1920s Prop Money

I knew Prop Movie Money was the go-to site for fake United States currency, but I assumed it was all modern bills.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered they also have a complete selection of cash from the 1920s.  Just the thing for classic-era Mythos and pulp gaming.  At $24.99 for 100 bills it's probably cheaper to buy from them than print your own.

While it's not a huge issue, I don't think their bills are accurately sized.  Up until 1929, the Treasury, National Banks, and Federal Reserve issued "large format" notes measuring 7.37 inches by 3.12 inches.  After that, they used our modern measurements of 6.14 by 2.61 inches. 

I was also surprised to see Prop Movie Money had $2 bills in their 1920s collection.  Turns out they were a thing in 1917 and 1918 before returning for a run in 1928.  After that they wouldn't return until 1953. 

 

 

Phyrexian Mask

Grumbly Art brings us this creeptastic mask inspired by the Phyrexians from Magic: The Gathering.

 

 

Cthulhu Architect Handout Generator

I want to give a ringing endorsement of the Cthulhu Architect Handout site.  It's one of the most practical, high-quality, and user-friendly tools available for game masters looking to up their game.  Best of all, it's absolutely free.

Over 250 templates are available, the vast majority tailored to classic-era scenarios.  The site allows you to generate authentic-looking 1920s documents in minutes, including standbys like telegrams, newspaper clippings, police reports, and handwritten notes.  The interface is easy to use and allows you to customize every bit of text with a variety of typography and layout choices.  You can even add "bloodstains" or coffee rings for that extra touch of wear.  When you're done customizing your document they're easy to export for printing or digital use. 

 

The focus is on period paperwork, but you'll also find a variety of modern templates.  That includes contemporary drivers licenses, computer screens, and CCTV overlays.  Just the thing if you're running a modern-era Mythos game like Delta Green.

 

While the site offers a wealth of functionality for free, the premium "Cultist" option provides more storage space, early access to new templates, and direct export to FoundryVTT.  It's clear that this site was built by someone who loves the hobby. The interface is clean, the updates are frequent, and it's the perfect tool for game masters running a high-touch, handout heavy game.

 

Hand of Glory

The Hand of Glory is a foul bit of black magic that allows thieves to open all doors and travel undetected.  It was first documented in the Petit Albert in the 18th century.

"Take the right or left hand of a felon who is hanging from a gibbet beside a highway; wrap it in part of a funeral pall and so wrapped squeeze it well. Then put it into an earthenware vessel with zimat, nitre, salt and long peppers, the whole well powdered. Leave it in this vessel for a fortnight, then take it out and expose it to full sunlight during the dog-days until it becomes quite dry. If the sun is not strong enough put it in an oven with fern and vervain. Next make a kind of candle from the fat of a gibbeted felon, virgin wax, sesame, and ponie, and use the Hand of Glory as a candlestick to hold this candle when lighted, and then those in every place into which you go with this baneful instrument shall remain motionless."

This particular specimen was acquired by Dan Baines, who is no stranger to these pages. 

 

Dracula Pendant

This nicely done "Dracula Pendant" comes to us from Russian artist Valeriya Belova.  Wonderful craftsmanship.  Click through for a gallery of shots, including a well produced video.

 

 

Vintage Ocean Liner Passage Paperwork

The Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives hosts a fantastic collection of vintage ephemera, much of it aimed at geneological research.  It includes an extensive repository of classic-era ocean liner travel documents that would make ideal handouts for Call of Cthulhu and pulp games in the 1930s.  A passage contract receipt is just about the perfect "show, don't tell" clue for figuring out where someone came from or was planning to travel to.

 

 

Tiki Cthulhu

I normally loathe the whole "tiki Cthulhu" thing, but this... this I like.  The stylized Cthulhu idol comes to us from Tikiheadz, who specializes in carving tiki idols from concrete.  I like how it blends the forms of actual, historic tikis and the traditional Cthulhu depiction.  Most polynesian Mythos takes lean far too much into the kitschy Trader Vic's aesthetic, and I say that as someone who loves the cheesiness of 50s era "South Seas" theming. 

