy like re-rolling an attack or saving throw once per rest.

 

[guachi]

A session zero can be fun and might be a good idea for new players and a new DM.

Create PCs. Have them figure out why they are together, like iserith suggests. If the session is going to have a forced shipwrecking (see module N4 Treasure Hunt for a fun zero-level adventure involving a shipwreck) then you might as well tell the PCs that the shipwreck is a scripted event.

There isn't anything wrong with a scripted event. It's just the Gilligan's Island theme song to set the adventure up. Only, take Session Zero to flesh out the PCs (Who's the skipper? Who's Gilligan? Who's the Professor? Who's Mary Ann?) and let them role-play. Tell them there will be a shipwreck and have them narrate what happens. You'd be surprised what fun things a table of people will come up with.

And you can end the session with the morning after and the players having a choice ahead of them. You'll have a lot of social interaction on the boat. You'll have some exploration on the island before nightfall. And you'll have some combat (but not too hard) to get the players familiar with the rules. Fun!

 

[Shiroiken]

So I have never actually played D&D. I spent a lot of time and money preparing to try it a few years ago, but one disgruntled player flipping the board over 5 minutes into the game later and.... yeah, I wasn't in a hurry to try again. If anyone was curious, the tantrum was because the DM decided that the PC's would be starting with the standard adventure'rs pack. It was literally the first call he made.

If that player is going to be in your game, don't bother. Just show up with one of the D&D board games or something. That kind of experience is not conductive to teaching and learning (as you've discovered).

So this time I happen to be the DM as no one else was eager to try (we are all new players). I was hoping you guys could look over the basics of the campaign I'm going to run and tell me if you see any glaring issues. If you have any recommended changes just for the sake of making things more interesting, I'm all ears... or eyes... or... you get the idea.

I am always willing to help new people learn to DM (it's an obligation I have to the one who mentored me). I will provide a few general tips before we jump into your specifics:

Read the Rules. I know this seems obvious, but you'd be surprised. I'd strongly suggest you at least browse the DMG and Player's Handbook (or the How to Play rules and Character creation guidelines if you're using the Free Basic game). The big things to know are Ability Checks, Attacks, and Saving Throws. Attacks are pretty straight forward, and Saving Throws are pretty simple to understand. The simple gist of Ability Checks is as follows "when you are in doubt as the success of an action, roll 1d20 adding the appropriate ability modifier (plus proficiency if there is a relevant skill)." Don't have them roll for everything, since most things can be done without worry, and don't let them roll for the impossible. That's 90% of the game right there.

As DM, your primary job once the game is started is to provide the adventure you've already written and adjudicate the actions taken by the players. They are not your enemy ("beating my monsters too easily") nor are they your friends/relatives ("well, Josh brought pizza, so I can't kill him"). You need to stay neutral to their fate, allowing them to rise or fall based on their own choices. Playing favorites or trying to get revenge is a quick way to end the game (and friendships). That said, when you have to make a ruling that someone doesn't like, only give them one chance to make a case the other way (and actually listen to it). Don't let the game get bogged down because someone is unhappy with your ruling, because this will ruin not only your fun, but everyone else's too.

Plan your time. I know this is going to be really hard, since you've never actually played, but you need to know how long each session is going to be. Ideally you want to make sure you find a good stopping point just before the time is up, because often real life will prevent overtime. It really sucks to have to stop in the middle of a battle or during a tense social scene.

Figure out how you want to handle missing players. This is often a sticking point for many groups, so make sure everyone understands and agrees (even if reluctantly) on how to do it. For your first game, I'd suggest that whoever isn't there has their character fall ill. They aren't too ill to travel, but they don't contribute to anything. and they seem to escape most traps and fights unscathed. It's a bit lame, but it's simple.

4 Lvl 3 PC's (Paladin, Wizard, Ranger, Druid), 1 potential NPC may assist in most encounters (Lvl 3 Fighter)

Danger Will Robinson! Danger!
Never start new players out at anything other than level 1. I know that in 5E levels 1&2 are apprentice tier, but your players (and you) are actually apprentices for the game! Besides limiting options (which is good for new players), you don't have to remember as many things either. Most importantly (IMO), players who start at higher levels tend to despise the levels that they've skipped, because they never get over that first impression.

