Lighthearted character names?

[redhawk]

Ah, but...

I don't mind a silly name. I do mind a lazy name. Don't care for D&D characters named Larry, Bob, Bill, etc.

Lawrence, Robert, and William are all fine, outstanding medieval-ish names.

My main character's name is Kevin. His father is Aaron, his son David. It's all about where you draw your inspiration.

Redhawk

 

[Mallus]

I've certainly played in games that in terms of plot and the mix of drama and comedy could pass for The Merchant of Venice, without the poetry of course.

I get the feeling we mostly agree... but I have to add: sans poetry, Shakespeare can read like soap opera, or Death Wish...

Its tough to do good fantasy; there's the constant tension between providing all the beloved conventions (like grand names) and providing something fresh, that isn't mired in (note I don't say "avoids"), cliche. And when you're bulding a world, there's just so damn much to do, I find that anything that inspires me is good.

An example, using some of the worst puns I've ever cooked up: on the High Holy Day of Kruetzel, God of Food, his faithful gather on the plains of Mon Mothma to watch a proccessional of his priests carry trays of hot cross buns up Cavalry Hill, and then serve a free meal, buffet-style, to the gathered masses. Needless to say, there are 12 ritual serving stations... and the priests' route is known as the "Via Calorosa"...

 

[Boojum]

I've been resisting the temptation to hand out a magic sword called The Millenium Falchion for a long time now.

Hey, that could work as long as it had an appropriate backstory. Something like this:

There is a cave that is infused with magic to such a degree that if you put a small bladed weapon in it, a crystalline sediment will build up around it like a sharp stalagmite. Over time it accretes and gets bigger and sharper, since this crystal is stronger than anything that the smiths have figured out how to make. However, it takes a long time for large weapons to grow, and they are referred to by how long they have been in there, such as a decade dagger or a century shortsword.

Now, near this cave is a kingdom where once a vagabond named Ian lived. He was allowed to live on the castle grounds as a reminder to all the members of the court of just how much worse off they could be. One day, however, the king happened to catch Ian in a compromising position with the princess, and was understandably enraged. Naturally, he didn't want word of what had really happened to get out, as it would be a scandal, so he trumped up a dozen false charges against the vagrant and then ordered him skinned alive. Well, after performing the sentence, the castle executioner took the small knife he had used to the magical cave and placed it there, where it stayed for a thousand years, gradually growing larger until it was finally removed as a large curved sword.

So you see, there's a perfectly logical reason why your players could find the Millenium falchion, the shiv that flayed the castle bum Ian under twelve pretexts.

 

[Lasher Dragon]

I'm in one campaign right now with just 2 PCs and the DM. I am playing a half-ogre barbarian 2/fighter 11 named Gor Gashbasher, and my buddy is playing a halfling rogue 6/cleric 6 named Thistleknot Sureshot.

We call ourselves the Half-Heroes

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

So you see, there's a perfectly logical reason why your players could find the Millenium falchion, the shiv that flayed the castle bum Ian under twelve pretexts.

Actual, physical pain resulted from reading the above.

 

[geezerjoe]

On occasion I like humorous names. Two that I remember fondly were both from an old Gamma World game. I forget which was first but one was a mutated elephant called Olly, and the other (my fave) was a mutated spider who stood 20 feet tall and weilded 2 pole arms and 2 sheilds named Itsy.

Good times.

 

[Gez]

I forgot that in an Eberron PbP, I've created a whole character out of a pun.

See, there are dragonmarked houses in Eberron, one of them being House Sivis. So, of course I created a wizard character from that house, with a cat familiar called Pacem. The wizard herself is called Parabell Houm.

It seems that, for now, none of the other players have got it. Guess they don't know many latin sayings...

Spoiler

Si vis pacem para bellum: if you want peace, stay ready for war.

 

[maddman75]

So you see, there's a perfectly logical reason why your players could find the Millenium falchion, the shiv that flayed the castle bum Ian under twelve pretexts.

That's the best idea I've heard since I decided that someday I'd have a quest involving the group seeking out an elemental weird of each element to foretell a great prophecy. The weirds would be named Bernie, Rocky, Wendy, and Eddie.

As for character names, my current character in the warcraft game is a Pandaran Monk named Ling Ling. Does that count?

 

[Boojum]

Actual, physical pain resulted from reading the above.

Ah, the sincerest form of applause . Consider that added to my sig.

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Hmm... well I had a player name a character Shaun Dice... Shaun to annoy another player (long story) and Dice because he was a betting rogue (who never bet on things in-game).

Other than that, the names have been fairly tame.