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Hypothetically speaking, if the players fail to stop the thieves during their raid... how would you salvage the adventure?
Due to a combination of factors including (but not limited to): poor decisions, lousy dice rolls, and generally suspicious natures the players not only let Angvar and Thuvalia get away with the heist but suspect Saul of being in on the whole thing from the very beginning!
"He was in the vault the *entire* time? How convenient..."
Despite Vancaskerkin's protestations that there's nothing convenient about being robbed, the PC's further went on to antagonize him to the point where the guards had to escort them out of the Gold Goblin.
Considering that the rest of the adventure either takes place there or at the behest of Saul... now what do I do?!?
You could pull Kwava in early and have him recruit or hire the PCs. You'll need to rewrite some stuff, but it could work.
Alternately, just vamp. Have some urban adventures around Riddleport and let events unfold. Pretty soon the party will be sucked back in.
I think you can easily convert the adventure. Part 3 and Part 4 cannot be run as is. You just need another reason why the PCs go to the Boneyard and get attacked.
Part 2 is what needs to be changed. I would not run the events described there as planned, but you can use them as 1) setting material and 2) cannibalize maps and stats to run your own encounters.
The adventure assumes that by the end the PCs uncover the Drow plot. As written, this revelation occurs practically unbidden. They simply find hints after they go after Saul. So instead, during YOUR "Part 2" you need to give the PCs evidence that a) there is drow in the city, b) the drow are in Riddleport for a reason, and c) Saul knows about it.
Although the adventure makes use of only Depora, reading it again, I see that there were additional ones with her, but she simply came back to Riddleport alone. So you have an option of using at least 1 drow that can be seen as a clue to the players.
The main reason for the drow's involvement in the city is to steal local money to finance her base. In this case, what I would do is say that the drow are not solely dependent on Saul. They are doing other things to find easy cash. One of their number has used a very simple Disguise Self spell to appear human. He takes the form of a newfound street gang leader. He arranges to steal from unimportant people who don't owe protection to Clegg Zincher (or perhaps another NPC of your choice). That allows you to run the Foamrunner attack and The Raid (although again using a different target than Saul). In fact, you may want the new target to be new rivals of Saul. If the PCs intervene, they may learn that some of the intended booty was meant to go to Saul which may prompt their interest. As a lead, I would give the PCs the "rumor" that another such attack was going down at a secret deal being made in the Boneyard... I'd then run the Boneyard scene as is except that Kwava tell the PCs that the wererats were sent to kill meddlers by a hidden drow and that he thinks the drow is connected with Saul. You might even want to place your newly invented (disguised self) drow with the wererats as proof of Kwava's claims.
Before the previous paragraph encounters are done, I'd allow the PCs to make their own accomodations in the city. Allow them to explore the setting as much as you'd like and throw in some unconnected minor encounters to acquaint them with the city. Put allow them to hear some rumors that a strange new street gang is out an about making trouble. And later that they don't seem to be bothering Saul. Then use that to lead to the Foamrunner attack.
You may have your own ideas, but this is what I'd do.
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Have the PCs hook up with Clegg Zincher, who has discovered Saul has a dark secret. I'd alter the following encounters as appropriate:
1. The First Night - The PCs encounter drunks from the Gold Goblin on the street.
2. An Unfriendly Warning - The PCs must save Clegg's crew from a snake.
3. The Flat on Rat Street - Clegg suspects the loan-shark Lymas Smeed of cutting Saul a deal to finance his scheme.
4. Attack on the Foamrunner - The PCs recover information that a shipment is arriving for Saul that is vital to his plans. Saul has managed to hire Braddikar away from Clegg.
6. Boneyard Ambush - Clegg suggests a pre-emptive strike in the boneyard on his enemy Ziphras. In this case it is not a trap.
5. The Raid - The PCs raid the Gold Goblin with some of Clegg's men - place the others on Saul's side (such as Croat's thugs).
7. Back to the Gold Goblin - The PCs clean up the rest of the residents and head under for the finale of the adventure.
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Thanks for the suggestions, everybody!
Larur Feldin, the floor manager of the Gold Goblin, approached them and hired them to recover the stolen chest. To my disbelief, they fell for it. Their search led them to St. Caspieran's and Beltias Kreun.
Although they didn't find the chest, they did manage to remove the 2000 gp debt that Saul owed Beltias. Unfortunately, Kreun kept documentation, including the very large IOU from Saul. When they go back to Feldin, they'll find him missing (due to his failure to get the PCs killed) of course, hopefully steering them to the Flat on Rat Street.
There are so many good ideas to incorporate the rest of the adventure, I'm not sure which to use!
7. Back to the Gold Goblin - The PCs clean up the rest of the residents and head under for the finale of the adventure.
Ultimately though, I think I'm going to give the PC's their chance for revenge by having Angvar and Thuvallia present at the Gold Goblin, arguing with Saul about their share of the loot. It'll be good for the party to fight against a party of evil adventurers instead of their usual 4-on-1 brawl! Of course, if they let Braddikar get away, they'll have a fifth to contend with. This group (Angvar - Wiz2, Thuvallia - Brd1, Saul - Rog4, Bojask - Rgr2, Braddikar Ftr3) ought to give the PCs a run for their money!