---
type: location
region: "The Elemental Chaos"
plane: Material (displaced)
danger: Extreme
---

# Citadel of Sundering

## Overview

The floating fortress of the [[The Hand of Ruin|Hand of Ruin]], a massive structure of black stone and elemental energy that drifts between the Material Plane and the Elemental Chaos. Originally a First Sage observatory, it was corrupted 300 years ago when [[High Pontiff Vosseth]] seized it and began channeling the [[Primordial Wrath]]'s power through its foundations. The Citadel is surrounded by permanent elemental storms that make approach without protection nearly impossible.

## Tier 1 — Outer Ramparts

- Floating platforms connected by obsidian bridges
- Elemental storm zone: 4d10 damage/round to airborne creatures (random element)
- Guarded by 20 cult soldiers, 4 ballistae, 2 summoned storm giants
- 4 storm anchors (ritual circles) must be disabled to clear the storm

**Storm Anchor Stats:** AC 16, HP 40, immune to psychic/poison, resistance to nonmagical B/P/S. Each anchor requires a DC 16 Arcana check (action) to disrupt.

## Tier 2 — Hall of Echoes

- Anti-magic field covers the entire tier (except artifacts)
- Guarded by [[Keeper Malachar]] and 6 helmed horrors
- Upon Malachar's defeat, the anti-magic field drops
- The hall is a cathedral-like space with a vaulted ceiling 80 feet high

## Tier 3 — Chamber of Heralds

A circular arena with six radiating hallways — each leading to a Herald's sanctum.

| Herald | CR | Type | Sanctum Hazard |
|--------|-----|------|----------------|
| Ash | 15 | Fire Sorcerer | Lava pools (2d10 fire/round) |
| Tide | 16 | Storm Cleric | 10 ft deep water, lightning rods |
| Bone | 17 | Death Knight | Negative energy zone (healing halved) |
| Whispers | 15 | Shadow Monk/Assassin | Magical darkness, silence zones |
| Iron | 18 | Warforged Colossus | Construct repair stations |
| Mind | 16 | Illithid Arcanist | Psionic interference (disadvantage on INT/WIS/CHA saves) |

## Tier 4 — Sundering Throne

- The Hand of Ruin's command center
- A vast throne room with a ceiling open to the elemental chaos above
- Boss: [[Morgra, the Ashen Matron]] (if alive) OR [[High Pontiff Vosseth]]
- The throne itself is a seal anchor — the final one the Hand of Ruin hasn't cracked

## Tier 5 — Seal Chamber

- The deepest chamber, directly adjacent to the planar rift
- The [[Primordial Wrath]] is visible through the rift — a churning mass of elemental chaos the size of a mountain
- Three remaining seal anchors glow faintly; the other four are shattered, their energy feeding the rift
- If the ritual completes (5 rounds after party enters), the Wrath is freed

**Ritual Interruption:** Each round the party spends disrupting a ritual circle reduces the completion counter by 1. Three ritual circles must be disrupted simultaneously to stop the ritual completely (requires coordinated action from 3 party members within the same round).

## Siege Mechanics (Arc 4)

The allied army provides background support:

| Faction | Contribution | Effect |
|---------|-------------|--------|
| Crown Concordat | Soldiers, siege engines | Reduces cult soldier numbers by 50% |
| Kethra | Naval blockade, bombardment | Eliminates airborne cult reinforcements |
| Verdant Circle | Druidic ritual support | Neutralizes elemental hazards in Tier 1 |
| Dragon Lords | Aerial assault | Engages storm giants and Morgra's brood |
| Iron Concord | Breach team | Opens initial entry point |

If a faction was not recruited, its effect is lost, increasing difficulty.

## DM Notes

- This is the final dungeon. It should be epic, exhausting, and rewarding.
- Allow short rests between tiers but limit long rests to one (after Tier 3).
- If the party bypasses tiers too easily, add reinforcements from Tiers 1-2 as they move upward.
- The final fight with the [[Primordial Wrath]] should feel like the world is ending. Use description liberally — the sky crackles, the ground shakes, reality flickers.