War Titles/Names. How do you use them ?

[Rashak Mani]

So your mighty Warrior after many tough fights and incredible adventures is still called Toran ? Sarak ?

Shouldnt he be called Toran the Mighty or Sarak the Brave ? Maybe a nickname associated with some feature ? Sarak the Foolhardy... Toran Blackaxe ... Sarak of the Bow.

How often do these "War Titles/Names" appear in your games ? Who actually makes them up ? NPCs ? The PC himself or the other PCs ? Do they actually get used ? "Hail Guards... I am known as Sarak of the Bow." Or you find them silly or pretentious ?

Any interesting stories on how your PCs got their "added names" ?

 

[Teflon Billy]

I, the DM, assign epithets when I think they are deserved.

One of my PC's (Seamus the Rogue) after have a Dagger of Venom come into the posession, got a tattoo of a scorpion on his forearm. He started referring to himself as "Seamus the Scorpion".

No one else did, though. Those familiar with him from around town didn't think much of a guy "assigning himself a nickname" (his CHA was a dump stat after all) and pretty much just continued calling him "Seamus" when they called him anything at all.

Later in the campaign, when the PC's company of adventurers were quite pivotal in repelling an invasion from the Grune Empire (a Spain analog), Seamu's explots were such that the Grune started referring tohim as "El Scorpio", which he quite liked.

 

[Maraxle]

Lothar... of the Hill-People!

If my players want names like that, they have to earn them or provide a detailed backstory of how they got them.

 

[fusangite]

The basis of a nickname is reputation -- it is an outgrowth of the story itself. It is very rare for a character to pick a nickname and then have it stick, especially in a medieval fantasy world. However, if you're playing Bronze Age, Conan-style stuff, it's much easier for someone to attach a nickname to himself and have people accept it because of the different nature of oral tradition cultures in which boasting is not a viewed as negative in the same way.

In my campaign, nobody has developed a nickname yet with any efficacy, except for one fellow who has got the bright idea of coming up with a 'secret' nickname, where he takes umbrage at people spreading it around. Thus, Argus the Blue is managing to attach the "the Blue" quite effectively by telling people not to call him that.

Currently, my party is "known far and wide by their reputation for discretion and efficiency."

 

[Nightfall]

Thex the Slayer. Even though he's not quite as powerful as some Stalker Slitheren/Ratmen, he's pretty good at hunting humans.
Can't wait to try him out in Oathbound. Beware you Forger guys. Slitheren don't die easily!

 

[Teflon Billy]

...Currently, my party is "known far and wide by their reputation for discretion and efficiency."

Whenever they say that, I assume they are belittling us with irony

 

[fusangite]

Yes they are.

 

[Maerdwyn]

I use a adaptation of the Pendragon traits and passions system, which tracks how proud (or deceitful, merciful, etc) a character is. If a character's score in a particular trait climbs above a certain level, and if their fame is high enough, they get a moniker based on that trait.

They can also gain nicknames by performing great deeds, but I handle these on more of an ad hoc basis

 

[Teflon Billy]

I use a adaptation of the Pendragon traits and passions system, which tracks how proud (or deceitful, merciful, etc) a character is. If a character's score in a particular trait climbs above a certain level, and if their fame is high enough, they get a moniker based on that trait...

I need to include a trait called "Scorpionlike"...up around 17, Seamus can have his nickname

 

[Dagger75]

Only 1 person in my group has earned himself a title. The druid. His name is McCain, but in the lands he roams he is known a Sir McCain the Unwise.


He got that little title after wanting to joust, being unproficient in either lance or any type of armor he went out there and jousted in his robes and with a spear. The crowd got a kick out of it and so did the king.