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Content Guidelines

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Jeffrey Montgomery
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What are the World of Darkness Content Guidelines?

What World of Darkness content can I use in my Storytellers Vault titles?

World of Darkness:

You may use content from any of the following World of Darkness Titles:

  • Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition (2018)
  • Vampire: The Masquerade 1st (1991), 2nd (1998), 3rd (“revised”, 1998), and 4th (“20th Anniversary”, 2011)
  • Werewolf: The Apocalypse 1st (1992), 2nd (1994), 3rd (“revised”, 2000), and 4th (“20th Anniversary”, 2013)
  • Mage: The Ascension 1st (1993), 2nd (1995), 3rd (“revised”, 2000), and 4th (“20th Anniversary”, 2015)
  • Wraith: The Oblivion 1st (1994), 2nd (1996), and 3rd (“20th anniversary”, 2018) [is this true? 20th is O.P.]
  • Changeling: The Dreaming 1st (1995), 2nd (1997), and 3rd (“20th anniversary”, 2017) [is this true? 20th is O.P.]
  • and generic "World of Darkness"
  • Hunter: The Reckoning
  • Demon: The Fallen
  • Mummy: The Resurrection  

Dark Ages:

  • Dark Ages: Vampire 1st, and 2nd editions
  • Vampire: The Dark Ages 3rd (“20th”) editions
  • Dark Ages: Werewolf 1st, and 2nd editions
  • Werewolf: The Dark Ages 3rd (“20th”) editions 
  • Dark Ages: Mage 1st, and 2nd editions
  • Mage: The Dark Ages 3rd (“20th”) editions
  • Dark Ages: Fae 1st, and 2nd editions
  • Fae: The Dark Ages 3rd (“20th”) editions
  • Dark Ages: Inquisitor 1st, and 2nd editions
  • Inquisitor: The Dark Ages 3rd (“20th”) editions

Other:

  • Vampire: The Victorian Age (Victorian Age: Vampire), and its associated supplements.
  • Werewolf: The Wild West, and its associated supplements.
  • Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade, and its associated supplements.
  • Wraith: The Great War
  • Orpheus, and its associated supplements.
  • Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom as part of the Vampire: The Masquerade line of products.
  • Kindred of the East and its associated supplements.

You may also create your own new time periods (eg: Vampire: The Jazz,  Age, Mage: The Edwardian Era, Changeling: The Disco Era etc.)

World of Darkness Mind’s Eye Theatre:

You can use any of the four published editions of the Mind’s Eye Theatre rules for 

  • Vampire: The Masquerade
  • Werewolf: The Apocalypse
  • Mage: The Ascension
  • Wraith: The Oblivion
  • Changeling: The Dreaming 

and any of their related sub-brands and that are already available for content creation using the Storyteller System.

World of Darkness Settings and timelines:

You may create content for all modern and historical World of Darkness game lines and settings.

Modern World of Darkness is considered any time period post Victorian Age to present day.  Also, any time period not explicitly covered with their own fully defined historical setting (Dark Ages, Victorian Age, Wild West; etc) is considered part of the core game line by default. When historical settings/time periods overlap each other such as the Dark Ages/Renaissance you may use whichever setting is most applicable to your needs.

The Dark Ages is considered any time from the 5th to the 15th century AD.

The Renaissance/Sorcerers Crusade is considered any time from the 14th to 17th century AD. 

The Victorian Age/Wild West is considered any time from 1830 to 1901.

The Great War is considered any time from 1914 to 1918.

Exalted:

You may use the Exalted RPG 1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions.

You may use any subsequent rules or combinations of rules thereof.

You may release new Shards.  While creating new Shards is allowed, content creators are encouraged to write material for Shards of the Exalted Dream that have already been published. Shards content must always include the Shards word or logo on the front as part of the title for any Shards product (Eg: Shards of the Exalted Dream, Shards of the Distant Moon, Shards of the Dragon etc) in addition to the Storytellers Vault logo.

You may release new historical periods (which everyone generally uses to mean can you release versions of the Shogunate historical era).

