(Ha! Awesome scene, and very evocative.)

"I'll eat mine when I get to the Road's End," Hildigrim says to Drusk after he stops at the bar. He looks at the others. "I've got to make sure my family is OK."

The halfling runs the relatively short distance south to Cod Lane to check on his family, Volo flapping behind.

(woah, did we just materialize at the opening to the portal, or did we crawl up and out of part of the dungeon beneath?  That was awesome).

The ale handed to Jorin is gone in a single drought and the food doesn't last much longer.  His mouth is still chewing when he says to Hildigrim, "Wait up brave Hildigrim, I will accompany you."

“We shall go together, Hildigrim,” Quillary says, transforming into a wolf to keep up.

Quote from Guiltysparc >>

... or did we crawl up and out of part of the dungeon beneath?

(OOC: I really didn't want to drag out the 8 hour trip. Especially since I was improvising how you got to level 4 of the Mad Mage dungeon. This seemed like the best way.)

Drusk nods at Hildigrim's suggestion to eat at the Road's End. (He ordered food-to-go, so Pascal wouldn't have to cook when you got back.)

The entire party joins Hildigrim in heading to Cod Lane. They had gotten to know his family a bit during the last visit, and want to support him.

When Hildigrim gets to the family house, none of his family are there. Before he can panic, he sees some of the people that work for his family. One of them that works more directly with the family states that they are fine. The party has a brief discussion with them:

• Hildigrim's family members are either working (fishing), or out looking for Hildigrim. Some of them should be back tomorrow before noon.
• When the party was abducted, the bugbears did not harm anyone else, but they did make a mess breaking into the house. That did alarm his family.
• About 2 days ago, they received a note from Volothamp, who had returned to Waterdeep from some mysterious visit to places unknown. (Most people believe the rumor that he went to someplace exotic like Chult.) The note says that the party was doing a small errand for him, and to not be concerned that they aren't back yet. Hildigrim's family was a bit dubious about what was written in the note, so the ones not fishing are trying to get more clues about what happened to the party.
• Out of the party funds, the party spends 2 GP  to have the workers hire multiple quick-service couriers, message crows, carrier pigeons, etc. to send notes (to his relatives searching for clues) that Hildigrim is well / has returned / will be back at noon the next day to explain more. (Don't worry, none of the couriers are temp worker exotic elves with recent scars over their stomachs.)

Drusk frowns a bit, as Jorin has already finished his meal. (Drusk was hoping for a sit-down mini-party to share the meals.)
Pascal points out that he had ordered a 6th meal when Drusk wasn't looking, as he anticipated Jorin's appetite.
When Jorin starts reaching for his 2nd serving, Pascal slaps his hand aside, saying not to start eating (again) until everyone is sitting down at the Road's End.

(OOC: Pausing in case you wanted to do anything else before going back to the bistro, or if you wanted to add to the role-playing at Cod Place.)

Wolf-Quillary, whose fur is a kind of mottled mix, sniffs around to see if she can help find people, but ends up just sitting with Jorin, tongue lolling out.

(I had forgotten that Quillary was in wolf form.)

The workers and the carrier pigeons look nervously at the wolf, but Hildigrim is able to reassure them that they won't be eaten... today.
And then has to calm them down saying that last part was only a joke. They won't be eaten at all... probably.

Quillary sniffs around, and is confident that the only bugbear scents were from many days ago (the initial abduction).

(lol, good ol' Pascal, always keeping an eye on Jorin's food situation)

No need to roleplay or do anything else from Hildi's perspective. He's just glad to hear his family's OK.

How many days has it been since the festival?

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

No need to roleplay or do anything else from Hildi's perspective. He's just glad to hear his family's OK.

How many days has it been since the festival?

(OOC1: Yeah... I haven't been keeping a close count. I'd say 3 days for DDAL08-10 (looking for key, mind flayer), another 3 days for DDAL08-11 (search for courier and the fort raid), and this is the 4th day for the level of the Mad Mage dungeon. That is 10 days. Volothamp fled before Skullport locked down, which is why he could send a note 2 days ago.)

(OOC2: It won't be "official" until after you get another long rest in your own beds, but start planning on being 8th level.)

