All things roll here: horrors of midnights,
Campaigns of a lost year,
Dungeons disturbed, and groves of lights;
Echoing on these shores, still clear,
Dead ecstasies of questing knights
Yet how the wind revives us here!
- Arthur Rimbaud
This adventure concerns a once proud fortress that fell into the earth in an age long past. Now known as the Sunless Citadel, its echoing, broken halls now house malign creatures, unsolved mysteries, and perhaps even great treasures.
Your party belongs to a Luskan adventuring company founded by the famed Dwarf treasure hunter, Gundren Rockseeker along with his brothers Tharden & Nundro. Gundren, consumed with a mysterious discovery he has yet to fill you in on, has entrusted you with carrying out one of his more lucrative yearly quests: Travelling to Oakhurst to purchase a piece of magical fruit.
For the last 12 years, every midsummer, the Goblin Tribe inhabiting the nearby ruined citadel sell a single magical apple to the Mayor of Oakhurst. The fruit, apparently an apple of perfect hue, heals those who suffer from any disease or other ailment. After learning of the fruit, Gundren worked out a deal with the Mayor to serve as a middleman to help sell the apples to ailing nobles or researchers in Luskan, Neverwinter and Waterdeep (for a generous finder's fee.) These sales have been a godsend for Oakhurst, as the blighted land surrounding it can surrport few crops and the city has no real trade to speak of. Attempts have been made to plant seeds from the fruit, but the saplings vanish shortly after reaching two feet of height. The townspeople assumed the Goblins are responsible for the theft, but arborists in Neverwinter, several days away by horse, experieced similar vanishing saplings.
According to reports, one month ago local adventurer Talgren Hucrele and his friends Bradford and Karakas were deep in their cups at the local tavern. When the impending midsummer exchange with the goblins was brought up, Talgren became incensed.
"They're damned goblins. We shouldn't be buying anything from them. We should take the apple. Hell, we should go seize the bloody tree."
Egged on by other ale addled patrons, the trio worked themselves up into a fury and made their way to the citadel to make war on the Goblins. Talgren's sister, Sharwyn, a wizard in training, got word of her brother's foolishness and set off to prevent him from doing something he'd regret. Neither the Hucrele siblings or Talgren's friends have been seen since. Everyone fears their actions might have jeopradized the yearly exchange and the town's next year of economic stability.
Your Quest