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

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.

WotC Backs Down: Original OGL To Be Left Untouched; Whole 5E Rules Released as Creative Commons

Hundreds of game publishers sigh in relief as, after extensive pressure exerted by the entire open gaming community, WotC has agreed to leave the original Open Gaming License untouched and put the whole of the 5E rules into Creative Commons. So, what's happened? The Open Gaming Licence v1.0a...

www.enworld.org

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.

 

[Mike Myler]

Time for "Strahd and the Beholder Bunch meet Winnie the Pooh".

I'm doing as much as I can as fast as I can alright

 

[Azzy]

The City of Brass was always public domain, FYI, even if WotC might have wanted everyone to think otherwise. It comes from Middle Eastern myth and predates D&D by about a thousand years.

Very cool! I didn't know that.

 

[Charlaquin]

You’re doing alot of projecting.

She isn’t wrong though. That literally is their responsibility. That’s… how investment companies work.

 

[GreyLord]

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]

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.

 

[Azzy]

According to the SRD, what is a slaad?

An aberration

According to the SRD, what is a mind flayer?

An aberration that has a psychic attack.

According to the SRD, who is Strad von Zorrovich?

A vampire.

 

[Davies]

Very cool! I didn't know that.

However, the City of Brass described in One Thousand and One Nights is pretty distinct from that of the D&D multiverse, being a ruined North African city visited by a group of Arabic adventurers seeking to discover bound Ifrits.

 

[Jadeite]

According to the SRD, who is Strad von Zorrovich?

A miserable pile of secrets.

Spoiler

[\SPOILER]

 

[GreyLord]

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...

 

[Plokman]

The could keep the Illithid, I hate those things so much I want to make sure a tarrasque finds every one of them. But monsters are great!

A miserable pile of secrets.

Spoiler

View attachment 274034
[\SPOILER]

But enough talk have at you! Classy joke my friend.