Ostensible Cat

Wow, my 400th post.  Not saying much since I have not posted in almost a month.  I do hope everyone has a great Halloween.  Life at Ostensible Cat/Team Bingham HQ has been very hectic with a trip back to the States, multiple family members with the flue, out of town guests, and Halloween preparation.  In addition, I'm working some art for Expeditious Retreat Press as well as Delve!  Yes, I haven't forgotten - I've just had to shift to the right.  I tend to have a lot of grandiose ideas so I have to reign it in a bit for Delve! but I think there is definitely some good stuff in there for folks.  More to follow on that.  At any rate, later on today I'll be escorting Fire Squirrel (my daughter Rosa's superheroine costume for Halloween) and the Zombie Hunter (my son's Halloween costume) for trick or treating tonight.  Have fun all!

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 area...

One of the new images I've been working on for Ostensible Cat Design.  For old school gamers with a punk sensibility... ;).

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 ar...