I hope to run this campaign over three sessions. That may be wishful thinking since we are all new and trudging through the rule books is likely to slow us way down.

Don't break it down by session, but rather by chapter/scene. You have no idea how long each will take, and you don't want to run long, nor fall short.

The first session will consist of the players being shipwrecked on a tropical island near sunset. The first encounter consists of two giant crabs and one king crab (a monster of my own design). They will begin as perfect strangers. The only other survivor will be the ship's captain who tells them that this island has a trading post where a major merchant line stops every month. He refuses to say when or where however, he holds this information as incentive for the PC's to protect him. I am prepared for the possibility that the PC's may choose to interrogate him. Though I don't expect it.

Unless you are providing backgrounds or per-generated characters, I'd avoid the strangers aspect. This is particularly difficult for new players to deal with, since they don't have any knowledge of what a character history should be. The captain seems like a fine NPC, but don't expect the PCs to like him (and possibly kill him once they get to the trading post).

The next morning, the PC's will awaken to being attacked by a giant poisonous snake. This snake will end up killing the captain. Once the PC's defeat it, they will be confronted by several tribal warriors of the Tongu tribe (my invention, based off the Maori people). These warriors, who speak their own language, will beckon the PC's to join them back to their village. I am prepared for the possibility that the PC's will refuse, or choose to fight.

If the snake is killing the captain, the players should wake up to his death cry. This is often refereed to as a cut scene (from video games), and advanced gamers tend to dislike them, so don't over use it. Also be prepared for the party to set an overnight watch. If this happens, have the captain volunteer for the last watch (so he can still die off screen). Make sure you have a plan if the party doesn't go to the village, because if you force the issue, this is called railroading, another method that is disliked by advanced gamers. Your new players may not notice (or care), but they might.

Once to the village, the chief will use a translator to inform the PC's that they have been chosen by their god, Lono, to put an end to the growing threat of the snake people (Yuan-ti) who are the only other major civilization upon this island. They Yuan-ti have been abducting people at random for about a year now and their attacks have grown more frequent. The night the PC's arrived the chief's future daughter-in-law was taken. They are obliged to respond, but they lack the strength/courage to do so.

Rather than strength, I'd make the lands the snake people dwell in taboo for the tribe. Others can freely enter, but to do so by the Tongu means certain death.

In exchange, the Tongu will arrange for passage off of the island for the PC's the next time the merchants come to trade. I am prepared for the possibility of refusal, but they really won't have a better option. Before they set off, the Chief will bless them with a ritual including the acceptance of a tribal tattoo representing their god (I need help deciding on this tattoo's effect).

The PC's will be given the option of traveling with the translator, a Lvl 3 fighter named Akira who will serve as a guide. This woman is obliged to accompany them since her younger sister was the young woman captured in the most recent Yuan-ti attack. She hopes her sister is alive and she intends to rescue her. Should they refuse her help, she will follow after at a distance, looking for an opportunity to aid the PC's in their fight against the Yuan-ti, or perhaps using their presence as a necessary distraction to rescue her sister.

Avoid having too many NPCs with the party. They are a pain to keep track of. I'd suggest making the woman the translator, even though it's a bit convenient.

The session will end with the PC's entering the jungle toward the hovel of a Tongu hag whom the Tongu believe have the secret to bringing down the Yuan-Ti.

This seems like a decent stopping point, but you might need to stop before the village or after meeting the hag.

1. I need a minor buff provided by the tribal tattoo. It needs to be small due to the permanence of such a mark.

2. I am unsure if I should create another encounter as a condition for receiving the tattoo. I was thinking like a trial by fire or one on one combat with the tribesmen (I like this idea less as it would be time consuming individually). Any ideas?

3. I'm not sure if the events described in the first session will be enough to fill out a 3 hour block. Maybe they will be too much, what do you all think? Are there enough encounters to keep things interesting?

4. Since there are no shops on this island, what starting items (like healing potions) should I allow my PC's? They have no dedicated cleric.

