Ostensible Cat

Heya gang! The latest issue of Delve! Zine is now up on DrivethruRPG. Go get some:  https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/313220/Delve-Zine-Issue-3

Ok, ok, it has been years since Delve! Zine issue 2. What can I say, I'm a busy guy. Well, maybe, but also I tend to be lazy, and let's face it, the past few years have been a cluster F*** and I just was struggling with some things. Anywho, on the verge of my son Bear's 16th birthday, I decided to get my shit together and put out the third issue of Delve! Well, not exactly, but pretty much. Anyway, I had a quite different plan for the third issue, but since we are doing a Japanese theme for Bear's 16th (he's all about Japan and the manga/anime and culture at the moment). I remembered being roughly his age and being interested in similar things (Robotech was huge for me then as well as things like Lone Wolf and Cub). I picked up a copy of Advance Dungeons and Dragons Oriental Adventures from the Stars and Stripes bookstore in Nuremburg Germany in 1987. I was enthralled. Now, since we play Swords and Wizardry, I figured it'd be cool to introduce some Asian them

Many, many moons ago, there was a shared worlds concept going around the OSR Blogosphere called the Sea of O'Sr. The idea was that bloggers would create their own islands to populate this shared worlds sea. I really loved the idea and wished it had taken off a bit more (check out the Lands of Ara blog post about it from way back when:  http://carterscartopia.blogspot.com/p/sea-of-osr-adventure-path.html ). It was a fun idea and I've often thought about it. In fact, Isle of Maedsid, which is now being worked into a full Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea adventure to be published by Jeff Talanian and Northwind Adventures, actually started off as a Sea of O'Sr concept. Today, in between virtual Gary Con seminars, I dug into some of my old maps and art doodles and came across a map that was originally designed for the Seas of O'Sr project and was going to find a home as a sublevel of the Maedsid adventure, but ultimately just fell by the wayside. Anyway, w

I've been participating in the virtual Gary Con XII events and having a great time. I was part of the artists gathering last night hosted by Lloyd Metcalf and did a little doodle while they were dazzling us all with their digital skills. I've not yet really done much mor than dabble in the digital space. Mostly because it sort of wracks my brain trying to get the hand and eye to coordinate and get stuff on the screen. Practice, practice, practice I suppose. I'll give it a go as it does seem like something I should do since I have lots of pen and ink drawings just sitting in my closet. Anyway, here's a wizard piece that I did. I rather like it and think I'll use it in the Delve! Zine issue that I'm plucking away at. I have a notion to do some magic system rules for old school systems for Pact, True Name and Summoning magic. It's a bit ambitious so I may just keep working on it and my classless role playing system in the back ground and try to do something

OK gang, it's up and ready for purchase at RPGNow:  http://www.rpgnow.com/product/142115/Delve-Zine-Issue-2

OK, OK so it took over two years but I've been REALLY  busy moving across the world and whatnot.  At any rate, it has to go through the approval process at RPGNow and will be available for purchase.  I'll post once ready.  In the meantime, here's some glimpses of art from Delve! 2.

It's been a while I know but yes, I'm still around.  I've been focusing the bulk of my efforts on honing my technical skills tackling penguins and pythons rather than dragons and the like.  It has been all consuming as I'm preparing for Team Bingham's next adventure.  Lots of things in the works that have kept me from the drawing and gaming table.  But in the end, it will be well worth it.  At any rate, I just wanted to toss up a piece of art that I'd done not too long ago.  It's been a while since I've painted and I'm pretty happy with this tribute to David Sutherland.  I commissioned some art from Steve Zeizer for Delve II which I just have to get around to finishing it up.  It is in the home stretch and I just need to finish off a bit about quasi-lycanthropes.  Steve did some excellent work that really captured my vision.  It was really fun to see someone else's take on my writing.  Definitely bit of a switch up and I look forward to doing it

Wow, I just checked that I haven't blogged in about a month and a half.  I say it half jokingly but it was a bit of a cruel summer with my grandfather's passing and a lot of family drama surrounding that.  I've been very busy with the day job trying to sharpen my technical skill sets ahead of a possible career move (I forgot how much I really enjoy programming).  And I've done a ton of artwork this summer (can't show much yet since the finished products have not yet been released.  Autarch's Domains at War and Joseph Bloch's Adventures Dark and Deep Bestiary top that list so look out for those.  I've also had inquiries from others about more possible projects along with some of my own.  Delve issue 2 is very near completion.  I have a few more commissions to get to first though.  But I did want to share some original art that I did for Ronald Redmond for helping me proof Lost Lair of the Lizard Laird.  

Heya gang, Lost Lair of the Lizard Laird is now for sale at RPGNow. Old School Gaming goodness for on a buck ninety nine. Check it out here: http://www.rpgnow.com/product/ 116152/ Delve-Zine-Special---Lost-Lair- of-the-Lizard-Lairdhttp:// www.rpgnow.com/product/116152/ Delve-Zine-Special---Lost-Lair- of-the-Lizard-Laird.   Thanks for permitting me this moment as a shameless shill - oh what the hell, even if you don't permit it I gonna do it anyway ;).  Just go check it out OK?  Grazie!!

OK kids, I've been busy (when am I not) but have been working hard to try and get some more old school gaming goodness out there.  I'm wrapping up the Delve! Zine Special Edition of Lost Lair of the Lizard Laird.  Here's a peek at the art: I'll be releasing this as a PDF on RPGNow very soon and might have a VERY limited hardcopy release.  Happy Gaming!

