Track of the Wolf

Camille Renversade shares his research into the physiology of lycanthropes. His props and presentation aids are phenomenally well done.   That includes his personal costuming, which makes him look like the lead in a lost Hammer film. He reminds me of a young David Hemmings.  The English translation of the original French post is over here.

Going Postal

Philatelist Michael R. Maranda brings us postage stamps imported from the city of Ankh-Morpork.  I'm a sucker for postal props.

Cthulhu Fhtagn! It's In The Trees Edition.

"It's In The Trees" brings us this nicely done Cthulhu idol.   I really like the inscribed font on the base.

The Legacy of Obed Marsh

Muninsheim travels to Innsmouth to bring us this intriguing idol and necklace.  I like the abstracted imagery of the statuette.

The Tablet

Jason McKittrick has his latest offering from Nyarlathotep's Bazaar up- the Miskatonic University Archaeological Dig Kit.

- The “Dream Tablet”- A solid plaster block bearing the tentacled head of Cthulhu above an alien inscription and a star chart. An unknown “dream inducing” artifact is said to be contained inside. Comes with a wooden pick and hogs hair brush for artifact removal. (Measures 4” x 3” x 2”)
- Miskatonic University Department of Archaeology Notebook – A pocket-sized notebook for recording the process of excavating the “Dream Tablet”. Colleagues will want to read about your descent into madness! (Measures 3.5” x 5.5”)
- A page from the infamous “Cultes des Ghoules” showing an entry referring to the “Dream Tablet”. (Measures 8” x 10.5”)
-A charcoal rubbing of the “Dream Tablet” done by Dr. Ward. (Measures 4” x 5.5”)
- Catalog letter from the Miskatonic University Department of Archaeology pertaining to the Dr. Anna Ward and the “Dream Tablet” (Measures 8.5 “x 11”)
- Handwritten letters from Dr. Anna Ward after her committal to Arkham Sanitarium. The decline of her mental faculties can be glimpsed upon the page. (Measures 5” x 7” each)

I'm an unabashed fan of Mr. McKittrick's work.  He's produced some amazing statuettes and artifacts.  That said, I really like how this project adds a narrative element to the item in question.  One of my long-running interests has been the use of props as epistolary devices.  I dearly love a well done Cthulhu idol or intriguing amulet, but a singular item exists in a vacuum.  Giving it a history and context, telling its story with supplementary items and documents, turns an objet d'art into a genuinely interactive experience.

You Gotta Have Heart

One of the blackest of black magics is the binding of a human spirit.   In occult circles the abhorrent rituals required to place a soul under the control of a necromancer are rightly feared, both for their immediate and long term consequences.   More often than not the practitioner who dares to experiment with such matters finds their own spirit at risk.

We present to you today a talisman used for that very purpose, crafted from the heart of a suicide.  Traditionally, those who took their own lives were viewed as a spiritual risk to the community as a whole.  Their restless souls could trouble a town or village for years.  In most cases they were mere annoyances, but particularly bitter or angry ones could be terrifying, lashing out at anyone nearby and slowly growing more powerful over time.  Preventing such occurrences required burying the heart of a suicide at a crossroads.

Unfortunately, not everyone viewed a restless spirit as a liability.  For some they were a precious resource with significant magical power.

The heart used in this binding talisman shows the characteristic distortion of one placed inside a box while fresh.  The moist tissue molded to one corner of the container and then dried out, displaying a distinctive ridge.  At some point the heart was recovered from it's resting place at the intersection of two roads and the spirit ritually bound.  During the ceremony iron spikes were nailed into the desiccated flesh, allowing the necromancer to trap the soul within.  Only through service to it's new master could the victim gain some measure of freedom and avoid the torments of punishment.

This was a fun little project.  Technically, it's just a variation of the vampire heart I did back in 2010.   You can check out the build notes in the archives- Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. 

I'm pretty happy with where it is now, but I think I might add a layer of dust.  The wax-based schmutz does a great job of bringing out the textures and griming it up, but I think it would look better with just a little more filth.  And, yes, I realize how odd that probably sounds.  Heh.

Here's a closeup of the surface texture under even illumination.  I spent way too much time working on those damn spikes not to show them off.  They were old store stock from Ebay and arrived looking like they'd just come out of the drop forge.  That shiny, fresh metal just wasn't going to work.  First I scrubbed them down with hot soap and water to remove the protective oil coating.  To induce surface pitting and rust they were boiled in a vinegar and salt solution and then air dried.  To get the buildup of crud where they entered the heart I drilled out every hole, schmutzed the spikes, and then drove them in to the heart.  That produced a nice little ring of material where friction peeled the wax off the shaft.

Now I just have to come up with an appropriate container.

Gauntlet of St. Micheal

Hartnett brings us St. Micheal's Gauntlet, hand formed from copper.