Naming an Item

dlaporte7271
dlaporte7271
edited April 2012 in General Discussion
Hey OPers!

Loving the site and having a ball building my campaign. I'm trying to create a named item for one of my characters and, drawing inspiration from the inestimable killervp(who I believe actually is THE man) I thought i'd have some fun and throw it out there for all you awesome folks to offer some input. Here's the background:

My players live in a world that has been conquered by an invading army of dragonborn from another world. All humans have been living as slaves of the dragonborn for the past 700 or so years. Elves have been systematically wiped out or forced into hiding. Other races have also been forced underground or enslaved.

This character starts the campaign as a human slave serving his dragonborn masters aboard one of their flying ships. His parents are also slaves and they all live together in the slave quarter of the dragonborn flying city of Gurchok. The dragonborn have discovered a long hidden community of humans living freely in a remote corner of the world. Though they quickly take over the valley they are unable to quell the entire population. A rebellion is born, led by the other PC in this campaign. When Falgren (the PC in question) discovers that there are humans living freely in the world, it plants the idea in his head that he, and his people, could live in freedom also. When he confides his thoughts to his parents they reveal their, long held secret: They are elves living in disguise under the very snouts of the dragonborn. Falgren is an elf! His parents, being long lived as elves are in my campaign, have been using an ancient ritual of disguise to hide their true nature. Realizing their son is about to do something rash, they decide to bestow upon him some gear of ancient elven make that they have kept in hiding. Not quite artifact level, but potent and name worthy. There will be armor and some other items to wear, but the centerpiece will be a magnificent longbow (Falgren is a ranger) with several qualities:

1. It will be specially made to do extra damage against dragonborn and or dragons
2. It will have extended range
3. It will be a cloaked weapon...meaning it will be hidden and undetectable until he speaks a command word to draw it.

I'm looking for a sufficiently "elvish" and cool name and any other ideas that strike your fancy.
Incidentally, if you are interested in getting a better feel for the story, and it helps check out our "forums":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/violent-skies/wikis/forums

Thanks!

dlaporte7271 (aka Dave)
"Violent Skies":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/violent-skies

Comments

  • Leonidas300
    Leonidas300
    Posts: 273
    ESGALLHUGGOTHCU - The Dragon Biter

    This is a bit on point it is the direct english translation of tolkien elvish for four words:

    hiding - esgal - (ess-gahl)
    dragon - lhug - (loog)
    enemy - goth - (goth)
    bow - cu - (coo)


    "Manifestation of Chaos":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/metzger/wikis/main-page
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998 edited April 2012
    My tongue hurts from that one Leonidas.
    Loindractueur- Ranged Dragon Killer from the French
    or my favorite Dracloins
    Thanks for the kind words! For those that have not checked out his really great campaign, "Violent Skies":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/violent-skies do so now!!
    killervp
    "A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
    "Duskreign's First Ever COTM":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/wyrmshadow/wiki_pages/112011
    "OP's COTM April 2012":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/a-god-rebuilt-aprils-cotm/
    Post edited by GamingMegaverse on

    Just trying to help out.

  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    Morcu Dolen Gurtha

    (Rough Elven translation: Dark bow of Hidden Death)


    twiggyleaf
    "Shimring - The Faces of Divinity":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shimring
    (a multiplanar 3.5 D&D campaign)

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • dlaporte7271
    dlaporte7271
    Posts: 94
    Thanks for the ideas! Keep em coming. BTW Leonidas300, I came across your pic of the 'Lair'....WOW! I think I peed a little.

    dlaporte7271
    "violent skies":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/violent-skies
  • vstraydogstrutv
    vstraydogstrutv
    Posts: 209 edited April 2012
    Dagnir en' i' Sgiathatch Nosse (_dahg'neer * ehn * ee * sgee'aht'ahch * nohs'seh_) - Bane of the Dragon Kin

    Note that the "th" in sgiathatch should be pronounced as a soft "t" sound, since "th" (as in "_the_") doesn't appear in elvish pronunciation.

    Also, if I remember correctly, "of" and "the" can be inferred (similar to some words in Japanese), so you would have something like:
    Dagnir Sgiathatch Nosse.
    Post edited by vstraydogstrutv on
  • dlaporte7271
    dlaporte7271
    Posts: 94
    Keeping in mind that I' and my player will probably be typing this name over and over again...I think I may go with one of the long elven names...and then refer to it most often by a shortened version of it's translation..so...as an example...straydogstrut..I might take Dagnir en' i' Sgiathatch Nosse(which would be hell to type) and then refer to it as "Bane" or some other shortened version of "Bane of the Dragon Kin."

