Do you come up with surnames (last names)?

[Asmor]

I'll edit the question a bit to specify that this applies to situations where it would not be out of place, and maybe it might even be expected, to have last names.

Gotta say, I'm not surprised that I'm in the minority here, but I didn't expect such an overwhelming landslide of people that came up with surnames. Now I feel like a lazy bastard. Well, a lazier one, anyways.

/ moving this over to general. . .

Oh, ha, my bad. I didn't realize this wasn't in general. Sorry. Just out of curiosity, do you remember what forum it was originally posted in?

 

[Zhaleskra]

I would vote if there were check boxes instead of radio buttons. Thus, my answer is Sometimes my PCs have surnames and sometimes my NPCs do too.

 

[Nifft]

Sure, it depends on the PC and/or NPC, but most PCs & NPCs I make do have them, because I make them the sort of people who have them.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Jeysie]

Yep, every PC or NPC I have that ought to have a surname, does. But then, I consider thinking up/finding names to be fun.

Middle names are another matter entirely, though. Only my gnomes have them (and lots of them, at that).

Peace & Luv, Liz

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I do so more often than I used to; I think surnames are becoming more common in fantasy literature.

 

[Ferrum]

Gnomes, Humans, Halflings all have last names

Elves have last names or designated house

Dwarves have last names or Clan or "son of"

Orcs have tribe designation or "son of"

Goblins have station designation

 

[Dykstrav]

I always give my dwarves last names. As they are likely to identify themselves as being from a particular clan, this seems as important to RPing a dwarf as deciding their class to me.

In the same vein, I might pick a surname for an elf, but it doesn't come up as much. As chaotic creatures, my elves feel like they should make their own names rather than resting on the laurels of some legendary ancestor.

Humans of noble birth I give last names to. It's important to them. Humans of common stock usually only get a first name, usually with an appellation that describes them in some way ("Jozan, the Pelorite cleric of Shiboleth").

So in short, I give last names where approriate (like everyone else said). Just thought I'd give you a little more insight as to the situations where I consider it appropriate.

 

[jdrakeh]

It depends on what game I'm playing or running, honestly. 'Realism' has never been a hallmark of D&D and this has, perhaps, never been more true than where naming conventions are concerned. This being the case, when I play D&D, I'm not big on surnames. When I play something like HarnMaster, however, where 'realism' is a goal of the system (and setting), I do my best to make use of surnames.

 

[Arkhandus]

Nearly all PCs I make, and many of the NPCs I make, have a surname.

Unless it's thematically inappropriate or I give them a title of some sort instead. Like Argus of the West Wind, who was orphaned very young and grew up in the Monastery of Four Winds, it wouldn't have made sense for him to have/know his surname. I tend to use titles or the like more often with NPCs than with PCs, thus why not so many of them have actual surnames.

Yes, even disposable NPCs that are likely to die in 1 session or never encounter the PCs again, get a surname more often than not in my campaigns.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I'll edit the question a bit to specify that this applies to situations where it would not be out of place, and maybe it might even be expected, to have last names.

In that instance, then, and assuming the character is native to said area, yes, I always come up with surnames.