D&D 5E What D&D Product Can Be Seen In The Crystals?

WotC has posted an image of a pile of crystals through which distorted glimpses of what looks like a product can be seen. In the comments below, folks have been flipping, enhancing, and generally squinting at the image behind the crystals, and while it's hard to make out, guesses include 'Journey Through the Radiant Ocean' (although I personally think that first letter looks more like an X or K than a J). 'Citadel' is also a popular guess for that last word--'Journey(s) to/from the Radiant Citadel'? Take a look and see what you think (or check the comments for flipped and enhanced versions).

In Spelljammer lore, the phlogiston--the space between the crystal spheres in which the prime material worlds can be found--is also known as the 'Rainbow Ocean'. And crystal seem on-brand for crystals spheres.

Below the text, the image appears to be of some kind of marketplace. Above it, WotC wrote "Through the depths of the Ethereal Plane is a beacon of possibility and adventure... "

There was apparently a press event today, pending some kind of product announcement on Tuesday.

D&D 5E - Announcement Next Week--What Hints For Upcoming D&D Books?

WotC uses Unearthed Arcana to playtest D&D material which often ends up in a later hardcover book. Mages of Strixhaven was in Unearthed Arcana in June 2021, and Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos was published in December 2021. Draconic Options was in Unearthed Arcana in April 2021, and Fizban's...

www.enworld.org

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Calling it now: Planejammer, the combined settings of Planescape and Spelljammer.

Sigil is the hub setting as ships come and go and they travel the planes of existence AND BEYOND*!

*also known as The Feywild

Despite not being a setting book, despite not having any of the words "plane", "scape" "spell" or "jammer" in the title and despite having no evidence of ships or Sigil on the cover?

 

[DarkCrisis]

Despite not being a setting book, despite not having any of the words "plane", "scape" "spell" or "jammer" in the title and despite having no evidence of ships or Sigil on the cover?

Do we even have setting books anymore?

Or are they adventure books with some local setting stuff? Like the Rime Frost Maiden aka Icewind Dale book.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Do we even have setting books anymore?

Yes, there are two coming later in the year. Spelljammer in the fall and Dragonlance for Christmas.

I guess you could describe this book as a Planescape adventure book, but one that does not involve Sigil.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Yes, there are two coming later in the year. Spelljammer in the fall and Dragonlance for Christmas.

I guess you could describe this book as a Planescape adventure book, but one that does not involve Sigil.

That’s what I’m saying though, are they really settings books when they are adventure books that give the minimum amount of lore about the world.

Again for example Rime of the Frost Maiden. Is that an adventure book or is it the Icewind Dale setting book? I’d say it’s an adventure book.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

That’s what I’m saying though, are they really settings books when they are adventure books that give the minimum amount of lore about the world.

They are settings, not adventures*.

Again for example Rime of the Frost Maiden. Is that an adventure book or is it the Icewind Dale setting book? I’d say it’s an adventure book.

It's an adventure. It was marketed as an adventure, and is listed as an adventure on D&D Beyond. WotC have never, at any time, suggested it was a setting book.

Typical internet logic: we get one book (Stryxhaven) that is a combined setting and campaign, and the conclusion "WotC aren't doing setting books any more" is immediately leapt to.


*I have a hunch that Dragonlance will include the setting and the War of the Lance campaign as two books in a cardboard sleeve, because Christmas is a time for expensive products.

 

[Morrus]

Do we even have setting books anymore?

Or are they adventure books with some local setting stuff? Like the Rime Frost Maiden aka Icewind Dale book.

Last year we had Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, the year before we had Mythic Odysseys of Theros, and Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, and the year before that Eberron: Rising from the Last War. So we get 1-2 setting books per year. If we get 1 or 2 settings this year (as seems likely), the pattern will hold true.

 

[Staffan]

It's most likely a bat, seeing as how it has wings.

Going back to Spelljammer, I am reminded of the cover of Realmspace, which has a batship attacking another spelljamming ship.

 

[Umbran]

Post 271 is missing from my view of the thread. It must have been posted by one of the bigots here who have blocked me after I called them out for being anti-inclusive.

