The Codex of Erde is the long-awaited full-fledged fantasy world by Troll Lord Games!
The Codex of Erde
By Davis Chenault and Mac Golden
With an adventure by Gary Gygax
Cover art by Doug Kovacs
$34.95 255-page hardcover sourcebook
ISBN: 1-931275-05-X
Introduction: A long, long time ago (back in 2000) I first discovered Troll Lord Games and the campaign world they set their adventures in called the After Winter Dark campaign setting, which was a simple 24-page booklet giving a very general overview of the world. It was a combination of the setting, the adventures, and the artwork that drew me to it and originally grabbed me. For long-time readers of this site, my personal feeling of Erde and the inhabitants are of a darker, gritty fantasy thanks to the flavorful artwork. Their d20 adventures in the interim have been critically acclaimed and been used in campaigns everywhere. It’s with great anticipation I finally got to delve into this monster of a book. I was told the release was pushed back so they could make it complete as possible, cramming all the detail in so no further supplements would be necessary. It certainly was worth the wait.
Review: The Codex of Erde is a 255-page hardcover campaign setting for the d20 system. The cover art depicts a huge, ancient wyrm battling a red-robed armored knight. The book is wrapped in thin shrink-wrap to protect it during shipping. The borders are very thin with a torn paper box icon around the pages. The text density is tight and the size nice and small, so you’re surely getting loads of content. The interior artwork is the type I’ve expected from Troll Lord, fantasy-flavored goodness with an old-world feel and, despite various artists, a similar appearance. The interior is all black & white, with artwork, heraldry, symbols, and maps. Editing and layout & design are good, a few mishaps do creep in here or there, I suppose expected in a project of this size, but they are small and don’t distract from the value of the tome.
The History of the World is first, and it takes you though the ages of the world and its evolution. Deciding to be complete, I started from page one and worked my way through it...and what a read it was. It’s written in a style reminiscent of ancient prophecies: "In the beginning, the Void existed without shape or form, and the All Father moved across the face of the Void, pondering the great emptiness" almost as if there was a chronicler there to witness the whole ordeal. It’s in this style that we read about the almost 15,000 year history of the world of Erde and it’s people. The creation mythology is detailed within the story, meshing real-world myth with new ideas bent towards a fantasy feel. While the world itself can be described as a ‘quintessential’ D&D campaign, this part stands out.
Because while there are dozens of campaign worlds out there with a bunch of ‘typical’ fantasy trappings, very few explain their entire role throughout history, their origins, and mark on the world. Too many others go for a quick fix to make them interesting: hobgoblins rule the seas, or all elves live in the clouds. Erde gives us the tales behind the scenes for these trappings that breathes life into an old tale.
It is fascinating to read some of the ways in which it distinguishes itself, too. In the beginning the world was flat! The All-Father created Erde out of the maelstrom and the great Dragon Inzae created another world underneath it. How did they do this? With the Language of Creation, of course. The All-Father knew it first, and slowly taught it to Inzae to shape her world. As we’re talking about the beginning of time here, some basic concepts need explaining, for example first there were only three gods, one for each basic ideal: good, evil, and neutrality. It’s from these folks that all conflict and change started rolling.
The Dwarves and Dragons were the first races on Erde. To further answer the eternal questions asked by novices everywhere: WHY do dwarves work so hard to produce such things of beauty? WHY do elves hide away in the glades of the world? You can trace each of these questions back to their creation or history and in doing so help you get a greater feel (and respect) for your chosen character’s race.
The next 50 pages of high-density text was almost like reading an engaging novel, because thanks to their adventures (and the 24 page intro to Erde published almost two years ago) I knew there was something big on the horizon: The coming of Unklar, the horned god, and his thousand-year reign of lawful evil control of the world. This devil-god called forth the maelstrom to cover Erde in perpetual clouds, blocking the sun! Gaining allies amongst the goblinkin and greedy men, he moved his way across the lands like a plague conquering all. At the height of his power, he sat atop his throne at Aufstrag, created his fiendish generals the Mogrl, and bent the world. Yes it’s he who took the world and made it round (what happened to that world underneath? Heh heh heh.)
As mentioned earlier the creation mythology and ancient history of Erde is incredibly detailed yet painted with broad strokes in all the right places. In this vein it’s not meant to restrict a DM with what actually happened at every moment, but to give an overview: there are plenty of gaps, conjecture and mysteries built in that sets a DM’s mind spinning with thoughts and you soon learn that you’re building and adding to the myth as easily as you turn the pages. What this boils down to is it’s not a bully telling you what’s what, but a partner in crime helping you devise a channeling fantasy setting for the players. The history is also good for the players too.
You see, while the gods played with Erde when it was new, as time marched on eventually came the age of heroes. This is where we read about the exploits of the greatest heroes of the world from ancient times all the way up through the current day. These iconic characters become the backbone of the Erde story skeleton by triumphing, failing and changing the world through awesome deeds and amazing exploits, not just abusing godly power. In other words, these are characters whom your players can look up to, join organizations built around their teachings and strive to model in their own adventures. Conveniently these characters are not running around involving themselves this day, many have actually ascended to a minor level of godhood themselves, leaving the PC’s to care for Erde.
