Pay Your Party

A D&D party that gets together for the ducats, before falling in as real companions.

Have each player come up with one reason they would be desperate for cash, and one thing they would spend the cash on, e.g.:

• My noble house has fallen into debt and disrepair, and our creditors and rivals will eat us alive if we can't keep up appearances.

• With enough money I would recover the lost regalia of my great-great grandfather, which would give our house a claim to the throne after the childless king passes.

Then, have everyone roll dice. The highest roll has got the money - they fell into it, or were paid an inheritance, or etc. They have used the cash to hire a band of scoundrels, fighters, academics, and holy folk to help them go a-questing.

Come up with a reason each was hired, such as: we needed a priest to make sure at least one god blesses my task; a career soldier gives us the experience the rest of us lack; a noble gets us into places we otherwise couldn't; an outdoorsman can handle the foraging and animals; etc.

This starts with an adventure everyone is on, a reason to be on it, three or four more for after/between, and a reason backgrounds matter.