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Message: <blockquote data-quote="zwyt" data-source="post: 4347885" data-attributes="member: 65714">I think the Tolkien estate might jump on that one... In the case of Orcs anyway, I think you could make up any version of the Orc or the elf that you darned well pleased simply because those names don't belong to Wizards of the Coast anyway, you should be able t o make up a LOT of monsters that appear in the monster manual thins way. Wizards doesn't  own the word dragon, manticore, medusa, gorgon, basilisk, banshee, wraith, vampire, wight, zombie, goblin, pixie, sprite, I could go on and on... as a matter of fact wizards doesn't own the rights to the vast majority of monsters in the core monster manual. They exists as myth and urban legend throughout countless cultures, I would think that in a court of law that simply because you used the word Orc an excellent case could be made that you were not "altering" Wizards of the Coast orcs you were just "Adding" a Tolkien inspired orc to the mix. IN fact the only original races tha I see in the whole mix that Wizard's has in the PHB ar ethe tiefling, and the dargonborn, I am not even sure t hat Eladrin originated with Wizards, though it is possible that they could have. It seems that through the use of common knowledge creatures that happen to be in the Monster Manual as well as in mythology one could "get away with a lot" GSL or not. I am in no way in favor of the GSL and the only clause that I see that might trip you up is that you have to sign the GSL but even the GSL says that you can add to thinkg you just can't alter or copy them, so what is to keep someone from "adding" a Tolkien inspired orc, or an Elf inspired by old fey legends or even another work of fiction??? May not work in practice and the GSL does say that Wizards can yank it at a moments notice but if they are truly going to be buts about this then someone needs to call them on it and make  them be butts early in the game so everyone can see how they are going to be before publishers sing a lot of intelectual property into GSL stuff (translated give away their IP). Nope the GSL is from the pit in my opion and is designed to gradually weed third party folks out of the mix so the pudding all belongs to Wizards as it did under 2nd edition TSR. If they can get away with the GSL without killing the D&D line just wait the next edition will close the door even further I bet.CharlesYeah and I think this is what will kill then business wise, the market has gotten used to third party support for D&D and I would be surprised to see the D&D line survive if very many third party publishers pull out. But then if it sinks under Wizards and some one else gets ahold of it that might be a really really good thing.CharlesCharles</blockquote>

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