Ball Scene/Auction

[Okamigekido]

Okay, so. In one of the up-and-coming sessions I'm fleshing out-the PC's will be attending a ball/auction like thing. They've been hired by a man named Noah, to try and steal an Item from the auction that has already been sold, but is going to be shown off. He claims that someone stole this item from him for money. Little do the PC's know, that he's lying to them-and just wants to take it for money (to have for himself)
Yet, when they attend the ball, I'm not exactly sure how to plot it. I have a map of the mansion the ball will be held in, where guards are standing, etc etc. But I don't know how to make it interesting. I dont know how to make the players get involved with random NPC's who might (hopefully) accidentally, hint at the fact that Noah is lying.
How could I make the situation more interesting, and how can I make multiple NPC's get involved in this drama by them just talking about the things they have heard about this object. I VERY much want them to be able to do this mission because it's more out there than "Fight this enemy, get this reward."
I also want to be able to throw in that maybe there are some expensive items that the more...rouge like PC's could attempt to snatch if they wanted. Sorry if this is a lot, maybe I should simplify things more? I'm not sure. All ideas are welcome!!!
If it helps, my party members include: Evil Tiefling wizard, Elf Paladin, Dwarf Barbarian, Human Bard, and a Dragonborn Ranger.

[Bjarkmundur]

Alright, let's take a look.

Your question is a little bit vague (I'm a simple man who likes simple questions in bold). I think the key phrase you are looking for is "Engage the Players". There's little you can do, other than describe events that the players can react to. Set up good groundwork, such as a timeline and some handy dandy NPC-cards, then you can sprinkle a bunch of odd little events and just see what takes.

1. A person mistakes someone in the party for someone else. This gives you an excuse to have a stranger NPC walk up to the party and be all chatty and go on a rant. He thank asks about the PCs relative, at which case the PC either lies or the NPC realizes he/she's mistaken, is offended and walks away.
2. A chandelier falls in the middle of the ballroom. Luckily no-one gets hurt, but your high-intelligence player might realize that, if intentional, a falling chandelier is the perfect distraction. Or it could just be a 'tragic event' that bears little relevance except warrant some interesting reactions from the NPCs. NPCs might seem dull and robot like without some turmoil to react to.
3. The person funding the auction comes in and says a few words and everyone claps. It's not a significant event, but it should help immerse your players. It also is a good chance to add some exposition through the speech he gives.
4. Someone recognizes the party as adventurers and tells them something she was carrying on her person has been stolen. She believes there's a pickpoket attending the action (you decide if she's right or if she just forget her stuff in the privy). You could have her blame a rival noble, which engages your party in a house vs. house drama. The other noble is actually innocent (this time) but this gives your party excuse to go and confront him, which then allows you to create a story between those two houses. It might even turn into a bidding war, of asking for and promising favors, where the loyalty of the party is the prize.
5. There's a wizard in charge of creating fantastic illusions as a part of the decor, but a perceptive character might see him casting spells where he shouldn't be. This could be prestidigitation to alter the taste of food (is he hiding the taste of a poison, or did he just need some ketchup). What does the wizard say if confronted? Is he happy with the job he got from his guild or does he think these kinds of parties just distract him from his studies?
6. There are a bunch of interesting NPC on this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?591816-Are-you-creative)thread you can use. Just remember to PM the creator and tell him how awesome it was ^^

Anything else we can do?

[Okamigekido]

I don't know if this makes it a little less vague or not, but the weapon they're trying to get back is a magic weapon (not sure what one yet, still working that out). Sometime DURING the ball, a murder is going to happen. You definitely gave me an idea for how the whole thing can get started, though. (One of the PC's dates says that someone took something of hers? So they get separated) An the PC's date is the murderer. The murderer ALSO works under Noah, (so the date is also a backstabber to him?)
I don't know if that helps at all, sorry if it doesn't. ^^;

[Bjarkmundur]

Due to the nature of rpgs, you should probably give the PCs multiple chances of stealing the item. You don't have to write it off as different stories, just different ways of getting the heist started. Maybe one chance while the item is in storage and one when the item is being transported from the auction.

You said the man was selling the item, then wanted you to steal it back, so he could have is cake and eat it too?

Then, if all else fails, the group might have to infiltrate the buyer's mansions to retrieve it that way.

This way the story doesn't simply end if the players don't get the item.

Could you draft up a time line for us, so we can better see where the holes are? Just a simple checklist with three or four words describing each event in the most desirable order. PCs have a tendency of derailing any such time line, but it is still a useful tool for setting up a coherent narrative.
Once that makes sense you can sprinkle in some interesting events and characters to flesh out the experience, or add a subplot or two (like the murder for example).

Example
Thing happens: Players are likely to investigate
Another thing happens: It was the butler who did it
Confronting the butler: Seems innocent, tries to blame NPC #2


Edit: timeline of the events around the PCs, not what the PCs themselves do.

[JackPhoenix]

If you're running a mystery or investigation.... of any kind.... I suggest sticking to 3 clues rule: don't have everything hanging on players guessing the single possible solution, offer at least 3 different options that should send them in the right direction. What may seem obvious to you as a GM will not be so obvious to the players, and if you aren't sure how to get them to ask the one important question to a random NPC, provide different clues that the quest giver may not be speaking the truth. Perhaps the object in question looks slightly different than as it was desrcibed, perhaps the alleged thief reveals he's got an alibi for the time the object was "stolen".

And be careful with the date being murderer... first, you would have to convince the PC to take the date to the auction, and to actually leave her alone afterwards.

[Okamigekido]

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Sorry if the timeline has too much/doesn't make sense? If you still need more details??? I can try to summarize what else I have in mind? The players arent exactly supposed to just get the item? They CAN but that's when they have to choose between helping Noah (if they dont kill him, or even still trust him after he lied). OR they can help the backstabber, whose actually a very GOOD Orc woman. (She's dating one of the PC's and going to ball with them, shes the backstabber)

(If the image didnt stay here you go for the link https://sta.sh/013tm438wwqu )

[Arcangel4774]

They could bare witness to people asking the seller why they are auctioning of the object, and hear some sad tale of debt, or maybe a widow selling their recently passed significant others equipment.