P.T. Lamark’s Cryptid Codex: A Bestiary for 5e

August Update! Test Prints and Adventures Coming This Month
8 days ago – Mon, Aug 10, 2026 at 08:46:34 AM

Hi everyone! It’s been a couple of months since we sent out the first complete draft of P.T. Lamark’s Cryptid Codex, so we wanted to give you an update on where things stand and what we’re working on next.

Playtesting and Feedback

First, thank you to everyone who took the time to read through the playtest, run monsters at your table, and send us feedback. Both on email and by discord.

Over the past two months, we’ve been doing a lot of additional playtesting in-house while reviewing and working through the feedback we received from all of you. That has given us a chance to revisit monster balance, rules language, layout, and the smaller details throughout the book as we continue refining the final version.

This part of the process takes time, but it’s also one of the most important steps in getting the Codex ready for print.

Our First Test Print Is Next

We’re now working with our printer on the first physical test print of the Cryptid Codex. That test gives us a chance to see the book as an actual printed product and check things that can’t be fully evaluated on a screen, including color reproduction, font proofing, print quality and other production variables.

Once we have the test copy in hand, we’ll be able to review it, make any necessary adjustments, and continue moving toward the full print run and fulfillment.

Digital Adventures Coming in August

We’ve also been working on the two adventures included with the campaign. Both adventures have been written and are being tested internally. We’re excited about where they’re headed, but they still need a tiny bit more polish and layout work before we’re ready to put them in your hands.

You can expect both digital adventures by the end of August! We’ll send another update when they’re ready so you know where to find them in BackerKit.

Getting Closer

There’s still work ahead, but we’ve made a lot of progress since the open playtest release. We’re excited to see the Codex getting closer and closer to becoming a finished book, and we’ll keep you updated as we move through these next production steps.

Thank you again for all of your feedback and for helping us make P.T. LaMarck’s Cryptid Codex the best book it can be!!!

 - The Dice Dungeons Team

The First Draft of the Book is Here: Download and Give Us Your Feedback!
2 months ago – Thu, Jun 11, 2026 at 11:27:17 AM

Hi Everyone! 

The Playtest Is Here!

We are excited to announce the complete, laid out book has been sent to you for playtesting! We know you have been waiting patiently for this, and we're thrilled to give you this exclusive first look at the codex!

The draft book is being delivered to you through Backerkit as a PDF. You should receive an email today, or you can log into your Backerkit account to find the digital downloads. 

You can log in here: 
 

Although this is the complete book, these are playtest materials. None of this is the final version and we want your feedback! The best place to give us feedback is on our Discord, but we will also send out a review form in the next couple of weeks if you prefer to email your thoughts. 

You can offer feedback on everything from creature balance, to clarity, to punctuation and grammar: whatever you see feel free to report back. We will be taking feedback for the next 30 days, and will collate all the feedback and update the manuscript after that. We also want to say thank you in advance, as your feedback helps us make this book as good as possible. 

We are so excited to have gotten P.T. Lamark’s Cryptid Codex to this point, and can't wait to send it to print and get it physically into your hands! 

-Jarrett and John 

The Dice Dungeons Team

Layout Has Begun! VTT Tokens Are Going Out Today.
4 months ago – Thu, Apr 16, 2026 at 01:02:56 PM

Hey everyone,

It’s time for our April update on P.T. Lamark’s Cryptid Codex, and we’re happy to share that the project has now moved into its next major phase!!

Final Art and In-House Review Complete

We have now completed all the base art for the book, including monster illustrations, magic items, and the other visual pieces needed to bring the codex together. We have also been chatting with our guest designers and nailing down a few final pieces from them as everything came together.

At the same time, we reached the end of our final in-house review for the lore and stat blocks. This pass focused on making sure the creatures read well, feel distinct, and land where they should mechanically.

With both the art and in-house review now complete, the project is ready for the next stage.

Handed Off to Layout

At this point, we have officially handed the project off to our layout artist. She will now begin the process of taking all of these finished pieces and assembling them into the final pages of the book.

This stage does take a bit of time. There are a lot of moving parts, and we want to give the layout process room to come together properly before we start showing off too much. As we mentioned in our last update, our goal is to let the pages take shape in a way that reflects the actual final book, rather than sharing pages that would still need major revision.

VTT Tokens Going Out Today

Now that the final art pass is complete, we’re also sending out the VTT Tokens.

