Attribution & Licensing

The names of game systems, settings, and proper nouns appearing on this site are used solely to identify the open-licensed reference material that powers a given module within Evolve RPG. Any trademarked names (for example, “Dungeons & Dragons”, “D&D”, “Blades in the Dark”, “Call of Cthulhu”) remain the property of their respective owners.

Where we refer to a system, we do so under the terms of that system’s open license (CC-BY 4.0, OGL 1.0a, or the publisher’s explicit free-distribution terms). We do not claim authorship of, or any official relationship with, the underlying systems. Evolve RPG is an independent product.

For each supported system we ingest the publicly available open-licensed rules into our srd_rulestable. Those entries are then paraphrased and reorganised in Evolve’s own voice so that the AI game master can reason over them at runtime. We do not redistribute the original publishers’ texts verbatim. We do not reproduce any content designated as Product Identity (see below).

Where a license requires that modifications be noted, the description of modifications is included in each system entry below.

• Source: System Reference Document 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0).
• Attribution statement:“This product includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 (‘SRD 5.2.1’) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at dndbeyond.com/srd, and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.”
• Modifications: reference entries in srd_rules (source = ‘dnd5e-srd-5.2.1’) are paraphrased into Evolve’s own voice and reorganised by category. The original SRD text is not redistributed verbatim. No content outside the SRD’s scope is used.

• Source: Stars Without Number: Revised Edition Free Version by Kevin Crawford / Sine Nomine Publishing.
• License terms: the Free Version is distributed by the author with explicit permission to share and reproduce.
• Modifications: reference entries in srd_rules (source = ‘swn-revised’) are paraphrased rules summaries written in Evolve’s own voice. The original Free Version text is not redistributed verbatim.

• Source: Blades in the Dark by John Harper / Evil Hat Productions, LLC.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0).
• Attribution statement:“This product is based on Blades in the Dark by John Harper, published by Evil Hat Productions, LLC, and is licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.”
• Modifications: reference entries in srd_rules (source = ‘bitd’) are paraphrased rules summaries written in Evolve’s own voice. Setting names, mechanical terminology, and proper nouns (Doskvol, Spark-craft, the Ghost Field, action ratings, Devil’s Bargain, etc.) are used under the CC-BY 4.0 license. The original Blades in the Dark text is not redistributed verbatim.

• Source: Cthulhu Eternal rules supplement (Cthulhu Eternal Project), released as Open Game Content under the Open Game License Version 1.0a.
• License:Open Game License Version 1.0a (full text reproduced in the “Open Game License 1.0a (full text)” section below, as required by section 10 of that license).
• Designation of Open Game Content used: the mechanical rules entries in srd_rules (source = ‘cthulhu-eternal-1920s’) — covering characteristics, skills, sanity rules, combat, and creature stat blocks — are reproduced and adapted from material designated by its publisher as Open Game Content.
• Product Identity (NOT used):any names, logos, artwork, trade dress, story elements, locations, characters, dialogue, or other content that has been designated as Product Identity by the publisher (including, but not limited to, the distinctive marks of Chaosium Inc.’s “Call of Cthulhu” product line) are not reproduced or used by Evolve RPG.
• Modifications: entries are paraphrased and adapted for the Jazz-Age module only. The original text is not redistributed verbatim.
• Section 15 chain of title: see the COPYING / Section 15 block at the end of the OGL text below.

Across every system referenced on this site, Evolve RPG does not reproduce or display content that has been designated by its publisher as Product Identity, trademarked names, logos, artwork, or trade dress. Where a setting’s name is used, it is used solely to identify the open-licensed rules engine in question, under the terms of the applicable open license.

If you are a rights holder and you believe a specific element on this site should not appear under the relevant open license, contact us at gamemaster@evolve-rpg.com and we will action it promptly per the takedown procedure below.

The following text is reproduced verbatim as required by section 10 of the Open Game License Version 1.0a.

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.

1. Definitions:(a) “Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b) “Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d) “Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.

3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.

4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.

5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.

6. Notice of License Copyright:You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.

8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.

9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.

10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.

11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.

12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.

13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.

14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

Cthulhu Eternal Copyright 2022, The Cthulhu Eternal Project; Authors (as designated by the Cthulhu Eternal Project on its publications).

END OF LICENSE

If you are a rights holder and you believe content on Evolve RPG infringes your rights, exceeds the scope of an open license, or reproduces Product Identity that you have not authorised, please contact us at gamemaster@evolve-rpg.com with the following information:

1. Identification of the work or material claimed to be infringed (or of the Product Identity in question).
2. Identification of the URL(s) or specific content on Evolve RPG you believe should be removed or modified.
3. Your contact details (name, organisation if applicable, email and postal address).
4. A statement made in good faith that the use is not authorised by the rights holder, its agent, or the law.
5. A signature (electronic is acceptable) of the rights holder or authorised agent.

We treat these requests seriously and aim to action validated requests within a short, reasonable timeframe. Evolve Simulations Pty Ltd, Sydney, NSW, Australia.