Yes, it really is - in a few weeks at any rate.  That is of course we survive the impending end of the world.  Ah well, Team Bingham went out and cut a Christmas Tree and hung the decorations anyway.  Ah, the futility of it all ;).  It was nice to get out and about though.  This has been a brutal Fall with Daisey and Bear having Strep this past week.  Antibiotics were prescribed and everyone is on the mend now, but it was just another illness in a string of them this year.  Add to that the crazy crap of the day job and it has left me with no game time and quite truthfully, little motivation to work on gaming material.  But I did pull out the manuscript for Delve issue 2 this weekend and hack away at it a bit.  I had hoped to make better progress that what I've been able to muster.  Perhaps I should have done this up as a Kickstarter ;)?  Well, the only thing for it is just to do it.  Dustchapel Downs is the main city of my campaign world (when I'm running it anyway).  Well, her

Man, having the flu just sucks.  SUCKS!  I know some folks can get creative urges when they are feverish, but all I want to do is curl up in a ball and whimper like a baby.  That's pretty much how I spent the last week.  However, I'm feeling much better and finished another piece for Delve! issue 2.  This is Angrim the Grotesque, a professor of life sciences at Foxhall Park.  Angrim devoted his life's work to the study of the secrets of life.  Upon his death, his students used his theories to bring him back to life.  Of course, the reanimation of dead flesh had some unforeseen side effects and has caused Angrim's body to twist and mutate in rather grotesque manner.  He wears a sack cloth mask so as to hide the nature of his disfigurement from the public.  However, he continues to teach and seek out the secrets of life and death at Foxhall Park.

Heh, it seems that there are a lot of OSR projects kinda behind schedule.  An Delve! is no exception.  So I'm still plugging away at describing Dustchapel Downs.  I'm only doing broad strokes though so think of it as something like a fantasy version of a Rick Steves guide.  The major sections of the town are given an overview, a nugget of lore or legend that pertains to that section of town, and any notable personages or items associated with that part of town.  There are 27 major areas of town.  I'm currently working on detailing area 9, Skelling Oldhall - an old manse once belonging to one of the noble families in town but due to the extinction of that family line, it has fallen into disrepair and become the abode of squatters, fanatical mendicant priests, and the trapped undead last Baronet of the former lords of Skelling Oldhall.  Actually, Even though I said I'm only on section 9 of 27, I've at least made entries and sketches of all of the 27 areas so I'm m

Here's a sneak peek at the cover for my Old School gaming zine Delve! the second issue. Old School 1970's style fantasy role playing with a 70's punk attitude. What more can you want? Cthulhu? Yeah, got it... H.P.L. inspired weirdness and Jack Kirby bizzaro cosmic fantasy in a Renaissance European wrapper. Get some! Also, I'd like to put out a call for volunteer proof readers for issue 2.  I still have a little ways to go on the innards of the zine, but it's beginning to shape up nicely.  So if you'd like to help me get this out there, I'd be most appreciative.  Also, you'll receive a free copy of the zine of course.  Oh yeah, if you have something you'd like me to review or do an ad for in the zine, email me at johnathan dot bingham at gmail dot com.  Happy Gaming!  

Thanks to everyone who bought a print copy of Delve! issue 1.  I've taken down the order button.  For the curious, the first print run was 50 copies.  Relatively small print run, but I consider it highly successful and thanks again to those folks that ordered hard copies.  The last of the first print run issues are now making their way to the last few folks and they should receive them soon.  There are a few copies left at Noble Knight Games for those interested in picking up a hard copy.  Of course there is the pdf version at RPGNow which has both a bookmarked version and a print ready version so you can print out your own copy (See the link on the right side of this blog).  I'm currently hard at work on Delve! issue 2 so stay tuned for more!

I pretty much spent all weekend at home.  No trips to castles, mountains, festivals or other such things.  No, this weekend Daisey and I opted to have our anniversary dinner at Zamboni's and then have a quiet weekend.  We both had a lot of projects to work on - I really needed to give some love to Delve!  I've been busy detailing Dustchapel Downs and its inhabitants this weekend.  It's been quite a bit of fun talking about the somewhat warped town. Here's an excerpt from my current manuscript with some art.  Enjoy! 6.   The Grambling – A blustering, rough and tumble area the Grambling is a ramshackle collection of dwellings and shops that are inhabited by the working class of Dustchapel Downs.   There are a few rooming houses as well as modest eateries and taverns in this area for those seeking accommodation.   What the Grambling lacks in affluence and charm, it makes up for in dogged working class attitude.   The folk here are practical and less given to the

 Daisey and I as High School Sweethearts (back in the halcyon 80's *gasp - 25 years ago* and near the end of my gaming boom years - but hey, in this case the geek got the girl so no time for gaming). Daisey and I at our wedding reception ten years ago.  It is interesting to note that in the span of time between these two pictures, 1e AD&D faded from the scene and I left gaming.  When we got married, 3e was in full swing and my gaming renaissance had begun.  Cooincidence?  I think not... Daisey and I have been married for ten years today.  It alternately seems like much shorter and longer than that (both in a good way).  We've known each other for the past 25 years and dated when we were in High School and remained good friends until we eventually decided to get back together.  It has been an incredible decade.  I have to confess that any small measure of success that I've had in that time is directly attributable her encouragement.  And we've become quite a