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Fantasy Grounds

The Radiant Citadel is a city within the Ethereal Plane, which has served as a hub of commerce and culture between many civilizations, and a source of much history and lore from across many worlds.

Journeys through the Radiant Citadel is comprised of thirteen unique adventures, for characters level 1-14.

What level is Journeys through the Radiant Citadel for?

Journeys through the Radiant Citadel is an anthology of thirteen stand-alone adventures, and while it is not intended to be an interconnected campaign, the adventures could be played sequentially if desired.

Is Journeys through the Radiant Citadel a full campaign?

From glittering night markets to undersea cities, from curse-afflicted villages to angel-ruled city-states, each adventure in Journeys through the Radiant Citadel takes inspiration from the writer’s personal connection to real-world mythologies and cultures, creating a rich tapestry of never-before-seen lands and stories for you to explore.

Where does Journeys through the Radiant Citadel take place?

Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel is a collection of standalone adventures set around the Radiant Citadel, a floating city in the Ethereal Plane that serves as a magical utopia and trade hub for a bunch of diverse civilizations. The book aims to showcase vibrant cultures, folklore-inspired settings, and lower-stakes adventures with more focus on diplomacy, social encounters, and problem-solving than combat.

And that’s where the problem starts.

This book feels more like a worldbuilding anthology than an actual adventure book—it introduces cool settings but doesn’t give DMs or players much to actually do with them. The Radiant Citadel itself is painfully underdeveloped, despite being the central hub of the book, and the adventures—while creative—lack any real sense of urgency, danger, or high stakes.

If you like political tension, survival horror, or anything remotely resembling an epic quest, this book will bore you to death.

Pros:
✔ Diverse, vibrant settings—each adventure is based on a real-world culture, which makes for some unique, underrepresented fantasy elements.
✔ Great for roleplay-heavy groups—if your table loves NPC interactions and solving conflicts without violence, this is the book for you.
✔ Each adventure is self-contained—perfect for one-shots or episodic play.

Cons:
✘ The Radiant Citadel itself is underwhelming—it’s supposed to be a central hub, but it lacks depth, conflict, or compelling hooks.
✘ Most adventures lack tension or real stakes—many focus on social dilemmas and “fixing” problems rather than adventure and danger.
✘ Combat is rare, and when it happens, it’s unremarkable. If your players expect deadly encounters, monster-filled dungeons, or grand battles, they will be VERY disappointed.
✘ No real overarching story—it’s just a collection of disconnected adventures, making it hard to run as a cohesive campaign.

Final Verdict:
If your table loves low-conflict, dialogue-heavy roleplay adventures, Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel might be a good fit. But for most D&D groups, this book lacks compelling hooks, meaningful stakes, and engaging conflict—and the Radiant Citadel itself is shockingly underdeveloped.

4.5/10 – The Most Peaceful Apocalypse Ever.

DuChampion (JJ)

Tired of Lord of Rings flavored DnD? Radiant Citadel solves that problem by having stories based in a variety if mythologies: mesoamerican, north african, asian, middle eastern and more
It is packed with creative standalone adventures. They are sold as oneshots, but most of them need 2-3 sessions to be completed.
I don’t give it 5 stars because it misses a great opportunity to have a grand story linking all the adventures to the Radiant Citadel itself, as written it is a colorful magical city, but not used by the adventures

Rodrigo

Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel is a collection of 13 short adventures for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, each inspired by real-world cultures and written by a diverse team of designers. Unlike the traditional gritty dungeons and grimdark conflicts of many D&D adventures, Radiant Citadel embraces hope, wonder, and cultural storytelling, offering a breath of fresh air for groups looking for something beyond standard dungeon crawls.

Pros:
✅ Beautiful and Unique Settings – Each adventure introduces a new culture-inspired setting with deep lore, giving DMs a rich, flavorful backdrop to explore. From bustling trade cities to eerie spirit worlds, every location feels alive and distinct.

✅ Flexible and Easy to Run – The self-contained adventures range from level 1 to level 14, making them easy to drop into any campaign or run as one-shots. This makes it perfect for busy DMs who want well-crafted stories without committing to a full-length campaign.

✅ Diverse Adventures for All Tastes – Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel isn’t just a collection of generic quests—it features political intrigue, supernatural mysteries, personal drama, and action-packed encounters. Players will deal with ghostly vendettas, courtly power struggles, and even giant hamster stampedes!

