Terms of Service

Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of DawnScribe, including all content, features, and services offered on or through the platform ("Service"). By creating an account, clicking "I Accept," or otherwise accessing the Service, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be legally bound by these Terms, including our Privacy Policy and Community Guidelines, which are incorporated by reference.

DawnScribe is a platform for sharing original web novels, artwork, and creative collaborations, with avatar customization and a community marketplace. These Terms exist to protect creators, readers, and the integrity of the community.

Eligibility

By agreeing to these Terms, you represent and warrant that:

• You are at least 13 years of age. No one under 13 may use the Service under any circumstances.
• You have not previously been suspended, removed, or banned from DawnScribe.
• Your registration and use of the Service complies with all applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction.
• If you are between 13 and 17, a parent or legal guardian has given you permission to use the platform and has read and agreed to these Terms. By allowing a minor to use the Service, the guardian agrees to be bound by these Terms on the minor's behalf and is responsible for the minor's activity.
• If you are using DawnScribe on behalf of an entity, organization, or company, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that organization to these Terms and agree to be bound by them on its behalf.

Accounts & Security

To access most features of DawnScribe, you must register for an account. When doing so, you agree that:

• All information you provide — including your email address, username, date of birth, and profile details — must be accurate, complete, and current at all times. Providing false information, including a false date of birth, is a breach of these Terms and may result in immediate termination.
• You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and for all activity that occurs under your account.
• You must not share your password or allow anyone else to access your account.
• If you believe your account has been compromised or accessed without your consent, you must notify DawnScribe immediately.
• DawnScribe will never ask for your password through any channel other than the official login interface. Any such request is fraudulent — report it immediately.
• Your account is personal and non-transferable. You may not sell, trade, or assign it to another person.

License to Use

Subject to your full and ongoing compliance with these Terms, DawnScribe grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable license to access and use the Service solely for your personal, non-commercial purposes.

You may not reproduce, distribute, publicly display, or perform the Service or its content without express written permission; make modifications to any part of the Service; interfere with or circumvent any security feature; or use the Service if prohibited from doing so by applicable law.

The visual interface, design, graphics, software, DawnScribe branding, and all other platform elements ("Materials") are owned by DawnScribe or its licensors and are protected by intellectual property law. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.

Your Content

You retain ownership of original work you create and publish on DawnScribe. By posting User Content, you represent and warrant that you are the creator or owner, or have all necessary rights and permissions to post it, and that your content does not infringe any third-party rights or violate any applicable law.

License Grant to DawnScribe. By posting User Content, you grant DawnScribe a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, store, display, reproduce, distribute, and promote your content through the Service. This license is granted solely to operate the platform and does not transfer ownership of your work. If your work is already copyrighted at the time of posting, you are grandfathering DawnScribe into that copyright for the purpose of displaying and promoting your work on the platform.

License to Other Users. By sharing User Content, you grant other users a non-exclusive license to access and use that content as permitted by the platform's features.

DawnScribe is not responsible for any public display or misuse of your User Content by other users. You are solely responsible for the content you publish and all consequences of doing so.

Original Artwork

DawnScribe is a home for original visual art, including illustrations, cover art, character designs, and other creative imagery. The following additional rules apply to artwork specifically:

• All artwork you post must be your own original creation, or work you have explicit permission to post from the rights holder.
• You must not post artwork created by commissioning another artist without that artist's consent to publish it on this platform.
• Artwork that reproduces or closely imitates the distinctive style of another identified artist — whether or not AI tools are involved — and that is presented as your own original work is a violation of these Terms.
• You retain full moral rights in your original artwork. DawnScribe will not crop, modify, recolor, or alter your artwork in any way without your consent, except for technical formatting adjustments required for display (such as thumbnail generation or responsive sizing).
• Artists may designate their artwork as not available for use in AI training. DawnScribe will respect and implement this designation where technically feasible. However, DawnScribe cannot guarantee that third parties will not attempt to use publicly visible artwork without authorization. You are responsible for policing unauthorized use of your work to the extent permitted by law.
• Artwork posted to the DawnScribe Marketplace as avatar items, clothing, or accessories is subject to the additional terms in Section 13 (Virtual Items & Currency).

