I have the group under the assumption that or next AP will be second darkness. But I will actually have them run salients skull, so as to make the castaway beginning feel crazy and surprising. I don't actually plan on using second darkness and plan on using PDF on tablet only for three books so nothing will be given away.
The PCs will start in Korvosa under the assumption that they will be headed to Riddleport. Aboard a ship. I will run some small adventure aboard the vessel, that brings them deep out into the ocean. Some survival checks, and some sightings of sharks in the water... A storm arrises and boom there they are beached on a tropic land 1000s of miles from their destination at the gold goblin, now they have to save the world from a serpent god.
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I don't know if you had a question or if you were soliciting comments. I will comment anyway...
I totally like the idea of characters not knowing they are going to end up wrecked on a tropical island and saving the world from the Serpent God. After all planning your characters based on what the adventure path is going to be like does break verisimilitude a little, especially in Serpent's Skull where your party just sort of falls into the plot line.
That said, the players' guides exist for a reason. I am not familiar with more than the overall theme of Second Darkness, but I am guess reading the players' guide for that AP could leave you to make some bad decisions for Serpent's Skull. SS is a terrible adventure in which to play a heavily armored character for example. If your ranger took Favored Humanoid (Elf), she is going to have very few chances to use that in Serpent's Skull.
With my group, we all agree together on which adventure path is next and who is going to be running it. We are starting Book 6 of Serpent's Skull tonight and decided last week that we would do Rise of the Runelords next.
If I were going to surprise a group with Serpent's Skull, I would at least have them build characters not using any players guide. That way there is nothing specifically leading them in the wrong direction for build choices.
Maybe this is what you have done though.
The players guide to second darkness was one of the earlier and less helpful guides. The traits there in don't really do much for either campaign and once the veil is lifted I will have them all go over the players guide for SS, making any necessary changes they find.
This was a mean truck that I won't usually pull but, I looked over second darkness and didn't really like the campaign. So the result is treachery by gm...
And yes this is posted soliciting comments.
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Well all of the campaign traits from the SS player's guide are geared towards explaining why the characters are on the Jennivere and why they're heading towards Sargava. If you're circumventing that, you could allow them to just pick another free trait.
But Sweater Golem brings up a good point. Once the PCs realize what they're in for, you may want to allow them a rebuild/retrain opportunity between books 1 and 2 while they're in Eleder. That would be a good location for trainers to be found and take some downtime while the expeditions are gearing up to set off into the jungle.
Other than that, sounds like a VERY fun (and unexpected!) way to start a campaign. I like it.
Thanks for the heads up on when to allow that... That's a perfect spot.