Classic Era Camping Gear

One of the attractions of classic era Mythos gaming is the sheer romance of it all.  Much of the world was still terra incognita in the 1920s.  Expeditions to the dark corners of the earth (see what I did there?) were a prominent feature of pulp adventure in general and Lovecraft's work in particular.  Miskatonic University made a habit of exploring the blank areas of the map, with teams heading to Australia in "The Shadow Out of Time" and the infamous Antarctic expedition of "At the Mountains of Madness".

That's one of the reasons I love things like this in-depth look at period camping gear from Waypoint Survival.  Horace Kephart was one of the giants of recreational "roughing it" in the classic era.  If you find the video interesting you'll definitely want to check out "The Book Of Camping And Woodcraft" it's based on.  Digital copies are available for free over on archive.org.  

The Chalice of Babylon

Jason Soles of Gods Below has been producing some of the best Mythos and occult-adjacent artwork for years.  What sets his work apart, beyond his unique style, is that his castings are actual metal.  That includes this disturbing piece in bronze and sterling silver, the Chalice of Babylon.   

 

Soulframe Props

Artist Andrei Pék brings us his growing collection of Soulframe props, including a Witan dagger, Wevetseed, Dracs and Regatta board.

 

 

Play That Funky Music

The Museum of Cryprozoology and Occult Science brings us this creepy skull lyre made from a real human skull, antelope horns, skin, gut, and hair.  What makes it particularly notable is the sheer meta-ness of the piece.  It's a reproduction of an original in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art which itself was probably a gaff created in Africa.

"A highly unusual musical instrument in the Museum's collection is a lyre fashioned from a human skull. Although the piece has not been exhibited since before 1980, it gained fame in Jerzy Kosinski's 1982 best-selling novel Pinball—a rock 'n' roll mystery written for George Harrison—and perennially draws attention.

Not much is known about this instrument. It was purchased from an unnamed dealer at the end of the nineteenth century and was originally thought to have come from South America when it was cataloged in 1906, but was later reattributed to Central Africa. There is no known tradition to which this instrument may be assigned, although some have suggested it may have a symbolic or clandestine ritual use. Most likely it is a sensational item made by a clever indigenous entrepreneur for trade and profit with Europeans."

 

The Red Book

MilleCuirs returns to our pages with another fantastic project- the Red Tome.  This time it's hand-tooled red leather on a multi-layered geometric design, adorned with brass studs and inset jewels.  As always, absolutely beautiful work. 

 

I Have Been Driven to Madness

That's it, Cthulhu has jumped the shark. 

 

Spacesuit Costume

This incredible spacesuit costume is the work of Evan Ohl, a professional designer and costume maker.  It could easily be something from a high-budget film or television show, but it was actually created as a Cyperpunk:2077 cosplay outfit.  Click through to read some of the details that went into making it.  I'll warn you ahead of time that you're likely to spend quite a bit of time scrolling through his other work.