Preview: DREAD CODEX: GOBLINS
Originally published at Adamant Entertainment's website. Please leave any comments there.
Jason Stoffa and Rick Hershey have been doing a lot of talk about working on our goblin book. And for those who follow Empty Room Studios on Facebook, you might be use to our random weekend posts as we tend to pull all night work-a-thons. But I’m sure by now you are interested in a bit more info on the project then just a random picture now and then. So, a bit of a teaser on the production of The Dread Codex: Goblins.The Dread Codex is the rebirth of an old Adamant Entertainment product line from the d20 days. With the relaunch of the line, we wanted to move away from multiple creature collections and focus on single creatures, especially the more mundane or common type, and expand upon the many options one can create with that creature. Our first book in the new line is The Dread Codex: Goblins.
The Dread Codex: Goblins is a full color, 96 page, creature supplement written by Jason Stoffa with art & design by Rick Hershey. The book will be released as both print & pdf through our partnerships with Adamant Entertainment and Cubicle 7. Release date in the Fall.
The Design: The Dread Codex: Goblins is a full color book filled with character portraits, detailed maps, full illustrations, and various goblin graffiti throughout. The background pages are done in parchment with decorative twine binding at the seems, giving the book a weathered and rustic look. . . like a heavily used field guide.
Space is not wasted, there are no random spots in the book not filled with an illustration, sidebar, or even funny graffiti. The body text is a standard 8.5 font, in line with Pathfinder.
The Content: The first chapter is the only part of the book you might classify as a true ecology section. We introduce the basic goblin and discuss and expand on the information most of you know. Details on relationships, clan hierarchy, pregnancy and children, dwellings, and the standard goblin as a player race.
In addition, you’ll find goblin motivations, favored classes, racial traits, and a physical description chart. (not to mention sidebars including: goblin songs, popular books about goblins, new diseases, and more.)
Chapter 2 we begin to get into the fun stuff, goblin variant races, all of which are playable and full of options. You’ll find: Aquatic Goblin, Arctic Goblin, Desert Goblin, Grim Goblin, Jungle Goblin, Magma Goblin, Stone Goblin, Urban Goblin, House Goblin, Sewer Goblin, Trash Goblin, and the Abyssal Goblin.
In Chapter 3 we present 3 new classes for the goblin. The Wolfsworn Class, the Striker class, and the Pyromancer class. We also include New Favored Class Abilities for each, Alternative Class features, and New Class Archetypes. Giving you the most versatility for the three classes as possible.
As we move into Chapter 4, we get see a collection of new feats, new spells (for the Pyromancer) and new goblin skills.
Chapter 5 is all about weapons and equipment. Here you’ll find favored weapons by race, new weapons for the standard goblin, explosives, tools, magic items and more. Each item depicted with a full color illustration.
In Chapter 6 we do all the work for a tired Game Master. You’ll find detailed NPC’s of various goblins, stat blocks for generic goblins and all the goblins presented in this book. Right and ready to drop into your game.
Chapter 7 is a bestiary, filled with goblin inspired and related creatures, including more horrific offshoots of the race, details on various mounts, and a few surprises.
The Last Chapter of the book is all for the Game Master. Chapter 8 includes a compilation of all the charts in the book, including those found in sidebars, maps of various goblin lairs, and random charts for creating goblin adventures and encounters.
Over the next few months, we’ll be previewing sections of the book and discussing the content. You can check out a preview of the art over on the Empty Room Studios site, but we’ll tease with the cover here:
