D&D General A Rose By Any Other Name: Names in Greyhawk and a Little Judgin'

[pukunui]

the one that gets me is Verbobonc. Any ideas on that one?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

the one that gets me is Verbobonc. Any ideas on that one?

Woah. I just went down the rabbit hole on this one.

I've seen two possible explanations.

1. Named after John Bobek (Castles & Crusades Society).

2. Okay, according to a thread I found, Paul Stromber said that he saw EGG's map, and he wrote that Sobanwych was originally Sobonc. Which means that for Gygax, BONC = Bank (Sobonc is South Bank).

So Verbobnoc would be-
Veluna + River + Both + Bonc.

Which ... sure.

Just try saying it over and over again.

 

[Maxperson]

I so expect things to be references in Gary's work that every so often I get confused by trying to figure it out. Like, Wee Jas (Ouija) isn't very hard, but Yan-C-Bin?

I've puzzled over that one from time to time myself.

 

[DEFCON 1]

The Greyhawk names were always one of the big reasons why I never wanted to use Greyhawk. Too many goofy or unpronounceable names for my taste.

That's the one thing I've felt the Realms always had over Greyhawk... legitimate and interesting-sounding fantasy names for peoples and places.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

The Greyhawk names were always one of the big reasons why I never wanted to use Greyhawk. Too many goofy or unpronounceable names for my taste.

That's the one thing I've felt the Realms always had over Greyhawk... legitimate and interesting-sounding fantasy names for peoples and places.

Well, one of the things that I like about Greyhawk is that it didn't use too many stereotypical fantasy names, and so it actually seemed ... fantastic ... to me. Don't get me wrong- I still think that the FR Grey Box was pretty nifty, but it also was a little too "typical fantasy name" for me.

That said, I do agree that they can't all be winners. Yeah, I'm looking at you, Geoff. You too, Ull. And I'm going right past nine to stare you down, Tenh.

(Also also, the Snow, Ice, and Frost Barbarians were more charming at the time than they are now, and I'll just stuff Hemponaland down a memory hole as it was originally envisioned.)

 

[DEFCON 1]

(Also also, the Snow, Ice, and Frost Barbarians were more charming at the time than they are now, and I'll just stuff Hemponaland down a memory hole as it was originally envisioned.)

These were exactly some of the names that I thought of as I was writing my post that I was rolling my eyes over, LOL.

A friend ran a GH campaign several years ago that took place in Hepmonaland and it was just so irritating to say over and over again.

 

[Voadam]

I s'pose you could say ... Ge-off, but would you?

We always have!

I always did as well. 10-year old me did not even think of Jeff as a possibility.

 

[Voadam]

I so expect things to be references in Gary's work that every so often I get confused by trying to figure it out. Like, Wee Jas (Ouija) isn't very hard, but Yan-C-Bin?

For Yan-C-Bin you would have to ask its author, Lewis Pulsipher.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

For Yan-C-Bin you would have to ask its author, Lewis Pulsipher.

According to Pulsipher when asked-

"No recollection, I'm afraid. I have to say the same for all the names. But most likely, I made all the names up from scratch."

 

[Voadam]

A number of my PC names were straight or slight variations of then current federal appeals court judges.

Games I played in:
ToEE Sir Merrick Garland Aasimar Fighter OOC old OOC IC Old IC Info
RToEE Inquisitor Miltiades Cleric OOC IC Old IC
Pool of Radiance Kordunn Asteroth Gold Dwarf Paladin/Sorcerer
IC Combat OOC Info
Against the Giants Voadam Aasimar Wizard IC OOC
Red Hand of Doom Sir Conrad Cyr Tiefling Soulknife IC Old IC OOC
Ytterman's Saga of the Dragon Cult Jakobee Cyr Warlock IC OOC
Dangerous Beginnings Raggi Half-Giant Druid IC OOC
Mysteries of the Drow Arne Derro Unholy Warrior IC OOC
Monster Madness Josea Cabranes Gnome Druid IC OOC
Dragon's Delve Robert Sack Halfling CBoEM Bard IC OOC
Ptolus Longcoat Garn Half-Orc Rogue IC OOC
Second Darkness Voadam Ranger IC OOC
Invasion of Mori Snargle fiendish troll rogue IC OOC
Curse of the Crimson Throne Orman Stahl swashbuckler IC ooc
Hollow's Last Hope Loricallior dragon adept OOC
Everquest Voadam ranger rogue IC OOC
Savage Tide Kalen beguiler IC OOC
Rod of 7 Parts Kuai Voadam ranger wizard IC OOC
VE's Shackled City Gritty OOC
Castle Ravenloft Jack Morrow half-elven ranger IC OOC
Invasion of Mori Snargle fiendish troll rogue
Curse of the Azure Bonds Xi-Selorn giant warmain
Dragonlance Taming Taman Busuk Kinan Goleman half-ogre noble
LR Vampires of Waterdeep Wollf Henger aranea warshaper rogue
Salvage Operation Bruce Selya acrobat
Darkness Under Cold Stones Thoma Griffith orc barbarian
Forgotten Heroes Voadam the Green Wizard
Dark Sun Heartseer Jitock pterran telepath
Fiend's Embrace Aeligim Telrunya elven hexblade fiendhunter
City of the Spider Queen Hael Boudin duergar ranger
Maddgoth's Castle Konrad Stonefist dwarven monk
Warcraft Snarrek jungle troll barbarian
Character Driven FR Voadam the Traveller
PP's Vampires of Waterdeep Wollf Henger aranea rogue warshaper
Bloody Little Tale Aristogoras soulknife
Drow War Enthalus Moonwillow elven bard
9th Circle Heist Haakon advanced gargoyle fighter barbarian
Krauss' Age of Worms Gregor Hanville giant
Maure Castle Sir Vanden Hagel soulknife paladin
Indypendent's Sunless Citadel Jair Feyfriend druid OOC IC
Hope Never Dies Kur Blackfang orc barbarian rogue
Ashy's Oathbound Kyron Shadowstalker Luminous Cleric IC Old IC OOC Old OOC
Distinguished Citizens of Gladenreach Jaros Blak Rogue IC OOC
Turmoil in Ghelspad Harl Gurrok Dwarven Barbarian IC OOC
Oathbound Homecoming Kyron Shadowstalker Luminous Cleric IC OOC