David RevoyMay 15, 2024

My treasure

#webcomic #krita #minifantasytheater

Show threadEmelia/Emi

@davidrevoy FYI on the alt-text (not intended as criticism): that particular type of monster is generally known in English as a "Mimic" given that they 'mimic' treasure chests. And in panel two she throws a bone 'at' the mimic, not 'to' it ('to' implies she's intending for the mimic to catch it, while 'at' implies she wants to hit it with the bone).

For some reason this reminds me of "The Luggage" from Discworld... (basically a mimic that acts like a very overprotective dog, and also happens to function like a self-propelled larger-on-the-inside luggage trunk)

May 15, 2024 at 5:14pmWeb
Show threadDavid RevoyMay 15, 2024
@becomethewaifu Thank you. yes, the Luggage reference is wanted (Discworld fan here 😉 ).
The Mimic is a DnD name at origin (so copyright?) but the creature exist in many fantasy games, anime, and books. That's why I prefered to avoid this name. On a personal note: I like the versions in Dragon Quest or in Secret of Mana.
Show threadEmelia/EmiMay 15, 2024

@davidrevoy Honestly calling it a mimic is perfectly fine, because names are generally handled under trademark, not copyright, and trademark almost always requires that a mark not be 'generic' or 'purely descriptive'. And given that calling "a monster mimicking a thing" (treasure chest, chair, etc.) 'a mimic' is about as descriptive as you can get, any attempt at 'enforcement' would likely be grounds for sanctions against the lawyers that filed it with how purely-descriptive it is.

Now the term 'Hobbit' on the other hand, that was made up by Tolkien, and his descendants are dead set on keeping that trademark/copyright money-train going as long as they're legally able to, which is why almost everything else uses the term 'halfling' instead (which predates DnD by "a few centuries", and is thus also free to use)

Show threadLinebyline→mastoart.socialMay 19, 2024

@davidrevoy @becomethewaifu I have a hard time believing that any reasonable person would think the name "mimic" is copyrightable. Might not even be trademarkable.

Unfortunately corporate legal teams in general, and WoTC's in particular, aren't known for being reasonable. You probably made the right call.

Show threadEmelia/EmiMay 19, 2024
@linebyline As I said as well: the term 'mimic' is both a descriptive English word, and super generic (it's used to refer to a lot of things in real life too, like "ant mimics"). Any lawyer that puts their name on an attempted enforcement action is at risk of sanctions it's so obviously not protected, even if it never makes it across a court clerk's counter.
Show threadLinebyline→mastoart.socialMay 23, 2024

@becomethewaifu True! Unfortunately, lawyers do a lot of things that risk sanctions, if they think they can get away with it. (See: Most of US politics the past few years, and anyone representing a billionare.)

Besides, two *competing* companies own (or owned) the name of an entire genre of comics. US trademark law is bonkers. Or at least what does and doesn't get enforced, even where the actual law itself makes some degree of sense.