Delve! Zine Preview

So, yeah, I've been busy working on the art work for Delve!  Did I mention that I finished writing it finally?  No?  Well, I did and sent it off to my brave, most excellent and most appreciated proof readers (THANKS gang!!).  The writing is done, pending the edits and inevitable adjustments.  I've had some thoughts on how I want to get this out there in the world.  The most obvious is the traditional Zine print, package, and mail off.  I am limited about what I can do with the mail system through the APO so I will probably do a very limited distro this way.  My next thought is to do a small print run through a professional printer and then have it distributed through online retailers like Noble Knight games.  The more I look into that, the more I like the idea.  I found a printer that seems to have a very reasonable rate on small print runs.  I'm thinking of less that 100 copies of the first issue and then ship em off to the retailers.  Of course, there is the pdf distribution as well.  I guess I'll cross those bridges when I come to them.  At any rate, thanks for those that have encouraged me on this (and maybe apologies for what I'm about to inflict on the OSR to the rest of you).  Here's another spell from the school of pathognomancy from the Pustulent Lord Adventure.  Enjoy and happy gaming! 

Bloat

Arcane Pathognomancy

Level:  Magic User 2

Range:  40 ft

Duration:  6 rounds

Area of Effect:  One Person

Components:  V, S, M

Casting Time:  4 Segments

Saving Throw:  None

This spell causes the victim to bloat, gaining an additional 20 lbs for every round (suffering the encumbrance effects).  After the second round, characters wearing forged armors such as plate or banded must remove their armor or become immobile.  By the second round, the character suffers a –1 penalty to dexterity (or –1 to hit rolls and saves).  By the fourth round, any armor other than padded must be removed or the character will become immobile.  By the fifth round, the character suffers –2 to dexterity (or –1 to hit rolls and saves).  By the sixth round, the victim is unable to wear any  item of clothing other than loose fitting garments.

THANKS!!

I got a good response to my request for proof readers for Delve!  Thanks gang for stepping up.  I'll be in touch here in a week or so (hopefully) with the draft versions.  I have pretty much finished writing for the adventure, I just need to finish the write ups for the new spells (I'm halfway done with that part), new items and new monsters.  I think the first release, due to space will be more of an adventure than an true zine in the fact that I'm going to have maybe one or two editorial type articles.  I'd also like to maybe toss in a few advertisements for other folk's stuff.  Pretty much all of you guys that contacted me have stuff of your own that I'd love to sing the praises of.  So if you have a cover or whatever art or verbiage you'd like me to use to promote your stuff, send it in!  I plan on doing a push over this holiday weekend to get the bulk of the writing and design elements done.  Happy Gaming!!

A Little Help Please?

Getting near the end of the writing for Delve!  It is definitely much more of an ambitious project than I had anticipated, but it is a great learning experience.  I do realize however, that I am new at this; so very, very new.  I was wondering, anyone interested in giving me a had with some proof reading?  I'm doing it in MS Publisher 2010 but can export to a pdf.  I'll even be willing to compensate for time spent.  It'll be probably another week or two before I'm ready for proof readers.  Well, anyone interested, email me at johnathan DOT bingham at gmail Dot com.  Thanks and happy gaming!

Delve Preview: New Spell Arthitic Word

Yes, I have been productive, but I'm realizing the full extent of my ambition for Delve and the amount of work that requires.  One of the central features of Delve! is an adventure.  For the first outing, I'm introducing Calmos Vectos Mori, the Pustulent Lord - a Plague Magus.  With that, I've developed a few new spells in the new school of arcane magic Pathognomancy.  Instead of continually making excuses, I decided to make an actual content post.  Here's one of the new Pathognomancy spells, Arthritic Word:

Arthritic Word

Arcane Pathognomancy

Level:  Magic User 3

Range:  5 ft/level

Duration: 1 round/level

Area of Effect:  One person

Components:  V, S, M

Casting Time:  4 Segments

Saving Throw:  Half

This spell causes the victim to be subject to crippling pain in all joints for one round per caster level (1d10 points of damager per round per caster level).  If reduced to 0 hit points, the victim will be rendered unconscious but will not die.  Instead, if they will remain unconscious until the spell’s duration has expired.  In addition to the pain, the character’s dexterity is reduced by 2 for the duration of the spell (to include reduction in AC and missile bonus to hit).  

