Royally Approved Heist
Pinned to The tavern corkboard
A tall poster with elegant script and flourishes beckons:
THIEVES WANTED for royally approved heist.
Scouts have discovered a new garrison set up along the border. From what we’ve learned it is the new watch post of General Elias Bloodstone, also known as ‘Hero of the Stoneborn’. Naturally, this hub to spy on our citizens is an insult, and while we cannot attack it without provoking greater conflict, we believe an insult should be paid back in kind.
The general was gifted a set of finely crafted armor for his accomplishments, a set he wears with pride. Its helmet is detailed with intricate silver and gold, and boasts a peacock’s plume hawk.
We need an elite group of mercenaries well practiced in stealth to infiltrate the watch post and retrieve the helmet. It’s imperative that NONE of their forces be killed during this operation, and should any member of the group be caught secrecy of the mission is paramount.
Your reward, should you be successful, will be a total of 500 Platinum and a scroll of pardon exclusive to the names of your party for any one crime in the region for which the bounty is 1000 gold pieces or less.
Bring this poster, with names of participating members written on the back, to Overseer Bracken at the Ashfield Courts to enlist your services.
Ways to approach
It’s not every day you’re royally allowed to steal something. To make things more interesting, you could have a few twists in the story; another group is hired to do the same thing already and may try and foil your party or your party has the chance to creatively foil them. Alternatively, the heroes are being used as a distraction for something greater and more sinister. Personally, I’ve used this to set the stage for a prank war between two cities, where the following objective is to now steal back what was stolen from your side and steal something new.
Possible Repercussions
If you’re just trying to set up a prank war, then it’s of no consequence if the players don’t buy into this quest. However, if your goal for this opposing force is a more sinister one, your party’s little heist lets the faction know that they’re up against a force that can enter and leave without anyone knowing and therefore should not be trifled with. Without your party to send this message, then this antagonist will grow bolder in its attempts to gather more information; figures your party are familiar with will disappear and be replaced with agents of the enemy.
