Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

Yongjing Pronunciations

Dragon's Blessing

When the rulers of Yongjing reach an advanced age, they use potions of longevity to increase their life span. These potions are supplemented with a rare reagent called Dragon's Blessing. The primary ingredient of this reagent is powdered eggshell from a legendary being known as the Dragon of Heavenly Blessings.

Normally, a creature can benefit from only a limited number of potions of longevity before continued consumption is likely to age the drinker rather than reduce their age. When a pinch of Dragon's Blessing is added to a potion of longevity, however, the draught has no chance of aging its drinker no matter how many potions of longevity that individual has consumed. With enough of this reagent and enough potions of longevity, Yongjing's rulers could conceivably live forever. But this immortality is not protection against a violent death: murder, revolution, or some other dire fate has ended each past emperor's rule.

End of an Emperor

The emperor of Great Xing is dying—he just doesn't know it yet. In a few months, when he next uses a potion of longevity to extend his life, he'll learn that the imperial supply of Dragon's Blessing has been depleted—and this potion might age him rather than adding years to his life.

Currently, only the imperial alchemists and their overseer, Grand Secretary Wei, are aware of this fact. The alchemists have not made this information known, at the grand secretary's command.

End of an Era

Grand Secretary Wei, the leader of the emperor's government, knows that the secret of the emperor's long life has been depleted. A lifelong servant of the empire, Wei fears the upheaval that historically occurs after the death of a ruler, as several claimants to the throne vie for power in the political vacuum. In response, Wei has set her considerable network of agents to covertly work toward two goals:

• Preserving the Emperor. Assuring the emperor's continued rule is the easiest way to maintain the nation's peace and political continuity. Secretary Wei's most trusted agents have been quietly scouring the land for more Dragon's Blessing, seeking it in the ruins and crypts of dynasties past.
• Preserving the Empire. Fearing the emperor's death might be inevitable, Secretary Wei cements her political power and firms up her alliances behind the scenes. She hopes to make her political position unassailable so she can ease the transition of power from the old emperor to a worthy successor of her choice.

The Grand Secretary hides the truth of the emperor's condition from her liege and all but her most trusted agents, believing herself the only person fit to steer the empire through the challenges to come. Maintaining this secret is of the utmost importance, because general knowledge of the emperor's looming demise would precipitate a host of political schemes throughout Yongjing's vast bureaucracy.

Grand Secretary Wei

Wei Feng Ying (lawful neutral, human archmage) commands respect from all as Grand Secretary, the leader of the government of Yongjing. Since the nation's rulers' source of extreme longevity has vanished, Secretary Wei is determined to hold the country together (as detailed in the "x" section). The secretary has an array of spell scrolls and other magic items at her disposal, and she often makes use of her crystal ball of telepathy and spells like project image when dealing with her agents.

Archaeological Assignment

Secretary Wei thanks the characters for answering her call and for their interest in investigating the historic ruins of old Yongjing. As attendants enter to serve tea, she ask the characters about their training, their education, and what skills they bring to an underground expedition into a potentially dangerous area. She's eager to hear about their most spectacular deeds and is quick to flatter those who indulge her with such tales.

After hearing about the characters' exploits, Secretary Wei explains the assignment, highlighting the following points:

• This archaeological expedition seeks to collect accounts and relics from past rulers for the benefit of future ones.
• Historians believe that the palace of the last ruler of the Yun dynasty—known as the Mountain Cloud Empress—lies in the Old City beneath present-day Yongjing.
• Wei wishes the characters to guard her handpicked scholar as they delve into the Old City.
• Of particular interest to Wei are the diaries of the Mountain Cloud Empress, which would have been kept along with her greatest treasures.

As the conversation concludes, a friendly young human arrives and bows to Secretary Wei. The secretary introduces this newcomer as Lu Zhong Yin, the expedition's lead historian.

Secretary Wei also presents a scroll bearing a contract for the characters to sign. The contract calls for an initial payment of 1,000 gp per character, plus an additional 1,000 gp per character when Lu Zhong Yin is brought safely back from the Old City and the scholar deems the investigation complete.

Finally, the secretary provides the characters with a spell scroll of sending, which they can use to contact her if the need arises. Wei intends for the expedition to set out as soon as possible after the characters collect their initial payment, but they can take a few hours to rest and prepare if necessary.