Oh, so how did Unklar finally get defeated? What great wars changed the lives of nations? Which races are at odds with others to this day? What ever happened to Inzae and the All-Father? These and nearly a hundred other threads of the Erde tapestry are woven throughout this first chapter, and I can’t even remotely do them justice in a simple review.
Next comes Of Gods and the Cosmos, which gives us a look at the calendar and deities of Erde. First we gets months and holidays as well as frank answers to many of the question that were built in the creation myths: what the maelstrom is, what happened to the world of Inzae, how the planes are arranged including the mysterious dreaming sea, and the solar system and cosmology the campaign is set in. Next comes the gods of the world, divided up into Eternals, Spirits and Immortals, and further defined by Supreme, Greater, Lesser, Minor, and Heroes/Villains. This not only provides a hierarchy for the gods, but shows their relation to one another, the idea of the number of worshippers they each command, the domains they control and so on. Each god is then listed, in detail with a symbol, but still leaving enough to the DM to add their deities or treat the given gods in their own way.
The Kingdoms of Erde is the largest chapter by far and details, individually, each and every land the setting. While it would be insane to detail all the lands, what I will give you is the next best thing: how they are presented.
Each Kingdom/Province/Empire is given a one, two, three or four page spread (most get two). In each are answers to the following: The land, its peoples and its ruler, the manner in how it came to be, how it is today, and details on some of the unusual features about the land. Each one also gets an EC rating, an economy rating from 1 to 5 giving guidelines as to the monetary strength and power of the land and those that work it. While details are given in an appendix as to how to flesh out these ratings, what they don’t give you are exact population records, just one of the features built in to let the DM flesh it our to suit their own campaign.
It’s important to note here then the flavor of the campaign and my own interpretations. I’ve said plenty of times that I enjoyed the gritty old-world style of the art and the adventures, but the campaign is surprisingly open for all types of play. While magic is wondrous, I wouldn’t call it rare. The setting itself can be as gritty or hope-filled as a DM wishes, after all the world just got out of a thousand-year winter, and while the good is good, the evil is very, very terrible.
Next comes Notes on Geographies, which breaks down all the natural features like mountains, seas and swamps. Each compass section is given it’s own sub-chapter in here with a grayscale map of the region and all the rivers, forests, mountains and natural features given life. As opposed to the simple, pitiful (and boring) answers to natural features of other campaigns, each section has a distinct flavor and history of its own making them stand out all while laying the groundwork for that all-important DM question "what can I put here?" I found this a refreshing treatment of the campaign.
Is there a color map? Alas, no. The designers felt a map attached to the book would more than not lead to a damaged product and so they sell the big, poster fold-out map separately. I got my copy of this two years ago when I first found the Erde campaign, and from my own opinion it’s worth it. The colors are very good, the hand-drawn aspect gives it a natural look and yet the details are in there so it’s not sloppy and follows a uniform design. Areas are clearly labeled and towns and borders and features can be picked out at a glance. It’s a very nice map.
Search for a Lost City is the introductory adventure by Gary Gygax, a prequel to the lost city of Gaxmoor by Ernie & Luke Gygax that’s on the way. It’s touted for a group of 4 to 8 PC’s with no more than 8 combined experience levels. In short it’s a prelude adventure, and within the first two paragraphs I realized I really missed Gary’s writing and adventure treatment, it’s good to see him back! The characters are tasked with discovering the secrets of a city that has recently appeared from nowhere in the wilderness! While the text size takes a jump up, the written detail setting the scenes is very stylish and enjoyable. The party in their quest for this new city comes across a solitary farmstead and gets wrapped up in the danger that threatens it. Interior and Exterior cartography is plentiful and excellent. Challenges and mood are very good as is pace and options. The only issue is it’s too short; it’s a very good short adventure.
Next is a section called The Players Handbook to Erde. This is an good way to treat the users of a campaign setting; it’s like a gazetteer for the players to read to get into playing their Erde characters. Notes about how each typical race fits into the world is given with background, religion, languages, adventurers, names, traits and skills (including alteration to some of the above from the usual fare in the PHB to fit them in Erde). This includes new age and height and weight tables and a big list of languages of the land.
This section also includes class information. In a fascinating design feature, the High Elf is actually a full character class (not prestige class). The choice to make a high elf a class instead of a racial package became clear upon examine its special and spell progression abilities. No doubt while crafting it they decided it looked too much like a class description than a race and treated it as such. Obviously you can’t be a gnome and take the high elf class however!
Also presented are prestige classes: the Holy Defender of the Flame (mostly for paladins and other just and good fighting types), Primal Druid (a new twist to put on your druid PC), and the Watchers in the Wood (a guild of rangers dedicated to a cause). Each of these shows good technique and uses them the way they were meant: to broaden the scope of the individual campaign. They were all solid and faithfully built to d20 specifications.
