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Message: <blockquote data-quote="chriton227" data-source="post: 4646749" data-attributes="member: 33263">I didn't get the impression that the OP was trying to introduce a silly character, nor having the animals do anything disruptive or over the top, just giving some light-hearted names to the character's pets.   To me the names sounded like terms of endearment and affection, not an attempt at complete sillyness.  Wouldn't you expect a character with such a close bond to its pets to come up with more personal names for them?  In my opinion, the pets are supposed to be companions and allies, not soulless weapons to be wielded and discarded. I would find it just as jarring to hear a character talk of how their wolf Razorfang Blooddrinker saved them when they were stranded in a blizzard by keeping them warm with its body heat, as the name implies a vicious killer, not a compassionate friend.  Just giving the animals names at all shows a deeper level of character development and investment in the shared story than I've seen from many players who play for several levels without bothering to name their animal companions.On a different note, in all but the most grim and gritty works, there are usually some minor elements of humor or lightheartedness, if for no other reason than to provide contrast to emphasize the more solemn and serious aspects or to break the tension before it becomes unbearable for the reader/watcher.  You'll find this in works from Shakespeare's tragedies for example Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet) through Tolkien (no one can tell me that the hobbit names aren't light hearted, and a fire breathing dragon sharing a name with air pollution). You'll likewise find light-hearted moments in otherwise serious movies, be they dramas like Saving Private Ryan or suspense films like Alien.  I just can't buy that minor light-hearted elements can ruin a serious game, unless the players would prefer to not play in a serious game and are just waiting for an excuse to drop the seriousness, or the seriousness is so thin and contrived that instead of serving as a point of contrast, lighter elements serve to point out the absurdity of the seriousness.</blockquote>

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