5. Is it too boring to end the session without combat? Is entering the jungle exciting enough to make the players wan to return?

1) Have the tattoo grant a few extra HP (especially if you start at level 1, which you should). Granting +5 HP is pretty strong early, but less useful as the game goes on.

2) Better off as a social scene. If the player prove themselves sincere in their desire to help the tribe (either with Deceit, Intimidation, or Persuasion). A detailed ceremony would be good, since it would make the tribe seem more real to the players.

3) With new players, this is probably too much. Don't sweat it, but remember to design by chapters, not sessions (yes, it's wonderful when chapters and sessions line up, but that never happens).

4) I would allow normal PHB gear (including Potions). Additionally, if you're worried about it, the Tribe might be able to provide a few potions. Even better is if the woman is a healer (either Healer Feat or a level 1 Cleric with no offensive spells).

5) The end of the session will likely be determined by time, no matter what you try. When you play normally (and are good at timing your sessions), you want to vary up your endings anyway. Ending just before or after combat is usually very exciting. Ending after being given a quest or knowledge needed to complete the quest is also good, because it gets the party thinking about what will happen next.

Whatever happens, good luck!

 

[Oofta]

Others have given you some good advice, so I'll just reiterate a couple of points.

I prefer starting characters at 1st level. If you follow standard XP progression, they go by quickly but it helps people get a grasp of what their characters does. A lot of times I start even lower than first, when the PCs are just kids getting to know each other.

I generally don't plan as much as you have for specifics, and planning out those kind of details can kind of be a trap. Players will almost never do what you expect them to do which is ok, because it's part of the fun of having a DM instead of an application running the show.

So in your case I'd know what was going on on the island and who's who (name of the chieftan, a few warriors and a handful of random names for people in the tribe). I'd jot down the different factions and maybe even how they're going to react to the PCs.

I also figure out some standard encounters. What monsters/NPCs could they be fighting? I frequently plan two or three encounters I don't plan on using, so if the PCs go left instead of right like I had planned and go into the dark creepy cave of doom I can have them fight giant spiders or whatever.

I'd also recommend not using an NPC. You don't want an NPC stealing the show ... that doesn't mean an NPC (or a dozen) couldn't show up to save the group if you think you're about to kill them all.

I'd also consider getting the starter set. Lost Mines of Phandalver is designed to give people an intro to the game.

Last, but not least, be prepared to improvise and have fun.

 

[Quickleaf]

Yah, another DM is born Welcome to ENWorld [MENTION=6878412]Denalz[/MENTION]! Your story looks great.

Here is the wisdom I wish I'd received when first chipping my teeth on DMing...

• Don't run an assistant NPC, at least not at first. The temptation to have a "DM-NPC" is much maligned and rightfully so. Once you have some experience, then it's OK to incorporate such a NPC mindfully and sparingly. But not right away. Not. At. All.
• Don't think too much further in advance than the next game session, especially while your group is forming and learning the game. If things do congeal into an ongoing group, great, then you can hatch more extensive schemes. But not at first.
• You have ideas. That's great. But are they ideas that catch your players' interest? The first session (dubbed "Session Zero") should be about creating characters, and especially figuring out how the PCs connect to one another & to your proposed adventure. You should ask: I want to run a game where you begin shipwrecked on an island? How does that sound to you? And be willing to adapt to what your players want - they're the other half of the game after all! Maybe they're eager for something out of the pages of Dragon Age rather than Robinson Crusoe. You never know until you ask.
• You don't need to come up with the entire story yourself. For example, many first-time players (and veteran gamers as well) won't put much effort into connecting their PCs together, thinking "it's the DM's job." That's baloney. Have a few well-constructed questions on your notecard to pose to such players to get them thinking about how their PCs might know each other. This is everyone's job, not just the DM's.
• Start at Level 1. If this is the first time you're cutting your teeth on DMing and the first time many of the players will be playing D&D, I especially mean it. Start. At. Level. One. No exceptions. There's a reason classes are designed the way they are - because it lets players (and DMs) have a learning curve rather than throwing too much at them all at once.
• Prepare to improvise. This is a lifelong DM skill, so don't feel you need to do it flawlessly starting out. Just have a list of NPC names handy and maybe one page of notes, to begin with - that'll get you far.
• Don't make your own monsters at first. Use the monsters from the published adventure adventure or Monster Manual or Volo's Guide to Monsters. Monster design is an involved mathematical & artistic process. You want to have a couple sessions understanding how monsters play at the actual table from behind the DM's screen before running off to make your own – e.g.
  it's very easy for new DMs to make overly complex monsters without thinking about how hard it will be for them to manage such a monster during actual play.

