The Silver Key

Skelton Crew Studios brings us the key to the Gate of Dreams from H.P. Lovecraft's "The Silver Key".  It was designed by artist Gabriel Rodriguez, cast in metal, and then silver plated.

Mythos Action Figures

Here's an interesting alternate history exercise.  What if H. P. Lovecraft's explosion in popularity back in the 1960s was even bigger?  What if the Mythos went genuinely mainstream by the 70s, to the point that the Mego corporation created an "Elder Gods" line to go along with their superhero and adventure action figures?

Todd of Figure Fiend Toys has the answer to that question. 

Normally, this isn't the kind of thing I'd feature here on Propnomicon.  That said, collecting action figures is one of my other hobbies and these are inspired recreations of the vintage 8" Mego figures of my childhood.  Absolutely incredible craftsmanship.

 

Handouts for "The Haunting"

For decades, "The Haunting" has been the go-to introductory scenario for "Call of Cthulhu".  That includes the free quick start rules available from Chaosium.  The ubiquity of the Corbitt house mystery means it also has dozens of handouts created by gamemasters over the years.  That includes this excellent collection of ephemera Schwnz posted over on Reddit.  Here's a direct link to the archive on Imgur.

 

The Impact of Actual Play

If a time traveler told my younger self that some day there would be a huge audience for people playing Dungeons & Dragons, I would have laughed in your face.  But here we are in 2026, with streams by groups like Critical Role regularly getting millions of views, and other TTRPGs like "Call of Cthulhu" also drawing significant followings.

Seth Skorkowsky, no stranger to actual plays, has an interesting look at the impact of those shows.  On the upside, they've helped popularize the hobby to an unprecedented level.  At the same time, they also foster a style of play that rubs a lot of people the wrong way.  That includes me.  I've tried repeatedly to watch actual plays, including a couple recommended by people with similar gaming tastes, and I've bounced off every time.   

Fungus Among Us

This creepy trio of mushroom mandrake specimens comes to us from artist Melanie Harrison. 

 

Eldritch Totem

Burned Raven Tales returns to our pages with another mysterious artifact- the Eldritch Totem.  Cast in resin with a bronze powder finish.

"These totems depict an ancient god and are carried by their worshipers.   Many are found in the ocean as offerings to invoke the ancient gods help or blessing." 

 

 

Mesopotamian Cthulhu Artifact

This intriguing artifact, ostensibly dating to ancient Mesopotamia, comes to us from collector Geoalienz:

"The truth is, there is evidence linking Cthulhu to the ancient Mesopotamians. Statues of the creature have been found in Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian temples and palaces. Stories of a powerful being that descended from the stars and brought knowledge to mankind were passed down through oral tradition by scribes writing on clay tablets in ancient times." 

The unusual piece features an effigy of Cthulhu nestled within a carved stone casket.  I believe this is the first time I've come across a statuette of the Great Old One dating back to the Akkadian era.

 

Making a Swirling Potion

Over on YouTube, Mythical Makers Workshop has posted a detailed tutorial on creating a swirling magic potion.  It uses a suspension of mica powder to create the swirling effect and a magnetic stirrer to keep the potion moving.  If the mica effect looks familiar, it's the same technique I posted way back in 2010.  Back then magnetic stirrers were $50+.  Now you can pick up multiple models for just $20 over on Amazon.

 

The Roswell Legacy

We've featured Creafae's work before, but their latest is an absolute banger.  It's a unique specimen from one of the greatest suppressed events of the 20th century- the head of one of the alien Greys that crashed in Roswell, New Mexico back in 1947.  The gaff itself is cool, but it's the dozens of supporting documents and items that really push it to the next level.  And it's all collected in a vintage aluminum specimen case with custom labeling.

These pictures really don't do it justice.  Clock through to check out the full gallery. 

 

Lover in the Ice Handouts

"Lover in the Ice" is one of the most popular Delta Green scenarios from Arc Dream Publishing.  Over on Reddit, Nelog has posted a selection of handouts from his run, which time-shifted the adventure back into the 1980s.  You can access the Google Docs file directly over here. 

 

Cthulhu Fhtagn! Camargo Edition.

 Sculptor Alberto Camargo returns to our pages with this hefty Cthulhu idol.

 

 

Deep Ward Cthulhu Idol

After doing this for nearly twenty years I love stumbling across a new take on the traditional Cthulhu idol.  This highly stylized "Deep Ward" sculpt comes to us from Fox Henderson at the Monkey Rodeo. 

 

Packaging Problems

This message from Creadores a Sueldo is one of many similar posts that popped up on my Instagram feed over the last 72 hours:

 

 

They go on to explain the situation: 

Starting this very week the European Union will start enforcing its new Packaging act. Its objective is to control waste across the union's states, and force companies to compensate recycling costs for the waste they create.

While I agree with the original point of the law, it has been designed with no regards of small businesses, and the derived compliance costs (of time and money) makes it impossible for most creative businesses to keep shipping within the Union.

This law in its current state jeopardizes the livelihoods and businesses we have worked so hard to build, and sets a worrying precedent where small businesses are not even considered when legislation is being drafted.

There are ongoing petitions for the parliament to change this law and help us small businesses to comply in a logical way. I will add the link to the petition on my bio.

Please sign and share this link as widely as possible; the injustice being inflicted upon small international businesses is virtually unprecedented, and it further endangers a sector that already operates under constant risk.

Thank you. 

As I'm sure you're aware, this isn't the kind of thing I normally feature here on Propnomicon.  Unfortunately, it appears the new packaging law is going to absolutely savage small businesses in the European Union.  That covers a huge number of the boutique artists that produce the Mythos sculptures and artworks that are our bread and butter.  Many of them are genuinely worried that compliance costs will effectively drive them out of business.  I would hate to see that happen. 

 

 

The Book of the Third Eye

 Mille Cuirs brings us another impressive example of tomecraft with the Book of the Third Eye.  Featuring a hand-tooled leather cover with custom made inset eye.

 

 

You Gotta Have Heart

A centuries-old heart...

Silent for generations...

Begins to beat once more.

Long before modern medicine understood the heart's function, it was believed to be far more than a simple organ. Across Europe, it was regarded as the vessel of the soul, the seat of emotion, memory and life itself. In folklore, the preserved hearts of witches, saints and executed criminals were said to retain a fragment of the owner's essence long after death. Such relics were hidden away, sealed beneath glass, or entombed with iron to prevent whatever remained within from stirring once more.

The Tell-Tale Heart places one of these forbidden relics into your audience's hands.

Beneath an aged Victorian display dome rests the genuine mummified witch's heart, pierced with iron nails and preserved for centuries. It is introduced as an object steeped in folklore, a vessel that has lain dormant for generations, waiting for another living heart with which to resonate.

Dan Baines of Lebanon Circle Magic is no stranger to these pages. His latest illusion features a mummified heart that actually starts to beat while a spectator is holding it.  The Tell-Tale Heart isn't just a cool gaff and magic item, but would be an absolutely killer prop to roll out for a tabletop game. 

 

Impossible Landscapes

"Impossible Landscapes" is widely considered one of the definitive Delta Green tabletop scenarios.  One of the reasons for that is the sheer number of props and handouts, both official and otherwise.  Dump Stat Adventures brings us a selection of items from their run. 

 

Faking It

Perry Daniels has posted a great video on YouTube featuring an in-depth look at creating and weathering prop documents.  He starts off with one of the cheap Chinese copies of the grail diary from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" and proceeds to upgrade the whole thing into something far more impressive.  Given the price point, it should come as no surprise that most the of the original inserts are printed on standard printer paper.  Mr. Daniels goes through and replaces them with more realistic alternatives.  That includes hand-drawing the Petra map, using actual newsprint for the clipped newspaper articles, using real photographs, and then weathering the entire book with an airbrush wash.  

There's a lot of information packed into the video.  That includes something I've never seen before- recreating the smell of an old book using a spray from a commercial scent library.  That's next level. 

Up From the Depths

We wrap up the week with a cool idol of Dagon from from Black Shawarma Shop over on Etsy.   

 

Mi-Go Specimen

I go, you go, we all go, for Mi-Go!  Jason McKittrick of the Cryptocurium brings us this "Mi-Go Pupa" specimen, the final release in his "The Doom That Came to July" series. 