 

Dhingion Niginair Font

Looking for an interesting font for your arcane tome or spell scroll?  Check out Dhingion Niginair from Pieter Rottiers.  He's a prolific worldbuilder and conlang artist who has produced a number of languages and scripts for his fantasy world of Dardaniell.  If you're really into full immersion, click through on the link to download the font and take advantage of phonetic pronunciations provided to build a complete document. 

 

Idol of Hastur

It's rare to come across a depiction of Hastur that doesn't embrace his King in Yellow form.  Turkish artist Ebrahel Lurci brings us his take on the Unspeakable One, complete with a nicely done presentation case.

 

 

Three of a Kind

McCormick Wands returns to our pages with a trio of their "Aurora" style wizarding wands in Bolivian rosewood and maple.  As always, and incredible level of craftsmanship on display. 

 

LARP Cinquedea Dagger

Artedarme Workshop returns to our pages with their latest LARP weapon.  This time it's a recreation of a 16th century Cinquedea dagger, based on an original in the Metropolitan Museum collection.  If you're not familiar with this type of weapon you can learn more over on Wikipedia.  It was one of the few daggers designed for slashing instead of piercing. 

 

Free Call of Cthulhu Scenario- No Place of Honour

This is pretty cool.  Thomas E. Shkurti has released a free Call of Cthulhu tabletop scenario set in gaslight-era Australia. 

No Place of Honour is a tale of mystery, science, tragedy, time, and Victorian hubris, set deep in the Australian Outback in 1888. Investigators will be joining a medical aid mission to the remote mining settlement of Monument Station, which has been stricken by a mysterious plague- or, have the miners instead awakened an ancient, invisible killer?

The scenario includes 137 pages of slow-burn, sandbox exploration and investigation; with 6 full-color maps, 12 handouts, and 6 full-page illustrations, along with 6 pre-generated characters. It provides roughly 15-20 hours of play, and best accommodates a small group of 2 or 3 players.

The full scenario is available for free download from Google Drive here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kzbe9SAzUEmSycs1LHLsM1Lt6mxypo2L

Based on a quick read-through, it's an interesting period adventure with a great twist.  (You can find out more about that by clicking through to Mr. Shkurti's Reddit post and looking at the spoiler text.)  The complete adventure package includes an impressive collection of maps and handouts, exactly the kind of thing that's our bread and butter here at Propnomicon.

Kudos to Mr. Shkurti for an intriguing scenario and a willingness to share it with the community free of charge. 

 

 

The Deep Ones of Ancient Europe

This sounds like the first act of a Mythos story, but it's absolutely true.  

In the late 1950s the governments of Romania and Yugoslavia decided to move forward with the Iron Gate hydroelectric dam.  The project would create a massive artificial lake, impounding the water of the Danube and flooding the banks of the river.  Archeologists started to survey the soon to be inundated areas and discovered evidence of a previously unknown culture dating back to 7000 BCE.  The buildings were arranged in a complex geometric pattern, and excavations uncovered dozens of idols depicting human/fish hybrids.  Even stranger, it's the only European site where a "double sunrise" astronomical alignment has been found.

Author Dan Davis has a great look at the Lepenski Vir site over on YouTube.  It's just the thing if you're looking to incorporate some real-world inspiration into a Mythos scenario.  You can find even more information, including the effort to relocate the entire complex above the flood line, in the Wikipedia entry.

Great Cthulhu

This Cthulhu plaque WIP shot comes to us from Irish artist Eoin McMorrow.  I like how he's captured the organic shapes of a skull without directly mimicking a human skull.

 

 

Building a (Prop! Fake!) Bomb

Builder and former movie SFX artist Dave Fogler has a fun look at creating a prop bomb on a tight deadline for an upcoming film.  He starts with a collection of reference photos approved by the director for the the overall look of the device.  Then it's a matter of grabbing electronic bits and bobs to assemble the final prop.  That includes recreating the look of plastic explosives using a decidedly low-tech approach- coating a cardboard box in clay and giving it a coat of paint.

Bonus:  He actually pays attention to one of the biggest issues with a prop like this.  Once it's done, how to you send it through the mail without having a SWAT team show up at your door?