Sunless Citadel

The Sunless Citadel is a ruined fortress sunk deep into a ravine off the Old Road near Bastion — reached by a rope descent to a ledge, then long switchback stairs to the ravine floor. It was the crucible of The Black Puddings’ first year: the site of their first treasures, most of their deaths, and the quest for the healing apple that cured Count Vurnor Leng.

The name Sarmondelaryx was found carved into a wall behind a pinned goblin corpse in the entrance tower — its significance still unknown.

The upper citadel

• Vermin — giant rats on the ledges and halls, a bloated rat queen (Session 5), and the murder-hole chamber whose red-eyed skeletons killed Ander (Session 2).
• Kobolds — held the southern warrens under their “queen,” who hoarded a spellbook and an iron dragon key. Slain and scattered (Session 8–9).
• Goblins — the tribe of chief Durrn held the western halls behind barricades and caltrops. After bitter fighting, a parley: the goblins gave up the white apple and the Hucrele signet in exchange for their young, and safe passage was bought with the codeword “Black Pudding” (Session 7–8). The tribe has since packed up and moved — destination unknown (Session 12).
• The dragon door — a stone door carved with five dragon heads, opened by five orbs matching draconic imperatives (fire, frost, and their kin — see Session 9). Beyond: a crysteel dragon statue, a riddle in Caernathi (“Where can one find the Daughter’s greed?” — answered “In the heart of every dragon”), and the tomb of a rubbery hobgoblin creature (Session 10).
• A young dragon and later a dragon spawn laired here too; both were slain (Session 4–5).

The realm below

A great hole descends from the upper citadel to a compost-heaped grotto of twig blights — and beyond it, the domain of Belak, guarded by a bugbear and his wolves (Session 12). The goblins’ healing apples come from Belak: one pure red, one pure white, sent up each year. The Hucrele twins were “sent down to Belak’s realm”; their fate remains unknown. The party has not explored below beyond the compost grotto — Vierath negotiated there alone (Session 13).

See also

• Bastion · Kerowyn Hucrele · Belak
• Sessions 1–13 for the full saga