general silly newbie question [Archive] - Wizards Community

general silly newbie question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Eremite
11-12-03, 08:41 PM OK, forgive me for this, I'm about as green as they come in the area of RPGs, D&D etc. I do know a bit about Tolkien and that's what's prompting this question:
In reading R.A. Salvatore's The Crystal Shard and surfing around these sites, I see a lot of references to things like Mithril, orcs and halfings, all of which I had assumed to be under the copyright of JRR Tolkien. I had known that D&D etc was inspired to a large extent by Tolkien, but now I'm just wondering if there's a deeper connection, and otherwise patented ideas and phrases are licensed to Wizards of the Coast, or if I was just totally mistaken and the above mentioned words/ideas are under no copyright whatsoever.
Once again, please forgive my ignorance, especially if this question has been asked a thousand times before. I did do extensive searching prior to posting, but have found nothing as of yet.
Thank you
Lashan
11-12-03, 09:02 PM There was a big stink back when Dungeons and Dragons first started (under TSR or even before that) where they called halflings hobbits. A huge lawsuit changed that. Besides that, mithril, orcs, and many other things originally started somewhere other then Tolkien. Tolkien, like many other fantasy writers, borrwed from the collective myths of earth culture. Orcs, goblins, and even mithril were ideas that Tolkien borrowed. Hobbits, though, are an original Tolkien idea. DnD got around the idea by just calling them halflings.
avian tiefling
11-12-03, 09:40 PM the ideas weren't really "stolen," they're just out there for anyone to take. for example, many authors use concepts such as elves, dwarves, mithril, and the like. you can find many things in common between FR and warhammer and tolkien and Shannara and Landover and middle earth and Faerie (of the spearwielder trilogy) and other things. that's just because the IDEAS of such things themselves aren't copyrighted.

just wondering, did you start the series with the Crystal Shard?
i've found it helps to read the dark elf trilogy before the icewind dale books. or any others for that matter. i mention this because i, too, started with a book other than homeland. i was at the local library, and saw a copy of Sea of Swords, and thought "hey, this looks like a good one," then i finished it and thought "maybe i should read the oh........13 books leading up to this one......"

enough rambling, though.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Eremite 11-12-03, 08:41 PM	OK, forgive me for this, I'm about as green as they come in the area of RPGs, D&D etc. I do know a bit about Tolkien and that's what's prompting this question: In reading R.A. Salvatore's The Crystal Shard and surfing around these sites, I see a lot of references to things like Mithril, orcs and halfings, all of which I had assumed to be under the copyright of JRR Tolkien. I had known that D&D etc was inspired to a large extent by Tolkien, but now I'm just wondering if there's a deeper connection, and otherwise patented ideas and phrases are licensed to Wizards of the Coast, or if I was just totally mistaken and the above mentioned words/ideas are under no copyright whatsoever. Once again, please forgive my ignorance, especially if this question has been asked a thousand times before. I did do extensive searching prior to posting, but have found nothing as of yet. Thank you
Lashan 11-12-03, 09:02 PM	There was a big stink back when Dungeons and Dragons first started (under TSR or even before that) where they called halflings hobbits. A huge lawsuit changed that. Besides that, mithril, orcs, and many other things originally started somewhere other then Tolkien. Tolkien, like many other fantasy writers, borrwed from the collective myths of earth culture. Orcs, goblins, and even mithril were ideas that Tolkien borrowed. Hobbits, though, are an original Tolkien idea. DnD got around the idea by just calling them halflings.
avian tiefling 11-12-03, 09:40 PM	the ideas weren't really "stolen," they're just out there for anyone to take. for example, many authors use concepts such as elves, dwarves, mithril, and the like. you can find many things in common between FR and warhammer and tolkien and Shannara and Landover and middle earth and Faerie (of the spearwielder trilogy) and other things. that's just because the IDEAS of such things themselves aren't copyrighted. just wondering, did you start the series with the Crystal Shard? i've found it helps to read the dark elf trilogy before the icewind dale books. or any others for that matter. i mention this because i, too, started with a book other than homeland. i was at the local library, and saw a copy of Sea of Swords, and thought "hey, this looks like a good one," then i finished it and thought "maybe i should read the oh........13 books leading up to this one......" enough rambling, though.