The concept of "true names"

[Question]

Several spells like imprisonment have a bonus if you know the subject's true name. Spells like planar binding are also affected by the subject's true name.

What then, is considered a true name? The name you are given at birth? What if you change your name? Would that require to be the full name, or would only the surname or first name work?

 

[Vorput]

Completely and totally dependent on the DM.

Book of exalted deeds includes a section on 'true names' of creatures as part of the words of creation... but aside from the same name of the two categories, I don't think they're exactly related. I could be wrong... but you'd have to read the section yourself to decide.

Ultimatly, every creature has a true name... and I'd say it's up to that creature what it is. Name given at birth seems a pretty fair standard... and some creatures (like demons who don't wish to be planar bound) will keep that name a VERY well-guarded scret. Some (like Slaadi who wish to be called so they can cause as much chaos and mayhem as possible) may spread their name around to the right circles- and work for cheaper wages as per planar binding. Demon lords who have good reason to fear imprisonment will probably keep their name well hidden, and silence those who know it.

My air genesai wizard is currently suffering under this problem- I was a bit too free with my name (prideful as he is, everyone he met learned it- whether they wanted to or not)- and he's now realized what a prime target he's become for the planar binding spells. This, of course, sucks.

Ultimatly though, as I said at the beginning- this is up to the DM. If players/NPCs are often going to use the spells you mentioned, then a good system NEEDS to be put into place because WOTC doesn't provide one. This is just some of the stuff I've deduced as I've been playing in a campaign where this issue is becoming more important.

Vorp

 

[ThirdWizard]

I don't own, nor have I read, Tome of Magic, this is completely separate from that class's workings.

The way I generally think about it is that someone's (or something's) True Name is distinctly different from their name. It's your Name that represents your total being and won't be reproduced in any other living thing. Mortals usually never know their true name. Outsiders, Elementals, and other such beings usually know their own True Name innately and guard it carefully.

One can use powerful magic to find someone's True Name. Research is also possible if someone else has at one time discovered someone's True Name. A True Name will be long, and for those who can understand the Name, will have prophesy and understanding about the creature and how it fits in with the multiverse within. Of course, even the ability to glean even the tinyest bit of information as a vague prophesy with multiple possible meanings is a task of the most learned most knowledgable individuals.

That's how I think of True Names.

 

[Huw]

AFAIK, the fantasy concept of truenames was started by Ursula le Guin in her Earthsea books, and she based the concept on fairy tales whereby knowing the name of a fairy gave you power over it (c.f. Rumpelstiltskin). Anyone who knows of an earlier author, feel free to correct me.

In the Earthsea books, people are given their truename secretly at a coming of age ceremony, so that only two people know the name - the giver, and the receiver. An alternative (suggested by the DnD approach) is to have the truename assigned by a supernatural entity, and an individual creature is ignorant of it's own truename without some research.

The easiest route is to say that the truename simply is the name, but it is customary to use pseudonyms outside of your family.

 

[Eva of Sirrion]

AFAIK, the fantasy concept of truenames was started by Ursula le Guin in her Earthsea books, and she based the concept on fairy tales whereby knowing the name of a fairy gave you power over it (c.f. Rumpelstiltskin). Anyone who knows of an earlier author, feel free to correct me.

In the Earthsea books, people are given their truename secretly at a coming of age ceremony, so that only two people know the name - the giver, and the receiver. An alternative (suggested by the DnD approach) is to have the truename assigned by a supernatural entity, and an individual creature is ignorant of its own truename without some research.

The easiest route is to say that the truename simply is the name, but it is customary to use pseudonyms outside of your family.

It's a far older concept than either of those, goes back a few thousand years.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

True Names in Fantasy and History

In history the idea of the True Name is a very old thing. It's fairly common among primitive peoples the world over to this day. Many native tribes from the Northwest coast of America to Malaysia have a secret name that is known only to family and a second used with everyone else. In the Judeic tradition the proper name YWYH is used for their deity but is forbidden from being used in favor of a generic "god" that variously translated in the ancient context means lord or master. It's all part of one basic idea that's probably as old as modern humanity. That to name something is to hold power over it and command it or invoke it in some fashion through the use of this Name.

In game I've worked up some house rules for it, that probably need polishing. Humanoids, Monstrous Humanoids, Giants, Aberrations, Plants, and Magical Beasts do not naturally know their True Name, they have to research it. Constructs, Oozes, Undead, and Vermin do not possess a True Name. Outsiders, Elementals, Fey and Dragons innately know their True Name and are generally very protective of it, as are Wizards who will take majors actions to assure they alone know their True Name. True Names have no relationship to the name a being is called by, they are simply an innate part of existence and each one is unique associated with a single creature from the time of their birth. Related to Aleph the Words of Creation(which I use as the default universal spellcasting language).

True Names are a series of otherwise disjointed syllables in Aleph spoken in three syllable groups. A creature's True Name is three syllables long for each Hit Dice they have. When researching a True Name the being attempting to learn the Name must roll a Knowledge Arcana check at a DC of (in my campaigns) 10+target HD for each HD of the creature. If a check is failed the researcher gets a Will save to realize their mistake. Failed checks can be rerolled. In order to be used a True Name must have every syllable correct otherwise it is useless. A being in possession of another's True Name can bypass any magical protection around the target whose Name is known.

 

[frankthedm]

IMG

For mortals, It is normally the birth name[first, middle] with real family name. This is the reason many adopt the trade name of one's profession. Miller, Smith, Cutter...etc. But, if 3 generations pass under that trade name, that indeed does become the true family name for those born under it from then on.

Intoning the true name in the Verbal Component for a targeted Will save spell raises the DC by 2. For a targeted fort save the DC boost is 1. If the true name is wrong, the spell fails.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Nice to see other people have thought up ways to use them too, yours seems more balanced and in-keeping with d20 anyway. I based mine more off a combination of myth and the Black Company books, also a lot of the stuff in my homebrews are unbalanced by standard D&D assumptions. My homebrew stuff tends to end up insanely powered for normal campaigns anyway.