Arcana Unearthed: What's OGL?

[Kesh]

I'm sure this topic has been hashed out before, but I don't have search capabilities, so...

I was reading through my PDFs of AU (legal copy through RPGnow!), and I can't figure out what parts of the material are really Open. Reading the Product Identity portion of the OGL, it seems that virtually everything but the rules lifted straight from the 3.0 SRD are considered PI by Monte. Am I reading that right?

The reason I ask is that I'm developing my own campaign, and was considering eventually compiling the rules I'll be using into a document to make available for free online. But, if I can't use the things from AU in the document without Monte's liscence, it'll put a real damper on those plans.

 

[Piratecat]

If I remember correctly most of the material is not OGL; you need to ask Monte if you can use it. Luckily, he's a nice guy. Check with him.

 

[SSquirrel]

If I remember correctly most of the material is not OGL; you need to ask Monte if you can use it. Luckily, he's a nice guy. Check with him.

I sent an email to arcanaunearthed@montecook.com asking just this question. I'll post the results as soon as I get it.

Hagen

 

[SSquirrel]

Here's the answer:

"Designation of Product Identity: The following items are hereby
designated
as Product Identity in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game
License, version 1.0a: Any and all Malhavoc Press logos and identifying
marks and trade dress, such as all Malhavoc Press product and product
line
names including but not limited to The Book of Eldritch Might and The
Diamond Throne; any specific characters, monsters, creatures, and
places;
capitalized names and names of places, artifacts, characters,
countries,
creatures, geographic locations, gods, historic events, magic items,
organizations, spells, and abilities; any and all stories, storylines,
histories, plots, thematic elements, and dialogue; and all artwork,
symbols,
designs, depictions, illustrations, maps, and cartography, likenesses,
poses, logos, or graphic designs, except such elements that already
appear
in final or draft versions of the d20 System Reference Document or as
Open
Game Content below and are already open by virtue of appearing there.
The
above Product Identity is not Open Game Content.

Designation of Open Game Content: Subject to the Product Identity
designation above, the following portions of Monte Cook's Arcana
Unearthed
are designated as Open Game Content: the feats in their entirety in
Chapter
Five; the spell parameters (range, duration, etc.) and game mechanics
in
Chapter Nine; and anything else contained herein which is already Open
Game
Content by virtue of appearing in the System Reference Document or some
other Open Game Content source.



Monte"





Hagen

 

[Kesh]

Hrm. So the only things open (that are new) are the feats and the spell mechanics (not names).

Still, that solves my problem. I was mostly interested in the Exotic Spell feat and a couple spells themselves, so I can just use those and drop other aspects I was considering. Thanks!

 

[SSquirrel]

Hrm. So the only things open (that are new) are the feats and the spell mechanics (not names).

Still, that solves my problem. I was mostly interested in the Exotic Spell feat and a couple spells themselves, so I can just use those and drop other aspects I was considering. Thanks!

No problem. Alternatively, you cn email Monte at the same address and probably get his blessing and the info you need to include.

Hagen

 

[Nifelhein]

Aren't the classes and other game mechanics that derive from the SRD OGl too? I could not see where it was clearly stated that... unless you get on those open end affirmatives there.

 

[Khaalis]

Monte seems to have left out some important information in his reply.

Quoting from the cover page/legal information (1st printed page):

"Designation of Open Game Content: Subject to the Product Identity designations above, the following portions of Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed are designated as Open Game Content: the "Before You Start" section of the Introduction; the entirety of Chapter One; the racial class tables and the "Racial Traits" sections of Chapter Two; the class tables and "Class Features" section of Chapter Three; the entirety of Chapter Four; the feats in Chapter Five (except original feat names); the spell parameters (range, duration, etc.) and game mechanics in Chapter Nine (but not original spell names); and anything else contained herein which is already Open Game Content by virtue of appearing in the System Reference Document or some other Open Game Content source. In Chapter Six, Seven, and Eight, all the material that also appears in the System Reference Document is open, and all other material is not.”

 

[Nifelhein]

Now that makes sense... although I do not own the book, plan to, I was sure there should be more to it than that.