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

Art and Proofing Progress
17 days 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
about 2 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

Happy New Year! January Update.
3 months ago – Thu, Jan 08, 2026 at 12:17:52 PM

Happy New Year everyone!! We hope you had a great holiday season and are starting the year strong. We wanted to kick off January with a quick progress update and a look at what’s coming next for P.T. LaMarck’s Cryptid Codex.

BackerKit Surveys Progress

As of today, 83% of surveys have been completed. Thank you to everyone who has already filled theirs out.

If you have not received your survey email, you can access it directly through your original BackerKit invite link. If you are having trouble finding it or believe something went wrong, please email us at [email protected] and we will help get you sorted.

The sooner surveys are completed, the sooner we can lock numbers for manufacturing. That step is critical for scheduling print timelines and moving the project forward.

Add-Ons Still Open

You can still add items to your pledge right now through your BackerKit survey. This is the best time to grab anything you might have missed during the campaign.

So far, the Mothman Leather Journals and the Exclusive Lapel Pins have been the most popular add-ons. If you were on the fence about those, now is the time to include them.

Preview PDFs and What We’re Working On

We have seen a number of questions about the next preview PDF and playtest materials. Right now, our primary focus is making sure all surveys are completed and that every backer is properly supported in BackerKit.

Behind the scenes, our artists are hard at work creating new illustrations, and writing on the book is continuing steadily. Once more of the written content (including stat blocks) and art are finalized, we will move into layout. After layout is complete, we will begin playtesting.

There is still a lot of work ahead before playtesting can begin, but we fully intend to provide a meaningful runway for testing and feedback once we reach that stage. We want those materials in your hands as soon as it is realistic to do so.

Thank you again for the incredible support. We will have more art to share soon and will continue to keep you updated as we move through each stage of the process.

 - The Dice Dungeons Team

BackerKit Surveys Are Live + Timeline Update
3 months ago – Thu, Dec 18, 2025 at 09:51:42 AM

Hi everyone,

We have an exciting update for you today as we move P.T. LaMarck’s Cryptid Codex into the next phase. Thank you for your patience while we got everything lined up on our end.

BackerKit Surveys Are Live

The BackerKit pledge manager is officially live, and surveys have now been sent to all backers. You’ll use the survey to confirm your shipping address, select your rewards, and choose any add-ons for Cryptid Codex.

If you do not see the survey email yet, check the inbox connected to your Kickstarter account, along with spam or promotions folders. You can also jump straight to your survey using this link:

Survey Recovery Link: https://cryptid-codex.backerkit.com/

We did hit a snag during the BackerKit setup process that caused a short delay in getting surveys out the door. That issue is fully resolved now and everything is running smoothly. The upside is that the extra time let us finish something we are very excited about, which brings us to the next section.

New Add-Ons: Cryptid Lapel Pins

While working through the BackerKit setup, we've added two brand new lapel pins to the campaign as optional add-ons, each priced at $10.

• Bigfoot Lapel Pin
  Bigfoot is peeking out from behind a tree, keeping a low profile, and looking very cute while doing it.
• Mothman Lapel Pin
  Mothman makes an appearance in a similarly style, this time holding a d20, ready to roll.

You will find both pins available in the add-ons section of your survey.

Holiday Timeline and Manufacturing Lock

With the holidays right around the corner, we want to give everyone plenty of time and avoid rushing any decisions. Because of that, we will not be locking surveys or finalizing manufacturing until after the new year.

Our plan is to leave surveys open for at least 60 days before locking orders for production. We will send reminders as we get closer so nothing sneaks up on you.

A quick reminder about how charges work for this project. Completing your survey does not charge your card right away. Cards are only charged once manufacturing is locked, and you will receive an email 48 hours before any charge happens.

Heading into 2026

We want to sincerely thank you for backing P.T. LaMarck’s Cryptid Codex. While surveys were being prepared, we have continued working closely with our artist, completing more and more sections of the book. The project is taking shape in exciting ways, and the world of Cryptid Codex continues to grow.

Looking ahead, we expect to have playtest materials ready in the opening months of 2026. We’re excited to start sharing those and getting feedback as we refine cryptids, lairs, and encounters.

Thank you again for your support. We’ll have more to share soon.

Happy adventuring,
- The Dice Dungeons Team

Thank You for an Incredible Campaign! Next Steps & Timeline
4 months ago – Thu, Nov 20, 2025 at 07:02:46 AM

We cannot thank you enough. This has been the biggest campaign we have ever launched, and it is all because of your support, your comments, your cryptid guesses, and the wild enthusiasm you brought to this campaign!

P.T. LaMarck’s Cryptid Codex has officially wrapped with $185,385 raised from 2616 amazing backers!!

You helped turn a field journal of strange encounters into a spectacular 5e bestiary and pushed this project far beyond what we ever expected.

All Stretch Goals Unlocked

You blew through every stretch goal we had. As a result, the Codex has grown into a much larger and more content rich book than we originally planned. Your support unlocked:

• Cryptid Hunter Backgrounds
• Artifact Level Magic Items
• The American Wilds Setting Primer
• Versatile Lairs
• International Cryptids
• The Devil of the Pines High Level Adventure
• The Cryptid Quest Deck

Timeline and Next Steps

Now that the campaign has officially closed, here is what happens next.

• Surveys: In about two weeks, Kickstarter will release funds to us. Once that happens, we will send a BackerKit survey to collect your reward selections, shipping information, and any add-ons you want. These surveys will go to the email tied to your Kickstarter account.
• Upgrades and Add-ons: While surveys are open, you can upgrade your pledge or add any additional items you want, including the journals, printed modules, dice, and more.
• Address Updates: Addresses can be updated anytime until fulfillment begins. You will be able to adjust this through your BackerKit survey link.
• Shipping: All rewards will ship together at the end of production. As we move through development, editing, layout, and printing, we will continue to keep you updated on the progress (both here and on our discord).
• Pre-Order Store: When surveys are sent, we’ll also open our pre-order store. Friends who missed the campaign can still join, although preorder shipments will go out after all backer copies.

What’s Next for Playtesting?

We will open up more previews, surveys, and early looks after the pledge manager goes live. We want the community to help shape the Codex as it continues through development. More details will come in a dedicated update soon.

Come Hang Out on Discord! 

If you want to chat with us and stay up to date on this project, playtesting, and many other things that we have in the works, Join Our Discord!

Projects to Follow

We want to highlight another awesome project currently on Kickstarter.

We want to give a quick shoutout to our friends over at Loke Battlemaps. They just launched The Dungeon Reignited, a modular dry erase map system built from two Book of Battle Mats that combine in all kinds of wild ways. If you want instant dungeons without needing to draw anything, this is definitely worth a look.

Thank You Again!!!

This community has been incredible through the entire campaign. The enthusiasm for cryptids, the discussions in the comments, the state by state guessing game, the recommendations, the excitement for the art reveals, everything. You helped make this book something truly special.

We cannot wait to bring this monster filled journal to your tables. More updates coming soon as we begin the production cycle!

Thank you for joining the hunt!

• Jarrett, John and The Dice Dungeons Team