I've just gotten affiliated with the Shadow Thieves and gotten the key to go talk to the guild master. I am assuming there will be one or maybe two more "major" quests before I actually get to go rescue Imoen. I doubt I want to do all the side quests before leaving, but I also don't want to miss anything really cool or lucrative.
Major quests completed so far: D'arnisse Keep, Renal & Mae'var, Unseeing Eye (a tough one!).
I've gotten leads on several others: Trademeet, Firkraag (sp?), Umar Hills (can't seem to actually go there yet), Watcher's Keep (accessible on map, no mission), the Portal Gem one, some cryptic talk about "the One" in the sewers, and I killed all the slavers on the houseboat (but never got a mission to do it). Also I have the Acorns I got in the first prison. And I could take a quest from Xzar but I don't think Jaheira would like it.
I'm trying not to get too spoiled, but I believe that once I leave to get Imoen I won't be coming back for a while.
Any quests you guys would recommend doing BEFORE going off to get Imoen? Fun, storyline, or useful loot are all good reasons. Not too spoily please, just enough to let me know if I've found it or not (I'll ask again if I really need specifics).
Thanks!