Designing a campaign...

[Dannyalcatraz]

I've been working on a new campaign for some time, set in a world racked by a Godwar and a civilization-disrupting annual rain of meteors (essentially, one faction's ultimate weapon) - I decided to use an alt-historical version of Earth as my map. However, I don't want to use the same topographical nomenclature as can be found on any world map, I want some good new names to use- preferably ones my players haven't heard before.

For instance, I have decided that there is a certain settlement called Steamdale that is located by Firesprings Lake. In my mind, its either in the Rockies or in Yosemite...

The Green Council, a group of awakened trees organized by a trio (now pair) of Aspen have to be located in North America...and my backstory on them includes them being on an island. Looking at the range of Aspen in the real world indicates my world's version of "Greenland" will be significantly South of the one we know, replacing the Island of Newfoundland.

So, I'm looking for some good place names for my "Örth": other languages, names from legends, slang, or whatever.

Additionally, any really cool but relatively obscure locales would be appreciated.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

The names, I think, still have to sound right to the ear. Or at least understandable. Have you considered Native American languages?

 

[JonMonster]

Generally speaking, the location of any city built before 1950 was based on real and tangible terrain benefits. New Orleans and Philadelphia were perfect harbor towns., San Francisco is perfectly poised to control all of the Bay Area commerce. Denver (I believe) is positioned as a gateway near several convenient passes through the Rockies.

You said this is an alternate earth setting so I'd suggest using similar names or bastardizing each city's nickname. Chicago becomes Aropolis (The Windy City), San Fran becomes Goldgate, and Philly becomes...Cheesesteakton? Hrm, that's a tough one. The river that runs through Philly is called the Schuylkill (pronounced 'school-kill'). Change that to the Shackle River and Philly becomes Shackleton. New Orleans...what to do here? I'd keep the Francophilic name and make it something like New Amiens or Versailledeux.

That help?

 

[sukael]

Obscure locales?

So that's where those mind flayers came from...

 

[Thunderfoot]

There was a suggestion to go with Native American names - but that would defeat your purpose as most of the midwest uses Native American names already.

Being from Illinois along the banks of the Mississippi River across from Missouri - it just seems like a bad idea.

However, using Jon Monster's nomial rules (and a good tool it is), you can use the English meaning of the Native American and skew that for new names - example -
Mississippi - Big Water - The Grand River
Illinois - Land of the Illini (Illini Home) - Home of the Plains People
etc - not all of them will work (Illinois is a stretch) but it may point you in the right direction.

And puns are a great tool too - not humours ones but punic illterations - Like Semi Hole Land for Florida (Land of the Seminole) - don't overlook how some real world names night be butchered over time. You mentioned Yosemite - how about a quest clue that points to an answer that can be found from an 'old fitful geezer'? (Yes this one is slightly humorous, but I think you see me point.) If the party isn't thinking properly, they may accost severeal old folks before getting the message.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

First of all, thanks, all, for helping out!

To answer the question on Native American languages- I'm all for it! Any tongue with which my players (or even myself) are unfamiliar is fine by me.

To clarify a bit- I'm not neccessarily looking for city names (Aropolis is a winner, though!) since there is widespread devastation, but rather place names...like what would have been a Native American name for the Rockies, or a Chinese name for the Himalayas, or what Slavs might have called the Caspian Sea, or even an Aboriginal name for Ayer's Rock.

Puns & name games are quite welcome as well- those can be used for excellent clues or adventure hooks.

 

[ssampier]

Ayers Rock is known as Uluru.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uluru

I am doing something similar. I am using the real-world world map and cutting and pasting various landmasses. I have Australia where North America is. I switched Africa and South America places. I move the entire Eurasia closer to the Australian continent. Did I mention "Australia" is home to Anglo-Saxon people with a Norse mythology? "Europe" is run by pan-Chinese people, the Dragon Lords.

I am considering moving North America very south, a Terra Australis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Australis