Character Names (or tell about your characters...)

[North_Ranger]

Just being my curious self... I have my share of games (RPGs, Momurpegers etc.) from time to time, and I invest pretty heavily into my characters, trying to come up with good backgrounds and -stories... and most importantly, good names.

So... let's hear the names of some (or all) of the characters you have played, and how you came up with them. If you have some funny anecdotes to tell, so much the better.


Gallak of Skacet - one of my first characters, and one hell of a Mary Sue, admittedly. He was from a homebrew world I made for a novel I was "writing" as a teen (i.e. copying from David Eddings). I wanted a name that was a little harsh-sounding, with an -ak ending, and Gallak just appeared. Two years later I learned that the newest Eddings book actually had a character of that name

Jaradan Storm-Eye - a Cleric character for a friend's homebrew system and setting (the system available here - with ancient illustrations by yours truly ). Cleric of Kai, the Sun God. The name... just off the top of my hat, no real reason why. I was still a newbie in roleplaying circles - well, more than I still am, anyway.

Furadin Leather-Breeches - my Dwarf Hunter from WoW. I kept throwing Thoradins and Muradins and all kinda -dins at the character creation screen, and this was the first one that wasn't taken. Later I learned it was also the name of a genital wart medicine Leather-Breeches comes from his profession - Leatherworking - and it also has a nice Nordic feel to it: one of my favourite Viking legends as a kid was that of Ragnar Lodbrokk - aka Ragnar Leather-Breeches

Athel Redthorn - my first D&D character, a ranger. Somehow his concept (a ranger from a tribe of northern hunter-gatherers) got me thinking of Anglo-Saxons, so I took a look at some old English names. Athel or Ethel was one name or part of a name (eg. Ethelred, Athelstane), so I took that.

Vashir Bronzescales - my dragonborn paladin from 4th edition D&D, who was unfortunately short-lived (the group's mage pissed off a monster too strong for us to fight, and while we were running away, the heavily-armoured paladin was turned to lunch). The name is a mangled form of the Arabic name Bashir or Basheer (depending on the spelling), because for some reason the D&D art for dragonborn gave me a somewhat oriental image: decorated armor, Ottoman influence on weaponry... I just went with Basheer, then tried to think what the name would sound like when spoken by a lizard-like creature.

Lugain Fargaze - Vashir's replacement, an elven ranger. I started with the name of the Irish god of light, Lugh, and then..."elvinized" it. Presto, Lugain

Jonah Boon - the name of my newest character, White Wolf's Changeling setting. A Mirrorskin Darkling (a human chameleon with a penchant for darkness), I tried to find a name used by his Fae captors, a somewhat ominous moniker. So I came up with Jonah, which I understand is a way of calling an unlucky person. 'Boon', I figured, was his way of attempting to undo the name, turn it from a curse to a blessing.

Dioscur Tyndareos - my vampire character in Ravenblack's Vampires, a grid game that used to have a lively RP chatroom going on (now it's only accessible by people who donate). I wanted to make an ancient, Grecian vampire, so I tried to come up with an appropriate Greek name. Dioscur comes from the Latin term Dioscuri, which refers to the mythical twins Castor and Pollux. The surname comes from the name of their father, Tyndareus.

So, tell me about your characters

 

[JCM]

My Toreador writer - Wake Finnegan
Best thing about playing Toreador is that you have excuses to act so human that even your narrator´s impossibly strong vampire Hunter can sit beside you, ranting off about evil, and not notice you are undead.

I had two mortal twins who happened to be lawyers (during a "Mortals:Survival" game in the WOD) called Bill and Sue. They didnt last long.

My blind gangrel Shaman - John Hunt (had a lupine brother he never knew called James Hunt). Best thing about a blind character is that you can make a drinking game out of the times the storyteller says "You see... " only to realize that your character doesnt see anything at all.

 

[Green_Lantern]

My current character is... well, a 16yo kid called Neil, with the power of having any power seriously), He started as a Mimic with also could have the "Nemesis" Power (gains powers to defeat someone) and Shapeshifting, but eventually the GM just changed it so he could have any power that I choose at the time, but of course with a limit (there is a point pool that I use to get a new power configuration and a limit of rank 9 for any new power of bonus).

