Savage Pellucidar by Tom Grindberg

Tanar of Pellucidar stalks the mammoth herd in this great art from Roy Krenkel.

Be careful Nkima, Pellucidar is full of dangers.

Pellucidar at the Earth's Core by Dark Horse

In a story originally conceived of by Edgar Rice Burroughs, a group of explorers find a land inhabited by prehistoric reptiles, strange creatures, and beings enacting dark rituals. But most importantly, they discover the beautiful Dian, queen of Pellucidar, who captures their hearts and leads them on a wild adventure to aid her and win her trust. This collects selected stories previously published in Korak, Son of Tarzan #1 and Weird Worlds #1–#7 from DC Comics.

Cover by Mark Schultz! (Xenozoic Tales/Cadillacs & Dinosaurs).

From Dark Horse Comics

#RPGaDay2016, Day 16 - Historical person you'd like in your group. What game?

For my answer, I'm creating a fantasy that Edgar Rice Burroughs is proficient in GMing RPGs. He runs a campaign in which we all discover Pellucidar for the very first time. Using the Hollow Earth Expedition RPG.

There. That's my answer.

Sagoths by Spearhafoc

Hollow Earth Cultures: Sagoths from the Pelludidar series by Edgar Rice Burroughs. They're the apish servants of the Mahars.

Warning, some racism ahead.

"Behind them, streaming through the pass which leads into the valley, came a swarm of hairy men—gorilla-like creatures armed with spears and hatchets, and bearing long, oval shields. Like demons they set upon the ape-things, and before them the hyaenodon, which had now regained its senses and its feet, fled howling with fright. Past us swept the pursued and the pursuers, nor did the hairy ones accord us more than a passing glance until the arena had been emptied of its former occupants. Then they returned to us, and one who seemed to have authority among them directed that we be brought with them."
"Our guards, whom I already have described as gorilla-like men, were rather lighter in build than a gorilla, but even so they were indeed mighty creatures. Their arms and legs were proportioned more in conformity with human standards, but their entire bodies were covered with shaggy, brown hair, and their faces were quite as brutal as those of the few stuffed specimens of the gorilla which I had seen in the museums at home.
Their only redeeming feature lay in the development of the head above and back of the ears. In this respect they were not one whit less human than we. They were clothed in a sort of tunic of light cloth which reached to the knees. Beneath this they wore only a loin cloth of the same material, while their feet were shod with thick hide of some mammoth creature of this inner world.
Their arms and necks were encircled by many ornaments of metal—silver predominating—and on their tunics were sewn the heads of tiny reptiles in odd and rather artistic designs. They talked among themselves as they marched along on either side of us, but in a language which I perceived differed from that employed by our fellow prisoners. When they addressed the latter they used what appeared to be a third language, and which I later learned is a mongrel tongue rather analogous to the Pidgin-English of the Chinese coolie."

link

Hollow Earth Expedition - favorite RPG setting

August is the month that various gaming geeks post blog articles that follow the #RPGaDay2015 list (see the image at the bottom). This was my choice. Porting it over to this blog as well.

Hollow Earth Expedition is my favorite RPG setting.

There is a list of reasons:

• Dinosaurs
• Nazis
• Hollow Earth
• Mars
• 1930s
• Pulp
• Secret Societies
• Unique and light-ish system
• High quality production value
• Excellent art
• Excellent fan support
• Friendly fans

This hits all of the tropes that get me going. Ever since I got into the Indiana Jones films, 1930s pulp has been such a favorite! And there has been no lack of it in RPGs. One thing that makes this game unique is that it isn't a pulp setting for a game system trying to cover all the bases. It is a pulp game that fully tackles one major pulp trope. The Hollow Earth theory.

The Hollow Earth theory is a literary setting that caught my interest when I veered away from Tarzan and John Carter in my Burroughs obsession several years ago. I had discovered Pellucidar! I was also getting into old back issues of DC Comics Warlord. As I wrapped my head around the concept and particularly what the effects of time in the Hollow Earth were, I was completely hooked and still am. I've even created a blog that allows this obsession to vent occasionally.

Other things I like about this setting is it is not grim-dark. This is an aspect of many settings that I fear sells well these cynical days. No need for it. Too much of it anywhere else. I also like that it isn't at all inappropriate for kiddos. As a geek dad, I do desire to foster the interest in this hobby to my littles and this remains a pretty safe game to do that with. Also, plenty of elements that may appeal to my parents, who also want to share in the kiddos gaming occasionally.

So that's my choice. Hollow Earth Expedition. It's a good one.

My wife says the only thing missing from this most excellent game is Nathan Fillion.

Finally she spread her giant wings, flapped them vigorously a score of times and rose above the blue sea.

"Finally she spread her giant wings, flapped them vigorously a score of times and rose above the blue sea." Pellucidar

The Dead World

A Pellucidar novelette written with the approval of the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate.

A plague is spewing forth from the Dead World, the stationary moon that hovers over the Land of Awful Shadow in the land within the Earth. David Innes, Emperor of Pellucidar, and the eccentric inventor, Abner Perry, rig a balloon to carry them to the Dead World. But Pellucidar's mysterious moon is not what it seems, and far more bizarre than they ever dreamed. It holds the answer as to how Pellucidar was formed - and how it will be destroyed. Can they stop the plague before it wipes out all life in the Inner World?
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Jamie Chase art

Pellucidar Jungle Girl by Sanjulian

Land of Terror art

Tarzan issue 180 (1968)

David Innes of Pellucidar

Book illustrations and comic book stories of Pellucidar by John Coleman Burroughs.

Pellucidar David B Mattingly covers

Pellucidar artwork of J. Allen St. John

This is the astounding artwork of J Allen St John for the second book, Pellucidar.

Creature from Pellucidar - Frazetta 1964