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I ran a one-shot a little while ago, as a way to lead a new party into my homebrew world.
It's a technique I like to use, because it gives them a flavour of the world but with no commitment to stick with it. If they like the world, and the way I DM things, it also gives them the option to keep the characters they created, or make new ones once we move from "one-shot" to "regular campaign".
In this case, the brief was simple. The party were assembled on a ship in Jakta Harbour - no real backstories or info on what they were doing there, just a quick outline that said they had been onboard for a short voyage, so knew each other well enough to be able to (hopefully !) work together.
The brief I read out to them was simply this;
"The ship's captain presents the party with an ornate locked chest, and asks them to deliver it with its contents intact to someone called Aethan. The chest is a mere four inches high, but twelve inches square. She asks that if possible, the chest is kept level. If handled, it seems to emit a slight warmth from within. Aethan will reward the party upon safe delivery."
With this, the party (all second level) sallied forth, finding a convenient tavern to ask directions to Aethan's house.
On Aethan's door, they see a brass plaque.
“The Dwelling Place of Aethan. Welcome to the House of Fun, Noble Guest”.
They rapidly find that the house has two stories; an upper one where Aethan lives, and a lower one where he has exercised his.... sense of humour. It actually turns out to be an old-style Funhouse dungeon. Loaded to the roof with tricks, traps, practical jokes and classic monsters (mimics, carrion crawlers, cloakers, stuff like that).
After an exciting and extremely dangerous journey through the dungeon, they finally find the stairs up, where Aethan is waiting for them.
He greets them by handing over a purse laden with coins, as he says;
"Ah good, the pizza I have been waiting for...."