Here's A Sack of Cash; Depose This Unfriendly Government

[HMS Invincible]

The idea is to give the party a big shipment of cash, and have them use it as a resource in whatever manner they see fit to depose, defeat, or befriend an unfriendly government. I've already introduced the relevant NPCs, the factions involved, and who are the (relatively) good and bad guys. What could go wrong? Everything. :smallamused:

I want to trust my PCs to spend it as they see fit, the only limit is what they can smuggle through the border guards and some rationale on how it helps defeat the government.

The setting is Star Wars, if it matters. Sure I could put restrictions on it, like bean counters or put them on an installment plan, but I hope the PCs spend their money in interesting ways. Their D&D instincts tell them to spend it all on themselves, but their characters may actually spend it on other stuff.

[Jay R]

Sure I could put restrictions on it, like bean counters or put them on an installment plan, but I hope the PCs spend their money in interesting ways. Their D&D instincts tell them to spend it all on themselves, but their characters may actually spend it on other stuff.

The restrictions you put on it are the spies in the pay of the people who hired them. Either have real spies tracking them, or have the people they hired strongly imply that they are being watched. (Either the rumor or the truth will do; you don't need both.)

[Doorhandle]

How do they/their employer know the're acutally going to remove this goverment, and not just embezzle the cash and run?
:smallamused:

[Oracle_Hunter]

The idea is to give the party a big shipment of cash, and have them use it as a resource in whatever manner they see fit to depose, defeat, or befriend an unfriendly government. I've already introduced the relevant NPCs, the factions involved, and who are the (relatively) good and bad guys. What could go wrong? Everything. :smallamused:

I want to trust my PCs to spend it as they see fit, the only limit is what they can smuggle through the border guards and some rationale on how it helps defeat the government.
Step 1 -- Restraining Bolts (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RestrainingBolt). Only the stupidest (or canniest (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BatmanGambit)) organization would give a random third party a passel of cash and then send them over the border with it without having some potent means to enforce their good behavior. It is entirely too easy for them to concoct a plan (perhaps even one that would work) in order to get the money and then just defect to the other side once they're out of the range of the paying government.

I don't know what they have in Star Wars, but I've always been partial to the Cranial Bomb: if you don't get back to us with a success within 30 days, your head asplode.

In all honesty, this plot isn't going to work unless there is some reason for the PCs to be loyal to the payee government (or hate the target government). Build that into the story, and your campaign will last at least two sessions :smallamused:

[HMS Invincible]

How do they/their employer know the're acutally going to remove this goverment, and not just embezzle the cash and run?
:smallamused:

The PCs have been pretty good so far, but money/power corrupts, they may skim some for themselves, which isn't a problem.
This is what I'm expecting the PCs to do:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Cyclone
1. Which is funneling money into various groups to help them do whatever.
2. spend it on buffing themselves up in order to force a coup de tat.
or 3. Abandoning the entire plot hook to live as pirates while irate officials chase them.

Right now I'm using the classic reward system: Do something for me, I pay you. Repeat.
I have a couple options if I want to give them money: Hand them the cash on an installment plan with Bean counters watching their every move, or I could send them money in the form of military weapons and supplies, which is harder to convert into straight cash.
That way, they still have the "option" to embezzle the cash/goods if they choose. I'll just switch gears, and go into a smuggler/pirate campaign where the law is chasing them as oppose to the current theme, the PCs are the law.

Right now my only "restraining bolts" are the threat of prosecution, and their status as honorable jedi. I could put cranial bombs in them, but I have a feeling they would refuse the mission. In addition, it doesn't feel right to go from: Help liberate this planet...to I'm forcing this cranial bomb into you because I don't trust you.

[Blackfang108]

Really, cyclone?

At least Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended well for the contracting government.

[Dervag]

The restrictions you put on it are the spies in the pay of the people who hired them. Either have real spies tracking them, or have the people they hired strongly imply that they are being watched. (Either the rumor or the truth will do; you don't need both.)Actually, you do. You need the spies, so that you will know if they cheat you. And you need the rumor, so that they will know that you will know.

Otherwise, they may think they're in the clear and cheat you, your spies report back, you have them murdered, fine... but the enemy government never did get overthrown after all. Oops.

[Lysander]

I suggest having some kind of reward that kicks in only if the government falls. Something that the cash can't get them.

For example, maybe they're promised a badass starcruiser as a reward.

Or give them a reason to hate the government. Maybe the BBEG who keeps kicking their puppies is a bigshot there, and they'll only get to take him down if the government falls.

So basically, appeal to their sense of greed or revenge so they aren't doing someone else's busywork, they're achieving their own goals. It'll be more fun than having spies tail along and micromanage.

[Doorhandle]

The PCs have been pretty good so far, but money/power corrupts, they may skim some for themselves, which isn't a problem.
This is what I'm expecting the PCs to do:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Cyclone
1. Which is funneling money into various groups to help them do whatever.
2. spend it on buffing themselves up in order to force a coup de tat.
or 3. Abandoning the entire plot hook to live as pirates while irate officials chase them.

Right now I'm using the classic reward system: Do something for me, I pay you. Repeat.
I have a couple options if I want to give them money: Hand them the cash on an installment plan with Bean counters watching their every move, or I could send them money in the form of military weapons and supplies, which is harder to convert into straight cash.
That way, they still have the "option" to embezzle the cash/goods if they choose. I'll just switch gears, and go into a smuggler/pirate campaign where the law is chasing them as oppose to the current theme, the PCs are the law.

Right now my only "restraining bolts" are the threat of prosecution, and their status as honorable jedi. I could put cranial bombs in them, but I have a feeling they would refuse the mission. In addition, it doesn't feel right to go from: Help liberate this planet...to I'm forcing this cranial bomb into you because I don't trust you.

Oh, they're jedi. Okay, less worry there, but good to see you have this though out. Also, seems odd that they, as jedi, are getting PAID to do somthing rather then orderd, but I guess they have to eat, don't they?

[Slipperychicken]

They get a cozy position in the new government if they succeed.


They get in a cozy position in the contractor/jedi council if they succeed


No one would be trusted with that much money unless s/he had strong ties with the contractor (previously serving with it, member of military/elite special forces).


The cash is in a remote location. The PCs need to have every withdrawal authorized and confirmed, with frequent inspections to make sure everything's going well, and assassins on standby if they go rogue. If they want to take the money and run, they have to RUN.