Is there a specific list of Cthulhu-related creatures/names/ideas that we can absolutely certify are public domain, uncontestably?

RPGPundit

Isn´t he dead for seventy years?
Aren´t all his creations now public domain?

Quote from: SettembriniIsn´t he dead for seventy years?
Aren´t all his creations now public domain?

A significant number of mythos creatures were created by other authors, and figuring out who came up with what can be a pain.

edit: which is why a list would be handy.

Well, the slow and painful way would be to scour all actual HPL novels and short stories for monster names...

Not that I would do that.

Actually you need to scour the the pulp magazine in which the stories appear. I believe the novel form is later. Frankly I would rely on Project Gutenberg to clear any Cthulu properties as they have the time and resource. For example they found that several of H Beam Piper's stories are in the public domain and have posted them.

Quote from: estarActually you need to scour the the pulp magazine in which the stories appear. I believe the novel form is later. Frankly I would rely on Project Gutenberg to clear any Cthulu properties as they have the time and resource. For example they found that several of H Beam Piper's stories are in the public domain and have posted them.

Well, yes the novels are later. But that hardly matters,right? I mean, the contents havent changed even if the manner of publication has?

Quote from: TempleWell, yes the novels are later. But that hardly matters,right? I mean, the contents havent changed even if the manner of publication has?

Actually I believe the content has been edited for the novel so it isn't exactly the same. For example Piper's short stores that are public domain differ a little than the paperbacks I have.

Frankly I find it better just to rely on the judgment of Gutenberg who have the time and resources to clear public domain items properly.

Also you have to contend with the trademarks owned by the various entities. Which don't expire as they are still being maintained.

if you are an Aussie, or have an Oz-like copyright law, then you can basically go ahead:

http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0600031h.html

Quote from: Settembriniif you are an Aussie, or have an Oz-like copyright law, then you can basically go ahead:

http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0600031h.html

The problem isn't so much with the content of the stories written by Lovecraft himself, though, as with the various critters created by more recent authors, like Lumley's Cthonians.

i just posted the question over at yog-sothoth.com.  i'll let you know if they come up with anything.  

this would be specific to the US, right?

edit:  first response, copy/pasted:
It's not very clear and much of it disputed by Arkham House. You're probably safe with anything prior to 1930 although you have to make sure you're using the original text. But don't quote me on that.

Also, not everything Mythos was written by HPL so be careful. Shudde M'ell, for example, is Brian Lumley's.

But Dagonbytes is quite happy to put the full text of every HPL story on line.

But the following big guys should all be wide open, right?

Cthulhu
Nyarlathotep
Azathoth
Shub-niggurath
Yog-sothoth
Dagon
the Deep Ones
Elder Things
Shoggoths
Hastur
?

RPGPundit

From reading the Australia gutenberg that list should cover most countries that don't have the hyper long copyright term of the USA.

However don't forget some of those words are trademarked so you can't use them as part of a title or cover.

jeez, you'd have trademark issues to worry about too?  what a mess

Quote from: RPGPunditHastur

That could get muddled, actually. Hastur was originally created by Chambers in the 19th century and developed into a genuine Mythos critter by Derleth much later. As far as I know, even the name is only once or twice fleetingly mentioned in HPL's own fiction (as a brief homage to Chambers), and the creature itself makes no appearances at all.

another reply from a yog-sothoth.com fellow:

It is difficult to give a clear cut answer to this question. HPL died without issue in 1937; so many of his works may be in the public domain provided he did not transfer his rights etc.

The best answer may be found by perusing that riviting piece of eldritch and arcane lore known as United States Code, Title 17, Chapter 2 et. seq.. (10/100 SAN Loss if read by layman. Anyone with a J.D. and who has passed the Patent Bar is immune from any SAN Loss as they already are insane).

Sorry, I can't be more precise, but patent law is a specialized practice and, like most law, is fact specefic.

If you want the texts online, just use the link provided. If all R'ley erupts, its that URL owner who will take the heat, not you.

(the link provided: http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap2.html#203 )