The Matchmakers - Dungeon Magazine 7

Here we have a twisted plot by a rich merchant to gain even more wealth and to ruin two other merchant families by setting them at each other's throats in open conflict. With some work, it definitely fits into a Ptolus campaign.

The party would encounter the scoundrel in the story being vastly outnumbered by gang members (it doesn't say, but he likely hired them himself), and in a fight for his life down a side ally, probably near or on Tavern Row. The well-off young man is injured (he has to make it look convincing) and needs help. Assuming the player characters come to his aid, the gang will quickly find themselves outmatched and run off. 

The beneficiary of their rescue effort offers to reward them with drinks and dinner at a fine restaurant where after a little time he mentions an offer to hire their help with a friend's problem. His friend is also a merchant and is in love with the daughter of another well heeled merchant. The daughter loves him back and wishes for them to be together, but her family won't hear of it, instead planning to marry her off to someone she despises. The wedding is due in a couple of days.

The job then is to kidnap the girl before she can be married off and bring her to a specific park to wed his friend. You can figure out which park in the city to use or even make one up. He makes a generous offer of money, bolstered with the offer to get them whatever supplies, documents, uniforms, or other items they may need for their plan. If asked, you can have him explain he'll more than make his money back from a lifetime of business deals with his friend.

If accepted, he provides the PCs with the target's physical description and her typical schedule at home (he has inside contacts), and that she frequently goes shopping in South Market at upscale shops in the afternoons.

She is not aware of the plan and if asked who sent them, tell her the boyfriend's name so that she'll remain calm. The party is to bring her to the park an hour before midnight of the day she was to be wed.

If played right this will all sound to be on the up and up. There are other possible hitches in this story. Her cousin happens to be in town at the right time and place to be kidnaped in her stead. The details in the adventure explain how this occurrence throws a monkey-wrench into the plan, possibly exposing some deception afoot.

Of course the scoundrel has planned to murder the young lady and frame his "friend" for the deed. 

The districts most likely used here include the Guildsman District, South Market, and Midtown. The thought was to use The Mane as the park, but it is the home of most of the city's Litorian population leaving a bunch of witnesses.  Something closer to the Guildsman District would serve better. 

As this is a heist operation, listening to the players plan how their characters will do it should be enjoyable for the DM.

Nightshade - Dungeon Magazine 7

Nightshade is a brief adventure in issue 7 of Dungeon Magazine. The scenario is so brief that it could be completed in a session or less, and will fit neatly alongside other activities a party might get up to in a Ptolus campaign.

It begins as what seems like a simple fetch quest when a well dressed individual asks the PCs to run an errand for him. He should likely approach someone that appears trustworthy such as a cleric, or if the party has made a name for themselves, anyone in the group might work. He indicates that he needs medicine picked up from a wizard/alchemist to aid a friend of his, and that he has an important meeting to attend that is keeping him from the errand. He offers to pay for their time.

This fellow has a secret that his enemies know and are going to try to interfere with the delivery of the "medicine". They've hired some muscle to handle that for them.

If the party agrees to the simple task they'll find the wizard's abode in the North Market down a side alley. Wizards can be anywhere in the city, though the well known places for them include Vock Row and Dweomer Street. I like how the location is described in the adventure so North Market it will be.

This particular wizard has a problem he can't control. He is cursed with massive mood swings. Negotiating with the wizard should be entertaining and at no time will he actually resort to violence except for self defense.

On the return trip the assassin, his competent fighter companion, and their 5 low powered goons (maybe some gang members, Pale Dogs perhaps) will attempt to get the party to turn over the potion.

It's pretty simple, but what makes it interesting is what the wider implications are in a setting like Ptolus.

This well dressed, somewhat foppish fellow is a ladies man of the love-them leave-them type and he has seduced the innocent daughter of a Noble House that would likely do horrible things to him if the secret got out. She of course is anxious to go public with their affair because she is smitten and believes they'll marry. He wants to prevent that without harming her so he commissioned a potion of amnesia.

As you can see, this scenario opens up plenty of opportunities to expand the story and involve the party in all sorts of intrigue where the nobility are concerned.