M. A. R. Barker

M. A. R. Barker
BornPhillip Barker
(1929-11-03)November 3, 1929
Spokane, Washington, U.S.
DiedMarch 16, 2012(2012-03-16) (aged 82)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Resting placePleasant View Memorial Gardens (Burnsville, Minnesota)
Pen nameRandolph D. Calverhall
Occupation
  • Linguist
  • scholar
  • professor
  • game designer
  • author
Period19492012
GenreLinguistics, role-playing games, fantasy, science fantasy

Muhammad Abd-al-Rahman Barker (born Phillip Barker; November 3, 1929 – March 16, 2012) was an American linguist who was professor of Urdu and South Asian Studies and created one of the first roleplaying games, Empire of the Petal Throne. He wrote several fantasy/science fantasy novels based in his associated world setting of Tékumel.

Between 1990 and 2002, he was a member of the Editorial Advisory Committee of the Journal of Historical Review, which advocated Holocaust denial. In 1991 he published a neo-Nazi novel, Serpent's Walk, under the pseudonym Randolph D. Calverhall.