Intellectual Property

For the purposes of these Terms, "Intellectual Property Rights" means all copyright rights, trademark rights, patent rights, mask work rights, moral rights, rights of publicity, goodwill, trade dress and service mark rights, trade secret rights, and all other intellectual property and moral rights — including all applications, registrations, renewals, and extensions thereof under the laws of any jurisdiction.

You agree that any User Content you post does not and will not violate the Intellectual Property Rights of any third party. DawnScribe reserves the right, but is not obligated, to reject and/or remove any User Content that we believe, in our sole discretion, violates these provisions.

AI-Generated Content

DawnScribe is a platform for human creativity. The following rules apply to all AI-generated and AI-assisted content:

• Stories written predominantly or entirely by AI are not permitted. The story, characters, plot, voice, and core creative decisions must be substantially yours. You may use AI tools to assist with editing, grammar checking, brainstorming, or research — but the work must be genuinely yours.
• AI-generated artwork must be disclosed. If artificial intelligence tools generated the primary or material visual elements of your artwork — including characters, backgrounds, or major compositional elements — you must clearly tag the work as "Created Using AI Tools" at the time of posting. This is required, not optional. Using AI for minor assistive tasks (such as image upscaling, content-aware fill, or noise reduction) that do not introduce AI-generated elements into the work does not require disclosure.
• AI-generated artwork that is disclosed as such is permitted on the platform but may be restricted from certain features — such as marketplace sales or collaboration credit — at DawnScribe's discretion.
• Using AI tools to reproduce or closely imitate another creator's established visual or written style, and presenting that output as your own original work, is a violation of these Terms regardless of disclosure.
• You remain fully responsible for any AI-assisted content you post, including all representations about ownership and originality.

Fanfiction

DawnScribe permits fanfiction — stories based on existing published works, characters, or universes — subject to the following conditions:

• Fanfiction must be clearly labelled as such at the time of posting. Do not present fanfiction as wholly original work.
• Fanfiction may not be monetized in any form. This includes donation links, Patreon links, Ko-fi links, and any other mechanism that allows readers to pay for fanfiction. Fanfiction is not eligible for DawnScribe's Marketplace, creator revenue-sharing programs, or any premium content features.
• Fanfiction must comply with all other content rules in these Terms, including all prohibitions on sexual content involving minors and all other prohibited content.
• Fan art depicting characters from existing IP must also be labelled as fan art and is subject to the same no-monetization rule.
• If a rights holder submits a valid takedown request for fanfiction or fan art based on their intellectual property, DawnScribe will comply and remove the content. You post fanfiction and fan art at your own legal risk.

Prohibited Conduct

By using DawnScribe, you agree not to:

• Use the Service for any illegal purpose or in violation of any applicable law.
• Violate or encourage others to violate the rights of any third party, including intellectual property rights.
• Interfere with security-related features of the Service, or reverse engineer any portion of the platform.
• Upload or disseminate any virus, malware, adware, spyware, or other malicious code.
• Attempt to collect personal information about another user without their consent.
• Perform any fraudulent activity, including impersonating any person, entity, or DawnScribe staff member, or accessing another user's account without permission.
• Use bots, scripts, scrapers, or other automated means to access or collect data from the Service without express written permission.
• Interfere with or disrupt the Service, its servers, or any connected network.
• Solicit other users for commercial purposes unrelated to your creative work on the platform.
• Sell, transfer, or attempt to transfer your account or any access rights granted under these Terms.
• Post, upload, or link to content hosted on external sites for the purpose of bypassing DawnScribe's content policies.

Prohibited Content

You agree not to post User Content that is unlawful, harmful, abusive, racially or ethnically offensive, defamatory, infringing, invasive of personal privacy, harassing, libelous, threatening, or otherwise objectionable; that may create a risk of harm to any person or animal; that may constitute or contribute to a crime; that is illegal or that you do not have the right to post; or that constitutes spam or unsolicited advertising.