What's Left Unsaid

Secretary Wei's true goal is to search the buried Yun dynasty ruins for any sign of Dragon's Blessing—a magical reagent of particular importance to the emperor. She has no interest in the Mountain Cloud Empress's diaries, but she suspects that such secret writings would be held alongside other state secrets, like any stashed trove of Dragon's Blessing. Wei does not reveal her true agenda to the characters, but she has briefed Lu Zhong Yin on her goals, the need for secrecy, and the necessity of recovering this reagent (though not why it's important).

Secretary Wei also plans to monitor the group's investigation by using her crystal ball of telepathy to regularly cast scrying on Zhong Yin. During the investigation, Zhong Yin purposely fails the saving throws to resist the spell.

Lu Zhong Yin

Lu Zhong Yin (lawful neutral, human spy) is an unremarkable human, about twenty years old and exuding an eager-to-please air. To the characters, Zhong Yin claims to be a scholar of ancient Xing history. In truth, the scholar is an Imperial Ghost, a spy of the court. Zhong Yin serves Secretary Wei and is currently helping with the search for Dragon's Blessing.

The Old City Expedition

Zhong Yin is bright and eager to hear about the characters' past adventures. During conversation with the characters, the following topics might come up:

• The city of Yongjing has existed on this site for thousands of years, enduring numerous dynasties and countless disasters. Ruins known as the Old City lie beneath the modern city.
• Expeditions into these scattered, unconnected ruins can be dangerous. Beyond collapsing architecture, ancient traps and monsters sometimes lurk within.
• Traces of ancient magical protections linger within the ruins. The most common bar the use of magical methods of travel, such as teleportation.
• The part of the Old City the group is meant to explore has only recently been discovered beneath the Hall of Merit. This first foray will pave the way for further investigation into the Yun dynasty ruins.
• The Mountain Cloud Empress is a controversial figure in Yongjing history, both romanticized and reviled. The Yun dynasty ended when the starving common folk stormed the palace and removed the empress from power.

The Ministry of Finance

When the party arrives at the ministry offices, Zhong Yin departs to make other preparations. The scholar will meet the characters at the Hall of Merit at the center of the city when the characters are ready to depart.

The Minister of Finance, Deng Bo Huan, is straightforward but friendly. He verifies the characters' contract and pays them each their initial 1,000 gp. Deng Bo Huan is also an opportunistic schemer, and he offers the characters an additional 100 gp each if they share with him details of why the Grand Secretary hired them and what they expect to find in the Old City. If the characters refuse his proposal, the minister smiles, tells them he understands, and wishes them good luck.

Y1: Servants' Quarters

A character who examines the rodent-gnawed bones and succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Medicine) check can tell they are hundreds of years old and belonged to humans and dwarves who met violent ends.

Y2: Destroyed Entry

Upon seeing the wreckage, Zhong Yin says this area must have been the former main entryway to the Yun Dynasty palace. The scholar notes that the bones likely belong to common folk who rose up in revolt and ended the Yun dynasty.

Y3: Throne Room

Portions of this audience chamber have crumbled, but hints of its former splendor remain.

Y3a: Beneath the Throne

A hidden chamber lies beneath the throne in area Y3. When the platform slides aside, four revenants emerge from the chamber and attack. These Undead, dressed like Yun Dynasty magistrates, were buried alive under the throne to ensure that they would protect the ruler's treasures even after death.

Additionally, Secretary Wei uses her crystal ball of telepathy to scry on Zhong Yin soon after this area is revealed. See "x" for details.

Y4: Receiving Hall

The wooden altar here is bare and retains no hint of its former use. A character who looks behind the tapestry or who succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check while investigating it discovers a mirror on the wall.

Y5: Bedchamber

Four wraiths, spawned from royal courtiers who died when the palace was overrun, linger in and around the ruined bed. They bide their time until more than one creature enters this area, then attack.

Y6: Underground Garden

This private garden has fallen to ruin and been buried along with the rest of the Yun dynasty palace.

S1: Jade Golem Tomb

Characters who pass through the portal appear in the center of this area. When all the characters have arrived, read the following:

Secretary Wei uses this ancient trap to dispose of those she considers a threat to the empire. She now considers the characters such threats, no matter how little they know about her plans or Dragon's Blessing.

Any investigation of the bodies in the room reveals them to be humans and dwarves, some only a few months deceased. A character who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) check determines that most of the victims were killed by giant blades.

