Forgotten Kingdoms Forums

I was just wondering what the restrictions were on IC publications in reference to RL songs or poems or such.

Is my bard allowed to take a song or poem from another artist IRL and publish it in the game as his own?

I once had a poem that I altered for fk from rl, but in doing so I refused to take any credit for it ic and any money that would come from it, opting instead to speak it in public from memory. I think that rl poems should not be published in game in my opinion because it might make the artists angry. Unless of course a way to give credit to the rl artist was found. I found an ic way to give credit to the artist I was using, but his work was never published only shared from thr mouth of my char.

I do beleive someones done that before, though im not sure...there was a book someone published here, a song, and I had gotten a cd that had that same song on it, though I dont know any of the details bout if the author of the book recognised the rl singer, or if he even made up the song.

I was just making sure. I mean, I assumed that in order to publish a work ICly in the game it would have to be an original work of art done by the player.

But I would think that merely performing a piece ICly as long as I don't take the credit for creating it would be alright. And possibly even giving credit to the author somehow.

For instance, if the artist's name was Phillip Glass I could say that I heard the song from a Bard named Phillip.

Publishing is one thing, taking a song and putting a Forgotten Realms spin on it and then giving the credit to a Realmsized version of the artist has been done before if you are just performing it. I'd reccomend original works, but most anyone can tell you how many referances Isaldur has made to "William Statue" after singing a few random lines to anyone. If you plan to use a Realmsized Cover of any song for an event however like Waterdeep Fairs, or Shieldmeet Balls then you should try and get in touch with whomever is running it to see if it's okay. Isaldur's first performance at a major event was a cover after all.

Out of curiousity, what if one of your parents is a musician/poet irl and you use one of his/her songs IC? Is that permitted? And, could one say that it was a comission by his or her parents to do so, or something similar?

Trying to think of the different publications I have on my bard...

One immediately leaps to the forefront as a "cover"... I did it in the classic Weird Al fashion of taking a song and creatively altering the lyrics. I've never performed it in public... would probably be a hoot if I found the stuff to give it the right "atmosphere" for the artist who wrote the original song.

Three are based on marching cadences. The wonderful thing about most marching cadences is that they are NOT copywritten - something of an encouragement to soldiers and sailors everywhere to add to and change the lyrics to suit their needs. The Navy Hymn (not one I've covered) is one of the most popular to which new verses have been added even within the past five years.

One is based on the tune/tempo of a non-copywritten hymn. And the last two are solely my own creations

I am a published writer and made the personal choice to NOT publish those works in the game as it would have been a conflict of copyrights with the companies who published my poetry in their books.

I suppose putting things in the game is on the same lines as a limited release copyright. You, the author, retain all rights and by agreement allow Forgotten Kingdoms to distribute your work electronically and solely for game purposes with no intent for profit.

Personally I'd think that work from real life should not be ported into the mud and FK-erised. But that is just my personal opinion. I mean no offense to anyone, but that seems kind of hokey, and a cop out.

Part of being a bard is writing your own songs, or doing one of the many other things a bard can do. If you are simply taking songs - copywrite or traditional (therefore open source) songs - and changing them, it's not really your own work.

I would also suggest that covers ingame would probably be standard - in FR terms bards sing other bard's work all the time, modifying candence and lyrics to suit the mood, occassion, or crowd. It would probably require clarification from Sharni but I'd think stating who wrote the song, and then singing it would be a way for bards to have something to sing, and for a bard's work to become wider spread. And would be a large compliment to the original bard.

I needed to put my 2 cents in on this topic... The thing is, is that Forgotten Realms is part of Dungeons & Dragons, which has access to many other areas, planes, dimensions, etc. Realmspace keeps popping into mind for some reason. I thought when I first got involved in D&D that ANYTHING is possible... even ties to OUR world... was involved in one game where our group got pulled into the future, present time our world, found out that Jehovah's witnesses were actually Werewolves..sorry... anyway, there's also the thought that DEITIES possibly have knowledge of all times and places, and can, perhaps, let some of the literature from our time show up in Forgotten Realms...whether it be songs, plays, etc., etc. I think the only problem would be actual copywright laws.....and if someone went to the trouble to GET permission to either type in roleplay, sing and make a wav file and offer it up for the players enjoyment, then let them go for it! Course they would have to be able to prove they had consent and all....
<<<<what about Kareoke? Huh? Huh?>>>>>>
The other thing is, just because I can't be an original song writer, poet, what have you, shouldn't keep me from being allowed to play a bard. The best bards have other minstrels spreading their works far and wide, not to mention publications you could use as proof that they are yours... I loved playing a humorous, fun loving Bard on Faerun way back when, and it just proved you didn't have to be original to be popular, or unpopular....I was at least entertaining, one way or the other.... Not to mention upsetting others, but bards can be great irritants!!!!

I hope y'all catch my drift on these thoughts, it's late and I might possibly be rambling....see ya in the game...

*warning - there is rambling *

It seems to me the right place to put it, even though it's not directly related to the previous questions nor commentary.

I have multiple characters. Each one experiences different things every single day of their lives. Some good, some bad. All, are memories.

When someone dies, goes missing, or otherwise (OOCly) gone (such as being nuked for not properly obeying the rules of the game), this can be a tragic experience when your character learns what has happened to their companion. Or, to some, not tragic, but still memorable. In that, they might wish to see a bard publish a work in honor of the person they miss. Something to leave behind. Such as building a statue for someone who has (OOCly) decided to move on.

My question is this: One character experiences a loss. Would like a bard to do something, but the event is so very vivid to yourself OOCly that you feel you would best represent it. Is it possible to apply for a special RP between your two characters to contract.. yourself.. to write the poem? Or even if it is not an RP that occurs, could you apply for your other character to have knowledge of this event so that the work(s?) are made possible?

I know this borders on the multiplay issue, but it seems like such a waste when you have done something that even you (since you are your own worst critic, generally) consider it a great work. happened to a character who is NOT in the least bit poetic have something happen to one they care of and not able to at least express it or publish it.

If this is not possible, is there another way? Such as the journal?

-Ants

Hmm....well, you dont need a bard to publish something, why doesnt your character do it themselves instead of trying to multiplay like that?

I think he's saying that it is not in his non-bard character's roleplay to be writing something (out of his intellectual league, so to speak).

What I'd meant was that the character I play simply would not write a 'masterpiece' - he is not a bard. Besides, he is deep enough. Last thing I want is him to be writing poetry. Like I said, it's not in his roleplay really. =)

That is the entire reason behind the question. I have something that I have done that is FROM his roleplay, but HE can't publish it because the poem simply does not conform to his nature to do so. It is simply too 'emotional' or 'open.' I am just attempting to find a way for it to be published ICly.

Give it to a bard as something he "found"? Perhaps stress he thought it was worthy to be shared and hoped a bard would be able to share this unknown artist's work.

Roleplay that a bard followed him around for a week and was inspired by said character?

The character was in fact Pithran.. He was a good RPer, in my opinion, and a large part of a church of one of my characters. He was, unfortunately, some sort of problem as he is deleted. Ah well.. I shall keep the work to myself then. But thank you for the ideas because they may in fact be used later by others or even myself if I find another RP worthy of mentioning.