The following are absolutely prohibited with no exceptions:

• Any content — written, illustrated, or otherwise — that sexualizes individuals under 18, whether real or fictional. This is grounds for immediate permanent termination and referral to law enforcement.
• Content that encourages non-consensual sexual acts.
• Content depicting or encouraging illegal sexual acts including but not limited to bestiality or necrophilia.
• Pornographic content — defined as content where explicit sexual acts are the primary focus rather than an element of a broader narrative or artistic work.

We reserve the right to monitor content and remove or reject any material we believe, in our sole discretion, to be unlawful or objectionable — without prior notice.

Collaborations

Ending a Collaboration. Either party in a collaboration may choose to end it at any time. Both parties retain the right to remove their respective contributions from the collaborative project, subject to any private agreement between themselves. DawnScribe is not a party to any such arrangement and assumes no responsibility for resolving resulting disputes.

Marketplace Items from Collaborations. If a collaboration has produced items available for sale in the DawnScribe Marketplace, those items will continue to be sold even after the collaboration ends. Once a marketplace item has been purchased by a user, neither the original author nor the artist may request its removal from that customer's account. The item belongs to the customer permanently. DawnScribe may delist an item from future sale following a verified legal dispute, but will not revoke items already owned by customers.

Legal Disputes Between Collaborators. DawnScribe will provide all legally required information in any dispute between collaborating parties — including artwork files, written content, platform messages, and transaction records — but will not involve itself further, take sides, or act as mediator.

Virtual Items, Avatar Currency & the Marketplace

DawnScribe may offer virtual currency ("Dawn Coins" or similar), avatar items, clothing, accessories, and other digital goods through a Marketplace feature. By participating in any virtual economy feature of the platform, you agree to the following:

Nature of Virtual Items. All virtual currency and virtual items on DawnScribe — including avatar clothing, accessories, badges, and decorative elements — represent a limited license right granted to you for personal use within the Service. They have no real-world monetary value, are not property, and are not redeemable for cash or any real-world equivalent at any time. DawnScribe reserves the right to manage, modify, regulate, or discontinue virtual items and virtual currency at its sole discretion.

Non-Transferability. Virtual items and currency may not be sold, traded, transferred, or exchanged for real-world money or goods outside of DawnScribe's official platform features. Any such off-platform exchange is prohibited and may result in account termination.

Marketplace Conduct. Creators who sell items through the DawnScribe Marketplace agree that:

• All items listed must be original work — artwork you created yourself, or have explicit written permission from the creator to sell.
• Fanfiction-related items and fan art-based items may not be listed for sale in the Marketplace.
• AI-generated artwork may not be listed for sale in the Marketplace, regardless of disclosure.
• DawnScribe receives a platform fee from each marketplace transaction. Fee rates will be published on the platform and may be updated with advance notice.
• Prices are set by creators but are subject to platform guidelines and DawnScribe's right to establish minimum or maximum price limits.

Purchased Items Are Permanent. Once a user has purchased a virtual item, that item is theirs for as long as their account is active and DawnScribe operates the Service. Neither the original creator nor DawnScribe may remove a purchased item from a customer's account except in cases of verified legal dispute or platform shutdown.

Account Termination and Virtual Items. If your account is suspended or permanently terminated for a violation of these Terms, you forfeit all virtual currency, virtual items, and marketplace earnings in your account. No refund or compensation will be provided for forfeited virtual assets. This forfeiture applies regardless of how the virtual assets were obtained.

Platform Discontinuation. In the event that DawnScribe discontinues the Service or the Marketplace feature, all virtual currency and unlisted virtual items will be voided. DawnScribe will make reasonable efforts to provide advance notice of any discontinuation and, where feasible, to offer users a transition period to use remaining virtual currency before discontinuation.

Creator Marketplace & Revenue Sharing

This section governs Collaboration Items — avatar cosmetics, clothing, and accessories created by an Artist based on a Novelist's original work, listed for sale in the DawnScribe Marketplace and purchased by users with Tickets.

Tickets and Real-Money Payouts. Tickets are a virtual currency purchased with real money and spent within the platform. Tickets themselves have no cash value, cannot be redeemed by buyers, and are governed by Section 13 above. However, when a Collaboration Item is purchased with Tickets, a portion of the real-money value underlying those Tickets is converted into a creator payout balance for the Artist and Novelist involved. This payout balance is real money owed to the creator, distinct from any Ticket or virtual item balance, and is not subject to the "no real-world value" or forfeiture provisions of Section 13 except as described below.

