What License Applies to Maps from Dyson's Dodecahedron?

Updated

Maps published on Dyson's Dodecahedron are released under a Restricted Release License, which permits personal gaming use only. Redistributing a map outside your own game sessions violates that agreement. Some maps carry an additional layer of restriction because they were drawn for official products and remain copyright Wizards of the Coast, even though the accompanying text is original to the release package.

What the Restricted Release License Allows

The license is stated on the blog's copyright page and is referenced directly in the release posts. For the Isle of the Abbey release, the post describes the terms this way:

  • The map is covered under the Restricted Release License.
  • It is intended for personal gaming use.
  • Distribution outside of your own sessions is a violation of the agreement.

In practice, that means you can print it, display it at your table, and use it in your own campaign. You cannot upload it to a file-sharing site, bundle it into your own product, or pass it along to people who aren't in your session.

When a Second Copyright Applies

Some releases are based on maps originally drawn for official published adventures. Isle of the Abbey is one example: the map was drawn for Ghosts of Saltmarsh and is copyright Wizards of the Coast. The post notes that all text in the package is original and unrelated to the official version of the map.

So a single release can involve two separate rights holders:

Element Rights status
Map artwork Restricted Release License; some maps also copyright Wizards of the Coast
Package text Original to the release
High-resolution files Distributed through Patreon under the same license terms

How the License Interacts with Access

The license and the delivery method are separate things, and it helps to keep them apart:

  • Low-resolution samples are available to everyone who reads the blog.
  • High-resolution versions are available to patrons at the Level 1 Adventurer tier and above, and to all Legacy Patrons, or through the Patreon storefront.
  • These official-product maps are not included in the Patreon-exclusive end-of-month PDF; they are released as their own PDF alongside it.

Paying for access does not change the license. A patron receives the same personal-gaming-use terms as anyone else viewing the sample.

Practical Checklist Before You Reuse a Map

  1. Check the copyright page and the individual release post — the license is stated per release, not just site-wide.
  2. Confirm whether the map was drawn for an official product, which adds the Wizards of the Coast copyright.
  3. Use it at your own table, in your own sessions.
  4. Don't repost, resell, or redistribute the file, including inside another published or shared product.
  5. If you need rights beyond personal use, the license as described does not grant them — treat any broader use as requiring separate permission.