Creatures Volume 4: Draconis, A Cozy Dragon Bestiary for 5E

🇫🇷 This project is available in English. If you're looking for the French version, head over to Ulule!

Thanks to your support, we can make this project even more magical!

Our stretch goals are designed to reward backers from the 65€ Creatures Collector Edition tier and up with free upgrades and extra content (goal with the 🎁 icon), while also enhancing the Deluxe Collector Box included in the 115€ Creatures Deluxe Edition (goal with the 💎 icon).

📚 Welcome to Hidden Wonders, the fourth book in the Creatures collection! This new volume continues in the spirit of the previous one, with more wonderful dragons, enchanting encounters, and feel-good atmosphere.

💗 Set in the world of Draconis, this bestiary invites you to discover a new collection of peaceful and extraordinary dragons, each designed to inspire stories built around wonder, discovery, and positive encounters rather than combat.

🏆 Draconis was recently honoured with a Judges’ Spotlight Award at the ENNIES, celebrating its unique approach to 5E and its gentle, optimistic fantasy universe.

🌟 Whether you already own the previous Creatures books, are exploring Draconis for the first time, or simply want to bring more wonder and feel-good adventures to your campaign, this book can be enjoyed entirely on its own.

⚙️ Fully compatible with both the 2014 and 2024 versions of 5E, Creatures: Draconis can easily be used in the Draconis setting or adapted to any homebrew or published fantasy world.

📖 Contents of Creatures: Hidden Wonders

Sometimes, the most memorable stories begin when no one draws a sword. In Creatures: Hidden Wonders, dragons are not simply obstacles on the road, but beings with their own stories. Meeting one can change a journey and become the beginning of an entirely new tale.

The book is divided into four main sections, not based on power levels, but on their narrative function in your campaign.

Unassuming Marvels

Dragons are not always gigantic or awe-inspiring. Some hide in plain sight, blending into their surroundings and passing almost unnoticed. You simply need to know where to look. This chapter focuses on the dragons that live alongside us every day, and whose true nature is revealed only to those who take the time to observe them.

Rare Pearls

Some dragons are encountered only once in a lifetime. Their appearance, powers, or history make them truly exceptional beings. This chapter takes you to meet some of the rarest dragons in Dréankë, whose power can change the course of an adventure.

Gems of the Eternal Ice

At the far reaches of Dréankë, the cold reigns supreme. Frozen marshes, snow-covered expanses, and windswept peaks are nevertheless home to astonishing forms of life. This chapter presents the dragons that have adapted to these lands, where only the hardiest can survive.

Jewels of the Lands of Fire

Life also thrives where the earth burns. Deep within volcanoes, across sun-scorched deserts, and in sweltering jungles live dragons shaped by heat. This chapter introduces dragons perfectly adapted to these hostile environments.

☀️ What is a peaceful version of D&D?

We've reimagined the 5E system to align with a poetic spirit, crafting a playstyle focused on discovery, empathy, and nonviolence.

The rules are designed to support a wide variety of tones and situations, remaining flexible enough to embrace the unique challenges of a world shaped by kindness and wonder.

Violence, while possible, carries real moral and social consequences for the characters. These repercussions are deeply woven into both the mechanics and the narrative structure of the book and its adventures.

GAME DESIGN OF A PEACEFUL RPG

These narrative-focused mechanics allow players to resolve pivotal story moments without needing to harm — or even fight — antagonists. Instead of relying on combat, the system encourages creative, empathetic problem-solving through four core concepts:

• 🎯 Objective – What are the heroes trying to accomplish or obtain?
• 📝 Motivation – Why is the opposition standing in their way?
• 🔒 Dramatic Lock – What elements of the situation can the characters influence?
• 🔑 Dramatic Key – How can they act to overcome the challenge?

