Beginning

The Tarnished Trumpet, the best drinking spot in town that faced the Mayor's Tower. It is a noisy, raucous tavern with tapestries and battered weapons on the walls. Each table in the tavern had old treasure maps magically embedded in glass planes in the tables.

First evening in The Tarnished Trumper tavern in Hill's Edge. All characters sitting at the bar still don't know each other. Tavern owner William Cartwright who's serving them at the bar is spreading rumors:

• Skull Gorge trying to sell a map of the treasure that he got from other adventurers. Might share this with a party member who looks most adventurous-able (map for 10-20 gp?)

Rumors told of hidden treasure in the caverns of Skull Gorge, hastily concealed by the orcish and goblinoid forces as they prepared to defend themselves. Although some few caches of treasure were found, most adventurers who sought these hidden riches never returned, falling prey to the dangerous creatures who made the gorge their home.

• needs the party to deliver a precious amulet to his son? son - a merchant in Hardbuckler. doesn't get into details why (son needs extra gold to establish a shop in Hardbuckler). promises his son will reward them for their trouble. the amulet is an old amulet some adventurer sold him for 150gp but he doesn't know it's enchanted (Ring of Free Action, rare requires attunement)
• thugs and people disappearing (slave trade/human trafficking) (or maybe serial killer quest??? maybe not)

Other NPCs in the tavern:

• Caelynn Nailo who comes up to adventurers asking to escort their drunk friend home.
• the drunk friend - Quinn Fenwick male human smuggler.
• Bard - Ellyn Fenwick 18 year old female human musician. She has very long, straight, red hair and cyan eyes. She has smooth, sunburned, brown skin. She has 3 piercings on her left eyebrow.
• cook
• bartender/waitress
• 3 halflings from Corm Orp wine sellers.
• couple of locals (butcher, carpenter, smith)
• couple of merchants travelling from Baldur's gate to Hillsfar. trade uncut gems very secretive about it.
• other main NPC friends who drink with her.

Later in the night Caelynn walks up to the adventurers at the bar with drunk Quinn and asks them to escort him home since he had too many beers for 10gp each. If they agree with the offer they get assaulted while escorting. If they refuse, then they will discover they all sleep at the same inn and can walk all back, and then get assaulted. William can recommend for them not to walk alone at night due to recent people disappearing.
They get assaulted walking past Belkin's Blades or getting closer to Six Soft Furs. Zhentarim scout tries to sneak up to the elf (+6 stealth) with Essence of Ether poison (inhaled) (DC 15 Consitution saving throw) to knock her out.

Essence of Ether (inhaled) A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 8 hours. The poisoned creature is unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake. Inhaled. These poisons are powders or gases that take effect when inhaled. Blowing the powder or releasing the gas subjects creatures in a 5-foot cube to its effect. The resulting cloud dissipates immediately afterward. Holding one's breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons, as they affect nasal membranes, tear ducts, and other parts of the body.

• On failed stealth all go into combat. 3 in combat, Quinn too drunk to participate. Maybe Scout uses another Essence of Ether poison, maybe reinforcements. Maybe 2 scouts + 5 bandits then (another scout is not in the hideout as he/she leaves to Darkhold) = 325/225 Deadly.
• With successful stealth, all in combat but only 2 of them. Attacking 5 bandits + scout = 225/200 Deadly.
• Bandits goal to take all of them alive.
• If adventurers win against bandits they find a note on a scout "Kidnap the elf and the others ALIVE for questioning. Bring them to Northdark Wood." Quinn is still too drunk, they can continue escoritng him back. And if they want try to chase the bandits to the hideout. (surivival/perception checks in the woods to find the hideout).

If they are successfully kidnapped:

• Adventurers wake up in a wagon with their hands and legs tied up with rope (restrained condition). There is a waterskin left for them if they get thursty (bandits goal is to keep them alive). If Quinn is with them he's smelling of booze and still too hangover to participate. If they try to talk with the bandits they ignore them, if they starting shouting too much, the scout will open the wagon and will knock out the adventurer who is making too much noise.
• They are travelling for 2 days in total. Adventurers wake up on the 1st day later afternoon. They get closer to the woods on the 2nd day morning.
• Once they get closer to the Northdark Wood wagon stops. Bandits get them out and put bags on their heads so they wouldn't see where the hideout is, gag them with a cloth, untie their legs and and tie them together so it would be more difficult to escape. Scout tells them "Not to do anything funny, or you'll get it". Description: you're all walking in a row, from the soft tention you can feel that you're tied together. They can feel that they're entering a forest since the ambience gets darker and they start hearing more bugs and birds. After several/couple of hours they feel that they've entered a cave as it got a bit colder, echoy and they can hear a waterfall in the background.