There’s a lot happening within the RPG passion proper now. Between provide chain points and fewer conventions taking place over the previous couple of years, I had forgotten what it was like for corporations to make all their massive bulletins at one time. As well as, there’s a lot happening simply in D&D, and lots happening simply in WotC first get together D&D. However there was an distinctive product that got here out just lately that I need to get as a lot focus as it could actually get, specifically, Journeys By way of the Radiant Citadel.

That mentioned, many individuals have mentioned insightful and significant issues concerning the ebook itself. Certainly one of my favourite issues concerning the DMs Guild has been these situations the place designers get to supply “director’s minimize” materials for the merchandise they’ve labored on. So at present, I needed to have a look at Journeys Past the Radiant Citadel, a supplementary DMs Guild product by a few of the designers of Journeys By way of the Radiant Citadel.

Disclaimer

I didn’t obtain a evaluation copy of this product and bought it alone. Whereas I haven’t had an opportunity to make use of both Journeys Past or Journeys By way of the Radiant Citadel, I’ve learn via a few of Journeys By way of the Radiant Citadel, and I’m fairly conversant in D&D 5e each from the participant aspect and the DM aspect.

Journeys Past the Radiant Citadel

Challenge Lead: Anthony Joyce-Rivera

Writers: Dominique Dickey, Ajit A. George, Basheer Ghouse, Alastor Guzman, Mario Ortegón, Pam Punzalan, Erin Roberts, Terry H. Romero

Senior Editor: Taylor Navarro

Graphic Design and Format: Gordon McAlpin

Cowl Illustrator: Kim Miranda

Inside Illustrators: Alaa Al khalifah, Than Altair-Universe, Alyce Ank, Sabaa Bismil, Irina “Kirobin” Galvez, Kimberly Leong, Gordon McAlpin, Naomi Ovalle, Caitlin Rogers, Louise Kay Uy, Matthew Willetto

Cartographer: Mario Ortegón

Past the Pages

So, what does this appear like? It is a PDF launch with 31-pages. This features a mixed credit/contents web page, an introduction web page, a one-page appendix for a brand new magic merchandise, and a brand new map of San Citlan.

The Grand Tour

Journeys Past the Radiant Citadel is damaged up into the next sections:

• Atagua Gazetteer
• Dayawlongon Gazetteer
• Godsbreath Gazetteer
• San Citlan Gazetteer
• Sensa Empire Gazetteer
• Tayyib Empire Gazetteer
• Tletepec Gazetteer

Whereas all of those are designated as Gazetteers, not all of them broaden their settings in the identical means. As a result of all of the areas the place adventures happen get a gazetteer in Journeys By way of the Radiant Citadel, what leads to this ebook seems like extra elements that may very well be appended to these gazetteers. Whereas they’re informative, they’re clearly meant to complement the fabric in the principle anthology.

• The Atagua Gazetteer is primarily eight new encounters to make use of within the area, three of that are designed to work within the grasslands past El Caparazon. It additionally introduces a terrifying and ingenious idea, the rust tick.
• The Dayawlongon Gazetteer options a bit of extra historical past, in addition to some particulars of extra places. It options 5 new instructed encounters for the area, in addition to a brand new background, the binukot, which permits PCs to tackle the position of the same character launched within the journey within the hardcover.
• The Godsbreath Gazetteer provides some extra data on places, in addition to a “job board” that may be added at a selected a part of the journey within the anthology. It offers extra element on the Godsbreath Covenant of deities, in addition to the Proclaimer background. It wraps up with 4 extra instructed encounters.
• The San Citlan Gazetteer begins off with an outline of the extra fashionable magical innovations native to the placement, together with streetlights, tramways, trains, and plumbing. It consists of three pattern encounters, but in addition summarizes the instructed stage ranges for every. Whereas many of the different abstract encounters are one or two paragraphs, these fill a half to full web page of element. In case you are a fan of the El Santo monster searching style, there may be an encounter right here only for you.
• The Sensa Empire Gazetteer begins off with extra historical past, in addition to a profile of Diara, King of Anisa (full with trait, very best, bond, and flaw). There are additional particulars on Anisa, Niba, and Tarikh, and along with three instance encounters, there may be additionally an “Adventures within the Sensa Empire” random desk with extra journey seeds.
• The Tayyib Empire Gazetteer provides extra data to one of many civilizations particulars within the “Past the Radian Citadel” part, detailing the lands most just lately reconnected to the Radiant Citadel. This part provides extra particulars on the aftermath of the current civil conflict and the undead rampant due to it, in addition to some expanded places within the metropolis of Qaragarh. There are additionally two instance half-page encounters for the area.
• The Tletepec Gazetteer begins by detailing legends surrounding the Ashrise, a time when the land can be modified and ready for the slumbering creatures certain to the dual gods related to the native volcanoes. It goes on to element a number of omens related to this legend. There are three factions launched, together with favors they may bestow for people who advance their causes. There are two new Boons included as supernatural presents. There’s additionally a desk of random journey seeds, and two pattern encounters.

Blessings of the Daybreak Incarnates

As supplementary materials, lots of these gazetteers assist to make the related areas extra fleshed out for longer-term campaigns, past the journey that happens there. That additionally signifies that for the higher-level adventures within the anthology, characters can journey in these areas with extra materials till they attain the really useful stage for various content material. Journeys By way of the Radiant Citadel, whereas an journey anthology, is simply as compelling as a possible marketing campaign setting ebook, so something that dietary supplements that and permits for extra long-term campaigns is a bonus.

Misplaced Founders

My largest complaints are unfair to a point. I’d like to have entry to a deluxe version of Journeys By way of the Radiant Citadel that includes this materials as properly, which isn’t significantly possible. The one different actual grievance I may muster is that every of the gazetteers doesn’t comply with precisely the identical format, though when in comparison with the fabric that did get lined within the hardcover anthology if all the pieces had been built-in, there can be much more uniformity in presentation. That’s mainly simply my foolish human mind wanting all of my patterns to be related.

Certified Advice–A product with numerous optimistic points, however patrons might need to perceive the context of the product and what it accommodates earlier than shifting it forward of different purchases.

Given how logically all this materials flows into the varied sections of Journeys By way of the Radiant Citadel, it’s fairly simple to advocate this as a complement to that ebook. This product alone has some neat concepts, however they work greatest once they can construct on the opposite materials from the unique anthology. However this was by no means actually meant to be a stand-alone work.

Journeys By way of the Radiant Citadel is without doubt one of the most enjoyable issues to hit Dungeons & Dragons in a very long time, and if the ebook seized your creativeness, I doubt you’ll be sad including this to your assortment.