Answer |
· What is the Oerth Journal (OJ)? The Oerth Journal is the oldest (w)e(b)-zine dedicated to publishing creative, high-quality works featuring the World of Greyhawk campaign setting. The OJ provides a site of publication for authors who want a close editing relationship. The goal of the OJ is to publish semi-annually; it is always distributed free of charge. Now in its second volume, the OJ continues to share the many "Alternate Oerths" devised by fans over the years.
[ Back to Top ]
|
· Where can I find and download issues of the OJ? In the past, several websites have hosted the OJ.
Today all the issues can be can be accessed through the Downloads section of the Canonfire website. [ Back to Top ]
|
· Who created the OJ? The premier issue of the OJ is dated May 1995 and was produced by members of the Council of Greyhawk. The full history of the OJ is too long to relate here, but one day we hope to tell it. [ Back to Top ]
|
· Wasn't there a "new" issue 1? What happened to it? The first volume, which consists of eleven issues, was produced under the auspices of the Council of Greyhawk. For the second volume we thought to restart the numbering, but this idea was eventually rejected. Thus issue 12 numbers what was briefly called volume II, issue 1 (sometimes notated as 2.1). While the second volume of the OJ is produced by a new group of people, the staff remains dedicated to the tradition of the Journal -- to encourage and publish quality articles that enrich the online Greyhawk community. [ Back to Top ]
|
· How often is the OJ produced? While quarterly production was the original goal of the second volume, today the OJ is published semi-annually. In 2001 two issues (12 & 13) were produced; issue 14 was published in April 2002. Issue 15 should be released just before the end of 2003. [ Back to Top ]
|
· How is the OJ connected to the Living Greyhawk Campaign or the RPGA? The OJ is not affiliated with the RPGA or the Living Greyhawk campaign in any way. The OJ is not a source of any official ruling or update from either of those organizations. [ Back to Top ]
|
· How do I subscribe to the OJ? Announcements about upcoming issues are posted online in various of the email lists and message boards dedicated to the World of Greyhawk. Presently these include Greytalk, Greyhawk-L, and Wizard's new Greyhawk boards.
If you would like to receive a personal email notice when the latest issue of the OJ is available for download or online perusal, email the Editor-in-Chief. (Your email address will only be used to contact you for this specific purpose.) [ Back to Top ]
|
· How do I submit articles to the OJ? Article inquiries should be directed to the current editor-in-chief. The OJ welcomes material of any edition that may enhance campaign play, be that unique places of interest, magical items or spells, or even works of fiction set in the World of Greyhawk. Please read our new submission guidelines. [ Back to Top ]
|
· How much does the OJ pay? The OJ is a non-profit webzine and produced entirely by volunteers. Authors, artists, editors, and all other staff receive no monetary compensation. [ Back to Top ]
|
· Who owns the proprietary right for any given article? Wizards of the Coast (TM), a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., owns the vast majority of the intellectual property (copyrights and trademarks) pertaining to the World of Greyhawk. The OJ is a non-profit webzine that publishes articles submitted by fans of the setting.
If authors are concerned with ownership of their copyrights, they should consult an attorney. While United States and international laws provide for fair use, the issue of derivative works pertaining to fantasy role playing settings has not been decided in a published legal opinion.
As a noncommercial web-zine, the volunteers who produce issues of the OJ have no intent to challenge any corporation's ownership of its intellectual property.
Articles published by the OJ have been written by authors who are not compensated monetarily. The only right that authors explicitly agree to surrender by submitting to publication in the OJ is that of first international distribution in English. [ Back to Top ]
|
· What's a good article length for the OJ? The OJ accepts articles of diverse lengths. In the first two issues of the second volume, feature articles averaged about ten pages long. Fiction narratives have varied greatly from three to twelve pages. More important than any page count is the quality of an article. [ Back to Top ]
|
· May I host issues of the OJ? While several fan websites have hosted the OJ in the past, present plans are to restrict downloads to Canonfire!. Individual articles should not be hosted on websites without the explicit permission of the author. People unable to contact an author directly may call upon the current OJ editor-in-chief for assistance. [ Back to Top ]
|
· Do submissions need to be grounded in a particular set of rules? No. There are Greyhawk fans who role play in the setting but do not use Dungeons & Dragons rules -- people use GURPS, Hackmaster, Heroic Fantasy, Lejendary Adventures, Rune Quest, etc. to adventure in the World of Greyhawk. However, if you intend to produce an article as a playing aid, then it helps to specify a rules system and utilize its conventions. [ Back to Top ]
|