The Late Prof M.A.R Barker.
Middle-Earth News are sorry to report that Role Playing Game creator Prof M.A.R Barker has passed away. The Self published Empire of the Petal Throne was one of his finest creations has a world so vast and complex he was compared to Tolkien on more than one occasion earning him the nick-name “The Lost Tolkien” a name not to be given lightly. Barker who passed away March 16th was a Fullbright Scholar and a published Science Fiction Author who is said to have heavily influenced the late Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Gygax who died in 2008 then one year later in 2009 respectivly. If you don’t know who they are they are the creators of legendary RPG Dungeons & Dragons.
Empire of the Petal Throne.
The comparison to Tolkien and “The Lost Tolkien” Barker are many, while both men being quite brilliant and imaginary they both excelled in Language and both researched many foreign ones used in creation to their own with Tolkiens Languages of Sindar and Khuzdul coming from the Nordic speak of old and Barkers being Urdu which formed the language of Tsolyani. Also Tolkien and Barker were both Teachers and you can see how both used stories of old to create the back bone for their worlds with Barkers having an Eastern feel instead of Tokiens Western European Medieval flavour.
The Tékumel Foundation website says, “memorials to the Tékumel Foundation are preferred.” For information, visit http://www.tekumelfoundation.org.
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Interesting, I’ve never heard of him. I suppose I shall have to correct my ignorance.
Yeah some of his Sci-Fi stuff is pretty cool, Petal Throne RPG tabletop is worth a go if you have never played it. Shame when someone like this passes away but least his works will live on as with Tolkien