You may release: 

  • brand-new Exalt types.
  • new artifacts/spells/Charms/Martial Arts (which may or may not be heavily inspired by artifacts/spells/Charms from previous editions).
  • release new locations/setting material.
  • release expansions on settings and locations for 2nd edition books that covered an area of the setting/game.
  • release updated to 3E versions of NPC’s from previous editions once they have been officially published for 3rd Edition.  For Example: Solars would currently be ok, whereas Abyssals would not be.

Can I publish an Exalted 3E adventure that uses named NPCs from previous editions, and if so may I stat them up to 3E for the purposes of the adventure? Yes, but you should use the Antagonist chapter of the 3E rules. You can not publish new  3E rules that have not yet been updated officially.

Is it possible to release an Exalted version of a famous magic item from another games, such as an Exalted Deck of Many things, and if not is it permissible to release an Exalted pastiche of a famous magic item from another game like an urn full of lots that functions as a Deck of Many Things? NO & YES.  You may not infringe or directly reference non-World of Darkness IP. You may release things that are *inspired* by non-World of Darkness IP as long as they do not directly infringe upon the source of the inspiration.

Is it possible to publish content for or in the theme of the EXXXalted Scroll of Swallowed Darkness April Fool's joke or other adult/"mature" content? YES Mature/Adult content is allowed.  However, it is required to be clearly marked as adult in the Storytellers Vault program with the Black Dog Game Factory logo.

Chronicles of Darkness:

You may use all published editions of:

  • Chronicles of Darkness (mortals)
  • Vampire: The Requiem 1st and 2nd Editions
  • Werewolf: The Forsaken 1st and 2nd Editions
  • Mage: The Awakening 1st and 2nd Editions
  • Demon: The Descent
  • Promethean: The Created 1st and 2nd Editions
  • Mummy: The Curse 1st and 2nd Editions
  • Deviant: The Renegades
  • Beast: The Primordial
  • Hunter: The Vigil 1st and 2nd Editions
  • Changeling: The Lost 1st and 2nd Editions
  • Geist: The Sin Eaters 1st and 2nd Editions
  • Contagion Chronicle

You may make products for Dark Eras

  • While creating new Dark Eras is allowed, content creators are encouraged to write material for Dark Eras that have already been published. Dark eras content must always include the Dark Eras logo on the front as part of the title for any Dark Eras product (Eg: Dark Eras: Requiem for Regina, Dark Eras: A Handful of Dust etc) in addition to the Storytellers Vault logo.

You may make content for Mirrors for Chronicles of Darkness only.

  • Mirrors content must always include the Mirrors logo on the front as part of the title for any Mirrors product (Eg: Mirrors: Infinite Macabre, Mirrors: Bleeding Edge etc) in addition to the Storytellers Vault logo.

You may make products for any of the mortals/minor-splat based products published to date.  

  • Second Sight
  • Skinchangers
  • Urban Legends
  • Tales from the 13th precinct
  • etc.

Chronicles of Darkness Mind’s Eye Theatre:

You may use the Mind’s Eye Theatre Chronicles of Darkness rules set as found in the CofD: Minds Eye Theatre Core Rulebook, MET: Requiem and MET: Awakening for any Chronicles of Darkness Game line that is available for content creation.

At this time, you cannot publish the following material:

World of Darkness:

  • While fictional locations and invented cities in the modern real world are allowed, be aware that fictional locations that are part of an intellectual property that is not World of Darkness (examples: Gotham City, Sunnydale, Santa Carla, Derry Maine, etc.) are not allowed. Products involving otherworldly realms or other mystical places have some leeway to describe those in the same manner found in previous World of Darkness publications. Historical settings should make an
    attempt to utilize real locations to the best of their ability with the understanding that discrepancies will take place.     
  • All material should be kept within theme. This means no big real world historic changes. For example: no post-apocalyptic Vampire, no steampunk Mage, cyberpunk Werewolf etc.

Exalted:

    • Updates to 3rd edition versions of existing Exalt types, NPC’s, player character types (Eg: Dragon Kings, Mountain Folk), artifacts/spells/Charms/Martial Arts that have not yet received an official 3rd edition conversion unless it is publicly stated by World of Darkness [Paradox] or its official licensees that no such 3rd edition version will be forthcoming.
      • Once said thing has officially been released for 3rd edition alternative or custom variant versions may be created for 3rd Edition.
    • Release an Exalted conversion for another game, such as an Exalted Fiasco set.
  • Essences - not a new edition

All:

  • Crossovers with other World of Darkness properties.  Crossover products as described in the CofD/WoD translation guides are not allowed. You may alter and use game rules from one brand to another but you may not create hybrid products that jointly use setting material.
  • Copyrighted material that is not World of Darkness’s [Paradox’s], which also means no crossovers with properties that are not World of Darkness’s. For example: no Highlander: The Quickening, Crow: The Risen, etc.