Revenue Split. For each sale of a Collaboration Item, the real-money value of the Tickets spent is divided as follows: the Artist who created the visual artwork receives 60%; the Novelist whose work the item is based on receives 30%; and DawnScribe retains 10% to cover payment processing, hosting, and operating costs. The exchange rate between Tickets and real-money value is set by DawnScribe and may change over time, but the real-money value of a given sale is locked in at the time of purchase and is not affected by later rate changes.

Dual Approval Required. A Collaboration Item cannot be listed for sale until both the Artist and the Novelist whose work it is based on have approved the listing, including its artwork, description, and price in Tickets. Either party may decline a proposed Collaboration Item for any reason. Changes to an approved listing's price or artwork require re-approval from both parties. Removing an item from sale does not affect copies already purchased by users.

Pricing. Artists set the Ticket price for their Collaboration Items, subject to any minimum or maximum limits DawnScribe may establish to keep pricing reasonable across the Marketplace. DawnScribe may decline to list items priced in a way that it determines, in its sole discretion, is misleading, exploitative, or harmful to the Marketplace as a whole.

Payout Schedule and Taxes. Creator payout balances accrue as sales occur and can be withdrawn once a minimum threshold is reached, on a schedule and through payment methods DawnScribe makes available. DawnScribe may require identity verification and tax information before releasing payouts, and may issue tax forms (such as a 1099 in the United States) where required by law. You are solely responsible for determining and paying any taxes owed on income received through the Marketplace.

Effect of Account Termination. If your account is permanently terminated for a violation of these Terms or the Community Guidelines, any pending, unpaid creator payout balance may be forfeited, in addition to the forfeiture of virtual currency and items described in Section 13. Payouts already paid out prior to termination are not affected.

Content Standards. All Collaboration Items, including their artwork and any preview images, are subject to Section 16 (Mature Content) and the Marketplace Content Standards in the Community Guidelines. Items containing sexual, suggestive, or sexualized artwork — including suggestive poses, partial nudity, or sexualized depictions of characters regardless of whether explicit acts are shown — are not permitted under any circumstances and will be removed without payout for that item.

Membership & Payments

DawnScribe offers free access to core features. Enhanced features may be available through a paid monthly or annual subscription ("DawnScribe Premium").

Fees and Billing. All fees are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated. By subscribing, you authorize DawnScribe to charge your payment method automatically on a recurring basis until you cancel.

Auto-Renewal. Your subscription automatically renews at the end of each billing period unless you cancel before the renewal date. You will be charged the then-current subscription fee at the start of each new period.

Cancellation. You may cancel at any time through your account settings. Your benefits remain active until the end of the current billing period. Cancellation does not entitle you to a refund for the current period.

Refunds. All subscription fees are non-refundable except where required by applicable law. If you believe a charge was made in error, contact DawnScribe within 14 days.

Price Changes. DawnScribe reserves the right to change pricing with advance notice. Continued use after a price change constitutes acceptance.

Failed Payments. If a payment fails, DawnScribe may downgrade your account to the free tier. You remain responsible for any unpaid amounts.

Creator Revenue Share. DawnScribe may establish a program to distribute a portion of revenue to creators based on engagement metrics. The terms of any such program will be published separately and may be modified with reasonable notice.

DMCA & Takedown Requests

DawnScribe complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 512). To submit a valid takedown notice, provide: a physical or electronic signature of the rights holder or authorized agent; identification of the infringed work; identification and location of the infringing material; your contact information; a good faith belief statement; and a statement under penalty of perjury that you are authorized to act on the rights holder's behalf.

Repeat Infringers. DawnScribe will terminate, without notice, the accounts of users determined to be repeat infringers — defined as users who have had content removed for infringement on two or more separate occasions.

Counter-Notices. If you believe your content was removed in error, you may submit a counter-notice. DawnScribe will follow the procedures set forth under 17 U.S.C. § 512(g).

