The Luminary is an open myth — a story meant to be expanded, remixed, and reimagined by anyone.
To make that possible, everything in the core project is released under CC0 — the Creative Commons Zero license — which places it fully in the public domain. That means anyone can use it, for any purpose, without asking for permission or giving credit.
Why CC0?
We want to build a shared cultural commons, not a closed intellectual property.
We believe creativity thrives in public — when ideas are freely passed, changed, and improved.
We want to make it easy for anyone to write, draw, perform, or build on The Luminary, with no legal friction.
This is the same license used by projects like Nouns, Loot, and many public domain classics.
When you contribute to The Luminary — by posting a story, sharing art, introducing a new character, or suggesting a concept — you're agreeing to release it under the same CC0 license.
Put simply: If you post it, you're letting anyone use it.
Don't post anything you're not comfortable sharing into the commons.
This keeps the world open, remixable, and future-proof — a foundation others can trust to build on.
Yes. Releasing something as CC0 means you can still use it too. You just can’t stop others from doing the same. If you want to build your own book, game, podcast, or project off what you create here — go for it.
You just can’t claim exclusive rights over anything that’s already part of the shared CC0 pool.
If you have something you’d like to share without giving up copyright, reach out. In the future we could be open to featuring selectively licensed work too — as long as it’s clearly marked and consistent with the spirit of the project.
But for most of this world, CC0 is the rule.
That’s how we keep the flame open and the myth alive.
All Luminary materials are released under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication.
This license allows anyone to:
Use, remix, and build upon the work
Use it for commercial or non-commercial purposes
Do so without attribution or permission
By posting or submitting content to The Luminary project (via our channels, site, or affiliated platforms), you agree to the following:
You release your contribution under CC0.
This includes all text, images, characters, dialogue, and creative expression you share publicly in association with The Luminary.
You waive all rights to restrict use.
Your contribution may be freely used by anyone for any purpose, including derivative or commercial works.
You retain no exclusive rights.
Others may use your work without credit, permission, or compensation.
If you do not wish to release your work under CC0, do not post it or submit it as part of the project.
