Question of Books of S. copyright

[Vannax]

Despite this topic doesn´t belong to FoS forum, I can´t see any other possibility how to address ex-Kargatane members.

The question is simple: Would you (Kargatane) permit to translate and publish articles of Books of S. on my website?

The reason why I want to do it is simple as well. In my country RL is a minority game setting of D&D (compare to FR, DL or PS) and I´d like to support it in here. My pretty new website http://lostsouls.wz.cz (written in Czech of course) is kind of missionary project that strives to propagate Ravenloft and attract more fans. I´m affraid lots of people in my country are lazy and do not prefer reading gaming materials in English and that´s why I would like to translate them and publish.

(To be honest I´ve already inserted a few issues, but I´m ready to erase them if your answer would be negative.)

Thank you in advance for your reactions.

[Steve Miller]

Good luck with attracting fans to Ravenloft. The more the merrier!

No matter what you do with 'Book of S's, I imagine there's a chance for trademark and copyright violations. They're fan-fiction/unau8thorized game material, so I imagine that the owners of the stuff they're based on (Hasbro/WotC) could come down on you like a ton of bricks if they liked.

Morally, I think you should ask the individual writers if they will let you translate in the Chezc. You may translate my small contributions with my blessing, so long as my byline is translated as well (in other words, please retain any credits and acknowledgements that appear in the two-three articles I contributed, should you translate them.)

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

You can translate my Upir Lichy article from one of the Book of S if you wish to, though you may be better off translating the updated version from one of the Fraternity of Shadows netbooks

[Vannax]

Thanx for so far sent positive answers.

However, I´m a little bit confused of what Steve wrote: They're fan-fiction/unau8thorized game material, so I imagine that the owners of the stuff they're based on (Hasbro/WotC) could come down on you....
All the issues of BoS. have been published on Kargatane web (and still IS) as an open (publicly accessible) gaming material produced by authors that are not linked to Hasbro/WotC. Why should either of both subjects exercise any right on BoS stuff if they have never been involved in producing them?
Is there any chance to find out the truth?

Furthermore, is there any chance to get permission for transl/publish BoS as a whole? I really cannot imagine to contact every single author. So far I tried to contact some ex-Kargatanes by mail several times and never received any answer.

Sorry to bother you with all my questions, but it´s very difficult for me to know a lot about this complicated problem of copyright. And I don´t want to get round it.

[Vannax]

Once again I took a look at one of BoS and found following text in there:
This book does not represent a challenge to any Wizards-held trademarks. Wizards of the Coast is not
officially affiliated with the content of this book in any way. All articles are copyright 2000 by their respective creators unless otherwise noted.

Thus I suppose that the only what I need is an approval of the authors.

[Jasper]

Anything written by me (David Cicalese) is ok to be translated. Use it as you wish.

[DeepShadow of FoS]

I wrote up Merilee for the Book of Secrets, and I give you the right to translate and use to your heart's content.

[Vannax]

Thanks a lot for both new aprovals. I very appreciate your help.

[stu]

Once again I took a look at one of BoS and found following text in there:
This book does not represent a challenge to any Wizards-held trademarks. Wizards of the Coast is not
officially affiliated with the content of this book in any way. All articles are copyright 2000 by their respective creators unless otherwise noted.

Thus I suppose that the only what I need is an approval of the authors.

Steve is quite right in pointing out that this sort of fan-material could be clamped down on by WotC as a breach of their copyright, so you should always keep that in mind. As you point out, they haven't to date done anything about the existing BoS's, though.

I think you're on the right track to seek permission from the individual authors. We Kargatane have certainly never claimed any "copyright" over the overall book. (The only time we've been annoyed is on the rare occasion when we've seen people selling them!)

Stu, previously of the Kargatane

[DeepShadow of FoS]

ROTFL!! Yeah, I remember that. Wasn't the Book of Shadows being sold as part of a package for folks who wanted to learn magic? As if it was a REAL book of shadows (i.e. a spellbook)? In that case, it's a double offense, to the Karg and authors for ripping off their stuff, and to the customer who thinks they are getting something else!

[Nathan of the FoS]

You can use the five articles under my name (Nathan Okerlund) in the Book of Sacrifices, with the same conditions as Steve mentioned.

[alhoon]

Yeah, I remember that. Wasn't the Book of Shadows being sold as part of a package for folks who wanted to learn magic? As if it was a REAL book of shadows (i.e. a spellbook)?

Are you kidding, or are you serious?

[Brandi]

Deepshadow's not kidding.

And to the OP of this thread: I wrote one article in Book of Sacrfices ("Prikaza"), which you are free to translate, though I suspect the content has been superseded by the Tarokka info in the RL DMG.

[alhoon]

Well, Thanks DS. . . It seems stupid, but it is real. I bet the Kargatane were rightfully angry with this.

[Steve Miller]

Deepshadow's not kidding.

And to the OP of this thread: I wrote one article in Book of Sacrfices ("Prikaza"), which you are free to translate, though I suspect the content has been superseded by the Tarokka info in the RL DMG.

That's a current ebay listing. So, he's still selling those netbooks as part of that disc?

(Good thing I still know SOME folks at WotC....)

Looking over his listing... "bathing spells"? Hehehehehe!