If you backed at a level that included VTT tokens, or grabbed them as an add-on, you should receive a email from Backerkit today with a download link for those digital rewards. You can also log into your Backerkit account directly to find the link. 

Next Steps

This was a major month for the project. Finishing the art, wrapping our final in-house review, and moving the book into layout are all important steps forward.

The next major milestone after layout is playtesting. Once layout reaches the right point, everyone who backed at a level that includes the physical or digital book will receive batched groups of monsters to review and try at the table. Shortly after that, we’ll also send out feedback forms so you can share your thoughts with us.

We’ll have more to say about how that process will work once we get a little closer. For now, the focus is on letting the layout take shape.

Thank you again for all of the support and excitement. We’re excited to keep things moving and will have more to share once layout progresses.

• The Dice Dungeons Team

Art and Proofing Progress
5 months ago – Mon, Mar 16, 2026 at 10:44:47 AM

Hey everyone,

It has been some time since our last update, so we wanted to check in and share where things currently stand with P.T. Lamark’s Cryptid Codex.

Art Finalization

Artwork for the book is now in its final stages. Over the past several weeks we have been wrapping up the remaining pieces and making final adjustments so everything lines up properly with the creature entries, including the extra unlocked magic items.

At this point the vast majority of illustrations are complete, with only the last few pieces getting final touches. Getting the visual identity of these cryptids right has been a very fun journey, and seeing the full roster come together has been fantastic.

Stat Blocks and Design

On the design side, stat blocks have now moved into their final balance pass before open playtesting. This stage focuses on making sure creatures land where they should in terms of challenge rating, abilities, and usability.

Final Proofing Pass

That all means the book itself has now entered its final proofing pass. This is the stage where we go through the full book line by line to tighten language, check formatting consistency, and make sure everything reads clearly for GMs at the table.

Once this pass is complete, the project will move into layout! Where all of the art, stat blocks, and text are assembled into polished pages.

What Comes Next?

With proofing underway, layout is the next major milestone. Once pages begin coming together we will be able to share preview spreads and show off how the codex is shaping up.

We have seen several people ask about preview pages, and we completely understand the excitement. We are eager to show them off too. Right now the book is still in the proofing stage. If we started laying out pages before that step is finished, those pages would likely need to be rebuilt several times as text and mechanics are refined. We know from experience, that slows down layout and creates bottlenecks later in the process.

Our goal is to keep layout changes to a minimum so the layout artist can work efficiently and so playtesting can run longer before the final version is locked in. Once the text and stat blocks are fully locked and layout begins, we will start sharing preview spreads. At that point the pages will represent the actual book rather than a draft version.

As always, thank you all for the support and enthusiasm for the project. We’re excited to keep pushing forward and will have more to share as soon as layout begins.

• The Dice Dungeons Team

Survey Progress Update & Order Lock Coming This Week
6 months ago – Mon, Feb 09, 2026 at 09:02:28 AM

Hey everyone,

We’re making great progress on P.T. Lamark’s Cryptid Codex, and we wanted to share a quick but important update as we move into the next phase.

Survey Status

As of today, nearly 90% of surveys have been completed. Huge thanks to everyone who has already filled theirs out. If you’re one of the remaining folks who hasn’t yet, now is the time. We need that information to make sure your order is correct and accounted for. Please complete your BackerKit survey as soon as possible if you haven’t already.

Order Lock This Week

Shortly after the order lock, cards will be charged for shipping costs and any add-ons purchased through BackerKit. You’ll receive notice before this happens, but please make sure your payment information is up to date. If you’ve been thinking about grabbing anything extra, now is the moment. Our cryptid pins have been especially popular, and this is your last chance to add items before we lock everything down.

Art Is Nearly Complete

We’re also very close to finalizing all of the artwork for the codex. At this stage, the vast majority of creatures are illustrated, with only a small handful of pieces finishing up polish and final passes. Here’s a preview of three entries coming together right now: The Ogopogo, from our international unlocks. Alongside it is the Teratorn, a colossal skyborne predator. And the Frontier Vampire, drawn from early borderland legends.

Seeing these illustrations land has been incredibly rewarding! With the art nearly locked, we’re pushing closer and closer to having early playtesting material available. As layouts get underway, we’ll be able to start pulling together preview spreads and test content for the table. We’ll have more to share on that front soon once the layout phase officially begins.

Once again, thank you all for the incredible support and enthusiasm for this project. We’re excited to keep things moving.

More updates soon!
– The Dice Dungeons Team