Dungeons & Dragons players will soon have the chance to experience the many different civilizations of the D&D multiverse in the upcoming Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel, which is an upcoming adventure anthology that sends parties on quests throughout the cosmos. Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel features thirteen standalone adventures, one of which is "Sins of our Elders" by Stephanie Yoon, which is about a slighted spirit taking vengeance on the community that forgot her by stealing their memories.
Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel is centered around a city in the Ethereal Plane. The Radiant Citadel has many portals to other worlds and planes, making it the perfect starting point for an adventure. The players are encouraged to use the Radiant Citadel as a base, allowing it to tie all of the adventures in Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel into a loose campaign, similar to Candlekeep in Candlekeep Mysteries. Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel is the first POC-led D&D book, with its adventures being based on different real-world cultures that are rarely seen in fantasy literature, as it's so often rooted in European mythology or the works of Tolkien.
The adventures in Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel are spread across different level ranges, and the adventure for level 6 parties is "Sins of our Elders". Screen Rant recently spoke to "Sins of our Elders" author Stephanie Yoon about the cultural inspirations for the adventure, the new kinds of monsters that players may face, and creating the city of Yeonido.
Tell us about Sins of our Elders. What kind of adventure awaits the players?
Stephanie Yoon: Sins of our Elders takes us into Yeonido, the City of Judgment. It is a wonderful place, but its citizens share a unique burden: when they die feeling wronged or knowing they harmed others, they return as gwishin, ghosts that warp reality around them. It is up to the family of the deceased to resolve the injustice and put the spirit to rest. The longer a gwishin remains unresolved, the stronger it gets… and when the case involves a member of the royal family, as it does in Sins, no one is willing to get involved. The adventurers must navigate the politics, customs, and magic of the city to safely resolve the threat.
How does Sins of our Elders involve the Radiant Citadel itself?
Stephanie Yoon: Without giving away the start of the adventure, there are a couple of framing opportunities in using the Radiant Citadel to kick-off the adventure. Because the Radiant Citadel is a nexus city, its connection to Yeonido makes for an easy entry into Sins of our Elders and we give some good suggestions to the DM on how best to utilize it.
All of the adventures in Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel are inspired by real-life cultures and feature references to real-world mythology that isn’t often featured in fantasy works. What specific cultural elements did you include in Sins of our Elders? Was there anything particularly personal or important to you that you just had to include it?
Stephanie Yoon: I’m second generation Korean-American; born in the US, lived my childhood in Korea, then stayed here in America ever since. The task was to create a fantastical setting that had its roots in Korean culture. I went back to the tales that helped shape me into the person I am today; the creatures that still fascinate me to this day. But most especially, I thought of how my connection to my heritage makes me feel. I wanted to translate that feeling into a sense of mystery and wonder, the same that I feel whenever I am delving deeper into Korea’s fascinating history and folklore.
For that reason, that last question is tough for me to answer. This is the most deeply personal project I’ve ever worked on professionally; every bit of it feels like it’s thrumming along with my heartbeat, singing with my voice. I think of Sins as a Steph adventure that revels in its Korean heritage and not vice versa.
Did you get the chance to design any new monsters or magic items for Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel?
Stephanie Yoon: The gwishin is a ghost that is the central mystery behind the Sins of our Elders, but they didn’t end up getting a special stat block of their own. However, they’re a special brand of creature that feels unique to Yeonido: a physical, spiritual, and cultural threat to those who would defy them.
A lot of D&D adventures & campaigns involve three gameplay styles: combat, exploration, and role-playing. Which of the three does Sins of our Elders most closely align with?
Stephanie Yoon: As with any good adventure, there’s a mix of activities in Sins, but I think the heart of the module is character-centric roleplaying. Almost every situation can be mitigated or avoided through a good understanding of the people involved and the culture being represented.
Did you have any ideas that didn’t make it into Sins of our Elders?
Stephanie Yoon: Gosh, so many. There were so many legends, character types, fantastical creatures from Korean folklore that ended up on the cutting room floor. I will mourn my homages to kdramas that didn’t quite make it to the book, but that just means I can show them off at another time!
Each of the adventures in Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel has its own associated land that has an overview, for those who want to use it in their own games. How much detail did you go into for your own land and what kind of ideas did you include for other DMs to use?
Stephanie Yoon: As a GM, I think I would most appreciate the city map! I think that the shape of a city really informs the feel of its people, and it was really fun creating the shape of Yeonido. As far as content goes, I wanted to paint a picture of everyday life. There’s a festival going on through the Sins of Our Elders, and I tried to give readers a sense of its pageantry and bustle. Ghosts notwithstanding!
Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel will be released today, July 19 in North America and on August 9 in EMEA.