Next is 20 individually detailed guilds and organization for the PC’s to join, battle against and otherwise cross adventurers with. Like the rest of the items in this world, there’s purpose and meaning behind each one, they weren’t dropped in to fill a niche, but each takes it’s queue from a need or historical happenstance to give them life.
Also in this section are the details on how the previously mentioned economic ratings of lands effects the PC’s money, trade, a buying habits within a land’s borders. The land’s coins (including the return of the electrum piece!) are given names and notes and a huge host of new weapons (including a full range of flintlock and cannon weapons). Many of these too, lead a flavor, including the maul, the great bow (AKA gnoll bow), the spiked ball and chain and the greathammer. New armor and a discussion of the effectiveness of helms is here too. Items are presented in familiar fashion, tables followed by descriptions.
These are followed by spells. First we start with the look at which deities control and grant which domains (including classics mixed with new domains present here (like the Command, Confession, and Dream domains). While some of them seems vaguely familiar (including a two or three borrowed from Relics & Rituals), the over 40 spells are well done and set within the world, helping again to add flavor. New spells are presented for each spellcaster types, and are presented in familiar PHB fashion: spell lists by level and class first, followed by alphabetical description of the spells.
Up next is The DM’s Handbook to Erde treating the DM to a look behind the scenes:
First up are magic items and they are yet another breath of fresh air. Not since Relics & Rituals have I seen so much campaign depth and background written into each item giving it life. Another unique aspect of these items is a classification note for each, where the item is described as either a major or minor artifact, unique, arcane, divine, heroic, tragic, celestial, infernal, or alignment-oriented (each with their own guidelines) helping to further place a special feel about each item. This shows great d20 initiative. Here are presented 40 individually detailed magic items, which have had an impact on the world or cultures of a kingdom. It’s especially satisfying to actually see in game details heroic weapons that helped forge the planet’s history, truly giving the game world an epic feel populated by high heroes. Item creation stats are always provided and they are all lovingly crafted.
Next up is monsters, and a nice collection of them we get as well. The Charon fiend, the lesser chimaera, the dark faerie, the dream warrior, eldritch goblin, Erde hobgoblins, hounds of darkness, lore drakes, miiween, the dreaded Mogrl (Unklar’s generals who survive to this day), sentient tree, sienna olgdonberg horse, tagean hound, troll lord, ungern beast men, Unklar’s breath, the witch orb and a template for the lost souls known as orinsu. Each creature gets its own art, background, and full correctly listed d20 stats faithful to the system and in design. While one or two of these have appeared in some Troll Lord adventures, the rest are all-new, tied to the background and giving the DM lots of fiendish ideas.
At the end is a Chronology of the World, and a Index, and Notes on the Economy. The Chronology is a listing of major historical events from the beginning of the planet, truly painting the epic landscape for the game group, and listed by each type of calendar (of which there are four throughout Erde). The index is good and plentiful, but there were also quite a few things omitted. This is the place where I went to look up the "Misty Brookshire" where I read all happy halflings wish to go, and expected to find it here but did not. Instead, the index concentrates on the obvious named features and sections, which still means it does it’s job well. The notes on the economy highly detail the economic rating feature explained earlier and truly give the DM an idea of the land they are reading about in just a few easy paragraphs, an innovative design than answers loads of questions while still giving a creative DM breathing room!
Conclusion: The Codex of Erde is a fantasy world for the third edition game we all love. There are a lot of these. Where does Erde stand out? Internal consistency for one, giving rhyme and reason to the ancient dungeons, lost cities and forgotten tombs under old imperial and devil-spawned ruin. A true, hearty background from which to launch a thousand adventures of your own design. Gods and magic and heroes of an epic scale, but with a terrible evil presence, ages which dwelt in suffering, and warring nations to give it a dangerous and deadly appeal. Reason and purpose behind the "typical" fantasy races, classes, and trappings, not to mention just the darndest cool naming conventions around (place names like Aufstrag, Eisenheim, Grundliche Hohle, and Norgorod-Kam ooze with flavor and yet roll off the tongue without complication, and Hero names in like Aristobolus the White, Luther the Gallant and Daladon Halfelven give good flavor and are treated with respect). The wealth of quality information alone (not filler) easily justifies the price. In an arena with dozens of published campaigns available, this easily rises to sit with the very best of them in history and execution, and I very much look forward to launching my own Erde campaign. I can easily recommend this grand tome!
NOTE: TLG’s doesn’t plan to publish any supplements to the world setting. All anyone has to do is get the hardcover and they are ready to go and can develop the campaign setting to their liking. All of the TLG Erde modules will be set in around the current year (1097 or so) so as to not disrupt any gaming group's own continuity. Extra background info, and crunchy bits will appear in adventures instead. At some point TLG may publish a companion volume on Inzae.