Example: The adventurers want to convince a Meline to follow them (Objective). To succeed, they must understand what drives it: the Meline is a glutton motivated by hunger (Motivation). Thankfully, the party comes from a countryside village where Ivy Melines are common, and the leader shares key information: they adore food, have a sweet tooth for specific fruits, and respond kindly to those who feed them (Dramatic Locks). The leader might also call for an Intelligence (Nature) check to see what the adventurers already know. Once these Locks are identified, all that’s left is to prepare the right meal and offer it with care, thus turning the solution (Dramatic Keys) into a heartwarming moment of connection… and gaining a dragon companion!

🗃️ The new Creatures Box

With this third Creature Box, we wanted to give Game Masters and players a physical way to follow each encounter, its changing moods and the relationships that develop around the table. More than a collection of pawns, the Draconis: Creature Box is designed to make peaceful encounters more tangible and to bring a little more magic to your gaming table. ✨

The encounter boards help bring all of this to life at the table. They allow the group to track the different elements that shape a meeting with a dragon:

• 8 spaces for Dramatic Keys: As the characters investigate, interact, and make discoveries, these keys help them understand the situation and find a way to resolve the dragon’s problem.
• A space for Sparkles and Tears: These special essences may initially be hidden from the players. Discovering them can reveal valuable clues and open new paths through the encounter.
• The group’s perception of the dragon: This shared gauge reflects how the characters currently see the creature and provides a simple prompt for roleplaying their reactions.
• The dragon’s attitude:  The dragon’s feelings can evolve throughout the encounter and directly shape how the scene unfolds.

Creature Box: Hidden Wonders is available in the All-In pledge, in the Book & Creatures Box (85€) and Draconis Complete Collection (350€) and above, as well as an add-on (29€).

📘 About the books and covers

There are four available covers for Creatures: Hidden Wonders. Aside from the cover, all editions contain the exact same content. The 65€ reward tier and up allows you to choose between the 2 collector covers.

📕 Collector alternate covers, exclusive to this Kickstarter!

The Red Dragon and Chane Editions may be available at conventions or select special events, but it will not be sold in retail stores.

📘 Retail alternate covers

💎 Rewards Summary

🐉 Add-ons

This crowdfunding campaign is also the perfect opportunity to complete your Creatures collection with items from our previous campaigns! Alongside your chosen reward tier, you can add books, oversized dragon card decks, and other accessories to your pledge.

Here’s a list of the available add-ons, each described in more detail below:

• Deck of Oversize Dragon Cards (30€ each)
• Creatures Boxes (29€ each)
• Creatures Books (45€ each)
• Draconis: The Feel-Good RPG (45€)

🃏 Deck of Oversize Dragon Cards

Bring your dragons to life at the gaming table with these stunning oversized cards! Featuring gorgeous dragon illustrations in a giant format, these decks are the perfect way to introduce unforgettable creatures to your players. Reveal each dragon in all its glory, let your players admire the artwork, and make every encounter feel truly special!

Two decks are available:

• Creatures: Hidden Wonders – The brand-new deck featuring dragons from our latest bestiary!
• Creatures: Draconis – The original deck featuring dragons from Creatures: Draconis

Both decks share the same format and are fully compatible, so you can combine them into one magnificent collection of dragons!

• 100 illustrated cards showcasing the dragons from Creatures: Hidden Wonders.
• All stat blocks on the reverse, keeping essential information within easy reach.
• An impressive 120 × 210 mm size, matching the earlier set and giving each dragon’s portrait room to shine.
• Introduce each new encounter at a glance: share the artwork with your players while keeping the rules on your side of the screen.
• Bonus compatibility: the exclusive Early Bird card can be added directly to this deck. And if you backed the first Draconis campaign, your two collector’s cards in the same format can also be seamlessly integrated.

🃏Draconis : Deck of 107 Oversize Dragon Cards

• 107 illustrated dragon cards featuring stunning artwork.
• Complete stat blocks on the back of each card for quick reference during play.
• Large format (120 × 210 mm), about the size of a paperback book, much bigger than standard poker or tarot cards, perfect for showing off at the table.
• GM-friendly tool: easily reveal to players the dragons they encounter without flipping through the rulebook.

