…putting together a PDF of a campaign concept from a third-party RPG setting that nobody plays anymore. Especially since I don’t have the rights to do anything commercial with it, which means I cannot sell it. And I cannot in fact go get the rights, because I don’t have the money and would feel the need to ask yet more unwelcome questions that would be very ill-received. Tell me the smart idea is to work on something else.
Because I’ve been thinking about doing it anyway this evening. Like, a lot.
“And I cannot in fact go get the rights, because I don’t have the money”
Devil’s Advocate says you don’t know how much the rights are till you ask. They might be happy to give them up, or give a cheap flyer to rebuild interest in the property.
Part B) Do it anyway for personal satisfaction. If you find it rewarding, that non-monetary compensation should be enough justification, and no one can prevent you from enjoying a game you paid for in a non-approved manner. The rights holder is not Major League Baseball (I think).