 

[North_Ranger]

Forgot these fellows:

Kamau - one of my favourite alts in WoW, a Troll Hunter. I had tested the Horde with alts before, and I could not help but notice the African/Caribbean feel that you get from the Trolls. The accent alone... So, I went and picked this name, from the name of a Barbadian poet Edward Brathwaite, who took Kamau as his first name, as a sign of his African roots. It means 'silent warrior'.

Unsike - another WoW alt, this time a Tauren Shaman. I wanted to make a more dour character, so the concept of an old outcast Tauren trying to work his way in back to the society fitted the bill. The name comes from Lakota, and means 'pitiful'. It also fits because unsike is apparently the way the Lakota perceived the relationship between mortals and gods was: pitiful. If memory serves, a Lakota prayer actually went something like 'Wakan Tanka, unsimalaye' or 'Great Spirit, have pity on us'. Thus it suited to have a shaman take that approach as someone who seeks the favour of the spirits.

 

[Covar]

Rush - My first character, a young super-speedster who ran away from home and joined a super-hero reality show to become a famous super-hero. At the end of the game its discovered that he was really from the 31st century where he was blasted back to the past and forced to relive another life with a horrible family for some super-villians nefarious purposes. Best part was his doppleganger rival was from the future where they were best friends on the same youth super-team.

More to come possibly...

 

[Green_Lantern]

Another Super:

"Noxiel" The Dark Titan, a Shadow controller from another planet (he is actually human, but from a group kidnapped by aliens centuries ago) who believe himself to be a god (common concept regarging supers of his world), but also saw that was his duty as a god to protect the week.

 

[HCGLNS]

Caranos Fairwool - former shepperd who has chosen a life not of boredom and chose to become a guard in the city instead

Joshua Tansden - firm staunch military man whose rigidity stifles others, masterful swordsman who is thrown into an adventure he rarely comprehends (very low magic, high war homebrew campaign)

Cestus - a masterful physical specimen, his name comes from the weapon he fights with in the collesseum. A champion gladiator he won his freedom and now explores the world promoting the works of his God, the Sun.

Uisdean McDiarmid- raging alcoholic barbarian, hates magic and people who don't indulge to excess, a great defender, loyal and fearless companion, retired after many epic adventures to his own little distillery, last seen running into battle against two hundred and fifty giants saying "I want lamb for dinner dear. Raaarrrgh!"

 

[Rob King]

Sonjo Jast - A Star Wars-ish name I made up for a character I used to play on a forum-based Star Wars RPG. He was the son of a merchant from Hutt Space, wandering the stars because he didn't have the heart to deal with criminals as frequently as his father did.

Tyrn Rend - My first D&D Character: a Tiefling paladin. His name came from his desire to turn away from the unloving urges welling up in him.

Randor Bronzedong - A character I dreamed up not long after starting my first D&D campaign. To sum him up succinctly, he is a "saucy dwarven physician." If asked about his name, he will explain with a grin that his family is a clan of skilled bell-makers. In truth, it's an obtuse false name Randor came up with to distance himself from his past. After several years of war during his youth, his home was razed to the ground. Survivor's guilt drove him to alcoholism, and sexual misconduct before (and during, and after) he entered an Arcane academy to learn the healing arts. He lives now as a wandering mercenary, offering his crossbow and healing hands to any party that will pay.

 

[Gusto]

Well I'm only gonna post like one of these at a time so I'll start with the character that I play on these boards:

Errik Loreno, Halfling Wizard

The Loreno family is actually a holdover from a 3.5e game that I'm currently DMing at the same time as playing this character in a HFs online 4e game.

The Lorenos are basically a fairly well-known halfling crime family, very mafia-ish. The party in my 3.5e game first encountered them trying to assert themselves into positions of power in a small elven village that had recently been attacked and nearly destroyed. By helping to rebuild the village while protecting them from staged lizardmen attacks, the Lorenos hoped to make the city indebted to them, that is, until our party's paladin came along and was easily able to expel them from the city. They haven't heard the last of the Lorenos though...

I made the name Loreno so sound vaguely halflingish, and also vaguely Italian, in the tradition of a lot of famous family crime syndicates. Errik is just basically a halfling name that I thought rolled well off the tongue.