(OOC3: My next plan was to adapt one of the Saltmarsh adventures. I'd have to upscale the fights for 8th level. It involves a lizard-man tribe, so I figured Pascal would be the story hook. But since JCandD is busy with school, it might be better to put that on the back burner until he is able to play regularly.
Any requests? Maybe you have a specific module in mind, or just a specific type of adventure you'd like next?
Or maybe one of you has the "itch" to be DM for a few months? I'm okay with continuing.)

(OOC4: I have some role-playing filler for the short term. That will include getting the bistro going. If you were doing training or errands during Mingofaust's reign, that should pay off now. For instance, I want Drusk to get that proficiency in Brewing skill. That also gives time for Hildigrim to copy spells into his spell book.
I do worry every time Jorin talks about leaving. Is that soon-ish, or still well down the road? Should the party go with him, or wait for his return?)

With notes sent to Hildigrim's relatives, and everyone in a better mood, the party walks back to their Waterdeep home, which they haven't seen in a ten-day.

To get the bistro-restaurant ready, you had hired workmen to do repairs and adjustments. Most of that work would have been inside, but as you approach you are already pleased to see the exterior work is done to high quality. (They should have finished all their work by now.)

Before you can enter, you hear an argument inside the doors, with a lot of shouting back and forth. There is a small mob inside:

• a quartet of sloppy, almost filthy halflings who you've never met before, doing most of the shouting (your party smells and looks worse than them, but not by much)
• another five people of mixed races, carrying carpentry tools (you recognize the foreman who you hired to fix up the building, the others are probably his workers)
• a massive earth-genasi... It is Fanny (from the wagon ride)! You almost didn't recognize her, since she isn't wearing a guard's uniform.

OOC > Yeah, I was trying to come up with a bunch of contingency plans for Jorin, too. Most of them involved wolf dreams and a certain unique item from the Dragon Heist module, but we sort of never got there, which I take responsibility for. I’m happy to clue you in privately, Q, and you can see if you want to proceed. I also had some other vague plans for the party (I did not intend on offering the Dungeon of the Mad Mage as a sequel), but was going to have to flesh them out. And I’d thought that taking Hildi to Candlekeep, now that the book is out, would be a good hook. He has his special book from the very first adventure, still!

Quillary sighs at the hubbub, and rudely pushes her way into the common room, incidentally separating the feuding parties. Oh, and she’s still a wolf. ;)

For Quillary only:

Quillary the wolf pauses with a growl, and approaches the halflings, snuffling and sniffing about them.

Perception (with Adv for wolf, excellent coincidence): 22

(When we set up this game, like, years ago, lol, which is awesome btw, i had initiall through of Jorin's Kharn lasting one more full year of in-game time, so i feel like there is still a bit of time left on that.  I'll put his backstory in a spoiler as a reminder if anyone wants to read it, might give some ideas on what to do to prolong his journey abroad)

 Jorin will pause at the entryway, leaning against one of the pillars with his arms folded across his chest, and listen to the dispute for a moment, trying to get a handle on what the deal is.

(OOC thoughts about Jorin in the spoiler.)

Pascal gives a questioning look at Hildigrim.
Hildigrim shakes his head "no", these are not any acquaintances of his.

The party has entered the doors, but the others haven't noticed yet. (The ghost and Quillary's awakened shrub are staying out of sight, to avoid the drama going on.)

You spend a minute listening to the back and forth. Rather than go through every statement and the overlapping shouting, this is your interpretation:

• The 4 halflings (males Kelso, Dasher; female Danika, Brynn) say they've been hired to run the Road's End. Until the owners return, they are in charge.
• The foreman of the building repairs wants his crew to be paid. (From past events, a nobleman, I-forgot-his-name, is paying for the improvements, but he is sending you the money after he gets and approves the bill.)
•  Kelso declares that the repairs are insufficient, of poor quality, and that the Road's End will not pay him anything. (As far as the party can tell, the place looks good, a lot better than when you first moved in.)
• Fanny came by, to both say hi, and to possibly get a job here. She says she knows the party, and would like to talk with them directly.
• Kelso says that is an obvious lie, they aren't hiring anybody, and that he won't let her bug "the bosses". He adds some unflattering comments about how she would never be hired due to her being unattractive and overly large. Fanny is seething, resisting the urge to step on the halfling.

