"To eternal life are none but fools disposed.
The wise thirst instead for oblivion's repose.
The slumber of the tomb shall be thy rest,
A shield for thee from the unwelcome guest.
If thy clay recline beneath the Elder Sigil,
Against the shambling foe it shall keep vigil."
- --The Book of Iod
The Elder Sign presents the Mythos Prop Maker with an interesting problem: there are in fact two Elder Signs. The one seen in Call of Cthulhu roleplaying games and most often described 
in Mythos literature was created by August Derleth. This warped five pointed star-stone with a flaming eye or pillar of flame in the center was first described in his novel, The Lurker at the Threshold.
The problem is that, unbeknownst to Derleth, H.P. Lovecraft (who had created the Elder Sign without ever describing what it looked like) 
had drawn a picture of the Elder Sign in a letter (Selected Letters III, page 206). This branch-like image is considered by many to be the true Elder Sign.
Lin Carter ingeniously found a way to wed the two concepts in his story, The Horror in the Gallery. He placed a cartouche in the center of the star-stone:
"Whether the Elder Sign was the star-stone itself, or merely the cartouche-like emblem ... was left unclear. Under the magnifying glass it proved to be an oval, broken at either end, with something in the middle like a tower or monolith of jagged lines; or perhaps it was meant to represent a stylized tree."
So, as a Mythos Prop Maker you must decide which design you want to go with, the well-known Derleth design, the original Lovecraft design, or the little-known Carter combination. Whichever you choose, the process remains the same. Here's what you will need:
Sculpey
Paint: black, gray, silver etc.
Sculpting tools (a pencil and a thumbtack will do)
A length of string and a bead (optional)
Knife or Scissors (for the Lovecraft Design)
Glass bead or other piece of costume jewelery (for the Carter Combination)
Flatten out a ball of Sculpey until it's the size you want it (a palm sized Elder Sign should be about the size of a coffee cup stain, while a pendant should be about the size of a half dollar). Make sure to spread it out so it isn't too thick.
- You can make it round either by hand or by using a cookie cutter (or the top of a drinking glass, etc. just make sure you wash it really well afterwards).
Now you have to choose which of the three styles you want to make:
The Derleth Design
Now make at least five thin ropes of Sculpey. Lay them out one by one on the disc of Sculpey bending them so that they make sharp angles. Smooth the sides down and into the disk so that all that remains is a ridge. These five angles combine to make the star shape.
-
Notice on the image above how they appear to overlap each other, each one has a shorter side that is intersected by the long side of the next angle.
Make sure the ends are aligned so that the image looks like a star.
Also be sure to leave room in the center for the tongue of flame.
Once the star is complete, it is time to make the flame/eye. To make one that looks like mine, make a small teardrop out of Sculpey. Put it in the center of the star and then take a pencil and gently push the top a little to the left and the bottom a little to the right (refer to the picture above). Then roll two really small ropes and bend them over the tip of a pencil. Gently press each one into the Sculpey, one on either side of the flame. The result should look like the picture above.
Go to Finishing the Elder Sign.
The Lovecraft Design
Flatten out another ball of Sculpey and cut the 
branch design out of that with either a knife or scissors. Take this cut-out and center it on the flattened ball of Sculpey.
- Smooth the edges into the surface of the disc.
Go to Finishing the Elder Sign.
The Carter Combination
Now make at least five thin ropes of Sculpey. Lay them out one by one on the disc of Sculpey bending them so that they make sharp angles. 
Smooth the sides down and into the disk so that all that remains is a ridge. These five angles combine to make the star shape.
Notice on the image above how they appear to overlap each other, each one has a shorter side that is intersected by the long side of the next angle.
Make sure the ends are aligned so that the image looks like a star.
Also be sure to leave room in the center for the cartouche.
Once the star is complete, it is time to make the cartouche. I would use a small glass oval or other piece of costume jewelery as the cartouche. If you think that what you are using might melt in the oven, don't risk it. Press it firmly into the Sculpey, then carefully remove it. When you have hardened the Sculpey you can glue it back into place.
The final step is to paint the branch onto the cartouche. Use this image as a guide.
Go to Finishing the Elder Sign.
Finishing the Elder Sign
Finally, you should texture the outside to add contrast. Take the point of a pencil or a thumbtack and stiple the surface. Alternatively, you could press leaves or orange peel into the Sculpey to create different textures. 
If you want the Elder Sign to be a pendant, make a hole in the top for a string. Then, follow the directions for hardening the Sculpey in your oven.
The next step is to paint it. I sprayed my first Elder Sign with black spray paint and then dry brushed it with silver. I made sure to highlight the edges and all the details. With my other Elder Signs I used Heavenly Hues Soft Black from DecoArtİ. You apply it with a sponge and then wipe off the excess. The end result is a great aged look. With all my Elder Signs I finished them with a coat of DecoArtİ spray gloss finish. Attach a length of string and a bead if you made holes for it to be a pendant, and you are done!
Have you made anything you would like to show off? Email me at: xn@geocities.com
Petersen, Sandy: Call of Cthulhu. 1994, Chaosium.
Carter, Lin: Xothic Legend Cycle. 1997, Chaosium.