The spells and new monsters and items in Delve! are designated Open Content so feel free to use it if you feel like.  I'm developing nine other spells for the adventure.  I'd like to flesh out the Class of Plague Magus as well but it probably won't be in the first issue (it's taken me quite a while just to reach this stage!) since I want to release the first issue in June or early July.

Next up, a preview of one of the new monsters.  Happy gaming!  

Delve! Zine Update

So, yeah, I've been neglecting to post lately.  Not due to being overcome by my natural lazy tendencies, but I've actually been spending quite a bit of time on Delve!  I've finished writing the adventure, now I've got to write the spell descriptions for the ten new spells (Arthritic Word, Bestill thy Heart, Bloat, Bone Spur, Consumption, Cancerous Touch, Evil Eye, Famine, Fever Dream and Jaundiced Eye).  I've also got a few new monsters, and four new magic items.  So I'm getting closer but still a bit of work to do.  And then there is the art.  I've got at least six new pieces of art to do for this project.  It's looking like it'll weigh in around 36 pages digest size.  I'll do a free pdf release and then look into print options.  I don't have a release date yet other than it'll be done when it's done.  Quite a bit of a learning curve here for me and I've learned how to do things but perhaps more importantly how not to do things.  I think for my next outing, I'll be a little ambitious ;).  Happy gaming!

Delve! Zine progress Report

I just finished up a batch of commissions and I am in the midst of another so this has slowed progress a bit on Delve!  (not to mention all of the recent travel for my day job).  Anyway, I've started back up the past few days.  As with most things I attempt on my own, Delve! just seems to keep growing.  I'm thinking it'll be around 28 pages digest size with the bulk of that devoted to my adventure The Halls of Calmos Vectos Mori I, the Pustulent Lord.  I am chugging along pretty nicely now and it all seems to be coming together.  The adventure is a mid range one (something on the order of levels 4-7 or so for 4-6 players).  Due to the nature of the adventure, I'd say that a cleric is pretty much a necessity just due to the sheer amount of disease causing things.  I haven't started on the art yet, but I do have some ideas for some pieces.  Here's what I'm thinking as far as the actual release.  Since this is my first outing, I'm thinking of a free pdf release so you fine folks can tell me what you think.  I'll put up a PayPal donations button so if you feel so inclined, you can help me finance a printed version.  I'm thinking about doing a sort of pulp magazine digest release and then trying to sell it through the likes of Noble Knight games.  Probably right around a $4 price point but there are still a lot of details to be worked out until then.  At any rate, I'd like feedback on any of this so sound off below.   

New Game Commissioned art

Wow, sorry that I've been a way for a while.  I've been doing a lot of traveling for the day job and it has kept me away from my posting.  At any rate, I'm excited about some new work that I did for North Wind Publishing's Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea.  Yes, it is another game system based off the old school rule sets.  Yes, it is weird fantasy.  I know there seems to be a lot of that.  However, AS&SoH is a very interesting setting, combining some Lovecraftian weirdness, some sci-fi, and some weird fantasy in one setting.  And it's written by Jeff Talanian who you might know as the writer for Troll Lord's Castle Zagyg material plus items for Fight On! and Knockspell.  Not to mention Ian Baggley who does some fantastic and moody art that gives the whole a really Lovecraftian vibe more than an Old School D&D feel.  So, I cannot recommend checking out their stuff more highly.  I think iot'd be a lot of fun to combine Lamentations of the Flame Princess, Carcosa, Isle of the Unknown, Trey Causey's Weird Adventures, and AS&SoH in one truly weird fantasy mash up of plane hopping, horror tinged, pulp action weird fantasy goodness.  Hrm, perhaps I'll spring that on my players...

Anyway, here's the two pieces I did for Taken From Dunwich.  I hope you go check out what Northwind is up to.  As for me, I've got some work to finish off for Expeditious Retreat Press Advanced Adventures and Small Niche Games.  Not to mention Delve! is still ongoing.  Happy gaming!