In the 4e game, the Loreno family has been disbanded by another group of adventurers (since it takes place in the future of my 3.5e game). As such, some members are lashing out in anger or fear, others have gone into hiding, and still others, like Errik, are trying to adapt to a life of Good after having been raised to be greedy and manipulative their entire lives.

 

[Bubble181]

I'm horrible at remembering names for my characters. They tend to not mean too much, either. Character concepts OK, but names just go right out the window :s

 

[Ravenpoe]

Emporican Sinewave:

A human of purely scientific mind. A disbeliever in faith or magic, who is always trying to peer beyond the believed and strike at the truth. There is no such thing as magic, only scientific explination.

Also, he's a wizard.


Gebbit Deeppockets:

A halfling thief whose abilities in thievery are so great that he can steal things from the future. However, he can only use temporal steal on himself.

The idea is that as an adventuring young thief, the items he possesses in the future are always greater than the items he possesses now. So in times of great need, he will slip a hand into his future pockets, and steal a legendary item that he will own, at some point or another.


The only downside to this is that very shortly after (sometimes only a few seconds) a halfling that looks an awful lot like him (albeit a few minutes younger) will suddenly appear to steal his newfound wealth from him.


Jewbacca:

A jewish wookiee.

 

[AshburnerX]

I have a lot, mainly MMO characters from City of Heroes, who tended to be inspired by golden and Silver Age comics. Here's a few!

Dr. Ashburner (City of Villains): Two bit struggling Mad Scientist who both exemplified and lampshaded all the tropes involved with being one. Ironically, I made him years before Dr. Horrible was out, yet people constantly call him a rip-off. I also tend to get it from people comparing him to Dr. Impossible, from Soon I Will be Invincible, but he predates that book too. I still use the Dr. Ashburner moniker online a lot.

Johnny Calvera (City of Villains): Toreador Vampire from Old World of Darkness, Johnny looked and acted like a 1950's Greaser. He ran a successful Blood Pimping business for many years as a ghoul before he was forcefully changed by a vampire. Has a magic amulet that gives him Darkness related powers, on top of the increased prowess he receives from being a vampire. I basically played him as someone who pretended to be behind the times to lower suspicion, while simultaneously running a high-tech and complicated operation in the background. Stopped playing him when I was declared "The Last Sabbat Threat in the Rogue Isles" and literally had hit squads of new people coming after me wherever I went, trying to make a name for themselves in their respective guilds.

Dynaburst (City of Heroes): Real name is Dan Pibb, a lowly pizza delivery boy who was forever changed after being exposed to an experimental caffeine substitute at a taste test for a new soda. After having a heart attack and dying on the spot, his body defibrillated itself with newly activated electrical powers, caused by the chemical additives in the soda. Thus was born Dynaburst, the super speeding, lightning throwing hero of Paragon City... at least by night. By day he was known as Dan Pibb, World's Fastest Pizza Boy! One of my favorite characters, he had a costume inspired by Kamen Rider and the catchphrase "Justice in 30 minutes or less, or it's free!"

Toxic Fugu (City of Heroes): Former Sushi chef Atachi was inadvertently stung by a black spotted puffer fish while preparing fugu. The good news is it didn't kill him... the bad news is that the fish was contaminated with toxic chemicals that caused his body to mutate into a half man/ Half fish with the power to launch poisonous spines! Taking his name from the dish he was preparing, Fugu now stalks the wharfs, rivers, and sewers of Paragon City fighting for Justice!

Sergeant Orange (Champions Online): A Vietnam vet who was exposed to Agent Orange during the war, which triggered a violent allergic reaction in him, permanently turning his skin, hair, and pupils bright orange. The tramatic experience of the war and his transformation severally shell shocked him, turning him into a violent vigilante somewhat inspired by the Punisher. This was especially obvious after his failed commercial attempt at being a spokesman for Charlie's Orange Juice. After reading his final line "You know it's freshly squeezed because Charlie's in the trees!", his eyes glazed over and he muttered to himself "Charlies in the trees...? CHARLIES IN THE TREES!?" , right before drawing his pistol and attempting to eliminate the company founder Charlie Rodriguez.

I may list a few more some other time. It's 4:36 am here.

 

[bhamv3]

My MUD character is called Eliza.

I started playing this character while working on a computer psychotherapist program.