This includes any content that draws on the established lore: the Imperium, the Solomani, the Zhodani, the Aslan, and other iconic elements of the Traveller universe. Using these without authorization could put creators in legal hot water, especially if money or public distribution is involved.
In short, fan-made expansions or publications that tap into Traveller's intellectual property—whether it's historical timelines, alien species, or sector maps—are now walking into a legal minefield unless they’re operating under license. This situation has sparked renewed interest in systems like Cepheus Engine, which preserve the core mechanics of Classic Traveller under open licensing, but strip out the copyrighted content—giving creators a legally safe space to build and share their own science fiction settings.
Unfortunately, we won't be gaming Traveller RPG anymore, due to this legal barrier.
Instead, we are switching to Cepheus Engine SRD, an OGL based game. The following is the OGL we are using with the RPG:
Open Game License Version 1.0a
Section 15: Copyright Notice
- Cepheus Engine System Reference Document Copyright © 2016 Jason "Flynn" Kemp
- Based on the Traveller System Reference Document, Copyright © 2008, Far Future Enterprises.
- Traveller is a trademark of Far Future Enterprises and is used with permission.
- The Cepheus Engine System Reference Document is used under the Open Game License 1.0a.
- This product is not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Far Future Enterprises or Mongoose Publishing.
- Open Game License v1.0a Copyright © 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
We won't be instituting any references to Traveller from Mongoose Publishing in our pursuit of using this system to create new content. In fact, we have already begun creating original sectors and subsectors with their histories along with the extraterrestrial races that players may encounter during their travels and adventures. So, stay tuned!
Happy Gaming!