Mature Content

• Content containing graphic violence, explicit language, or mature themes must be accurately tagged and rated at the time of posting. Mislabeling mature content to reach a wider audience — particularly to reach younger users — is a violation.
• Users under 18 may not access, post, or engage with content marked as mature or adult.
• Sexual content involving minors — real or fictional — is absolutely prohibited and will result in immediate permanent account termination and a report to law enforcement. No exceptions.
• Pornographic content, as defined in Section 11, is not permitted on the platform.
• Works may include sexual content, including explicit scenes, provided it is tagged accordingly and is not the primary focus or driving point of the story. Works whose central purpose is sexual content (erotica) are not permitted. DawnScribe may contact an author for clarification before taking action if a work appears to be trending toward this line.
• DawnScribe reserves the right to re-classify or remove content that has been inaccurately or insufficiently rated, regardless of the creator's intent.

Enforcement

Violations of these Terms may result in any or all of the following, with or without notice: content removal; formal warning; temporary suspension; permanent termination; forfeiture of all virtual items and currency; and reporting to law enforcement where content is illegal or involves harm to minors.

A permanently terminated user may not return under a new account or any other identity. DawnScribe assumes no liability for any User Content posted or transmitted over the Service.

Legal Disputes

DawnScribe will cooperate fully with any lawful legal process — including court orders, subpoenas, and formal requests from law enforcement — and will provide all information required of us by law. Beyond fulfilling our legal obligations, DawnScribe will not involve itself as a party in any dispute between users or between a user and a third party.

Disclaimer of Warranties

Limitation of Liability

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless DawnScribe and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses — including reasonable attorneys' fees — arising out of or connected with your access to or use of the Service, your User Content, your violation of these Terms or any applicable law, your violation of any third-party right, or any dispute between you and any third party. This obligation survives termination of your account and these Terms.

Feedback

If you choose to provide suggestions, ideas, or feedback regarding the Service, you grant DawnScribe an unrestricted, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free right to use that feedback for any purpose — including improving the Service and developing new features — without any obligation of compensation or attribution to you.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States, without regard to conflict of law principles. For any dispute not otherwise resolved, you agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of the courts located within the United States. The Service is controlled and operated from facilities in the United States. DawnScribe makes no representation that the Service is appropriate or available for use in other locations. Those who access the Service from other jurisdictions do so at their own volition and are fully responsible for compliance with applicable local law.

Statute of Limitations. Regardless of any law or statute to the contrary, any cause of action arising out of or related to your use of the Service or these Terms must commence within one (1) year after the claim accrues. Otherwise, such claim is permanently barred.

Account Termination

By You. You may terminate your account at any time through your account settings. You remain obligated to pay any outstanding fees incurred prior to termination. Virtual currency and items in your account at the time of voluntary closure will be voided.

By DawnScribe. DawnScribe may terminate or suspend your account at any time, with or without notice, for any reason — including violation of these Terms. We also reserve the right to modify or discontinue the Service at any time without liability. Upon termination for violations, you forfeit all virtual assets as described in Section 13.

Sections 5, 6, 7, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, and 25 of these Terms survive termination.

General Provisions

• Entire Agreement. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, Community Guidelines, and any agreements expressly incorporated by reference, constitute the entire agreement between you and DawnScribe regarding the Service.
• Severability. If any provision is found invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be given effect to the greatest extent possible, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.
• No Waiver. Our failure to enforce any provision will not be considered a waiver of our right to enforce it in the future.
• Assignment. You may not assign these Terms without our prior written consent. DawnScribe may assign these Terms at any time without notice.
• Electronic Communications. By using the Service, you consent to receive electronic communications from DawnScribe. You agree that any notices sent electronically satisfy any legal requirement that they be in writing.
• Third-Party Links. The Service may contain links to third-party websites. DawnScribe is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or terms of any third-party site. You access such sites at your own risk.
• Survival. All provisions that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including without limitation ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

Changes to Terms

DawnScribe reserves the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. For material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date and provide at least 30 days' notice through the platform before the change takes effect. Immaterial modifications are effective upon publication. Disputes will be resolved under the version in effect at the time the dispute arose. Your continued use after any change constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

Contact

If you have questions about these Terms, wish to report a violation, report a compromised account, or submit a DMCA notice, please contact the DawnScribe team through the platform's messaging system.