Prof. M. A. R. Barker has passed away...

[chirine ba kal]

(If there's a better place for this post, could someone help out and put it in the proper spot? Thanks!)

Very sad to have to report that Prof. Barker has passed away; he left us yesterday at the age of 83 after a long illness. There's an official press release up on the web, so I won't repeat that information, but I did want to let all of you know as Phil thought so much of Dave Arneson and all of you who keep his Blackmoor alive and appreciated.

Of particular interest to me and probably to you has been my finding all of the Professor's logs of his early 1974 game sessions; Phil first wrote EPT in February of 1974, and Dave helped playtest that early manuscript that spring and into the early summer. The two were very good friends, and finding out that they were close colleagues as well has been one of the joys of my old/new job as Phil's archivist.

I will have more for all of you as soon as I can; things are very hectic, right now...

yours, Chirine

[Havard]

Thank you so much for reporting this Chirine.

My sincere condolences.

-Havard

[Rafael]

What Havard said.

Sorry for your loss, friend.

[Havard]

Posted an announcement and a picture on my blog: blackmoormystara.blogspot.com/2012/03/mar-barker-november-3-1929-march-16.html

More sources giving the professor attention:

TOR Books:
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/03/mar-barker-1929-2012

Forbes Magazine:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidewalt/ ... s-tekumel/


Also, this was a nice read: http://thoulsparadise.blogspot.com/2012 ... r-rip.html


-Havard

[gsvenson]

A sad day. I enjoyed EPT, too, back in the day. He had developed an incredible setting. I never played it with Dr. Barker, though.

[Havard]

M.A.R. Barker Memorial set for May 5 in Minneapolis:
http://spellcard.blogspot.com/2012/04/m ... -5-in.html

-Havard