Our story opens on a caravan headed for Nightstone- a fortified settlement several miles south of the Ardeep Forest, off in the untamed hills that lie between the cities of Waterdeep and Daggerford.  The trail to Nightstone connects to the highroad and is marked by a single lonely signpost pointing the way to the settlement.  The closest neighbors to Nightstone are the elves who dwell in the Ardeep Forest.  In years past, there have been somewhat less than friendly relations between the people of Nightstone and the elves of Ardeep Forest, with violence not being unheard of between the two.

Your caravan is a motley assortment of merchants, mercenaries, travelers and other adventurers.  By general consensus, it has been decided to make a stop at Nightstone, with some members of the caravan looking for work, others looking to trade and even those who have no interest in Nightstone but are willing to suffer through a minor delay in their travel if it ultimately means they can continue traveling with the relative safety of a larger group.

Why each individual person is on their way to Nightstone varies from person to person.  Some of these reasons might be something along these lines:

-Perhaps you have heard the recent rumors that goblins have been terrorizing the settlement and have decided to take up the reward offered to anyone able to deal with this problem by the High Steward of Nightstone: Lady Velrosa Nandar.

-Wealthy nobles from various nearby cities have been known to use Nightstone as a retreat and go for hunts in the nearby Ardeep Forest.  As a result, it is not terribly difficult to find payment as either guide or guard for one of these ventures.

-Nightstone and the denizens of Ardeep Forest have a long history of animosity and violence.  Lady Velrosa Nandar has recently been looking to resolve these problems and looking for skilled mediators to assist in this endeavor.

-There is a well known inn in Nightstone.  In addition to good food and cozy rooms, the dwarf innkeeper, Morak Ur'Gray, is known to have a fondness for adventurers and a nose for lucrative adventuring opportunities.

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[i]You've been traveling along the High Road for days.  As evening approaches, you spot a wooden signpost next to a trail that heads north into the hills.  Nailed to the post are three arrow-shaped signs.  The two marked "Waterdeep" and "daggerford" follow the High Road but point in opposite directions.  The third, marked "Nightstone", beckons you to follow the trail.  If memory serves, Nightstone is roughly ten miles up the trail.[/i]
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