Official Rules
Empire of the Petal Throne
This original roleplaying game based on Tékumel, and a classic in roleplaying game history.
Publishing History
First published as box set, Tactical Studies Rules (TSR), 1975
Rules booklet reprinted (pink cover), Different Worlds Publications, 1987
Authors
M.A.R. Barker. Cover illustration (box and rulebook) by Professor Barker. Interior illustrations by M.A.R. Barker, Karen J Englesen and David Sutherland.
Description
Boxed set containing spiral bound 114 page rulebook, three high-quality colour maps (two making up Tékumel's main continent, one the city of Jakálla), and a 4 page pamphlet.
Despite a relatively simplistic rules set based on Dungeons & Dragons, Empire of the Petal Throne (or EPT) was the first role-playing game to present a detailed fantasy world beyond the Tolkeinesque or Robert E Howard models of swords and sworcery. While EPT didn’t go on to be as commercially successful as its TSR stablemate D&D, this beautifully produced game is now a classic.
The HOG reprint of the Empire of the Petal Throne rulebook, and reprints of the colour maps, are available from Tita’s House of Games.