Eleven-year-old Barclay Throne does not like adventure. Instead, he likes to follow the rules especially since he already sticks out in town. He was orphaned just seven years ago when a beast attacked Dullshire, the town he lives in. Luckily, Barclay was able to secure an apprenticeship with Master Pilzman, the mushroom farmer in town. Things are starting to look up for Barclay until Master Pilzman accepts a second apprentice, eight-year-old Selby. Selby is annoying, lazy, and hates mushrooms.  Plus, unlike Barclay, Selby has a family waiting for him at home. One day, Barclay and Selby are searching for a special mushroom, the Mouringtide Morel. While they are looking, they accidentally wander a little too close to the edge of the woods, and Selby spots a beast. Scared, the boys run into the woods where they meet a young Lore Keeper names Viola and her dragon Mitzi. While talking to her, Barclay accidentally bonds with a beast that emerges from within a deeper part of the woods. Unable to stay in Dullshire, Barclay is forced to leave and enter the world of Lore Keepers, Beasts, and Magic. He is determined to get rid of the beast that bonded with him and return to Dullshire. But as time goes on, Barclay starts to wonder: Does he really want to return to his old life?