Creative things to do with a nuclear warhead

[Spartakus]

Hi guys, I'm DMing a Shadowrun campaign and need some inspiration. If you're a Player and in a Group with Blue, Rock and the Prophet, stop reading now.


OK, here's the story so far. A corporation has gotten their hands on a tactical nuclear weapon, that crashed along with it's transporting plane int the Puget Sound. It is propably been so long under water that it can't easily be used as intended, but maybe repaired (given enough time) or the radioactive material can be put to other uses.

What I'm having proplems with, is figuring out, what the BBEG would want to with that thing. Killing as many people as possible or selling it to the highest bidder are obvious but rather boring ideas.
The BBEG of the Campaign is the C.E.O. of said corporation and I planned it to be a rogue A.I. creating a religion around itself.
This means the plan doesn't need to be anything a human being would do, but as weird as you can imagine it to be. It just needs to be interesting.

Any ideas?

[hymer]

Maybe it can be used to irradiate something and put it out of use for decades? I seem to recall a James Bond movie where someone wanted to do that to Fort Knox to destabilize the American economy. It could be used as a general area denial, too I suppose.
Or you could use it to cause an earthquake, somehow? Start a tsunami, plausible deniability sort-of-thing?

[Honest Tiefling]

I don't know Shadowrun all that well, but don't they have some sort of Technology/Magic barrier? If you are trying to make a religion, getting rid of pesky mages who are either against you or help solve problems you have either caused or want to solve first is a must. Therefore, experiment to see how radiation can be used to disrupt or aid magic.

Or better yet, using it to experiment on heretics. Messiahs should be able to offer treatment for radiation or immunity to it, and sadly, one doesn't make miracle cures without breaking a few eggs. This way, their cult can survive better if someone makes a nuclear war. Which if you are finding spare nukes seems to be a possibility.

Or, the A.I can pretend to put it up for sale...Only to then turn in anyone who shows up to buy it, either to get rid of a rival or to seem benevolent.

[BWR]

How hardened against EMP is the tech in Shadowrun?
Because twist it a bit to be a nuke that really ruins all electronics in a large area: choose a city (preferably not one you own a lot of stuff in), Stock up on necessities people are going to need (food, water, new electronics), get some 'runners to do some quick smash and grabs of now-weakened competitors. One nuke and you make a lot of money. Then send in missionaries to give away lots of stuff to needy people, gaining followers and general goodwill. People always turn to religion in times of trouble, and gratitude goes a long way in situations like this.

Alternatively, maybe the AI has discovered a rival AI somewhere and wants to get rid of it before it becomes too powerful to handle later.

[The Glyphstone]

Sell it to toxic shamans as a focus component for a devastating magical ritual.

[Balmas]

Develop anti-radiation chems. Detonate it far from civilization, claiming that you're eradicating a dangerous threat, and profit from the PR of that. Make sure that when you detonate it, the fallout will be carried by the wind towards population centers. Sell anti-rad chems.

[Slipperychicken]

What if corp used it along with some extracted scientists to develop strategic WMD capabilities of their own?

edit: Whether or not they intend to use those capabilities is unclear, since regardless the corp will act as if they would, to lend credibility to their threat.

[SirBellias]

Re-engineer it to produce power for a secret off grid testing facility?

Also, Blue Rock and The Prophet sounds like it would be a really interesting band to listen to.

[Spartakus]

Thanks for your ideas. The thing about toxic shamans is certainly intriguing. A toxic shaman would propably make an interesting high priest. And willingly polluting an area to make money out of the cleaning process could find a place in the corporations portfolio.

Also, Blue Rock and The Prophet sounds like it would be a really interesting band to listen to.

And that is just priceless
If they ever need a covert identity I will suggest this. According with recording their first album "Paid For Mayhem"