Argora the human paladin, Blumf the dwarf barbarian, and Kerath the human ranger had just completed a quest together and were magically transported to a wasteland where they met Qeew the aarakocra cleric and lone survivor of a dragon attack.
They found an oasis containing an orchard where enchanted apples put Argora and Blumf to sleep. As they slept, they were attacked by a quaggoth, which they successfully killed. As it was cut in half, Sunglow the halfling rogue emerged from the monster’s corpse.
They entered the farming community of Oakhurst. There they were told that on an unknown tree a single magic fruit (unrelated to the enchanted apples from the orchard) grows in the summer which can grant vitality, and a single deadly fruit grows in the winter. Each year, goblins sold the good fruits to the townsfolk, who planted the seeds in hopes of growing their own. However, the saplings kept disappearing, and it was believed that they were being stolen. Furthermore, there had been mysterious deaths on the outskirts of town, and the recovered bodies were covered in small puncture wounds.
The party was asked to find a band of lost adventurers in the Sunless Citadel by Kerowyn Hucrele, mother of two of the explorers. She asked that if they could not recover her children alive to at least return their family rings, for which she would reward them.
The party entered the citadel where, long ago, cultists worshipped the great dragon Ashardalon. Their first obstacle was a room filled with loose stones that concealed several pits in the floor. Though some party members had little trouble crossing the room, Blumf fell into holes several times.
After killing a few animated skeletons, they met Meepo, a kobold who was sobbing because the small white dragon named Calcryx with which he was charged was stolen. They agreed to help find Calcryx, and Meepo gratefully led them further into the citadel using a safe word to deter attacks from other kobolds: “Ticklecorn!”.