1. I need a minor buff provided by the tribal tattoo. It needs to be small due to the permanence of such a mark.

Gains darkvision (60 ft.) for 1 hour when blood of a yuan-ti is smeared over the tribal tattoo.

2. I am unsure if I should create another encounter as a condition for receiving the tattoo. I was thinking like a trial by fire or one on one combat with the tribesmen (I like this idea less as it would be time consuming individually). Any ideas?

Involve the whole party, whatever you decide.

3. I'm not sure if the events described in the first session will be enough to fill out a 3 hour block. Maybe they will be too much, what do you all think? Are there enough encounters to keep things interesting?

Again: see session zero. I'd say you have a good mix of encounters, probably enough time to fill a 3-4 hour session, potentially even more knowing how newer games tend to move slower as folks learn the rules and joke around.

4. Since there are no shops on this island, what starting items (like healing potions) should I allow my PC's? They have no dedicated cleric.

Their ship wrecks with supplies that can be salvaged. Similar "we start in prison / on an island" scenarios typically allow PCs to gain necessary equipment pretty quickly.

They may not have a Cleric, but the Paladin will be able to perform Lay on Hands & the Druid may select healing spells.

5. Is it too boring to end the session without combat? Is entering the jungle exciting enough to make the players wan to return?

Ask your players. Or get a feel of their play style after a few sessions together and decide for yourself.

 

[der_kluge]

4 Lvl 3 PC's (Paladin, Wizard, Ranger, Druid), 1 potential NPC may assist in most encounters (Lvl 3 Fighter)

That's a solid group, but I agree with the others that you should start at 1st - especially if you have new players. That will give them a chance to learn their characters' abilities. Also, the player's need some reason to be on this boat. Where are they going?

I hope to run this campaign over three sessions.

It sounds like a lot more than that - and why limit yourself to just 3? The game I'm currently running, I plan on running for the next 3-4 years!

The first session will consist of the players being shipwrecked on a tropical island near sunset. The first encounter consists of two giant crabs and one king crab (a monster of my own design).

Don't get cocky. I would stick to the monsters in the MM. Monster design is kind of an art form. If you want a beefier monster, just add hit points to a regular giant crab, and describe it in such a way. Careful not to make it so hard that you kill the party, though. Be mindful of the challenge ratings.

They will begin as perfect strangers. The only other survivor will be the ship's captain who tells them that this island has a trading post where a major merchant line stops every month. He refuses to say when or where however, he holds this information as incentive for the PC's to protect him. I am prepared for the possibility that the PC's may choose to interrogate him. Though I don't expect it.

You could have other survivors as well - and use them as fodder for the giant crabs. It seems reasonable to me that the party wouldn't interrogate the captain, since the group does have a paladin. Although depending on the maturity level of your players, it's possible they could kill both the paladin AND the captain. lol

Honestly, I like the idea that there is literally NO WAY off the island. The captain is just bluffing, in hopes that the party keeps him alive. As the captain, he would know about all the crazy stuff on this island, and frankly - fears for his life.

The next morning, the PC's will awaken to being attacked by a giant poisonous snake. This snake will end up killing the captain. Once the PC's defeat it, they will be confronted by several tribal warriors of the Tongu tribe (my invention, based off the Maori people). These warriors, who speak their own language, will beckon the PC's to join them back to their village. I am prepared for the possibility that the PC's will refuse, or choose to fight.

