I have ideas for three different, but possibly intertwining plotlines.

Idea 1) (this replaces the idea of using House Abbanar as the lost heirs of Palastan) - When King Rhissathion died, his only child (a boy) was smuggled out of the capitol city and hidden away from Ghul's minions by polymorphing the boy into a lion-man cub.

This child was raised and lived out his life as a lion-man, and his descendants are still litorians today. However, they also retain a strain of human blood, and are the rightful heirs to the throne of Palastan. (Note that I'm ignoring the other claimants of the throne, right now). The current "heir" is a young woman lioness in her late teens, named Meerah. Her mother died just recently, although she has two younger siblings, who are "just cubs". Her father is still alive, and is not related to any of the PC lion-men. He lives out on the plains, and is a famous hunter, but according to Meerah's mother's wishes, is having his cubs raised "in the city of men".

Meerah has inherited a token from her mother, a bracelet, which has a charm on it that bears the ancient symbol of the Palastanian kings (a stylized phoenix). Meerah does NOT know what her family history is, but she knows they were once "rulers" of "a different people". Of course, it has been a thousand years since the admixture of human blood, so it has worn very thin, by now. Would she even be able to take a human form? Would she want to? Is she fit to be a ruler? And would the people of Ptolus or of Palastan WANT her to be their queen?

Meerah and her best friend (Granthar's younger sister) will take to watching him fight in the arena, and following him around and otherwise idolizing him (and Rastor, to a lesser degree). The problem is that they will get caught up in idea 2, when the thugs start pestering the PCs to work for Devargo on the docks.

Needed for this plot: Meerah and Sorret's personality (full stats?). Scholar who can recognize the bracelet token.

Idea 2)

Idea 3) Bruin wants to finish building his projector, and knows that the gnomes of the Clockwork Academy once knew how to make and use them. He's got a lens, but he needs more pieces and instruction on how to assemble them. He's looking for a gnome scholar who might either have such info, or could guide him to another "department" of the academy. His contact at the restaurant tells him that there is such a scholar, but the gnome won't be easy to talk to. Two years ago, he was arrested for murdering his wife, convicted of the crime, and thrown into prison. It is rumored that he's insane. His name is Jasparite Evergold. Seeking permission to visit him won't be easy, and will require the PCs to either bribe someone, or convince that person it is worth their while to let the PCs see Jasparite.

Needed for this idea; Jasparite's personality (full stats?), prison officials, prison map (see big book), routine of getting into the prison. Other prisoners  (5-6?).

Situation:

PCs went to Devargo's lair, talked to him about Garth (who is in hiding, not dead). Didn't get into a fight! Found out that Devargo does bet substantially on arena fights, but "denies" fixing any fights, admits Garth owes him lots of money (500 gp was mentioned) and says it's up to Garth to fix his own problems (implies Garth should come talk to him).

PCs saw Devargo's pseudodragon in a cage, and Granthar offered 1,000 gp for it. Devargo said yes, and offered to meet them at the Sailor's Rest that evening to conduct the sale. When they get there, Devargo will have Brog and Huugor acting as his bodyguards. He'll be suave and unthreatening, but he says he now wants 2,500 for the dragon. OR, he says, they can do a job for him. He wants them to deliver a small package to a prisoner in the Underprison.

If asked, he says the package contains "instructions, nothing more." If they want to do the job, he'll deliver the package and papers to get two people into the prison (general population only) day after tomorrow, to them at the Ghostly Minstrel. They can return here and leave word when they've finished the job, and he'll deliver the pseudodragon to them.