by James LaFond
Roleplayers interested in enriching their campaign may enlist a very potent, very basic aid: the name. A true name, not just a collection of syllables artfully arranged to sound alien or archaic. If done well, such concoctions lend atmosphere. But done poorly, or too heavily relied upon, they become mere labels -- as names, dead, settling like the dust of an overworked imagination.
Most campaigns depend largely on names lifted from history or ripped-off from fiction, supported by some made-up names. Some campaigns just settle for a lot of no-name NPCs. Indeed, in many campaigns the two are synonymous. Have you ever thought of a campaign where every character not only has a name, but has a name that matters? In such a campaign nearly every encounter adds to the fabric of the setting, not simply testing skills or developing storylines. Just as the truly rich are marked by wasteful consumption, the richest world-builder might be one who can afford to give a truly interesting identity to the doomed and inglorious.
Here are seven naming traditions you might like to include in your campaign. Mix them. Layer them. Add to them. Corrupt them. Localize them. The more you re-create them the more fresh sparks you will have to fire your imagination.
Hereditary: Hereditary names are usually given at birth, passed from parent to child down through the generations. One tradition takes the form of parental recognition, such as Carlson, Haroldson, Johnson, etc. Though inherited, this type is not truly hereditary and is dependent on the use of a primary tradition. Typically the hereditary name is a family title, easily grafted onto another tradition. Such names might serve to bind characters to people, places, or trades, possibly becoming points of honor or contention. The inheritor of a title may enjoy certain privileges, or owe a service.
An excellent example is Armstrong, a surname bestowed upon an armed retainer of the King in recognition of a feat of strength and loyalty. The King was unhorsed in battle. The steadfast retainer hoisted the vulnerable King off the ground with one arm and onto the back of his steed, the reins of which he held with the other arm. Lord Armstrong and his sons would henceforth accompany the King in battle, enjoying the prestige and influence, as well as the responsibilities of being the King's battle companions.
Totemic: These are given shortly after birth. The child is named after an unusual animal, phenomenon, or occurrence observed at the time of birth. Some improtance will inevitably be ascribed to such a name. Examples: White Star Falling, Scratching Bear, Three Hawks, Walking Fish, Fire-Kicker, Dawn-Bringer...
One's totemic name could seem significant later in life. For example, a superstitious opponent might refuse to face Dawn-Bringer at sunrise. A wily rival could suggest a lethal quest implied in the name of Scratching Bear, goading the young hunter into a foolhardy act. This tradition lends itself to endless invention.
Visionary: At puberty the person is secluded or left in some wild place. Various methods are used to induce a state of mind receptive to visions: drugs, starvation, sleep deprivation, the elements, repetitive music, chanting, or sickness. Once free of this state, the youth is treated as one returned from a jouney. The vision will be recounted and interpreted. The person is now recognized as an adult and assigned a name based on an aspect of the vision. There may be benefits such as a guardian spirit, a mission, or a guiding principle in life. This naming tradition rarely persists in cultures more than one step removed from the hunter-gatherer lifestyle.
Secret/Magical: This is a variation of the visionary tradition employed by members of secret societies. In advanced cultures and civilizations this serves as the counterpart to, or the preservation of, the visionary tradition. Normally, especially among magicians, the owner of a secret name derives some power or benefits from its proper use, but suffers horribly if the secret name (often regarded as one's true identity) is discovered and somehow put to use by an enemy.
Ordinary: This tradition is mirrored in the modern use of nicknames. The idea is to name the person in accordance with a unique or dominant trait. Examples: Bad Hair, One-Eye, Little Feet, Fork-Beard, Dove-Singer, Fire-Heart, etc. This custom is compatible with any tradition, and is perhaps the least contrived, though most limited. Cultures that depend on coming-of-age traditions often name their children in this manner, sometimes retaining the ordinary name as a private family identifier.
Deed-Based: This is the category you can have the most fun with. Names based on deeds tend to be favorites among players, with some characters collecting them like loot. This system proves most interesting in travel-oriented campaigns, or in settings that provide a variety of cultures and languages. Widely-traveled, successful, or infamous characters are alternately bedeviled and enhanced by these sticky monikers. In some cultures a youth may not be permitted an identity until he or she has proved themselves according to the local ethic. Members of a beleaguered ethnic group often benefit when tradition permits active members to remake themselves through conspicuous deeds. Such a naming tradition also holds out the thread of social stigma.
This tradition may be adopted to a certain extent by any society that values personal achievement. Examples: Word-Spinner, War-Taker, Healer of Enemies, SkullPeeler, GrudgeKeeper.
Hierarchal: This method is presented less as a naming tradition than to suggest that some societies may have little use for names. It's one's title that matters. The name is a wapon to be turned against its owner. Personal or discredited names can serve to draw people out from the protection of their station, guild, cult, or caste. Something of this reverence for titles over names survives in the practice of children addressing adults by rank and position. Within a system where the hierarchal tradition has assumed preeminence, any name could become like the secret name described above. The detailed development and use of such a tradition within a campaign culture could pay big dividends, enriching play at the fundamental level of the role itself.
(Originally appeared in Re:Quests!, issue #41, September 1996, pp. 24-25; Mary H Kelly, editor.)
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