Life’s A Beach

by: Joe Gaylord (Lazarus Game Lab)

A common trope among anime series is the “beach episode” (sometimes the “pool episode” or “hot springs episode”) where the characters take a break from saving the world and go on vacation. It’s a moment to take a break from the tension of the plot, show different sides of the characters, and explore locations and environments that wouldn’t otherwise come into the show. Likewise, there is a video game trope of “palmtree panic,” where the action of the game shifts to a waterfront setting, complete with palm trees, underwater sections, and tropical music. 

Summer is a great time to do the same thing with a TTRPG group and send your party to the seaside for a beach episode or run a beach-themed one-shot at your table. Come on, your party deserves a little time off, too. 

Why

As with a TV show, a beach episode can pump the breaks on the action-packed narrative, explore the characters in a more relaxed setting, and see a part of the world that’s not where “normal” adventuring goes on. It can also, like in a video game, give you a chance to confront different, and often lower-risk challenges and change the tone and setting in a refreshing way after too many one-note adventures. 

Summer is a great season to run this not only because it will be top of mind for your players, but also because some groups slow down or pause during the summer. It’s a chance to wrap things up with a session that’s not plot-heavy before going away. It’s also a chance to do something more low-key while people are already thinking of relaxing and slowing down. 

Likewise, if you just finished a campaign arc or are closing in on a finale and want a filler moment to prepare, a beach episode can also be an option. If you are missing players (as often happens in the summer) and need a session that won’t hurt for them to miss, it’s a good option there, too. 

When

In the intro, I talked about beach episodes being a summertime event, but that’s not necessarily true. Obviously, summertime is associated with vacations and relaxation for many people, but a winter holiday is also an excuse for a slightly different kind of adventure. You could have the party take downtime any time of year, honestly. Spring and fall will have their own associated activities. Having grown up in the Northeast of the US and now living in Italy, fall is a time for apple picking, pumpkin carving, and cozying by the fire while spring is a moment to go for early hikes, fly kites in open fields, and watch the world reawaken from winter. Each time has its own activities. 

However, because it’s the origin of the trope and probably the most common version of it, I’ll focus most of my discussion on events in the summer, with occasional nods toward winter versions. In particular, it’s a lot of fun to incorporate some worldbuilding into a beach episode by setting it around a celebration, letting the party explore the fair, festival, ritual, or traditions of the cultural events alongside fun in the sun. 

Where

The most obvious place for a beach episode is, well, the beach of course. Most settings have some kind of coastal or seaside area. As long as one exists that is relatively peaceful and within reach of the party, this is an ideal option. 

You could also place this kind of episode in another tourist location, mountain hot springs, a tropical island, a town known for its baths, a resort hotel, an alpine lake, a remote villa, a pilgrimage site, or even a luxury vessel serving as a kind of cruise ship. You can have the location include more active options, such as a place known for hiking, skiing, or outdoor sports, a music festival, touring a famous city, or the aforementioned cultural celebration. You can get more exotic, as well, a vacation to the plane of water or feywild has a nice ring to it, as does a visit to a merfolk castle or a virtual reality beach vacation in a cyberpunk game. 

In any case, the key features are a place with an attractive natural setting and few obvious threats, that present an array of relaxing, fun activities to the party. 

Who

The party will need to be there for your beach episode, and this is a good way to explore less obvious parts of the characters. Find out what they do to relax, whether they can (or like to) swim, whether they find sand coarse, rough, and irritating, etc. They can also potentially bring either NPC allies or friends and family from their backgrounds along on the vacation, letting you explore those relationships as well. 

Alongside the party, you’ll need a cast of NPCs. Some common tropes you’ll run into:

• The Beach Bum. A shiftless slacker enjoying life in paradise.
• The Beachcomber. Someone exploring for buried treasure!
• Bathing Beauties. Attractive fellow beachgoers.
• The Tourist Trap. A shop, bar, or restaurant selling cheap, overpriced souvenirs and beach gear.
• The Tout. A local who knows everyone and everything in the area and is here to help.
• The Bully. Someone who pushes around others on the beach. 
• The Surf-bro. A master surfer (or other sporting activity) looking for apprentices or competition.
• Beach Royalty. Literal or figurative royalty who come to enjoy themselves, often by taking over much of the beach.
• Too Cool Kids. Beachgoers who have decided that it’s cooler to look miserable than to have fun. 
• The Environmentalist. Someone looking to preserve or protect the beach.
• The Doomsayer. Someone who is convinced that all is not well, and some danger is about to befall the beach.
• The Pirate. a Buccaneer, retired or visiting between adventures.

In any case, remember that you can include NPCs from the local community, from among other travelers, or even from groups like merfolk living in the area.

What

Once on the beach, there are a range of low-conflict activities the party can partake in during their vacation. Outdoor sports, such as running or biking on the beach, surfing, swimming, boating, cliff diving, snorkeling, volleyball, or other team sports are a great way to use skills and abilities, especially in a bigger competition. Other activities, such as carnival games, sand castles, fishing, beach combing/treasure hunting, burying others in the sand, kite flying, martial arts, dancing or yoga on the beach, etc., are also great. A classic activity from the anime trope is suikawari, a kind of pinata game played by smashing a watermelon blindfolded on the beach. Once the sun goes down, the party can unwind at beachfront bars, dance parties, or restaurants. You can also explore local tourist sites, go to shows or concerts, and take part in celebrations while on the beach. Of course, a range of downtime activities, such as research, carousing, crime (especially smuggling, cons, or pick-pocketing), gambling and training can all happen on the beach. 

Amidst all of this, you can let the party learn about the region’s history, especially if there are conflicts or compelling drama. They can also look for romance if that’s something the party is interested in. Beachfront areas are also great for shopping, swapping rumors with travelers from far away, and finding transport to other ports. The party might find buried treasure or other loot while on the beach.

Trouble in Paradise

Evil doesn’t take a holiday, even if the heroes do. Feel free to interrupt the vacation with a more traditional session, if that feels right for you. 

The BBEG might find where the party is on holiday, and send goons to hunt them down. 

There might be a natural disaster or monster attack in the area, requiring the party’s help.

Pirates or sea creatures might raid the beach.

A war or other conflict may break out in the place in which the party is vacationing. 

The party may find a shipwreck, hidden temple, ghost ship, or similar venue to explore.

The villa or hotel the party visits may be haunted or get attacked while they visit. 

Wish You Were Here

In the end, the chance to let your party have some fun is a great way to get into the summer feeling and still enjoy your TTRPG game. A beach episode might be the perfect inclusion in your campaign this summer, give it a shot, and don’t forget to send us a postcard. 

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About the Author

Joseph Gaylord has been playing TTRPGs and TCGs for 25 years, with almost 50 titles to his name on DMsGuild as an author, co-author, or contributor, including Sing a Song of Sonant Spells, an adventure themed around a music festival and Kidnapped from Tradobatra Beach, about a vacation gone awry. He is on most social media as LabLazarus.