This seems like a bit assumption. Again, I'd be inclined to just have the captain be bluffing. The PCs will likely defend him if they think he's got information they need, and so killing him might not be as easy as you think. Kill him or not, I don't think it changes much. Again, I think you could have multiple crew members survive, and it doesn't greatly affect your story - just gives you more fodder to kill slowly.

Once to the village, the chief will use a translator to inform the PC's that they have been chosen by their god, Lono, to put an end to the growing threat of the snake people (Yuan-ti) who are the only other major civilization upon this island. They Yuan-ti have been abducting people at random for about a year now and their attacks have grown more frequent. The night the PC's arrived the chief's future daughter-in-law was taken. They are obliged to respond, but they lack the strength/courage to do so.

As a player, my major question at this point is going to be "with all your resources, why are you relying on this ragtag band of shipwrecks to solve your problems?" There needs to be more than that. Maybe the chief is a superstitious lot, and his God has told him that it's in the prophecy that this group would be the key to unlocking their problems. Maybe this tribe is very small - and is literally kind of hanging on by a thread at this point?

In exchange, the Tongu will arrange for passage off of the island for the PC's the next time the merchants come to trade. I am prepared for the possibility of refusal, but they really won't have a better option. Before they set off, the Chief will bless them with a ritual including the acceptance of a tribal tattoo representing their god (I need help deciding on this tattoo's effect).

I like the idea that the chief just *insists* that they all get some obnoxious facial tattoo. lol
Perhaps these guys are master ship-builders, and agree to repair the broken ship as a reward for their help.

The PC's will be given the option of traveling with the translator, a Lvl 3 fighter named Akira who will serve as a guide. This woman is obliged to accompany them since her younger sister was the young woman captured in the most recent Yuan-ti attack. She hopes her sister is alive and she intends to rescue her. Should they refuse her help, she will follow after at a distance, looking for an opportunity to aid the PC's in their fight against the Yuan-ti, or perhaps using their presence as a necessary distraction to rescue her sister.

Seems reasonable. I'd make her a priestess, however. Her healing could come in handy, and makes more sense if she's kind of nobility.

The session will end with the PC's entering the jungle toward the hovel of a Tongu hag whom the Tongu believe have the secret to bringing down the Yuan-Ti.

interesting... ok.

Here are the main things I need help with for session 1...

1. I need a minor buff provided by the tribal tattoo. It needs to be small due to the permanence of such a mark.

You could have the tattoo grant increased effectiveness from spells cast from a priest of the God Lono. That would make the NPC cleric even more effective for those PCs who agree to get the tattoo.

2. I am unsure if I should create another encounter as a condition for receiving the tattoo. I was thinking like a trial by fire or one on one combat with the tribesmen (I like this idea less as it would be time consuming individually). Any ideas?

I wouldn't press it. Making players permanently alter their characters' facial appearance is a mean enough thing.

3. I'm not sure if the events described in the first session will be enough to fill out a 3 hour block. Maybe they will be too much, what do you all think? Are there enough encounters to keep things interesting?

Probably depends on your players. If they're all wallflowers, things might move quick, but if they get into deep role-playing discussions, you might not get that far.

4. Since there are no shops on this island, what starting items (like healing potions) should I allow my PC's? They have no dedicated cleric.

Mostly depends on how big of a dick you want to be. The ship WILL have some supplies, but you could rule that many things were lost at sea during the wreck. You could make them use crowbars and belaying pins if you really wanted to.

5. Is it too boring to end the session without combat? Is entering the jungle exciting enough to make the players wan to return?

I think it's a fine session. I would honestly work up the captain's backstory and make him a little evil. Perhaps he's a slaver, and he might be looking to exploit the people of this village at some point. If you have some of the other crew survive, you could give them shady pasts as well. Have one of them try to rob something from the village, and then get executed for his crimes - that'll keep the PCs in line!

Perhaps the people here don't actually know where the Yuan-Ti are - their lair is hidden from them, perhaps. You could spend a couple of sessions of just random jungle encounters having the party hunt down where the village is, or, maybe it's just kind of far and/or hard to get to. In either case, you could spend a couple of sessions doing just that.

Anway, I look forward to hearing how this goes.