    Guess I'll have to dig out my tolkien lore and start trying to keep up with you linguists...

    BTW KVP...like the idea of going french (my last name is LaPorte afterall)...but Dracloins...do you really want to shoot a dragon in the loins? (grin) Might just tick him off.

    Maybe we should start a campaign....spay and neuter your dragons people!

    dlaporte7271
    "violent skies":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/violent-skies
  • vstraydogstrutv
    vstraydogstrutv
    Posts: 209 edited April 2012
    C'mon, isn't that what copy and paste is for?! Tsk tsk, so lazy ;)

    But seriously, once a name if chosen and established, shortening it is a natural occurence.
    Post edited by vstraydogstrutv on
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998
    Yes, Dlaporte, it came from a game occurrence, and that is exactly what 1 member of my group will forever do... because it caught me off guard, and the result was funny (and too dirty for the forums.)
    killervp
    "A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
    "Duskreign's First Ever COTM":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/wyrmshadow/wiki_pages/112011
    "OP's COTM April 2012":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/a-god-rebuilt-aprils-cotm/

    Just trying to help out.

  • dlaporte7271
    dlaporte7271
    Posts: 94
    You know...Dracloins would be a GREAT username...damn...wish I had come across that myself.

    dlaporte
    "violent skies":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/violent-skies
  • dlaporte7271
    dlaporte7271
    Posts: 94 edited April 2012
    How about this: Morcu Drac Nosse Loin Gurtha?

    Dark bow of dragon kin loin death :p

    Specially crafted for my new elven Vet character who's singular mission is to spay and nueter feral dragons.

    dlaporte

    "violent skies":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/violent-skies
    Post edited by dlaporte7271 on
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    dleaporte, did anyone ever tell you that you are EVIL and WICKED??


    twiggyleaf
    "Shimring - The Faces of Divinity":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shimring
    (a multiplanar 3.5 D&D campaign)

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • dlaporte7271
    dlaporte7271
    Posts: 94
    Many of my clients, most of my students, some of my player characters...oh yeah...my wife and now...twiggyleaf!

    dlaporte
    "violent skies":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/violent-skies
  • dlaporte7271
    dlaporte7271
    Posts: 94
    seriously...I'm trying to paste together a combo based on your suggestions so far....(sans loins..sorry KVP)...

    Drac Dagnir (Dragon Bane)
    Morcu en Drac Dagnir (Dark Bow of...)

    etc. etc.

    Or MAYBE....TwigLeonKillerVstray! The Shimring God building Chaos Bow of Heurdenvaar!

    dlaporte
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    LOL! I was right. You ARE evil!!!!


    twiggyleaf
    "Shimring - The Faces of Divinity":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shimring
    (a multiplanar 3.5 D&D campaign)

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • Beaumains
    Beaumains
    Posts: 132
    When I have trouble coming up with a name (more common than I'd like), I often go back to word association, try to translate it all into something that looks close, and then take the parts I like or that work together.

    This has a concept behind if of a 'Dragon Sniper' - but translating that into a high fantasy phrase is proving elusive just now. I'll see if I can't come up with something though.
  • dlaporte7271
    dlaporte7271
    Posts: 94 edited April 2012
    Thanks! I like the 'sniper' angle. Don't know why it didn't occur to me before. Thanks Beaumains...or maybe I'll refer to you as Bow..mains if you come up with a KA name. :p

    dlaporte (Dave)
    "violent skies":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/violent-skies
    Post edited by dlaporte7271 on
  • Leonidas300
    Leonidas300
    Posts: 273
    @dlaporte7271 - thanks, "The Lair" is pretty nice but represents 30 years+ of "Smuagish" hoarding and a number of concessions to the lady of the house. (I.e she gets to make all the decorating decisions for the rest of the house, such as pink throw pillows :( , however I think I can still call it a win).
  • dlaporte7271
    dlaporte7271
    Posts: 94
    Well...I'll be moving into a new place in the next couple of months...I've got a huge basement with lots of room for building my own 'lair' I may make reference to yours if you don't mind.
  • dlaporte7271
    dlaporte7271
    Posts: 94
    I went with Morcu Drac Dagnir(elven)...dragonbane shadowbow(common)...or Shadow for short.
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    Congratulations on the name.....and good luck with the lair!


    twiggyleaf
    "Shimring - The Faces of Divinity":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shimring
    (a multiplanar 3.5 D&D campaign)

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • Beaumains
    Beaumains
    Posts: 132
    Aye; thanks for letting us know!
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