Beholders, Mind Flayers, and Strahd von Zarovich Released Into Creative Commons (Kinda)

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In the 5.1 SRD that just got released into the Creative Commons is a bunch of IP including Count Strahd von Zarovich, the Feywild, the Shadowfell, the City of Brass, Palace of Dispater, Street of Steel, Gate of Ashes, and the Sea of Fire. The beholder is also specifically referenced by name in the Deck of Illusions, and Mind Flayers and Slaad are also referenced--at least by name--repeatedly in the document.

Here's a link to the content released to CC.


What does that mean? Under OGL v1.0a terms like this were generally designated as ‘Product Identity’ and were unavailable for use. The CC license has no such provision. This means that those using the OGL cannot (still) use terms designated as PI, but those using the CC can use the full content of the document released under it.

Only the names of these creatures and places are contained in the document--so you can't use Strahd's image or stat block or description, nor can you use those of the beholder, etc. But it does appear that you can refer to these items.
 
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GreyLord

Legend
Sigh....

The hope, I think is that the community continues to be the community...not immediately jump into writing smut about a vampire and a beholder (though I suppose in some ways it would be unavoidable considering...people).

I hope now that they focus making money off of IP and other areas with the D&D license in a reasonable manner (WotC that is). There is still a LOT of value I feel in the FR, Krynn, Eberron, Greyhawk, and other D&D specific things. Also, a lot of untapped markets I think that it can be expanded too.
 

Xethreau

Josh Gentry - Author, Minister in Training
According to the SRD, what is a slaad?
According to the SRD, what is a mind flayer?
According to the SRD, who is Strad von Zorrovich?

It seems to me that, for the non-trademarked terms, we would be free to provide those answers?

Slaads are obviously evil salads (also aberrations).
A mind flayer is a magic item, right?
Which means Strad is probably an NPC. Probably a Good-aligned dwarf wizard.
 




GreyLord

Legend
good question but the investors certainly made some noise along those lines.

From what I saw, their "nominations" had even LESS experience in the TTRPG and MtG spaces than Cocks...AND...less fervor for MtG specifically.

Not that it turned out well recently anyways, but their "expertise" didn't actually strike me as all that "expert" in the matter. If they actually WANTED those with expertise, there are those they could have chosen with FAR greater and better passion and expertise without even thinking about it. The only one that even came close to "expertise" or "passion" was Jon Finkel.

Those they wanted in were stool pigeons for themselves.

Not only that, but the things they exaggerated ($200/share sounds GREAT...but that 5 year thing was only for a temporary while in the middle of 2017 and even then it didn't look anywhere close to $200. There was a lot of smoke that they were trying to blow into my eyes there to try to make it sound all great and good...but someone blowing smoke into your face many times just irritates you rather than impresses you). I think $200/Share sounds great, but did I actually see it as feasible without doing something even MORE drastic than what we saw done just this past few weeks...No...I did not. You think what we saw over the past few weeks was massive...just you wait until you saw what Alta Fox had planned! What we just saw was probably peanut change.

Perhaps, they are relying on people's short memories of their attempted coup?

Not all of us have forgotten.

Sure, it wasn't as bad as what has happened over the past month, but that's only because they weren't allowed to do something far worse.

Sure, they may not have done something worse, but looking at WHO they nominated (if you care so much about passion and expertise...why not Monte Cook, or Sean Reynolds, I'm sure for multiple six figures they'd be MORE than happy to be put in those positions...oh...that's right...those guys don't owe you any loyalty or anything...they're not your stool pigeons...give me a break about the entire...expertise thing. Your bluff was called...for all his failings and mistakes Chris had a TON more experience and passion than your "nominations"

They are relying on people not remembering those that they were wanting to put in charge and their qualifications (sure, decent business and market qualifications...but qualifications for an interest in MtG and D&D??).

Just my two copper on that particular tweet.

PS: For those wanting the original proposal

Remember this...



Once again, just my two copper. And my two copper HAS been wrong before...but that's because it's just two copper...not two gold or even silver...
 



overgeeked

B/X Known World
So essentially what this allows is for you to use say various core D&D gods, for example, in any D&D (and maybe Pathfinder(?)) setting you make, with no fear of legal action? Like their names and everything?
Not exactly. People are taking things a bit out of context. The actual text on the page of the CC SRD is what is now released under CC. So that there's a character called Strahd is CC, that he's a Count and a vampire are also CC, but nothing that is not actual text on the page of the SRD is CC. So nothing about Barovia, nothing about Ravenloft, etc.

Are the names of the D&D gods in the SRD? Then they're now CC. Is the lore of those gods in the SRD? Now they're CC.

The exception being trademark. It doesn't matter if they're in the CC SRD if they're already trademarked. They're covered and not usable is specific ways.
 

Plokman

Explorer
So essentially what this allows is for you to use say various core D&D gods, for example, in any D&D (and maybe Pathfinder(?)) setting you make, with no fear of legal action? Like their names and everything?
I would try to have a setting akin to Monty Glue's setting of Alavast. But my one rule is there is a Above All one who can control even Phlogestum (did I spell that right? You know the stuff between Crystal Spheres) jus my head canon.
 

Could we see Strahad as a character in a Disney cartoon?

We shouldn't worry about the beholders. There are some "clon" or ersatz in some videogame with the name "gazer".

There was a "octopus-face" creature in one of the episodes of "Grimm".

Do you think Mattel would dare to sell toys of slaads?
 

Lanefan

Victoria Rules
It's great for OSR folks especially, I think, as they don't have to work around the 'Product Identity' restrictions any more, and can even have simple OD&D style 1 line stats for mind flayers in their dungeons.
And here I just finished renaming and disguising the Yuan-Ti in the adventures I'm writing...oh, well. :)

Any word on whether Displacer Beast is open now? That's a harder creature to disguise as something else.
 

Jadeite

Open Gaming Enthusiast
And here I just finished renaming and disguising the Yuan-Ti in the adventures I'm writing...oh, well. :)

Any word on whether Displacer Beast is open now? That's a harder creature to disguise as something else.
The Coeurl is still protected, but Paizo was able to license it back in 3.5. Kamadans are Open Content, though, thanks to the Tome of Horrors.
 

teitan

Legend
So essentially what this allows is for you to use say various core D&D gods, for example, in any D&D (and maybe Pathfinder(?)) setting you make, with no fear of legal action? Like their names and everything?
Definitely not. Trademarks are still protected.
 




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