S2: Hallway Alcoves

Secretary Wei uses this area as a storage place for valuables that might be useful in the future. A character who spends 5 minutes searching the alcoves finds numerous files detailing years-old court proceedings and one of the following objects at random:

• An empty carrying case with a dozen compartments. A tag reads "Potion of Longevity × 12."
• A wind fan painted with an image of flat-bottomed ships. A tag identifies it as a gift for one of the emperor's children.
• Three fragile porcelain vases worth 800 gp each. A receipt identifies them as gifts for the emperor.

S3: Documents Alcove

This alcove has shelves cut out of the sandstone, each one stacked high with scrolls. Characters who search the shelves and succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check find a series of scrolls with orders from Secretary Wei and reports back from her agents. These documents capture the following information:

• Secretary Wei believes the emperor is dying.
• She has secretly been sending agents to ancient imperial sites across the land to search for something called Dragon's Blessing (the document doesn't note what this is).
• Finding Dragon's Blessing will save the emperor.
• Maintaining secrecy is of the utmost importance, lest the imperial court be thrown into chaos.

Any resident of Yongjing or a character who succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (History) check knows that the nation's rulers use magic to give themselves long life and ensure the stability of the land. If the imperial line has lost the ability to do this, upheaval is sure to follow.

S4: Dragon Grotto

As the characters approach this area, they hear the ragged breathing of a large creature.

Imperial alchemists work in secret here, trying to recreate the lost secrets of Dragon's Blessing. Passages lead to the west and northeast.

S5: Exit Tunnel

A cobweb-filled passageway leads out and up from the grotto, quickly becoming a steep slope with metal rungs bolted to the sandstone walls. The passageway ends in an iron grate that requires a successful DC 12 Strength check to push open. If Tulao escaped using this route, he has already slipped through the grate and out of the crawlspace beyond by the time the characters arrive.

Presenting Evidence

The emperor listens patiently to the characters' story. He believes their tale if they can support it with any three of the following pieces of evidence:

• The documents to and from Secretary Wei found in x
• The confession of one of the alchemists from x
• The potions of longevity the characters found in the Old City
• A gold dragon scale from area S4

Zhong Yin's confession also counts as a piece of evidence, but the spy is reluctant to betray the Grand Secretary. A character who succeeds on a DC 18 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check can compel Zhong Yin to fully confess.

Additionally, a character who succeeds on a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check can convince the emperor to believe them even if they present only two pieces of evidence.

The emperor will not allow the characters to reenter the Old City to search for additional evidence.

The Emperor Is Not Convinced

If the characters aren't able to convince the emperor of the truth of their story through presenting evidence, he asks Secretary Wei what she has to say about the situation. The secretary flatly denies the accusation, claiming that Zhong Yin and the characters were sent on a scholarly investigation into the Old City, but stole relics from the site and eluded her attempts to capture and punish them.

The emperor accepts her answer as the truth of the matter. Unless the characters come up with a compelling way to convince the emperor that Secretary Wei is lying, he gives them and Zhong Yin one hour to exile themselves from the city before his guards compel them to do so. Continue with "x" below.

The Emperor Is Convinced

If the emperor believes the characters' story, he finds the evidence against Secretary Wei irrefutable. Nevertheless, in her defense, the secretary shares the information from the "x" section at the start of the adventure, claiming that she sought to protect not only the emperor but the stability of the empire. She'll go on to calmly answer any questions the characters have, revealing any details from the "x" section. She clearly believes what she says and considers her actions to be in the best interests of the empire.

After Secretary Wei has spoken on her own behalf, the emperor dismisses the characters and those with them, but he tells the secretary to stay for a private audience. This session ends with the Grand Secretary being taken into custody by the imperial guard.

Hall of Divine Wisdom

Each morning, the Gate of Ascendance is thrown open, and petitioners seeking the ear of the emperor crowd onto the plaza in front of the palace known as the Hall of Divine Wisdom. Ministers interview each petitioner—and swiftly reject requests too trivial to warrant the emperor's involvement. The plaza is also a prime location for pickpockets and spies. Most days, wealthy petitioners are turned away and must seek other means to solve their problems.

Inner Butterfly Court

The north side of the city is taken up by the palaces of the royal court, which make up their own district—the Inner Butterfly Court. Only the emperor's family and their attendants are permitted in this area, and most residents rarely leave the district except for opera performances and holiday festivals.

Spousal palaces line the east and west sides of the Inner Butterfly Court, each building the residence of a royal spouse and their children. Two larger central palaces are occupied by the emperor, who resides in the Palace of Heavenly Command and reserves the Palace of Favored Unity for visits with his expansive family.

