Panning a Heist

[Sk8ter274]

Hey, I currently run a pirate campaign and the group has currently stumbled upon an ancient sahugin temple that is worship an adult sea dragon as the reincarnation of their god. Naturally, if they kill the dragon, I know they'll spend however much time is required to take the entire treasure hoard onto their ship. Besides having rival pirates and navy ships attack, I want to have where they'll be forced to either bury it or use a bank. Regardless, it's going to be stolen and they'll find it's been deposited in a high security bank. So essentially, I want to provide them an opportunity to plan and execute a heist to get their gold back and then some. However, I'm at a loss at how to do that.

Looking for suggestions and tips on how to design, run, and plan a heist for my group.

[D&D_Fan]

I would recommend playing the Mission Impossible themesong, but also the Pirates of the Carribean themesong at the same time. Then pan one to the left, and the other to the right.

All jokes aside, Try to describe objects in the bank with details, and have stealth rolls, and roleplay opportunities. A good heist shouldn't have combat. Also, be realistic. If the guard see them, the first thing the guard is gonna do is sound the alarm. If the heist is succesful, the townspeople will know and be talking about it, but not know who did it.

[Segev]

This might be better for the general roleplaying forum, as this isn't about designing mechanics so much as designing encounters and adventures. I will say that, "Regardless of what they do, their hoard will be stolen" is going to rub some people the wrong way. But if your players are on board for that kind of thing, that's good.

An alternative way to do it would be to have the dragon himself have the loot stored in this high-security vault/bank, and the players discover only enough of his information to learn where it is and get a taste for the kinds of security they require, but not enough to fake being his reps and get the loot out legitimately. This way, it feels like the information on the hoard and where to get it - the treasure map, so to speak - IS a reward, rather than it feeling like they got a reward, had it taken, and have to go earn it back again.

[Sk8ter274]

This might be better for the general roleplaying forum, as this isn't about designing mechanics so much as designing encounters and adventures. I will say that, "Regardless of what they do, their hoard will be stolen" is going to rub some people the wrong way. But if your players are on board for that kind of thing, that's good.

An alternative way to do it would be to have the dragon himself have the loot stored in this high-security vault/bank, and the players discover only enough of his information to learn where it is and get a taste for the kinds of security they require, but not enough to fake being his reps and get the loot out legitimately. This way, it feels like the information on the hoard and where to get it - the treasure map, so to speak - IS a reward, rather than it feeling like they got a reward, had it taken, and have to go earn it back again.

That actually sounds awesome. Perhaps all the gold in his hoard is fake and they discover the location of the vault via a map they have to decipher.

[Segev]

Making it fake is almost as bad as making it stolen. Not quite; it doesn’t impinge on player agency. But it still feels like they got swindled. If the dragon is feigning wealth for a reason, go ahead and do it that way. Otherwise, I’d put a small-for-the-dragon hoard there as what he sleeps on, and the treasure map/bank plans/whatever to indicate where he keeps the majority of it. Maybe a nice crystal ball that is perpetually scrying the vault (and is the only way to divine it’s contents) as the dragon’s way of ruminating over his hoard from afar.