Coins of Glorantha Part 1

Submitted by Jeff on Fri, 01/06/2012 – 08:16

I’ve been working on some sample Gloranthan coins from the Guide, finishing Greg’s ancient Coins of Sartar project. Here’s the first set I’ve commissioned, with the art direction.

Coin A: DARA HAPPAN WHEEL

A PERFECTLY ROUND (unlike my drawing), gold coin about the size of a 20 cent Euro coin (or an American quarter).

Style: Ancient Greek/Persian

Front: The Sun with ten spokes/sunbeams giving it the impression of a wheel. In between some of the spokes are written Gloranthan symbols (see picture).

Reverse: A a profile protrait of a Persian-Assyrian Emperor. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shapuriii%27s_coin_with_transparent_background.png, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Gold_coin_with_the_image_of_Khosrau_II.jpg. On one side is written the Emperor’s name in Gloranthan symbols (see picture):

Coin B: SILVER LUNAR

A mostly round, silver coin about the size of a 20 cent Euro coin (or an American quarter). This coin is not as perfectly round as Coin A and can show some imperfections.

Style: Ancient Greek/Roman/Persian

Front: Seven stars within a diadem, with the Moon Rune in the center. The seventh star is below the moon. This is always the same for any Lunar coin.

Example: http://www.uhl.ac/blog/wp-content/uploads/fig-2.jpg, but with the Full Moon in the center and a resting Crescent Moon on top. Around the edge the coin are written two words in a Gloranthan script (see the image for the precise set) – the words spell out the name of the Moon Goddess and the Emperor.

Reverse: This coin depicts an armored warrior, Greek style, carrying a shield and holding aloft a staff with a Lunar rune on its end. Example: right side coin here – http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/DOMITIANUS_RIC_II_596-2430325.jpg. There are two words written in a Gloranthan script (see the image for the precise set).

Coin C: COPPER CLACK

A square, copper coin.

Style: Ancient Greek/Ancient Indian

Front: A picture of the Earth Goddess. She is barebreasted and wearing a necklace, seated, holding a sheaf of grain in one hand, a child sitting at the ground at her feet, and making a gesture with the other hand.

Reverse: a profile portrait of a distinguished woman. On the left and right sides are words written in another Glorantha script (see image).

Coin D: THE SARTARITE GUILDER 

An unevenly round, silver coin about the size of a 20 cent Euro coin (or an American quarter). This is the crudest of the four coins.

Style: Ancient Greek/Ancient Indian

Front: A king is seated up a brazier beneath which flames are emerging from the sides. He is seated in a Lotus position and wears a torc around his neck. To the left is the Storm God Orlanth holding a thunder bolt (remember a thunderbolt looks like http://pics.livejournal.com/richaje/pic/0005z7dr), to the right is the Earth Goddess (barebreasted in a skirt). Stylistically the picture should look something like this: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/INDIA_AGE_UNKNOWN_-HINDU_TEMPLE_COIN_a_-_Flickr_-_woody1778a.jpg

Reverse: Two figures holding hands. On the left is a king holding a sword in his right hand. On the right is a woman with a feathered headdress. Stylistically like this: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/KINGS_of_BAKTRIA._Agathokles._Circa_185-170_BC._AR_Drachm_%283.22_gm%2C_12h%29._Bilingual_series._BASILEWS_AGAQOKLEOUS_with_Indian_god_Balarama-Samkarshana.jpg. On the top and bottom of the coin is written the name and title of the rulers in a different Gloranthan script.

Submitted by cjtsmith on Sun, 03/06/2012 – 08:49.

Nice designs – any ideas about Bolgs?

Submitted by Jeff on Sat, 02/06/2012 – 03:38.

No – that’s actually a modern Lunar Wheel. But they all depict Murharzarm because they always have (or at least that is the modern claim). Urengeria (also spelled Irengeria) is an anachronistic term for the lands of Dragon Pass (also used to describe a region in Holay).

Editor-in-Chief, Moon Design Publications

Submitted by metcalph on Sat, 02/06/2012 – 02:18.

Is the Dara Happan Coin actually meant to date from Murharzarm?

And who is Urengeria (from the Lunar coin)?  Something to do with Fazzur?

Submitted by metcalph on Fri, 01/06/2012 – 18:02.

The trouble with triangular coins is that they are too pointy to be comfortable and the points will put holes in the pouch.

>Submitted by Herve on Fri, 01/06/2012 – 14:02.

I love the idea of actually showing what coins look like. Do you think malkioni use triangular coins ?

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