✅ A Strong Emphasis on Roleplaying – Many adventures focus on diplomacy, investigation, and player choice, rewarding creativity over brute force. If your group enjoys social encounters and problem-solving, Radiant Citadel delivers.

✅ The Radiant Citadel as a Hub – The titular Radiant Citadel serves as an interdimensional gateway to countless worlds, allowing DMs to use it as a base for plane-hopping adventures or even as a substitute for Sigil or the Rock of Bral.

✅ Great for New DMs – The book includes clear guidance, accessible hooks, and well-structured narratives, making it an excellent resource for DMs looking for ready-to-run adventures that require minimal prep.

Cons:
❌ Less Dungeon Crawling, More Storytelling – If your group loves classic dungeon delves and combat-heavy modules, this book may feel light on traditional encounters. Many adventures focus on investigation, diplomacy, and cultural exploration rather than constant combat.

❌ Tone Can Feel Too Optimistic for Some Groups – Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel leans into hopeful, community-driven storytelling, which is a refreshing change from darker settings like Curse of Strahd or Out of the Abyss. However, groups that prefer gritty realism or dark fantasy might find the tone too bright and idealistic.

❌ The Radiant Citadel Itself Feels Underdeveloped – While the hub city is a fascinating concept, the book provides only a limited amount of detail. DMs wanting to expand on the Citadel’s politics, factions, and deeper mysteries will need to do some homebrewing.

❌ Some Adventures Are Stronger Than Others – While the book features many standout adventures, some feel less engaging or lacking in strong conflict. Depending on your group's playstyle, certain stories may not hit as hard as others.

Final Verdict: 
Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel is an excellent addition to any DM’s toolkit, offering unique settings, culturally rich storytelling, and varied adventures that go beyond the usual dungeon crawl formula. It’s especially great for groups who enjoy roleplaying, diplomacy, and world exploration. However, if your table craves combat-heavy dungeon crawls or dark, grim storytelling, this book may not fully satisfy.

💡 Perfect for: Story-focused players, groups who love roleplaying and exploration, and DMs looking for unique plug-and-play adventures.
⚠️ Not for: Players who prefer combat-heavy, dungeon-centric campaigns or dark, high-stakes settings.

Darren

Journeys through the Radiant Citadel features some fascinating new worlds inspired by real-world cultures (Korea, Persia, etc). The standout element of this module are the gazetteers at the end of each adventure covering each region's customs, beliefs, lore, possible adventures, and even food.

Like other anthologies before it (Candlekeep Mysteries, Quests from the Infinite Staircase), it is tougher to run as a single campaign and better with specific adventures slotted into other campaigns. The central location, the Radiant Citadel, features in none of the adventures proper, which feels like a missed opportunity. Some of the adventures are superb (Salted Legacy, Written in Blood, Fiend of Hollow Mine), and others (Gold for Fools and Princes, Sins of Our Elders) require a lot of work to be more compelling. 

Unfortunately, it has more mechanical weaknesses than other anthologies. Many adventures feature underwhelming combat posing little challenge (Sins of Our Elders in particular), little treasure (rewarding players with physical treasure is a staple of 5th edition D&D), and areas lacking dynamic interactivity. But the settings of the adventures are undoubtedly big draws, and I hope Wizards of the Coast revisits the Radiant Citadel for future modules.

Justinian

In the heart of the Ethereal Plane lies an ancient and mysterious city called the Radiant Citadel. Through tradition, cooperation, and ancestral magic, fifteen civilizations are bound to this wondrous site. Journeys through the Radiant Citadel is an anthology of 13 adventures that explore the cultures and myths of these realms, with each adventure accompanied by an overview of the land it’s set in, describing its people, noteworthy sites, common names, local legends, and more.

Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

Dungeons & Dragons 5e

Why wait for magic items when you can build your own? The Artificer makes use of tools and science to make magic. This gives you a grab bag of abilities from healing to damage dealing to quickly making a necessary tool. Artificers can enchant normal items to take on magical properties, outfitting their team with powered-up gear or giving themselves a fantasy Iron Man suit. 

Artificer

This one’s for those who love to play the undying tank in video games. Barbarians use their rage to perform great feats of strength and halve incoming damage. You can also channel the protection of the world tree, bond with animals, or just kick butt like Grog from Vox Machina. It’s a simple but rewarding playstyle, one that’s perfect for new players who don’t want to get into the complexities of magic. 

