Savage Tide with variable player base

[blargney the second]

I have a problem:
1) I want to run the Savage Tide adventure path.
2) This is a pick-up campaign with a cast of players that is highly variable.

The first two adventures are easy enough to run because they're based in a single city. It's the sea voyage and overland trek on the Isle of Dread that have me stumped. What do I do when the players change from session to session?

-blarg

 

[Seeten]

Arrange ahead of time to have them all on the boat?

 

[MerricB]

I'd assume that they're there, but not participating. (Sort of like on Lost, you know all the characters are around, but the focus changes on what actions are shown from week to week).

Cheers!

 

[drothgery]

What the guys up-thread said. Do a Final Fantasy party; you've got six or eight or twelve characters, but only three or four or five are doing anything important at any given time.

 

[humble minion]

Intermittent seasickness?

 

[Graf]

As long as you get -every-one to agree that "other characters are doing other things" then it should be cool.

If they keep demanding for the player-absent barbarian to lead the charge it would get a bit irritating.

 

[blargney the second]

I see - so everybody's along for the ride, and there's a largish group of folks that survive the arrival on the Isle of Dread. The adventuring party at any given session is just the group of people that happens to be the focus of the night's activities.

Thanks for the advice, guys!
-blarg