Plundering Poppof - Dungeon Magazine 72

If you need a short one session scenario for your Ptolus campaign, Plundering Poppof should do the trick. It can also have sequels.

There are a few possibilities for bringing the player characters into the adventure. Word has come to the party that the wizard was seen heading out of town and . . .

The Longfingers Guild decide that despite having a protection agreement for the wizard's house, he has something they can get a very good price for. They hire the PCs to go in and get it while they deny having any part in the theft.

A former owner of the house wants access to a piece of property he left behind. The wizard has refused his request to recover his stuff so he hires the party for a simple break-in.

Arcane casters in the party have been searching for some spells that Poppof is thought to have since recently coming into some spellbooks illicitly.

Someone wants to frame the wizard for a crime and hires the characters to plant evidence.

Poppof is believed to have stolen a rare necromantic grimoire and the previous owner wants it back without involving the authorities.

Once characters break into the house they discover that all of these things are actively true.

Necromancy is outlawed in Ptolus. Sure, you can learn about it, but actively animating the dead is punishable by prison time. Ten years for creating an undead or bringing one into the city. Poppof is very guilty of creating undead. His house is littered with them.

He's also very likely to try to find anyone that breaks into his house, and will hire mercenaries to help deal with them.