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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Derulbaskul" data-source="post: 5300186" data-attributes="member: 1581">I would start them on the Pirate Isle in the middle of the Sea of Fallen Stars. That way, you're in the centre of a dozen or so countries so it's a lot easier for coming up with a logical reason for why the PC might be starting there.Anyway, start with something simple. They're checking out the pirates on the Pirate Isle because of reasons from their backstory... and when they realise that they're all checking out the same pirates, albeit for different reasons, they decide to band together. Presto, the party is formed.I would invent a few different pirate groups in case your players are clever and like to play one faction off against another. Other than that, they're in the middle of a city/island of pirates so there are lots of adventures that present themselves:- getting their revenge;- freeing prisoners and/or slaves;- collecting bounties on notorious pirates;- exploring evil temples (I would have temples of Cyric and Umberlee on the Pirate Isle);- exploring ancient ruins (no pirate isle is complete without ancient ruins: toss in an imprisoned primordial and make it even more fun!) and- escaping the Pirate Isle with pirates on their tails.Of course, what I have described is essentially a sandbox. As for a plot, perhaps the key thing is working out why each PC is on the Pirate Isle and then build from there. Here are some suggestions:- the former sky-pirate is on the trail of his mutinous crew and has found that some of them have joined the Black Pearl Pirates (yes, the name is deliberately lame but it's just a placeholder)- the human bard discovered a treasure map leading him to the Black Pearl Pirates base;- the eladrin swordmage's master was taken by Black Pearl Pirates;- the eladrin mage is tagging along with the eladrin swordmage because he can't stand the idea of slavery; and- the barbarian is from Rashemen and he was supposed to protect one of the young witches of Rashemen but she got taken by the Black Pearl Pirates.Anyway, that fills out the basic backgrounds of the characters a bit more and gives them a reason to be on the Pirate Isle together. I would then throw together a few locations for the Pirate Isle "sandbox" I have sketched out. Perhaps these would do:- a nasty pub that allows pit fighting (perhaps the mutinous crew could be challenged to a pit fight to the death?);- the base of the Black Pearl Pirates (basically some warehouses for booty surrounded by a wall and perhaps a small stone building with a dungeon/prison underneath);- a basic sewer network for encounters with rats, wererats and various oozes and as a way of using the skill challenge mechanic to sneak into the pirate base;- some really ancient ruins for your more traditional dungeon experience (and perhaps this is where the bard's treasure really leads, but the second half of the treasure map is with the pirates); and- a temple of Cyric where the Rashemen witch is currently imprisoned awaiting sacrifice on some Cyricist unholy day that is coming up (and you can drop hints about this).I would also think of some NPCs that might be helpful. Aquatic elves might come in handy, especially if the party rescues an aquatic elf prisoner and returns him to his family.Suffice to say I think you could have a lot of fun running a Pirate Isle campaign. If you ever run out of inspiration just grab some of Green Ronin's Freeport products and steal ideas liberally.</blockquote>

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