The party notices that Quillary-wolf has tensed up, hackles raised, and the lip-curl of displeasure. (Not quite actively growling.) She quietly and deliberately walks next to the halflings and sniffs them over. The arguments die down as everyone sees this wolf, and then notices your group.

Fanny and the foreman remain quiet. (They recognize your group, but are confused about your disheveled and grimy appearance.)

Kelso: "The Road's End ain't feeding or housing street bums. Get out, and find some gutter to stay tonight."

(Even disheveled, it would be hard to miss us, especially with Pascal in tow!)

Hildigrim glances down at his clothing and brushes at something particularly large still clinging to his tunic. He then glances at Jorin, Drusk and Pascal as if seeing them through the eyes of one who hasn't just spent the tenday trying to return to the surface. Smiling a little, the rogue-turned-wizard gives a little bow to the group before them. "I can understand the confusion. Allow me to make introductions. I am Hildigrim Goodbody, and these are my friends, Jorin of the Bodt, Drusk, the big red one is Pascal LaRoux, and the furry one is our Quillary in disguise. We five are the afore-mentioned owners of the Road's End. The 'bosses'." He motions toward the workers. "We hired these fine fellows." He motions toward Fanny. "And we know this one." He looks at the earth genasi. "Good to see you again, my lady." Looking back at the quartet of halflings, Hildi raises his eyebrows. "It seems you four are the only strangers here."

I Googled "most fun short 5e adventure free" and discovered this list of 20: https://www.mtblackgames.com/blog/top-20-free-dnd-adventures

(Thanks for the list. We already did their #2 choice of the Wild Sheep Chase, so I'll download two of the others and look at them. I still have a bunch of random Tier-2 AL modules, and Mingofaust pointed out that we could do a Candlekeep adventure involving one of Hildigrim's books.)

(In addition to your own actions, consider that Pascal has high Charisma. If anyone in the party would like him to do any Persuading or Intimidating, or react to people messing up his bistro, you can go ahead and role play the lizard man.)

The halflings back away a step cautiously from Quillary-wolf. Kelso only hesitates a half second before responding, looking defiantly at Hildigrim: "Look see here. You got investors to help with your restaurant-tavern. When youse goes missing, the Lord hires us to keep things going smoothly. You want to mess with the nobles backing you, that's your call. You want to keep them happy, you listen to us."

Jorin takes a step towards the halfings, hands dropping to the pommels of his weapons, and says, "You come into the hearth of another and proceed to give orders?  Perhaps removing your tongues for use in the daily special would correct your tone.  What do you think, Pascal, halfling tongue hand-pies?" Intimidation: 5 +4 for Jorin, or +6 for Pascal

Normal people would react to Jorin's threat of cannibalism. (One of your party members is a halfling.) Kelso and his buddies don't bat an eye at that. But they do recognize the escalating threat. Kelso looks around the room, back at the party, then gestures to his group, pointing to the door.

(resentfully) "You think you are so tough. You're going to regret this." The 4 halflings depart. The last one to leave (Danika) pauses as she steps through the entranceway. She builds up a lot of saliva in her mouth, spits on the interior door handle, and then (grabbing the exterior handle) closes the door behind her.

Although all of you are hungry for lunch/dinner (even Jorin after already eating a meal's worth), you decide to deal with the remaining people.
Pascal goes around the dining area and other parts of the mansion with some of the workers, to examine the repair work.
Drusk will talk with the foreman and the remaining workers about their pay. (Drusk is holding onto the party funds anyways.)

That leaves Fanny to talk with Hildigrim, Jorin, and Quillary-wolf.

Fanny looks towards the entrance with mild surprise. "What is that?"
Root (Quillary's awakened shrub) has come out of hiding. It is rotating in place, slowly moving to where those other halflings were, acting like a spinning brush cleaner.
At the same time, a wet cleaning rag is floating to the door handles and starts wiping them. (It isn't Hildigrim using Mage Hand.)