Category: Artwork

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The Rise of Ryecroft

As we get ready to launch HandyMaps – Buildings & Structures later this month (preview video below)…

We are also continuing apace with the next hardcover book project…

Ryecroft Logo lores.jpg

… An old school cemetery-crawl with a lack of undead.

It will be a case of rocking up following some hook or other, and then exploring the cemetery whilst trying not to become another one of the bodies interred here.

I thought it would be a good idea to provide some update as to its current status and development…

I want to have this mostly written and a good chuck of the artwork and cartography complete by the time we launch the KS (early 2020).

I see it as an A5 book with a page count likely to be 200 pages or somewhere close. A black cloth and silver foil blocked cover, or maybe black leatherette with silver foil blocking cover. It would have a beautiful dust jacket artwork design by Jon Hodgson (the piece will also appear as a double page art spread inside).

For Artwork, Juan Ochoa has turned in a number of fabulous art pieces already (creatures and full pages), which I’ve tentatively plugged into layout… These are some of the Maggotkin.

MBD-3.jpg

We plan to Kickstart extra pieces from Jon and Juan. I’ve also worked on some of my own pieces too, of which I plan to do more (all full colour):

MBD-4.jpg

Writing for above ground is mainly complete except for some outsourced  stuff I’m waiting on. Below ground has started now that I have fleshed out the below ground map and its tentative locations.

Cartography is well-developed and coming along. Plans are for a A2 folded poster map of the cemetery above ground, and the same for the below ground map.

MBD-6.jpg

A starting village to reprovision, and all the 284 above-ground structures in the cemetery will have information text, and if memorials, will have information about who is buried there and some kind of hook.

MBD-5.jpg

And this is my marked up notes for the below ground map… the colours indicate faction areas…

MBD-2.jpg

The project gets more exciting the more I work on it, and seeing art come in really solidifies the vision.

Really looking forward to bringing it to life in early 2020, and your support would be invaluable.

Take care,

Glynn

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State of the Monkey – November 2019

I’m buried in all sort of things at the moment… but I figured it would be a good idea to give an update on some of the key MonkeyBlood Design & Publishing stuff I’m progressing/planning for those interested…

HandyMaps – Buildings & Structures

So, I am putting the finishing touches to a new Kickstarter for another HandyMaps campaign to be run on Kickstarter. The draft preview is up already, so click that Remind Me on Launch button to get an email when it goes live:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/monkeyblooddesign/993119939?ref=7q2gfc&token=62144ca9

Launch is tentatively planned for 10th Dec 2019, but will very likely come forward.

I’ve been working on a couple of extra structures (suggested in the feedback) which will become stretch goals… two cottages and a stables. All your favourite Great Lunden locations will be included (Clopetra’s Needle, Gael’s Sanctuary, Dourgul’s House, etc)

Ryecroft – A Cemetery-Crawl

Ryecroft Art Preview

Another project that will come to Kickstarter early next year is Ryecroft. I’ve been posting about this tentatively already, and it’s moving along nicely. I have the awesome Juan Ochoa working on some art, and also pleased to have the fabulous Jon Hodgson working on the cover. Really excited to see this coming together.

It will be an OSR (S&W Complete) cemetery location which will be mostly devoid of the undead trope, instead focusing on the insects and vermin that thrive there. It’ll have lots of Midderlands references whilst not being a specific Midderlands product.

You can hear the excellent Spikepit podcast (Colin Green) doing any exclusive reading from the Ryecroft project here: https://anchor.fm/spikepit/episodes/213-Into-the-Pit—Glynn-Seals-Ryecroft-Exclusive-e6e4jm

Definitely check out the Spikepit podcast, it’s great stuff!

Super-Secret Big Project

I’m currently in negotiations with a large 3PP about a secret project that might take place early next year. You won’t want to miss it. Keep your fingers crossed it happens.

Midderlands Dice Bags and Storage Boxes

So, Midderlands Dice Bags are in the UK, currently processing through customs, so they will be up on the store very soon by December… Also, The Midderlands storage boxes will be a thing around December, also up on the store. Somewhere to finally keep all your Midderzines, maps, cards, and bookmarks in one place.

Treat yourself this Christmas!

