Ideas for "Grey morality" optional side quests

[icefractal]

One example I've though of -

The Lich - has an agenda to wipe out all that pesky life and create a peacefully dead world. Has recently come into possession of the Wraith Ring, a ring that commands 13 bound wraiths. While the 13 are obedient to the wearer and stuck within a mile of the ring, any spawn they create are free to do their own thing (usually hunting down living creatures). It's up to the wearer if the bound wraiths can create spawn. Plans to use the ring to create an undead apocalypse.

The Tyrant - just wants money, power, and to be unchallenged. Not that he isn't a problem - he squeezes his citizens dry, has any dissenters executed, and plans to expand his territory by conquest. He wants the ring simply for the ability to pull 13 powerful bodyguards out of his pocket when needed. He'd never have them create spawn, since an undead apocalypse is as bad news for him as for anyone else. However, having the ring will make any attempts to later overthrow him harder.

The Tyrant wants the PCs to steal the ring for him. He's got a sleeper agent who can help get them inside the Lich's castle, plus provide them a map to the vault. They'll still have to fight whatever guardians are inside the vault itself, but it'll be a hell of a lot easier than getting in unassisted. Also he'll pay them, quite well. But if they want this deal, they have to sign a magic contract that they'll actually deliver the ring if they can.

Letting the Lich keep the ring is obviously the worst case, but there are at least three other options:
* Take the job and give the ring to the tyrant.
* Take the job, but then find a way to break the contract (no guarantee that's possible however) so they can destroy the ring.
* Go break into the Lich's castle themselves (which will be difficult) and destroy the ring.

And of course they could keep the ring for themselves instead of destroying it in cases 2-3, at the risk it does fall into the wrong hands eventually.

[rel]

Came up with a few more morally ambiguous quests after digging through some old shadowrun notes.
As before written assuming Johnson is an elite, flip the quest if they aren't, etc.
- secure proof of the illegitimacy of a local authority figure before it can be disseminated
- destroy a business venture belonging to someone immoral or corrupt
- guard workers attempting to clean up and redevelop an unsafe, crime ridden and lawless neighborhood
- make an example of a criminal with political or moral motivations
- secure proof of a morally ambiguous clandestine deal between some local factions before it can be disseminated
- retrieve valuable secret information like a medical formula that would help people if made public