At Gen Con, Paizo Inc. announced its next adventure path, as well as a new hardcover rulebook. The Horror Adventures sourcebook and the new Adventure Path, Strange Aeons, will both launch in August 2016.

Horror Adventures will introduce game mechanics for tracking “corruption” of player characters, such as gradually developing vampiric traits after being bitten by one of the undead.  Characters can gain benefits from these traits, but suffer drawbacks as well.

The Strange Aeons Adventure Path will build on the ideas explored in the Horror Adventures sourcebook.  The storyline was inspired by the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, and like that author’s writings, the players must contend with insanity and unknowable entities more ancient than humanity.

Starting with the recently released Occult Adventures (see “'Pathfinder: Occult Adventures'”), the horror theme has been creeping into many of Paizo’s recent product announcements, including the Bestiary 5, and the Mummy’s Mask expansion for the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game (see “Paizocon’s ‘Pathfinder’ Product Announcements”).

Paizo and their partner WizKids will also continue to release pre-painted plastic models for use with Pathfinder into next year (see “Two ‘Pathfinder Battles:  Iconic Heroes’ Miniature Box Sets Revealed” and “‘Pathfinder Battles Iconic Heroes’ Set VI”).