Allowable Media

At this time, Storyteller System RPG supplements, MET systems larp supplements, original rules systems RPG’s & larps, fiction, graphic novels, and artwork (illustration and photography).

Art

No artwork may be used from any World of Darkness [Paradox] publications, except those specifically made available here on Storyteller'sVault.com. You may use artwork from the Storytellers Vault’s art selection and public domain artwork. You must have permission to use any artwork. Please read the FAQ further for more information on the use of art and logos in your content.

Content creators are required to have secured any image release rights from any models that may appear in any illustrations or photography.

Logos and Trade Dress

The Storytellers Vault logo must appear on the cover of your work. It needs to be legible when viewed at full size. It should not be the primary logo or title on your cover. It is preferred, (although not mandated) that you not use logos from World of Darkness [Paradox] publications on RPG supplements or fiction products. It is preferred that you create new logos for supplemental products and use the appropriate trade dress whenever possible.  The Storytellers Vault logo must denote which of the World of Darkness or Paradox game lines the product is for. World of Darkness products have a Storytellers Vault logo with either a World of Darkness symbol (5th edition products) or a Paradox platypus skeleton (all other editions), and Exalted products have a Storytellers Vault logo with a gold star

Creator Templates

You are highly encouraged, but not required to use the templates provided by World of Darkness [Paradox] when creating your work.

You can find the templates here.

 

Legal

The following text must be placed within the Work, wherever the Work otherwise lists legal and copyright information:
World of Darkness, Vampire: The Masquerade, Vampire: The Dark Ages, Victorian Age: Vampire, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Werewolf: The Wild West, Mage: The Ascension, Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade, Wraith: The Oblivion, Wraith: The Great War, Changeling: The Dreaming, Hunter: The Reckoning, Demon: The Fallen, Mummy: The Resurrection, Orpheus, Exalted, Chronicles of Darkness, Vampire:The Requiem, Werewolf: The Forsaken, Mage: The Awakening, Changeling: The Lost, Hunter: The Vigil, Giest: The Sin Eaters, Demon: The Descent, Mummy: The Curse, Beast: The Primordial, Promethean: The Created, World of Darkness, Storyteller System™, Storytelling System™, and Storytellers Vault™ and their respective logos, icons and symbols are trademarks or registered trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB. All rights reserved.
This work contains material that is copyright of Paradox Interactive AB. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for the Storytellers Vault.  
©2018 Paradox Interactive AB, Magnus Ladulåsgatan 4 SE-118 66 Stockholm
Västgötagatan 5, SE-118 27 Stockholm, Sweden..

Other

Illegal and Infringing content is not allowed. It is the content creator’s responsibility to ensure that their content does not violate laws, or copyright, trademark, privacy, or other rights.
Content creators who wish to publish extreme material of a decidedly adult nature are required to use the Black Dog label so as to clearly identify this type of content. Content of this nature includes excessive graphic violence, nudity and graphic sexual situations, etc. World of Darkness [Paradox] reserves the right to inform content creators that their published material needs to be rebranded under the Black Dog label if necessary. World of Darkness reserves the right to ask content creators to remove this imprint label if its usage is not deemed necessary.

NOTE: The Black Dog label and content option is not applicable for 5th Edition content, including Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition.

Create, don’t copy. World of Darkness reserves the right to stop publishing and selling your work if it is deemed to go against the spirit of the Storytellers Vault program. All authors should respectfully use the content originally created by World of Darkness or other Storytellers Vault creators. For example, if a Storytellers Vault author releases a series of city By Night supplements all set in the same geographic area, and another author takes those supplements, compiles them, and republishes them as a single collection, without substantive original additions or changes, then we would stop publishing and selling that collected work because it adds no value to the Storytellers Vault community content. This type of behaviour will be dealt with harshly, and risks the infringer being permanently expelled from the Storytellers Vault program.

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