M Helsdon Posted July 12, 2020 Author Share Posted July 12, 2020 5 minutes ago, JanPospisil said: Knowing Nadeem, this was most likely based on an actual find, too. So far as I know (and I haven't got my books here), finds of actual ancient cataphract armor are very rare, and we have more examples of the horse armor than that of the rider. Most reliefs and graffiti from the actual period is very difficult to interpret. Like an awful lot about the ancient world, where we think we know a great deal as a result of modern illustrations, the opposite is true, and there's very little in the way of finds that provide definitive information. Here's the Balustrade Relief of the temple of Athena Polias Nikephoros at Pergamum, which shows arm manica, and two Sassanid depictions. About the best sources we have. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 12, 2020 Author Share Posted July 12, 2020 Hmm, I seem to have used knee-protectors only once and that sketch is in Armies and Enemies. More recently - a rider with half articulated armor (sadly hidden behind the leg protectors in the final picture), three-quarter articulated armor worn by a Castle Coast noble, and 'full' articulated hoops. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_Godspeed Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 5 hours ago, M Helsdon said: Damn, check out the dude with the fur leggings on the left. What an absolute madlad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanPospisil Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 I suspect those might be frilly trousers, maybe even silk. Compare with the way his tunic (?) is textured on the sleeves and around the waist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) Latest. On the whole, War Society regiments aren't as well equipped as the 'knights', so this cataphract has vambraces and greaves instead of the 'hooped' arm and leg armor. Edited July 14, 2020 by M Helsdon 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanPospisil Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) Interesting armour, is it perhaps inspired by the canakkale sarcophagus? Edited July 14, 2020 by JanPospisil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, JanPospisil said: Interesting armour, is it perhaps inspired by the canakkale sarcophagus? 8-) Yes, I'd seen your reconstruction (turned up in a search on Persian armor some time ago); my suspicion is that it is a variant of the neck protectors used by various steppe/Persian cavalry of different varieties. Despite there being a few descriptions and reliefs depicting Persian armor, I suspect that many griva-pan were similar. I am tending to use ancient Persian/Bactrian armor as a reference for Seshnela. Edited July 14, 2020 by M Helsdon 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 Actual swords for the Swords of Central Genertela thread... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 19, 2020 Author Share Posted July 19, 2020 (edited) Latest. Added: horse without rider - I knew some of the 'blanket' would be hidden, but drew it anyway - supposed to show a scene from Jonat's Saga. Edited July 19, 2020 by M Helsdon 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_Godspeed Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 Looking good! Love the chunky feel of both rider and horse. And DAMN if that horse isn't massive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 20, 2020 Author Share Posted July 20, 2020 3 hours ago, Sir_Godspeed said: Looking good! Love the chunky feel of both rider and horse. And DAMN if that horse isn't massive. It's a Daron; I may be drawing them too large, but am assuming war horses will be towards the upper range in size and strength. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 22, 2020 Author Share Posted July 22, 2020 (edited) Latest. May need more work on contrast. And another sword. Edited July 22, 2020 by M Helsdon 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 (edited) Latest. I may alter some of the shading. The horse was sketched before the recent arthritic flareup... This 'completes' the History of Cataphracts chapter... Edited July 24, 2020 by M Helsdon 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 25, 2020 Author Share Posted July 25, 2020 Working on the Armies & Enemies sequel, the draft continues to grow, as more sketches and more text is added. 164 pages (sans index), 120K words. It may seem odd in a book about warfare, but have found it necessary to delve into the cultures, religions, and histories. Although I didn't originally like Seshnela and its fundamentalist Rokari, I now find them interesting, and the tangled tapestry of Ralios, and especially Safelster fascinating. Loskalm, in Fronela is obviously an idealistic utopia in the process of unraveling, and I suspect the reason why Zzabur wanted to sink it... Even the appendix, originally half a page on Western sorcery has grown into a (short) chapter. BUT: The one thing I really wish I had more information about is the Western Script. As always in Glorantha, you can't fully 'get' the culture unless you know something of the religions, and for the West, the written script is fundamental. I have four more sketches 'scheduled', which means I always planned to do them. Then I have to work through and identify where there are too many pages of unbroken text (setting a limit at roughly four) and then which chapters have more than a quarter page of white space at the end, requiring more art. One benefit of the 'style' used in Armies & Enemies and this companion volume is that it uses the artifice of being written centuries or millennia later, so it can debate with itself, offer information and say the source is dubious, and, of course not pretend to be canonical. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_Godspeed Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 54 minutes ago, M Helsdon said: It may seem odd in a book about warfare, but have found it necessary to delve into the cultures, religions, and histories. Far from odd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajagappa Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 1 hour ago, M Helsdon said: Although I didn't originally like Seshnela and its fundamentalist Rokari, I now find them interesting, and the tangled tapestry of Ralios, and especially Safelster fascinating. And if you do, I'm sure it will carry through to the rest of us too! 🙂 Looking forward to seeing the work at whatever point it is ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 27, 2020 Author Share Posted July 27, 2020 (edited) More swords (fillers). Not much free time for sketching today. Edited July 27, 2020 by M Helsdon 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 28, 2020 Author Share Posted July 28, 2020 Another filler. A Medallion of the Sigil of Zzabur This symbol and its variants are one of the most common found in Glorantha, spread by the Middle Sea Empire in the Second Age. It is said that Zzabur initially used this sign as his personal insignia, but later released it to be used first by the zzaburi and later the other castes. The number five is important in Malkioni numerology, and the sigil is a five-pointed star or pentacle inside a circle. Each point of the star is associated with one of the Elements, and the center is often occupied by the Law or Man Rune. The number five also signifies the Man Rune, and various systems connect this Rune with the five senses, the four limbs and head, stages of consciousness, modes of experience, and Elemental origins. The circle signifies the number zero, also important in Malkioni numerology, and the Cosmic Egg which contained all potential within itself. Arrows connecting the points of the stars trace the cosmological progression of the Elements: Darkness, Water, Earth, Fire, and Air, whilst their progression around the circle trace their Elemental superiority. Many people carry small medallions depicting the Sigil, often with their own name or symbol inscribed in the center, though copies bearing the Man Rune are popular. In Seshnela these will be made of the metal now associated with their caste, so horali will bear pendants made of molded bronze. This example was excavated at the site of Segurane III. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 28, 2020 Author Share Posted July 28, 2020 Here's the entire Cataphract chapter - one of the very short chapters - tracing the development of Western heavy cavalry through about 15 centuries. Roughly half are 'historical', the rest modern. I hope tomorrow to start on the last four 'scheduled' sketches, and after that see how many more are needed to banish the Great White Space. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 (edited) Latest. Can't get the shading on the shield arm right, so will have another go this evening when I work on the skin tones again. Edited July 30, 2020 by M Helsdon 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 Latest. An opportunity to draw another hoplite - illustrating one of the sections about the wars in Ralios between the Bright Empire and Arkat. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted July 31, 2020 Author Share Posted July 31, 2020 (edited) Assessing the chapters: Introduction – complete Cataphracti – complete Swords of the West – complete Western Magic – complete People of the West – complete Seshnela – needs more: one or two sketches Fronela – sketch in progress; will need another Ralios – sketch planned; may need another two Slontos – complete Appendices - complete At present I have drawn 63 new illustrations, and five maps. Present page count: 166. Edited July 31, 2020 by M Helsdon 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) Another Loskalmi Guardian with another variant of armor. Wanted to to show at least two variants, as ancient armies (even the Roman) weren't uniform in equipment or appearance. After adding this to the document, and the inevitable adjusting of existing maps and sketches - with this the Fronela chapter is complete. Edited August 1, 2020 by M Helsdon 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted August 3, 2020 Author Share Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) Latest. Current estimate: two or three more needed for Ralios; one for Seshnela. Edited August 3, 2020 by M Helsdon 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Helsdon Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 (edited) Latest. Latest estimate: one more for Ralios. Possibly a few fillers, but most chapters are now full (the Ralios one is as well, but there are five pages without an illustration). Edited August 7, 2020 by M Helsdon 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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