0: Khezzik at streetlevel

Khezzik had been in Waterdeep for a few weeks now. It did not take him long to find a secure hold where he could sleep in peace. Plenty of activity on the street, with plenty of people who do not pay attention. A potion can be lifted from a dwarf, a jeweled dagger from an old merchant, a component pouch from a distracted wizard.
When the guard is distracted by a tourist, Khezzik helps himself to the desired objects.

Easy

Peacy

Behind a barrel, he finds a tunnel opening he did not know was there

Khezzik examines the well-hidden tunnel. It is relatively dry and it looks like it is maintained. He follows the tunnel a bit until he hears voices. There is a lot of low talking, that Khezzik can't discern, but then there is a clear voice that cuts through the noise.

Prospects, you have been gathered here as you have potential! You have talent! We can use such a talent and would offer you a home. Trusted colleges, food on the table, and a dry bed. We have resources and an extensive underground network all at your disposal.

Khezzik is at the edge of the tunnel and looking into a large room, where a man in a purple tunic is talking to a dozen people of different races and gender. There are a goblin, a few tieflings, humans, and a kenku. There is a yellow mark at the tunnel where Khezzik is overhearing this conversation

To join our family you must compleat a little initiation task. He opens a small strongbox, inside are several folded notes. I have here a task and its qualifying objectives. If you are back here by the new moon (8 days from now) and you have compleated the objectives, then you are invited into our family.

The room is fairly large. A big basement, properly used for storage at some point. Now it is just empty. It does have the selves, and sneaking closer would be fairly easy (red. advantage)

There is a mingle around the chest. If Khezzik was bold, he could simply join the group, take a note and return to his hideout. He sees how a goblin/halfling-sized man does exactly that. Steps out from a hiding place take a note and return to his spot under a shelf. Khezzik hadn't seen the small man before.

No one gives Khezzik a second look as he claims a note
This is a fairly simple job that Khezzik could do, no problem. It would get him into large family that seems to take care of each other.

Montage:
Khezzik gets the Jade elephant and leaves the card as instructed. It was easy! The elf was not even there and if there were any wards, they were disabled. He returns to the underground basement with his prize and is very well received. Well done prospect! You are the first to finish your challenge. Keep the elephant if you wish, we just wanted to know if you could do it.
You are a kobolt, right? You guys like the underground. Then I would send you to our underground barracks at Jester's Court in Castle Ward. There you have access to a lot of our tunnels, a safe place to sleep and eat. He opens a book and takes out a note. Give this to the balled dwarf and he will set you up. He can also give you the tattoo, or you can find an artist in town

Khezzik meets the dwarf, that welcomes him to their group. A small human, the dwarf, another kobolt, and a black scaled Dragonborn. They all have the tattoo somewhere, identifying them as part of Xanathars guild. Khezzik can see that the dwarfs tattoo work is crude. The Dragonborn offers to find a buyer for the Jade Elefant and suggests a tattoo artist, that can work harder skin.

It is evening and Khezzik is on his way to the tattoo artist when a brown-skinned human-looking woman passes him in the street. He is tempted to pinch the heavy pouch she has on her belt. But when she pulls her hand out of it, there is no coins but a white powder. A powder she throws into his face. It tastes funny, and then everything goes black.

End of prolog. Start the first chapter