Copyright Questions

[Lanz]

I hope it's okay that I put this up. I'm a writer, and I plan to put the adventure scenarios I create on itch.io, as a pay-what-you-want scenario modules. I'm writing mostly Call of Cthulhu scenarios right now, and I'm interested in knowing how much content I can pull from Chaosium books. Am I legally allowed to put up my writing as pay-what-you-want modules if I take some of the described cults in Pulp Cthulhu, or the monsters in S. Petersen's Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors?

In putting this up, I hope to accomplish two things.

1. Get answers to my questions.

2. Allow future members with the same questions to see this thread.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help out!

 

[NickMiddleton]

I'd contact Chaosium directly and privately - and this is a good starting point:

https://www.chaosium.com/fan-use-and-licensing/

Copyright, trademark law and good practice are almost always more complex and subtle than fans generally assume - and fans always seem to underestimate how important these things are to publishers. Conducting these sorts of discussions publicly thus often gets confused and fraught - best to go to the source, understand the publishers _actual_ requirements and discus with them directly.

Cheers,

Nick

[g33k]

Also, if you're not committed to using itch.io, be aware of the Miskatonic Repository on DTRPG.

https://www.chaosium.com/blog/the-miskatonic-repository-is-live/

 

 

But yeah... I'd be very very wary of actually including content from other publications... querying Chaosium directly is the way to go!

 

[David Scott]

11 hours ago, Lanz said:

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help out!

• pay-what-you-want scenario modules.

This is the balance point:

If you don't charge you can likely use the Fan Material Policy. Sections 1, 2 & 3 cover what you can include, but basically you can reference names and quote only a few paragraphs.

Under restrictions section 2 of the fan material policy itch.io is a retail channel so you can't host there even if you don't charge - you will definitely need to get a small publisher licence activated by paying ($100-300) before you publish.

I'd really recommend you look at the Miskatonic Library.