The Elder Sign

Amidst the unspeakable horrors and cosmic nihilism of the Cthulhu mythos,

it stands to reason that there would exist wards meant to protect mortals from such threats.

The elder sign is the most common form of these wards, and its shape and function has been modified a few times throughout the years.

A somewhat uncommon device within the literary works of the mythos,

it has come to be one of the most notable elements within it.

The first mention of the Elder Sign is in Lovecraft's dream quest of Unknown Kadath in 1926.

In the story, the sign is not described, but instead is only spoken of in passing.

The main character attempts to discuss the gods of Earth's dreamlands with some locals,

but they merely make the elder sign and give him directions on his way.

Mentioning it in this way, it's unclear if Lovecraft originally meant the Elder Sign to be a physical inscription,

or rather an arcane gesture.

In 1930, Lovecraft wrote a letter to Clark Ashton Smith in which he drew his interpretation of the

elder sign, appearing as a single line with five lines branching off of it.

In the shadow over Innsmith, a character mentions there being stones strewn about,

with symbols on them looking like swastikas and refers to them as old one's signs.

They are supposedly used to protect someone from approaching deep ones.

When August Durlath, a fan of Lovecrafts, wrote the Lurker at the Threshold in 1945,

he decided to incorporate the elder sign. Unfortunately, he hadn't read the letter

where Lovecraft drew his depiction, and so the two versions differ greatly.

Durleth's version, which would come to be the more recognizable form, is described as being

the rough shape of a star, in the center of which there appeared to be a caricature of a single giant eye.

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