Mod Note:
How about you take the personal jabs to some other site, before they get you in trouble, hm?

Thanks much.

 

[Daemini]

Obviously is a piñata Boo, you can see people under it collecting trinkets falling from it.

 

[Weiley31]

Maybe the adventure starts off at Sigil, and then the overall goal is to Spelljammer on over to Saridor's citadel, where the main crux of the adventure is to restore Saridor himself. Along the way, you'll meet Boo, who is Captain of his own Spelljammer ship with Minsc as his first mate!

 

[Lidgar]

Guesses around Sardior seem on point. The marketplace definitely has an otherworldly feel - whether the radiant citadel will be closer to Sigil or Rock of Bral in nature, we shall see tomorrow (hopefully)!

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Maybe the adventure starts off at Sigil, and then the overall goal is to Spelljammer on over to Saridor's citadel, where the main crux of the adventure is to restore Saridor himself. Along the way, you'll meet Boo, who is Captain of his own Spelljammer ship with Minsc as his first mate!

Since it is supposed to be a collection of adventures rather than a campaign, there wouldn't be any overall goal. And I haven't seen anything whatsoever to connect this to Sigil.

 

[Hutchimus Prime]

Since it is supposed to be a collection of adventures rather than a campaign, there wouldn't be any overall goal. And I haven't seen anything whatsoever to connect this to Sigil.

It could always be that Sigil/Rock of Braal/“Radiant Citadel” is given the Saltmarsh or Candlekeep treatment in an early chapter of the book followed by the collection of adventures.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

It could always be that Sigil/Rock of Braal/“Radiant Citadel” is given the Saltmarsh or Candlekeep treatment in an early chapter of the book followed by the collection of adventures.

The title implies that the Radiant Citadel is the hub. Not Sigil, not the Rock of Braal (Spelljammer and the Rock of Braal are still coming, but this aint it).

WotC are bringing out two classic settings this year. But this product isn't either of them.

 

[Hutchimus Prime]

The title implies that the Radiant Citadel is the hub. Not Sigil, not the Rock of Braal (Spelljammer and the Rock of Braal are still coming, but this aint it).

WotC are bringing out two classic settings this year. But this product isn't either of them.

I get that…which is why I included “Radiant Citadel” as an option for the same overview treatment that both Saltmarsh and Candlekeep received in their adventure compilation books.

And until tomorrow we won’t know for sure what “setting” this adventure compilation will use as its spine (except for WOTC employees and press who attended the press event on Friday).

 

[Maxperson]

Any depiction, no matter how stylised, of a fox is going to have a long sharp muzzle. That is the animal's most recognisable feature. Foxes also have large upright ears.

That figure has both a sharp muzzle and large upright ears. The face is looking back at us.

Edit: I'm looking at the smaller figure that looks farther away and is immediately under the bat's head. It looks like a fox looking back at us.

 

[Parmandur]

Any depiction, no matter how stylised, of a fox is going to have a long sharp muzzle. That is the animal's most recognisable feature. Foxes also have large upright ears.

The small sharp nose suggests a mouse, but the round cheeks, round eyes and ear shape more strongly suggests a hamster.

Rat is possible. They are usually depicted with longer noses, but this could be put down to human prejudice.

I mean, it has bat wings and clothes: it's some sort of bat person.

 

[Hutchimus Prime]

That figure has both a sharp muzzle and large upright ears. The face is looking back at us.

Edit: I'm looking at the smaller figure that looks farther away and is immediately under the bat's head. It looks like a fox looking back at us.

This one?

Could be an Arcanaloth.
View attachment 6480F927-0A42-41C4-8EB7-610C52D0ED6D.webp

 

[Maxperson]

This one?
View attachment 153824
Could be an Arcanaloth.
View attachment 153825

No. It's literally right under the bat's chin and right eye. It looks like a small fox in the distance sitting down.

 

[Faolyn]

Despite not being a setting book, despite not having any of the words "plane", "scape" "spell" or "jammer" in the title and despite having no evidence of ships or Sigil on the cover?

Could be the Grand Bazaar in Sigil. Could also be a marketplace on Bral, and the actual full image would show a spacescape beyond the market.