Brainstorming: A Tropical Island D&D Vacation

The characters in my game just completed their trek through the Underdark, facing down countless horrors and dealing with the never-ending dread such a place inspires. Though their mission was a success, the mental strain of being constantly on the watch for whatever's trying to eat them had worn them down. Now, back on the surface, two of the PCs have decided to take a 'vacation'.

They want to head to a tropical island and relax. But there will be something up with this island... something that's not quite as it seems. But what?

I started this thread to ask for ideas. What have you done in the past that has worked for this sort of mini-adventure?

The characters are a 15th level rogue and ranger, and we play 4th edition.

A gnome in a fine white suit greets the characters as they arrive, excitedly jumping up and down on the dock and shouting (in a thick accent) "the ship! the shiiiip!"

On Puget Sound said:

A gnome in a fine white suit greets the characters as they arrive, excitedly jumping up and down on the dock and shouting (in a thick accent) "the ship! the shiiiip!"

Click to expand...

I'm not sure I get the reference, but you gave me another idea.

Something to do with a gnome named John Hammond...

MortalPlague said:

I'm not sure I get the reference, but you gave me another idea.

Click to expand...

There was a TV show int he 70s called "Fantasy Island", where folks came to this island and the guy in charge engineered them to have some sort of enjoyable situation they always wanted. Every time a new customer came in, this midget in a white suit would yell "The plane! The plane!"

How about that old cliche of finding a treasure map or some other message in a bottle?

Bonus points if you can work in a volcano and a primitive tribe who worship it and perform human(oid) sacrifices to it.

Danger-wise, you should probably make the fights slightly easier than normal, both to play up the vacation element, and as a contrast to their recent trek through the Underdark.

Well, there's the classic:

Primitive natives with a volcano god.

Big monster in the jungle you can't see, moving around, making noise. Probably something contained on the island, unable to get off, something prehistoric or unique.

Resort for men who kidnap members of PC races, release them on the island, and hunt them.

PCs are shipwrecked, must survive until they are rescued or can fashion some sort of escape paln.

Sirens, or some other Supernatural Sexy Ladies who ensnare sailors or visitors and make them their slaves, nibbling away at their sanity and lives until nothing is left.

The characters go to a luau where the locals have promised they can dine on spit-roasted suckling pig, a local favorite. When the time comes to cut into the nicely cooked pig, attendees are alarmed to find the pig squeal and kick, knocking over the spit. The characters have little time to consider the implications however, before their attention is drawn away by a loud skittering sound. In the moon light, they can see thousands of (undead) hermit crabs crawling toward the party...

Edit: Or you can go with the Uwe Boll approach to islands: [ame="http://youtube.com/watch?v=oaF3dN_fVfY"]YouTube- House Of The Dead Full Movie Trailer[/ame]

The film begins with two college kids who are going to take a boat to an island where there is a rave going on...They soon arrive at the island, but the site of the rave is completely deserted...MWAAHAAHAA!

There was an episode from the latest Enterpise series where the ship's engineer Tucker and the tactical officer Reed had some hijinks on the vacation planet Risa that could be inspirational for your little adventure.

How about something like the Bermuda Triangle? Ships and the like go through, and just never come out. Toss in a little mist, and you have a nice creepy place.

The source is likely a really attractive island that makes a great pit stop/port/has some other allure. The problem (or a problem) is that the Island phases in and out of existence. Maybe it's tied to another plane, but it only manifests on the material plane every so often. Time is different on the island, or those on the island never know when they've phased in or out with the Real World, so they never know when the right time to leave is. Or it could be an open doorway to said plane, a one way door, and one must find another door back.

Another option might be that the island is a resort vacation spot. But it's ran by something nefarious, something subtle. That either eats the people who show up, convinces them not to leave, or it's a place where people are replaced (ala Invasion of the Body Snatchers, or any other sort of parasite, mind washer, or double like a doppelganger colony). Everything seems on the up and up, but a few things just aren't right.

You could also run a murder mystery. An island hit by a freak storm is a classic location for a "there's a killer among us" situation.

Or if you were particularly sadistic... The island is completely safe and on the up and up. It's peaceful and tranquil. And then the PCs show up, and Bad Things Start Happening. The locals start blaming the PCs. The cause? Something from the Underdark has followed the PCs to this place, and is using it as a vacation spot too.

The place is perfect. Perfect weather, perfect beaches, complete lack of anything that bites or stings. The PCs find an empty abandoned hut with luxurious furnishings, a magnificent library, a cellar full of fine wine and cigars.

After a day or two, spectacularly cooked meals start arriving. The PCs find them sitting, still piping hot, on silver platters just when they're starting to feel hungry.

It's a scam. A big hairy scam. The whole island is a scheme to separate wealthy adventurers from their money. After a couple of weeks, the next incredible meal will come with an itemised progressive bill tucked underneath the platter. The bill will be utterly exortionate, preferably a big percentage of the PCs net worth, including charges for items such as weather control magic, shark removal, a huge hourly rate for dozens of 'vermin control experts' who've been keeping the bugs down, etc, etc, etc. And of course as soon as the bill is delivered, the PCs will find it impossible to leave the island magically, and their boat (if they had one) will mysteriously disappear.

Perhaps some sort of mafia-type gang is responsible? The halfling or gnome mafia could be interesting - dozens of halflings sneaking around the island painstakingly making everything perfect, then getting really *narky* when they don't get paid. And they're of course an international organisation - once the PCs escape (unless they pay up), they'll be targeted by halfling hitmen for the rest of the campaign. Or perhaps the island is kept spotless by unseen servants (or the 4e equivalent), and the whole business is a hoard-building exercise on the part of a dragon?

Of course, you'll have to ensure the PCs head to the RIGHT island - if they choose the destination, then this won't work. But if someone recommends an island to them, then you're cooking with gas...