Guelph, Ontario
23 February 2001

Contact: Mark C. MacKinnon, President

Guardians Of Order To Publish M.A.R. Barker's Tekumel RPG

Guardians Of Order, Inc. announced today that it has reached an agreement with Professor M.A.R. Barker to publish a role-playing game line based on Barker's exquisitely detailed world of Tekumel. As part of Guardians Of Order's new Tri-Stat Compatible game line, TEKUMEL: EMPIRE OF THE PETAL THRONE will premiere at the 2001 GenCon Game Fair in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in August.

"Tekumel is a science fantasy game unlike any other and we are honoured to work with Professor Barker in its revitalization," said Guardians Of Order President, Mark C. MacKinnon. "He has devoted over fifty years to creating the Tekumel universe, developing it into a vivid setting with rich backgrounds and unique cultural identities. Tens of thousands of long-time supporters of the Tekumel property will benefit from the stability and dedication we bring to the RPG line. At the same time, we are eager to introduce Tekumel to the new generation of gaming enthusiasts. This is a great opportunity for our company."

Tekumel is the oldest licensed property in the adventure gaming industry, and is as detailed and developed as the worlds created by Tolkien, Herbert, or Moorcock. TSR first published the world and setting as Empire of the Petal Throne in 1975. Over the years, core role-playing games set in the Tekumel universe were also published by other companies: Lou Zocchi's Gamescience, Different Worlds, and Tekumel Games have all produced Tekumel products. Most recently, Theatre of the Mind Enterprises published the Adventures on Tekumel solo adventure series (1992) and the Gardasiyal role-playing game (1994). Professor Barker has also written two novels set in Tekumel, Man of Gold (1984) and Flamesong (1985), both published by DAW Books. The official Tekumel website at http://www.tekumel.com is an excellent resource for fans of the game universe.

"Tekumel is novel both because of its unusual background -- quite different from the usual Western Medieval knights and castles -- and because the world is so rich and detailed," M.A.R. Barker added. "I am pleased to see it being made available to gamers once again. The authors have had a long-standing interest in Tekumel and have loved it for many years, so I am confident that they will do a good job."

About Guardians of Order Inc.

Founded in 1997, Guardians Of Order is a dedicated game publishing company specializing in cinematic role-playing games, including the Origins Award-nominated Japanese anime RPG, BIG EYES, SMALL MOUTH, and licensed anime role-playing games based on SAILOR MOON and TENCHI MUYO! Guardians Of Order is headquartered in Guelph, Ontario. For more information, contact Guardians Of Order at info@guardiansorder.on.ca, or visit the company's website at http://www.guardiansorder.on.ca.