🗃️ Creatures Boxes

Bring your encounters to life with the Creatures Boxes from the Creatures Collection. Each box contains a set of beautifully illustrated standees representing a variety of creatures, ready to hit the table. Easy to use and highly visual, these standees let you showcase every monster, beast, or dragon in full view.

Three boxes are available (30€ each) :

Hidden Wonders Creatures Box

• Continue your journey: the same roleplaying tools as the previous Creatures Boxes, adapted to the new book’s dragons and environments.
• Bring every dragon to your table: 70+ dragon pawns featuring every creature from the book, with plastic bases included.
• Explore new surroundings: narrative encounter boards adapted to the new environments, with space to track Dramatic Keys, attitudes, perceptions, Sparkles, and Tears.
• Turn encounters into stories: tools designed for peaceful play, where understanding a dragon can be more rewarding than drawing your sword.

Draconis Creatures Box

• 70+ dragon pawns featuring every creature from the book, with plastic bases included.
• Narrative encounter boards designed to track Dramatic Keys, attitudes, perceptions, Sparkles, and Tears.
• Made for peaceful play: a unique roleplaying tool to bring non-violent, story-driven dragon encounters to life at the table.

Fateforge Creatures Box

• Over 200 pawns featuring every creature from Creatures Vol. 1, ready for epic encounters.
• Scaled to size: each pawn matches the true proportions of the monster it represents, from tiny foes to towering behemoths.
• Easy to use: sturdy cardboard standees slot into the included plastic bases, instantly ready for your battlemaps.

🐉 Creatures Book Collection

Draconis: Creatures is also part of the Creaturescollection, a bestiary and storytelling toolkit designed for all 5E Game Masters. If you're new to the collection, the full Creatures bundle, including all three books, is available in the 🐲 Creatures Book Collection reward tier, or as an add-on.

The Creatures collection is a series of bestiaries designed for 5E, offering everything you need to bring monsters and magical beings to life at your table. These books are more than just monster manuals: they’re tools for storytelling, filled with inspiration to make every encounter meaningful.

Each volume features fully detailed stat blocks alongside rich lore and narrative hooks, helping you seamlessly integrate these creatures into your worlds, whether you're building a brand-new setting or expanding an existing one.

The Creatures collection is fully included in the 150€ reward tier, and each item is also available individually as an add-on (45€).

🌟Creatures vol.1

Creatures is a love letter to fantasy bestiaries. Its 400 pages detail more than 200 illustrated creatures using the 5th Edition ruleset of the most famous of roleplaying games. Its contents include 6 playable species, NPCs with related adventure hooks for all levels, reimagined classic creatures and brand new ones, as well as 15 archetypes, providing you with material to design new monsters for your games!

🌟 Creatures vol.2 Netherworld

Creatures: Netherworld is a 400-page bestiary and toolbox features more than 180 illustrated creatures for all levels, including 150 entirely original ones and 30 great classics with a new spin such as the Aboleth or the Chuul, 5 playable species (Drow, Duergar, Sidhe of the depths, Grimlocks, and Svirfneblins), adventure hooks, new feats and handicaps, 12 original magic items, 8 original archetypes providing you with material to design new monsters for your games, and much more! 

🌟  Creatures vol.3  Draconis

Creatures: Draconis is a unique bestiary featuring 70+ beautifully illustrated peaceful dragons, each with its own story, personality, abilities, and adventure potential. Designed for the feel-good world of Draconis and fully compatible with 5E, the book puts wonder, discovery, and roleplay at the heart of every encounter. With Dramatic Keys to help turn each dragon into a story of its own, new character options, narrative tools, and plenty of inspiration for your adventures, Creatures: Draconis offers a different way to meet fantastic creatures.

🦋 Draconis: The Feel-Good RPG

Draconis is a welcoming gateway to role-playing, designed for ages 11+ and perfect for sharing with friends and family. This bright, pacifistic fantasy celebrates friendship, discovery, and the wonder of dragons!

