Fan Content Policy

Since we first announced the Cosmere® RPG, folks have been asking us how we plan to handle fan-created content. Getting this right is really important to us, because our goal is to build a long-term community supported by years of releases. RPGs are about creating and sharing your own stories, so we need a policy that empowers people to do so. At the same time, we want to draw a clear line between fan creations and official content.

In our Kickstarter FAQs we said this:

Brotherwise will be working with Dragonsteel to provide an updated policy that includes fan content for the Cosmere RPG, provided it is non-commercial use, contains the correct attributions/disclaimers, and does not contain any copyrighted artwork or logos (except for a specific set of icons required for play, such as the Opportunity and Complication icons).

In the future, Brotherwise intends to share an OGL (Open Gaming License) version of the underlying ruleset (known internally as the Plotweaver™ System), but one which removes any reference to Dragonsteel IP. We love this system and want to share it, but for now our focus is on building out the Cosmere!

In the meantime, one form of fan content is explicitly allowed and encouraged: recorded or live streamed coverage and actual plays! If you are playing or talking about this system on YouTube, Twitch, Moonbeam, or any other platform, you can do so with confidence (even if that content is monetized), as long as your content does not run afoul of any other guidelines mentioned here.

All of this is still correct, but we want to clarify:

  • Cosmere RPG fan content should not copy the page backgrounds, border elements, and cover templates of official content. Legally speaking, that's all copyrighted "trade dress." Practically speaking, it makes it harder for fans to know what's official. Please use original styling for any fan-made PDFs or materials you produce. However, you may still use the Opportunity, Complication, action, and reaction icons.

  • Please include this statement in any game content you share: "This is unofficial fan content, created and shared for non-commercial use. It has not been reviewed by Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC or Brotherwise Games, LLC."

  • As stated above, fanmade Cosmere RPG game content should not be monetized or paywalled in any way. For example, if you design a new "Stormwarden" heroic path, you cannot make it available via a paid Patreon.

  • Our policy will differentiate between "game content" (e.g. new rules, maps, or adventures) and actual plays or reviews. We encourage people sharing Cosmere RPG video content, but please reach out to jillian@brotherwisegames.com if you have any questions.

  • The underlying ruleset for the Cosmere RPG (which we've been calling Plotweaver™) has a lot of merit as a standalone system, and we plan to release a generic OGL/SRD for it in the future. That license would allow for monetization, but not of any content related to or resembling Dragonsteel-owned IP.

We're clarifying these guidelines now because we're starting to see fan content, which is awesome! If you've run up against any of these guidelines, please take down that content and replace it with content that's in compliance with the policy. Thanks for your understanding of the need for these guidelines to protect Dragonsteel IP while building a great community for this RPG.

While we work on more formal language for this policy, please refer to the Dragonsteel Fan Content Policy for related information. And if you have any questions, just let us know! We're happy to answer and excited for the future of fan creations for this RPG.