Cryptozoica by Mark Ellis Revisited and Commentary

 A (VERY early) CRYPTOZOICA cover design, featuring art elements by Jeff Slemons and the Hildebrandt Brothers.

Over the last couple of weeks I've been getting into Cryptozoica book by Mark Ellis as a blue print for my own "Lost Worlds".  

  There is a lot to learn actually. The book features a very Gygaxian dinosaur ecology and more. One thing that strikes me is the almost toolbox like approach to the story that Mr. Ellis has done. The characters are very engaging and primarily drawn from their backgrounds whole cloth.  Its a lesson that applies for creating NPC's as well.
The environs of the book are a hark back to very early pulp days such books as Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World. The material isn't taken so much as emulated but with quite a bit of Ellis's lens. 

"There's even more coming up. According to Mr. Ellis and exclusive to this blog
I haven't talked much about it, but the first book in the new CHALLENGER series I'm working on is coming together surprisingly well. I'm particularly pleased with how the character of MAJOR LOVEDAY BROOKE has developed. I'm reversing the standard approach of the hardbitten male soldier teaming up with the gifted female amateur adventurer.

With her bo staff and training in Baritsu, Major Brooke is fast becoming one of my favorite female characters, right up there with Brigid Baptiste, Bai Suzhen and Domi." 

 This means another boat load of reading or does it? With the amount of support material on the web a DM could easily get into the world of the book.
There is a ton of support for this book.

My previous Blog entry on the book right HERE
From the Official website HERE
 Mark Ellis Ink HERE
Mark Ellis's Face Book page HERE
 You can buy the book right over HERE

Cryptozoica by Mark Ellis's As OSR Blue Print

Cryptozoica by Mark Ellis is a fantastic book with lots of cool art by Jeff Slemons of that there is no doubt in my mind. Using it as a role playing world isn't a good idea. I've got muliple issues with it. First of all the book is a self contained universe and a very dangerous one. Two this is an author's creation. And three this world has a span within its own continuum.  

 You might be thinking that reading this that Cryptozoica by Mark Ellis is completely useless as a setting and you might be right. But actually your dead wrong . Cryptozoica by Mark Ellis is a fantastic blue print for world building in its own right. The places where the author was very, very, good is the world building and research departments. 

 Here are where DM's should pay extra attention. The characters are all very strong within their own field just like the PC's within an rpg. The setting has lots of weird ins and outs within the world and these hooks are perfect for a DM wanting to latch onto to their own ideas. The world of Challengers is a branch off of the book and this spin off technique is one that DM's can apply to their own world building and one to learn from. In short Cryptozoica by Mark Ellis is both setting and tool box.  The ideas presented in it are bigger then the actual execution of the book a very weird and interesting lost world that is crossing into other series that the author is weaving even as you read this.
 So its both a great setting and a tool kit for the DM looking to get into lost worlds.