Kiln District

The southwest part of Yongjing houses hundreds of earthen kilns, where the famed white-and-blue porcelain of Great Xing is painted and fired. Potters work in assembly lines to meet a quota of hundreds of pieces a day, with twenty percent of those pieces going to the emperor. Xing porcelain fetches exorbitant prices in foreign markets, so armed guards accompany every shipment that leaves the city. At the Office of Authenticity, imperial artificers apply intricate identifying marks to each piece. Despite this, counterfeiting is a constant problem.

The Old City

Over the centuries, the rulers of Yongjing have expanded and updated the city, building on top of existing architecture. As a result, many structures conceal forgotten chambers, hidden passages, dusty traps, and ancient artifacts beneath their floors. Expeditions into the subterranean Old City are common, whether staged officially on behalf of the emperor or undertaken in secret by criminals and treasure hunters.

Chasing Longevity

The importance of a long life is drilled into children from an early age. The folk of the empire and Yongjing proudly consider their society a meritocracy, where anyone can work hard and rise above their current station—provided they live long enough. Therefore, citizens maintain healthy lifestyles, drink medicinal teas, and carry symbols of longevity such as long-lived animals or plants.

Court Intrigue and Succession

In the imperial court, tradition dictates that the social standing of each member of the emperor's family is determined by the preferences of the emperor. If the emperor publicly favors one spouse over another, the pecking order is reset accordingly, and everyone must quickly adjust their behavior to recognize this new hierarchy.

At no time is an emperor's favor in greater question than when they die. Rarely do Yongjing's long-lived rulers have to consider the prospect of death, and they put even less consideration into designating a particular heir from among their shorter-lived family members. When an emperor dies unexpectedly, a period of squabbling follows, as imperial family members, secret offspring, and pretenders produce evidence of being the past emperor's favorite. These squabbles ultimately devolve into secret wars, as the Inner Butterfly Court becomes beset by intrigue, assassinations, and disappearances until a single heir claims and holds the throne for a year's time. Only then is that individual universally accepted as the new emperor.

Delicious Bounty

A typical meal in Yongjing might include sweet or savory buns, salty pork, and stir-fried dandelion leaves. Wintertime stews are flavored with bone marrow and laden with sliced lotus root, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. In summer, Yongjing's courtyard gardens are filled to bursting with oranges, lychees, plums, and peaches.

Fashion and Society

Clothing in Yongjing favors loose and flowing styles—and the wealthier the wearer, the more elaborate the embroidery. Ministers are identifiable by their black winged caps, while members of the royal family wear elaborate headdresses.

The households of city residents are built around the clan, made up of several generations of family members and multiple spouses of any gender, typically joined through arranged marriages. A clear hierarchy within each of these complex familial structures helps to facilitate social harmony. Members of a clan keep close eyes on one another, because the deeds of an individual affect the social standing of the clan as a whole.

Grand Dynasty

Yongjing is the governmental center of the flourishing Xing dynasty. At the top sits the White Jade Emperor, the third since the rise of the Xing dynasty. Like nearly all the previous monarchs, the emperor is a dwarf, with a life span long enough to have experienced the cyclical nature of history firsthand—a trait considered necessary to rule.

Imperial Service

Most of Yongjing's bureaucrats are humans. A Grand Secretary appointed by the emperor leads the Octadic Council, a group made up of the leaders of the city's eight Ministries: Agriculture, Arcana, Bureaucracy, Culture, Diplomacy, Finance, Imperial Lineage, and Public Works. A position in one of the bustling ministry offices is the most prestigious employment in Great Xing, promising lifelong access to luxury and elevated status for an entire family. Children from all backgrounds study for the annual Imperial Exams, hoping to score high enough to be selected to fill a vacancy. Those who show aptitude for more clandestine work might be selected to join the ranks of the Imperial Ghosts, versatile soldiers who serve as spies for the empire.

Names

Names in Great Xing are ungendered and place an individual's family name before their personal name. Personal names are formed of two words; the first is usually determined by birth order, social status, or rank, and the second is an aspirational or lucky name representing the parents' hopes for their child. The following names are common in Xing:

• Family Names. Jia, Ke, Li, Song, Sun, Tai, Tian, Xing (royal family only)
• Status. Bo (firstborn), Meng (firstborn), Xia (second-born), Zhong (second-born), Shu (third-born), Ji (fourth-born or more), Jun (noble), Si (heir), Wen (scholar)
• Aspirational. Jie (heroic), Mei (charming), Ming (bright), Qian (rising), Tong (leader), Yi (virtuous), Zi (gentle)

Yongjing Adventures