Gryclaw

After a too long absence, artist James Ewing returns to our pages with this custom made prop sword.  The only thing cooler than the blade is the story behind it:

"This piece was commissioned by a lady in Orlando, Florida as a gift for her father. The gentleman in question has been a lifelong player of Dungeons and Dragons and has kept the same character ever since he started playing as a small boy. The character he plays has a magical sword called Gryclaw. When thrown, Gryclaw always finds its mark and then flies back to the hand of its master. I was given the honour of making Gryclaw a reality."

 

Dominator

 Professional prop maker JL Creations brings us this amazing "Dominator" cyberpunk-themed helmet.

 

 

Baby Mermaid

Kimberly Mitchell Williams returns to our pages with this sideshow gaff-style baby mermaid.  The display is outstanding.

 

Warriors of Nurgle

This squad of Nurgle-worshipping Chaos warriors comes to us from InSainI.  Photography by Thomas Kilian.

 

Cthulhu Fhtagn! Villa Edition.

This nicely done Cthulhu idol comes to us from artist Matt Villa.

 

The Miskatonic Papers

Todd Thyberg of Angel Bomb Book Arts brings us a look at his "Miskatonic Papers" prop collection.  Simply beautiful work.

 

Great Cthulhu

This faux-iron Cthulhu plaque comes to us from artist Alan Leiros.  The patina really kicks it up a notch.

 

Dagon

"Then suddenly I saw it. With only a slight churning to mark its rise to the surface, the thing slid into view above the dark waters. Vast, Polyphemus-like, and loathsome, it darted like a stupendous monster of nightmares to the monolith, about which it flung its gigantic scaly arms, the while it bowed its hideous head and gave vent to certain measured sounds. I think I went mad then."

 - H.P. Lovecraft, "Dagon"

Artist Elizabetta Visentini captures the climax of Lovecraft's story with this nicely done Dagon statuette.

 

Viking Solar Cross

I love this Viking solar cross amulet from Wyrdcor, both for the craftsmanship and its historical inspiration.  One of the more intriguing magical items in the Viking sagas is the sunstone, an item that allowed a navigator to determine the position of the sun even in a cloudy or overcast sky.  There's some compelling evidence the sunstone was an actual item, a piece of clear or translucent natural crystal that polarized light. 

 

Cthulhu Fhtagn! Goodmanson Edition.

Our latest Cthulhu idol is brought to us by artist Austin Goodmanson of TRC Studio.  

 

Yog-Sothoth

George Tsougkouzidis returns to our pages with this wonderful Yog-Sothoth figurine.  His detailed, organic sculpting style is perfect for a piece like this.

 

One of Us

I intentionally keep Propnomicon a politics-free zone, but I'm making an exception today.  Over the years it's been my pleasure to frequently feature the work of Ukrainian artist Alisa Tochylovska.  Her creations have ranged from alien fetuses to demonic fae, but they've all shared an inspiring attention to physical detail and imaginative myth-making.

Sadly, she's now dedicated herself to a much different cause- the defense of Odessa from invading Russian troops.  I hope you'll keep her in your thoughts, and offer what support you can. 

Hopefully this madness will soon come to an end.  When it does, I look forward to seeing her work for many years to come.

Cthulhu Fhtagn! Hannon Edition.

This digital sculpt of a wooden Cthulhu idol comes to us from artist John Hannon.  It still amazes me technology has progressed to the point that there's not much difference between a 3D render and a physical object.

 

Cthulhu Fhtagn! Hernesniemi Edition.

We've featured literally hundreds of Cthulhu idols here, but I still get a little thrill when I discover an artist with a new take.  Case in point, this very alien piece from Kari Hernesniemi.  It's about as far from an anthropomorphic depiction as you can get while still being recognizable as the Great Old One.

 

Horned Ring

The talented Jason Soles of Gods Below returns to our pages with this creepy horned ring.  Cast in bronze with an inset jade stone.

 

Ancient Grimoire

The most amazing thing about this ancient grimoire journal from Stick N Bone is that it isn't ancient at all.   It's just one day old.  Fantastic weathering job.

 

Hail to the King

"Hounds & Jackals" bring us this cool King in Yellow robe and Pallid Mask.  I love the embroidery work.

 

Coin of the Realm

Over the past few years there's been an absolute explosion in the number of companies offering fantasy coins for tabletop RPGs.  As cool as they are, the coins almost always feature modern art designs struck using industrial metal presses.  They look like contemporary coins.  That's why I love these dwarven silver coins from the Relic Collector Shop.  They're struck by hand, with all the little imperfections that are the hallmark of actual ancient coins.

 

Jörmungandr Armor

This amazing set of "Jörmungandr" leather LARP armor comes to us from artist Enric Pujol.  The level of craftsmanship is amazing.

 

Servant of Chaos

The talented Karen Main returns to our pages with this nicely done leather belt bearing the eight pointed symbol of Chaos.

 

Cthulhu Fhtagn! Nozomi Edition.

One of the biggest issues facing Lovecraft fandom is making the Mythos more accessible.  Cosmic horror is a tough sell, and we need to make a conscious effort to help it break into the mainstream.  That's why I love pieces like this delightfully cute Cthulhu figure from Nozomi.  More of this, please!