The book includes 5 ready-to-play starter adventures, 6 pregenerated characters, and everything you need to begin your journey, no prior experience required. Easy to learn, smooth to run, and compatible with any 5E game, it offers new classes, archetypes, and encounter options that encourage a refreshing, pacifistic playstyle.

🔍 Feedback from our backers

Creatures: Draconis is part of the Creatures Collection, packed with content for your 5E campaigns, including brand-new lore, original creatures, and hundreds of gameplay options. Check out what our backers had to say when they received their rewards!

🌟🌟🌟" Got everything today and I must say it looks absolutely top tier. This is probably some of the best production value I've seen from a 3rd party DND supplement. Can't wait to try it out in a real game." Nicolaisen B.

🌟🌟🌟" Absolutely astounded by the delivery of the Fateforge Kickstarter from Agate. The art is unbelievable and everything is just such great quality. I cannot believe how amazing all this stuff is!" Mandy H.

🌟🌟🌟" I've been gaming since 1979... so as you can imagine, I've seen and owned my share of RPG books. This is the most beautiful RPG book I've ever held in my hands." David P.

🌟🌟🌟" Studio Agate, from my experience, you have always done amazing work and these projects were no exception to that. I can't wait to back more of your projects." Sam H.

🌟🌟🌟" This is easily the best Kickstarter I ever backed. Everything was so high quality, you guys should be proud of all the hard work." Brad B.

🌟🌟🌟" I am completely blown away by the production quality in literally everything. These books are simply gorgeous! Flipping through them in person, I am completely mystified with the art and lore of Fateforge, and can't thank y'all at Studio Agate enough for making these." Captain Kazam

👭 Who are we?

Based in France, Studio Agate is an indie studio gathering a dozen creators. We have become specialized in the creation of imaginary worlds, the writing of scenarios, and transmedia. We design role-playing game books (including Shadows of Esteren, the most award-winning French RPG), music albums, and video games. We will also publish the new 3rd Edition of 7th Sea, and translate licenses of great games in France (Brancalonia, Iron Kingdoms, Vampire: the Requiem) under the Agate RPG label.

📆 Delivery Schedule

We aim to deliver all physical rewards to backers by Fall 2027. Our timeline includes approximately six months for manufacturing and shipping, with built-in buffer time. However, given the current global context, production and delivery schedules can be significantly delayed beyond our control. As such, there is a possibility that deliveries may extend into Winter 2027.

⚠️ If you're not comfortable with the risk of potential delays, we kindly recommend waiting for the public release, which will take place after all backers have received their rewards. Thank you for your understanding and support!

📦 Shipping and Customs

⚠️ Please read carefully before backing this project :)

Shipping fees and VAT are not included and will be added via the pledge manager.

This project offers friendly shipping for the US, United Kingdom and EU. If you live in one of these countries, you won’t have to pay additional customs fees or duties upon the arrival of your pledge, and you will pay much lower shipping fees.

Shipping fees will be added after the campaign, during the pledge manager phase. Below are a few shipping fee estimates for the Creatures Standard Edition Reward tier (40€). The exact amount will depend on the weight of your parcel. Unlocked stretch goals may increase shipping costs.

• USA and UK: around 14€
• Europe: around 17€
• Canada and Australia: around $28
• Rest of the world: 50€ and more

⚖️ Legal

Creatures:Draconis is published by Studio Agate under the Open Game License version 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast.

Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (setting, characters, deities, etc.), the modular system and its icons, new creatures, new rules, new magic items, dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork (including the logo), and trade dress.

Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Studio Agate product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission of Studio Agate.

Copyright: The illustrations, texts and logos are registered trademarks of Studio Agate. All contents are protected by the World Intellectual Property Organization and the laws on Intellectual Property.

Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork presented herein is prohibited without the express written consent of Studio Agate.

Do you want to localize Draconis in your country? Contact us.