Sul Kelda-Dhrum (Kelda-Dhrum)
Ancient Dwarven Fortress — Southern Undershell of Jupiter
Sul Kelda-Dhrum (often shortened to Kelda-Dhrum) is a once-thought-abandoned Dwarven fortress located in the southern reaches of Jupiter’s Undershell, accessible via one of Carapax’s orifices — a tunnel the Soul Shepherds discovered thanks to intelligence provided by Joy.
Description
The fortress is built into the body of Carapax itself, its walls formed from the Titan’s calcified ribs and ancient stone. Massive stalagmites of calcified rib rise from the sludge that pools on the fortress floor. A superheated Adamantine Door with five circular valve-slots guards the deeper sections of the Undershell. The cryptic Dwarven inscription above reads: “As Above, So Below, The Work is Never Done.”
The Adamantine Door Puzzle
To unseal the door, five separate valve-rooms must each be triggered to fill the door’s slots with lava. The valves must be activated in a precise order, as turning them causes toxic sludge to rise. The party solved the puzzle with the help of Beppo, who raised the final lever remotely via Sol-Phone while the rest of the Scions rushed through before sealing the door behind them.
Inhabitants (on Arrival)
- Forvivlad Dwarves – Enslaved miners on the brink of madness, scouring every last vein of Adamantine ore. The Soul Shepherds convinced them to abandon the fortress after Whimsical destroyed the remaining ore veins.
- Giant Abyssal Chicken – A territorial creature that briefly captured Silas Clemens, demanding Souls as tribute.
- Vorthropod – A magma-dwelling creature that erupted from the lava when the first valve was pulled.
Current Status
The fortress has been cleared and serves as the docking point for the Project A.R.K., now under the watch of Beppo and P-Sowen while the Soul Shepherds venture deeper into the Undershell.