 

Cthulhu Bas Relief

This bas relief of Cthulhu comes to us from artist Molech996 over on Reddit.

 

 

The Book of Pain

Professional book binder Alex Libris brings us this one of a kind tome.  It's a commissioned piece, and the carved leather cover embossment is based on the owner's "Lady of Pain" tattoo.  Featuring a cover of hand tooled leather with custom brass hardware and buckles. 

 

Personal Effects

One of the reasons the "Call of Cthulhu" TTRPG resonates with me is that I love the classic Mythos era of the 1920s and 30s.  Everything from the clothing and architecture to magazine advertisements fascinates me.  Hence my enthusiasm for this excellent video from Gentleman's Gazette.  The channel normally concentrates on matters sartorial, but their "12 Things Every Man from the 1930's Had in His Pockets" focuses on the everyday carry of close to a century ago.  That includes everything from the different styles of billfold in use, to the popularity of pocket knives- some of which weren't too different from modern-day multitools.    

 

Fake Chat App

Over on the Reddit Delta Green forum, jdavenport has posted a great tool for anyone running tabletop games in the modern era.  It's Chatter, an app that generates screenshots from chat programs.  It currently has three modes- a modern smartphone messenger screen, the liquid crystal look of a vintage Nokia 3310 cell phone, and a Windows 95 AIM clone.  Here's a direct link to the web app itself.  The author has also open-sourced the program and uploaded the full code to GitHub.

 

 

Hail to the King

Jason McKittrick of the Cryptocurium continues his celebration of "The Doom That Came to July" with this nicely done statuette of the King in Yellow.  A limited number will be available in two different finishes starting tomorrow.

 

 

Eldritch Fertility Statue

A new curio from Burned Raven Tales is always a cause for celebration.  This time it's a faux bronze "Eldritch Fertility Statue" that mixes a familiar Lovecraftian form with the exaggerated feminine attributes of paleolithic Venus figurines.  

 

 

Folded Almanac Book Prop

The talented Eric Jordan is back.  This time he brings us a handy guide for dungeon delvers in the form of a medieval-era folding almanac.  He not only shares an extensive gallery of the finished prop, but an entire thread about the creation process.  That includes the trial and error approach he used to determine the page layout for the book.  He not only had to deal with multiple pages, but those pages themselves unfold into even more leaves.

 

Wikipedia has a great write up about this unique style of pocket library.

"A folded almanac, sometimes called a physicians folded calendar, girdle book, or vade mecum, refers to a type of medieval English almanac consisting of multiple folios which are folded multiple times and bound together to create a dense yet compact vessel for information which would be used in medical practice."

Deep One Spear

Artedarme Workshop specializes in creating unique LARP-safe foam weapons.  Their latest is this nautically-themed Deep One spear.  

 

 

The Head of Mimir

"Me? I'm the greatest ambassador to the Gods, the Giants, and all the creatures of the Nine Realms. I know every corner of these lands, every language spoken, every war waged, every deal struck. They call me… Mimir! --smartest man alive, and I have the answer to your every question."

Parts N Crafts brings us one of the coolest video game props I've seen in a while- the head of Mimir, god of wisdom, from the latter-day God of War games.

 

 

Gage Prentiss Cthulhu Statue

Longtime friend of the site Tim Lonegan dropped me a note yesterday about this incredible piece.  He commissioned a truly unique Cthulhu statue from artist Gage Prentiss, himself no stranger to these pages.  I strongly recommend clicking through on the link to check out the full gallery of photographs and the detailed backstory behind the statue.  

You'll have a chance to view the piece in person at the NecronomiCON Providence art show in August. 

 

Anders Lerche Cthulhu Idol

This hefty beast comes to us from Danish artist Anders Lerche.  It's an unusual piece in that the casting is a latex skin filled with urethane foam.  I believe that would make it not only a nifty Mythos prop, but a LARP-safe weapon as well.  Heh.  

 

Handouts for Operation Fulminate

Over on Reddit, the intriguingly named Mothmansight has posted a collection of handouts for Operation Fulminate: Sentinels of Twilight, the introductory scenario in the Delta Green Handler's Guide.  They help round out an investigation that already includes an impressive number of printed props.