Warbringer
Explorer
Like Celebrim, I have the players chose another player to have a relationship with. Then I tell them the opening context, and have them come up with a reason to be in the context.
Example: in my Ebberon campaign about a decade ago the party was going to the jungles of Xen'Drix.
Elven brother and sister look for the reason behind a strange mark on the sister
Gnome artificer and her malfunctioning warforged friend (T'zitt) looking for the secret to fix him (world view was the secret of the warforged came from the giants)
A pair of Kalashtar seeking the means to overthrow the Inspired - looking for insight in to how the giants drop back the quori
A half elf assassin commissioned to assist ate one of the party (neither me nor the player knew which one)
Act One - Scene One : things turn bad when a Saughin chieftain gets angry at the ships captain for an insulting offer to the shark god for passage. Roll for Initiative
This creates the opportunity for the players to show their stuff, aid one another, even save another players life.
In case people feel this is a railroad, it is a bit, but really the reason for the journey is tied into the player background.
I have 4 or 5 more examples
Example: in my Ebberon campaign about a decade ago the party was going to the jungles of Xen'Drix.
Elven brother and sister look for the reason behind a strange mark on the sister
Gnome artificer and her malfunctioning warforged friend (T'zitt) looking for the secret to fix him (world view was the secret of the warforged came from the giants)
A pair of Kalashtar seeking the means to overthrow the Inspired - looking for insight in to how the giants drop back the quori
A half elf assassin commissioned to assist ate one of the party (neither me nor the player knew which one)
Act One - Scene One : things turn bad when a Saughin chieftain gets angry at the ships captain for an insulting offer to the shark god for passage. Roll for Initiative
This creates the opportunity for the players to show their stuff, aid one another, even save another players life.
In case people feel this is a railroad, it is a bit, but really the reason for the journey is tied into the player background.
I have 4 or 5 more examples