 

 

The Bats of St. Abbans

The great Richard Marpole (Midderzines and Adventures in Great Lunden story) is currently working on an adventure called The Bats of St Abbans. Here’s the cover art so far. No release date as yet.

TBoSA cover lores.jpg

Midderzine Issue #4

Tentatively in progress. My challenge is to deviate from my usual Serif PagePlus and Affinity Publisher layout tools, and use InDesign instead… I’ll need that just in the the Super-Secret Big Project happens. I’ve made a good start, and a couple of great folks have expressed a desire to contribute content.

Trollfang, Serpentlands, Lost Machines, and a Midderlands Megadungeon…

All these are in the pipes but progressing at less speed than the other things above.

Anyway,  hope that’s whetted your appetite.

Over and out, Glynn

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Need Worms? Get Wormkin!

So, if you are tired of getting your protein from combo fast food/rpg places, then maybe consider worms. High in protein, they are a ready alternative to artery-clogging death-burgers.

The awesome Vance over at Leicester’s Ramble has taken my joyous sketches of Wormkin and devised some info and stats for them… Check it out here:

http://leicestersramble.blogspot.com/2019/10/wormkin.html

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ENDS THIS SATURDAY – HandyMaps – Town & Village A5 Card Handouts for RPGs

Hey Everyone,

Just a quick reminder that the HandyMaps Kickstarter ENDS THIS SATURDAY.
Don’t miss out on these sets of 12 handy unlabelled, double-sided A5 card maps of towns and villages (that’s 24 maps)for your campaign. All drawn by 2018 Gold ENnie Award-winning and 2019 ENnie nominated cartographer, Glynn Seal.

As we write this message, we are:

  • Low buy-in cost
  • Over 740% funded
  • With over 590 backers
  • Funding goal reached in under 12 hours.

Check it out here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/monkeyblooddesign/handymaps-town-and-village-a5-card-handouts-for-rpgs?ref=8ju383

Handy Maps KS Header r3 800WMonkeyBlood_0455 800WMonkeyBlood_0456 800WMonkeyBlood_0457 800WPledge Visual 800W

Many thanks,
Glynn and Matt.

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One Page Dungeon Fail

No dice at this year’s One Page Dungeon Contest 2019 for poor old Glynny (not even an Honorable Mention). I was in the 70 out of 115 no dicers.

All that said, congratulations to those that got a result, and the honorable mentions folks. Some worthy winners amongst that lot, and great to see some names I know. Good on ya folks.

Anyway, in honour of my miserable showing, please have this free map for use in your personal and commercial projects. It complies with the Creative Commons 3.0 CCBYSA anyway…but this is an official “Glynn said I could use it without any restriction because he is a fucking ace dude!”

Anyway, enough moping around, it’s time to start doing some self-promotion and believing in my talents. I am, after all, pretty fucking good at stuff when I want to be. And so begins the new era of belief and confidence! Onwards to victory!!

Escape from Dead Bird Isle r1.jpg
But hang on, that’s really nice 😀
dungeon.png
What? Free?
island final r1.png
That Glynn, is fucking ace, dude!
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ENnie Awards 2019 Voting – The Midderlands Expanded

As you may be aware, voting for the 2019 ENnie Awards is about to start (or underway depending on when you read this).

The Midderlands Expanded has been nominated by the judges for Best Cartography and we are so proud and honoured to receive it, and be amongst our heroes and friends in the nominations lists. Now it’s over to the fans and supporters to help it rise through the category and hopefully win an award at GenCon.

Voting for the ENnies Awards and 2019 Fan Favorite Publisher will be open from (tomorrow):
July 10, 2019 to July 21, 2019 at 11:59pm EDT!

  • We would love to have your support! It means so much to us small publishers, passionate about our hobby and in some cases — our 24/7 hardworking professions.
  • Just head over to the ENnie website here: http://www.ennie-awards.com/vote/2019/ and follow the instructions to vote. Note that a 1 is the best result.
  • Your vote makes a big difference to us. It helps consolidate our position as a growing small publisher and means we can continue to create bigger and better products for everyone.
  • Please take some time to vote — it takes less than 5 minutes, and has a real impact on people involved in the hobby that we all love.

Want to see what the judges saw to get the nomination? Here are all the cartography photos from the products…