Barbarian

Your inner theatre kid probably brought you to the Bard. This class uses a variety of performance styles to cast spells and inspire other characters. Let your imagination run wild as you unleash your power through dance, song, spirit calling, or sword dancing, to name a few. You’ll be charming enough to talk your way out of a fight, but tricky enough to hinder opponents once the fists start flying. 

Bard

MMO players might see Cleric and think dedicated healer, but that’s not the case. While a Cleric can harness powerful healing magic, their full suite of abilities depend on their god. As such, they can wield damaging radiance, craft illusions bestowed by trickster gods, or become the hammer of a war deity. Clerics end up with a nice balance of damage, utility, and sturdiness. 

Cleric

When you gotta have an animal companion (or twenty) in every game, Druid is for you. Druids draw upon nature’s fury to heal allies, bind enemies, and transform into animals themselves. You can also summon a pet or many deadly pets at higher levels. Become a feral freedom fighter by playing a Druid. 

Druid

If your power fantasy is being the big guy with a big sword, look no further than Fighter. This classic DnD class gives you all the weapons and straightforward rules for using them. Just hit the bad guys a lot. If you want to get tactical, some Fighters can use fancy maneuvers or magic. Whether you want to be swift like Legolas, strong like Guts from Berserk, or versatile like Link from Legend of Zelda, Fighter’s got you covered. 

Fighter

The martial arts fantasy is alive and well in the Monk. While Fighters often rely on heavy armor and lots of weapons, the Monk is meant to move swiftly and strike with many blows. DnD Monks wield an inner power that’s not quite magic but still lets you perform all sorts of gravity-defying maneuvers. As more abilities unlock, you can become a shadowy assassin, heal with your hands, or wield all four elements like the Avatar. 

Monk

The image of a knight in shining armor is iconic to medieval fantasy, and the Paladin delivers with magical flair. They wear armor like the Fighter and can heal like the Cleric, but pack an extra punch with their signature smite. This attack lights your weapon up with divine power and lets you roll extra dice which always feels nice. You can design your Paladin as a holy warrior of justice, guardian of nature, or tortured warrior of vengeance. 

Paladin

Become a lone warrior of the wilds, a wandering blade that protects the fringes of society from evil. The Ranger commands nature magic with pure survival skill to guide the party on long journeys. In battle, they wield weapons with precision to hunt down targets. With level ups, you can boost your Ranger’s abilities with fey powers, shadow magic, or give them a beast companion. 

Ranger

A good stealth character can tear enemies apart from the shadows or discover secrets that stop the battle before it even begins. The Rogue is where you go to get that fantasy. You can choose from a variety of skills to customize your Rogue, such as poisoning your blades to become an assassin, learning magic for illusions, or just being a crafty thief. 

Rogue

The Sorcerer class leans into the glass cannon build popular in video games. Their health is on the lower side and they don’t wear armor, but they cast some of the most powerful spells in the game. Sorcerers also have magical mutations that let you empower your spells beyond those of other spellcasters. You also get to choose the source of your magic, be it eldritch mystery, pure chaos, or the blood of dragons. 

Sorcerer

If you like your magic creepy and mysterious, check out the Warlock. These characters get magic from a patron, which can range from a demonic pact to an unknowable elder god. This unique approach to magic grants warlocks a few spells that they specialize greatly in. When a Warlock takes their turn in combat, everyone notices. Warlocks are also fantastic for roleplay as they have a built-in storyline with their patron. 

Warlock

The original spellcaster, and the one who gets all the spells. Wizards don’t get divine help or a mysterious patron, so they have to learn magic the old-fashioned way: by reading. This allows Wizards to gain more spells than any other class as long as they can find books. Wizards can come to the rescue in almost any situation, as their magic can save allies, fool enemies, boost physical abilities, learn secrets, and blow things up. 

Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

Frequently asked questions about Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

Virtual table tops for Journeys through the Radiant Citadel (VTTs)

D&D Beyond

Find a Journeys through the Radiant Citadel group and Start Playing today!

Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

Frequently asked questions about Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

What is the Radiant Citadel?

What level is Journeys through the Radiant Citadel for?

Is Journeys through the Radiant Citadel a full campaign?

Where does Journeys through the Radiant Citadel take place?

Virtual table tops for Journeys through the Radiant Citadel (VTTs)

D&D Beyond

Find a Journeys through the Radiant Citadel group and Start Playing today!