WotBS Ja-Laffa, Ja-Nafeel, and Ja-who?

In The Scouring of Gate Pass, we met the interesting father and daughter pair Haddin Ja-Laffa and his daughter Crystin Ja-Nafeel. They do not share the same family name, and the style of family name Ja-(something) does not appear anywhere else that I can find in the campaign book. We are given no family name for Haddin's half-brother, Mandragore, so we cannot tell if he shares the same family name as Haddin or not.

I speculate that the structure implies something about the lineage of the individuals and family. Possibly, the second part refers to the maternal linage, so Laffa refers to some aspect of Haddin's mother, possibly his mother's name. Likewise, Ja-Nafeel might refer to Haddin's dead wife, who's name is not given in the material. Since we don't see this pattern anywhere else, I might also speculate that these are originally from some portion of what is now Ragesea, and one of the cultures of Ragesea we do not see; perhaps Morrus, or Latia.

Does anyone know anything more about this? If not, did anybody create something that fit into the campaign in someway? Having an idea about the cultural background for these two might help me flesh them out more for role playing their interactions with the party.

If I recall my fading memories of creating the setting, the Kelaquois up north were pseudo-Russian. Morrus in the center was Rome-inspired. Latia to the west was Arab-esque in culture -- I was thinking lots of traders, albeit by ship rather than caravan -- maybe more Phoenician-ish. Chathus was, in my head, a mish-mash of India-esque and Mesopotamian-esque culture.

Honestly, the scale on the map was kind of small for an 'Empire,' and I was thinking more Europe-sized, but I was worried about how long overland travel would take, so we shrank things a bit.

Haddin and Crystin were of Latian descent, though since the empire is decades old a fair number of people have moved back and forth.

That's very helpful to know. Thanks! I can draw upon that to help shape my interactions, as well as shape the descriptions of the cultures and interactions.

Do you remember if you intended the names to a form of matralineal designation, or something else? While several of my players will never care, that is the kind of detail that a few of my players really like to delve into.

And I want to say that I really appreciate you taking the time even now years after publication to chime in on this and the background behind it. I know that I am not alone in how much your additional comments on the board have added to my enjoyment of the game, and I believe my player's enjoyment (even if they do not know it).

It was more of an "ibn," like "child of" in Arabic, indicating the name of the same-sex parent. I think.

aah! And I was interpreting it as akin to spanish naming traditions where the children would get part of the mother's and father's name. So Crystin's mother would be some XX-Nafeel in my campaign (and yes, my players asked me ) and I guess just Nafeel Ja-XX (insert mother's name) in RangerWickett's intention. No matter which one you want to use, Haddin's brother would be a Ja-Laffa as well.

By the way... the game world of WotBS is so vast and full of details and history that one could easily want a "Wickett's Guide to Ragesia and beyond". I'd definitely love an expanded lore book on the world and its people. (And if it was only to see which parts I interpreted totally different... see Dasseni blood wars, Syana's backstory, Gods of Elves and humans, Inquisitor hierarchy, Gabal's and Kelkin's relationship, Torrent's past, Taranesti culture, evolution of Shahalesti's governing system...)