If it’s D&D, I think the best way to go is to do a sidequest. Level 1 characters are a bit boring, and no-one wants to spend hours leveling up a new character for one session. So, a sidequest! Use an existing character and just give them a cookie cutter dungeon. But a sidequest should be a bit silly and fun- so make the PCs play someone else’s character!
If it’s D&D, I think the best way to go is to do a sidequest. Level 1 characters are a bit boring, and no-one wants to spend hours leveling up a new character for one session. So, a sidequest! Use an existing character and just give them a cookie cutter dungeon. But a sidequest should be a bit silly and fun- so make the PCs play someone else’s character!
If it’s not D&D, I’ve had great fun with “Oh Dang! Bigfoot Stole My Car With My Friend’s Birthday Present Inside”. It’s literally no prep, so if someone cancels last minute you can just pull that out, characters made in ten minutes, and you’re reading the intro text.