I have a question that I find it hard to find an answer to, so I figured I'd try my luck here.
I've started making some songs about the Curse of Strahd campaign, mostly just for funsies for my players. A few of them are turning out really good though and I'm considering the option of putting them up on Spotify.
However - these songs do contain Curse of Strahd references, heavily. Would anyone know how the fan content policy or copyright policy would work in this matter? I am not seeking a way to circumvent copyright at all, I just want to make sure I'm not doing something I'm not supposed to.
It kinda depends on how specific the references are and what precisely they mention. The issue is more trademark than copyright (as it would be pretty difficult to incorporate enough of the content of the module into a song to be a copyright issue - not impossible, but definitely unlikely). Given that, you probably would want to avoid posting the songs in a context where they'd be monetized, just to be sure (though I'm not sure how many characters Wizards could actually assert any kind of trademark in, other than maybe Strahd himself, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't try), but I think it's probably fine if it's free. Your worst case scenario in either case is probably that you get a trigger-happy cease-and-desist and have to take the songs back down again.
(I do not have an active law license and am a bit rusty, so take what I say with as much of a grain of salt as you would any semi-informed internet rando, but I did go to law school and specialized in copyright and trademark at the time.)
Appreciate your reply and ofcourse I'll take it as you said, hah. I guess to be certain I'll send an e-mail to WotC. Better safe than sorry. I'm not intending to monetize it, I just want to share it with the world :D
Hey there!
I have a question that I find it hard to find an answer to, so I figured I'd try my luck here.
I've started making some songs about the Curse of Strahd campaign, mostly just for funsies for my players. A few of them are turning out really good though and I'm considering the option of putting them up on Spotify.
However - these songs do contain Curse of Strahd references, heavily. Would anyone know how the fan content policy or copyright policy would work in this matter? I am not seeking a way to circumvent copyright at all, I just want to make sure I'm not doing something I'm not supposed to.
Proud DM of The Gilded Flask!
Join one of my games: https://DMBerry.games
------------------------------------
Come check us out!
https://www.twitch.tv/TheGildedFlask
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheGildedFlask
It kinda depends on how specific the references are and what precisely they mention. The issue is more trademark than copyright (as it would be pretty difficult to incorporate enough of the content of the module into a song to be a copyright issue - not impossible, but definitely unlikely). Given that, you probably would want to avoid posting the songs in a context where they'd be monetized, just to be sure (though I'm not sure how many characters Wizards could actually assert any kind of trademark in, other than maybe Strahd himself, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't try), but I think it's probably fine if it's free. Your worst case scenario in either case is probably that you get a trigger-happy cease-and-desist and have to take the songs back down again.
(I do not have an active law license and am a bit rusty, so take what I say with as much of a grain of salt as you would any semi-informed internet rando, but I did go to law school and specialized in copyright and trademark at the time.)
Medium humanoid (human), lawful neutral
Appreciate your reply and ofcourse I'll take it as you said, hah. I guess to be certain I'll send an e-mail to WotC. Better safe than sorry. I'm not intending to monetize it, I just want to share it with the world :D
Proud DM of The Gilded Flask!
Join one of my games: https://DMBerry.games
------------------------------------
Come check us out!
https://www.twitch.tv/TheGildedFlask
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheGildedFlask