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Scifi and Fantasy Forum: Writer's Discussion: Questions :
Fantasy Races That Are "Copyrighted"
Fantasy Races That Are "Copyrighted"
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Posted By:  Suede Jan 21, 2005 - 05:58 pm |       | Yeah you guys and girls really helped me out a lot
| Posted By: Rogue Jan 21, 2005 - 06:00 pm | | Paladins were originally an elite unit of warriors that were attached to Sir Roland and Charlemaigne from early French history. So, any derivative of, up to and including Shadowknights, would be considered perfectly legal to use.
Fairies, elves, pixies, dryads, nyaids, gnomes, drarves, griffons, Chimeras, and most of the races or monsters that you find in dungeons & dragons, Lord of the Rings, or the Narnia Chronicles were actually taken from Celtic, Norse, and similar legends. Any of these can be used without worry of a copyright infraction.
Where you get into trouble is when a specific race or monster has been created for a specific world or game, i.e, hobbits (L of R's) or Death Knight or Kender (Dragonlance). If you're uncertain whether a particular race is world or game specific, I would recommend purchasing a copy of "Bulfinch's Mythology." It's a fairly comprehensive guide to the monsters and races found in most legends around the world. If you find it in there, you're safe to use it.
Hope that helps!
| Posted By: Magus Jan 21, 2005 - 06:00 pm | | Glad to hear it.
| Posted By: Seeriax Jan 26, 2005 - 02:00 am | | The term "drow" comes from Dungeons & Dragons and as far as I can is the first ever to use the word in print.
| Posted By: Suede Jan 26, 2005 - 08:26 am | | Whats the difference between a necromancer and a shaman?
| Posted By: Magus Jan 26, 2005 - 12:46 pm | | Hmmmm... this one may be tough.
I know that a necromancer is a mage of the schooling that would allow him to understand life and death. This would allow him to raise the dead, perform some healing and such as well as other similar abilities.
A shaman I do not think could conjur forth the dead, but I could be wrong. But I view them more as monks with a more intimate knowledge of the dead, maybe being able to communicate with them if that's your thing. But I'm not exactly sure. Neurolanis might know better about Shamans then me, he writes as one in Lycoria. I stick to the Necromancer.
| Posted By: Suede Jan 26, 2005 - 01:13 pm | | Ok thanks for the info magus
| Posted By: Aldan Jan 26, 2005 - 07:31 pm | | Shaman is a term used for more of a barbaric mage/priest. Necromancer is one used for a mage who concentrates on life and death, and generally is trying to overcome death in one form or another. Usually necro's are used as an evil character type, though it's not necessarily that they are evil, in that the healing magics are life magic, but are tied to necromancy quite strongly...
Actually I believe that Death Knights come from Dungeons and Dragons as well. I know one of the new monster manuals have them in it. If you want to get technical on the Kender thing Wizards of the Coast owns Dragonlance as well as D&D so if you do not want to get legal you could fight that you could use them as well. But I do not keep track of all this junk so I may not be the most trustworthy information source.
| Posted By: Magus Jan 27, 2005 - 01:20 pm | | I thought the specific term "Death Night" came from Blizzard's War Craft. Oh, well.
I always imagined Necro's not seeking immortality, but rather an understanding of life and death. And I never thought of them in the type-set evil. I imagined them being more benevolent then that, neutral standing to good. But, to be honest, I have the idea of a villainous Necromancer in my epic I have planned. It's more complicated then just that, but pretty much the case. He fight's his uncle, a good necromancer who's been around for the past four, planned, books.
| Posted By: Middy03 Feb 20, 2005 - 08:57 pm | | I finished the first three chapters of my book and I wanted everyone to check out my Introduction. The name of my book is "Prince of Paladins"
P.S. This is suede my username messed up again so I changed it back to middy
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