The Dread Companion is a generic role playing game supplement published by Raging Swan Press. It is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result.
The supplement is available for free from DriveThruRPG as a PDF or for $8.45 as a print on demand softcover book. The PDF is the version reviewed and has 25 pages with two being the front and rear covers, three the front matter, Contents and Using this Book, one the Open Game License and three are ads. The PDF comes in two versions, one intended for print and high-end devices, one intended for low-end and mobile.
The inside front cover has d20 tables of vocabulary and bays, coves & beaches.
Using this Book explains that it is a companion to the Dread Thingonomicon, Dread Laironomicon and Dread Dungeononomicon in order to use them more easily.
The Dungeon Backdrops is the majority of the supplement. The backdrops are listed alphabetically, and each has the name, type of location, setting(s) and storyline, as appropriate. Not every backdrop has a setting and/or storyline. Each backdrop has an overview of the backdrop then details of which 20 Things and Monstrous Lair entries are useful to accompany it.
Appendices starts with 1: Monstrous Lairs by Instalment lists these by number and which compilation books they appear in. 2: 20 Things by Instalment does the same for these. In each case, all of them appear in the appropriate Dread compilation.
The Dread Companion in Review
The PDF is bookmarked with the major and minor sections linked. The Contents just lists the major sections and is hyperlinked. Navigation is decent. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be free of errors. There are a number of black and white illustrations. Presentation is decent.
This supplement is, as can be told by the name, a companion supplement and has no real worth by itself if the Dread compilations aren’t owned. If those are owned, it does make a useful reference book for looking up the Dungeon Backdrops and seeing where they are appropriate for as well as what companion supplements are useful with them. The Dread Companion can be found by clicking here.
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