My players are currently stranded on an unfamiliar planet, shipless and creditless. They've made a few connections, but I think it's high time they got a chance to earn some money to get them back to the stars. I've got ideas for most of the party, but my party face, a Politico, still needs work.

My idea is to use her connection with a local traveling circus. They'll see her way with words and offer to pay her if she drums up interest in their upcoming show. I really want this to be a chance for her to show off what her Charm, Deception, and Coercion can do.

But a few ideas to liven things up are always welcome. What kind of challenges should she face? What would add boosts and setbacks? Most importantly, what should I add to make it fun?

Make there be interesting groups. Try to entice a group of Imperial Navy crew on shore leave. Then have a Rebel cell they know show up. Customs then needs to inspect the Circus. While a Hutt is trying to decide whether to "acquire" the circus. And if the PC's want a payday, they need to keep a lid on all of it.

Challenges:

-The former ticket salesman, now working for a rival circus.

-The ringmaster, who doesn't think the sales are good enough

-The strongmen, who think the wimpy face needs a workout (we are going to pump! You up.)

Circus Acts:

-Shim, one of the few beings in the galaxy who can legally marry shimself.

-The distorted fetus of a hideous alien... That mysteriously distorts the force (ysalamri)

Some beings might not like the circus, especially if it uses captive creatures; a saboteur might try to let the trained rontos go. One of the members ran away to join this group, but old associates (or bounty hunters) show up looking for him/her/it.

-Nate

Let’s say that some of the local populace really, really hates slaves and slavery.

Let’s also say that one of the PCs is a Wookiee, and said Wookiee is okay with being an attraction in the circus, even if that means s/he looks like a slave.

Hijinks ensue!

Or maybe there are some Zygerrians who are traveling nearby, and they hear of this interesting slave that they could take and re-sell somewhere else?

Or maybe one of the PCs is a Trandoshan, and some of the populace want to see if his regeneration abilities really are as good as they say?

I can think of a variety of potentially interesting ways to twist this one….

How about,

An element of the Circus is running (drugs, weapons, slaves, exotic illegal traditional medicines, etc) as a sideline to boost their income. The PCs discover a deal going down just as the hawker convinces a large group of police/customs officials to buy tickets.. do they turn them in, turn a blind eye or even blackmail the smugglers for a cut of the profit...

A group of bounty hunters are snooping around looking for circus employees that are wanted for crimes in a previous port of call. Guilty or not, how do the PCs convice them, these are not the dwarves you are looking for, or do they turn them in.

The circus is a front for a slaver gang, kidnapping likely targets as they travel from place to place, one of the PCs fit the right criteria for a fast sale at a good price and are taken or maybe they stumble across the hidden slaves..

Due to shenanigans, the Politico must become the ringmaster for one performance.