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Jeff the Green
2013-05-02, 03:53 PM
I'm working on a campaign setting in which one of the religions centers around the veneration of saints. I'm having fun sneaking in references to obscure literature etc. in this, such as Pentagrolos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gargantua_and_Pantagruel), a frost giant who is the patron of gluttony and knowledge, Cruthion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruithne_(asteroid)), who is the patron of the moon, and Zalmoxis, who is the patron of death and rebirth.

But necessarily my exposure to obscure things is limited, so I'm interested in ideas for names, portfolios, and origins of saints. Any ideas?

(Of course, if I use any of your ideas, I'll credit you.)

TuggyNE
2013-05-02, 11:41 PM
These might be kinda stupid, but here's a few…
Scheiner, patron of secrets and fairness. (Misspelling things is fun!)
Phintias, patron of friendship and loyalty. (Alternate accepted spellings are also fun!)

Urg, I'm thinking of some characters from Tales from Silver Lands, but I can't find my copy right now, or remember their names. :smallsigh:

Moriwen
2013-05-03, 10:27 AM
If you just want some easy ones, Catholics have patron saints for everything, lists easily found by googling. And you get some fun assortments--St. John of God covers skin diseases, booksellers, and firefighters.

Geostationary
2013-05-03, 11:06 AM
Always a good place to start: Godchecker (http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/christian-mythology.php)

GolemsVoice
2013-05-03, 04:52 PM
Saint Godwin, patron saint of arguments and scholarly debate

Saint Lipwick, patron saint of postal services

BWR
2013-05-03, 05:17 PM
St. Olav - conversion by the sword (technically patron saint of Norway. Why they still keep him when Noprway's Lutheran is beyond me)
(also, divine trickery in games of chance)

Magatsu Izanagi
2013-05-03, 05:37 PM
Saint Godwin, patron saint of arguments and scholarly debate
Classen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classen%27s_law), patron saint of artificers
Gérson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A9rson%27s_law), patron saint of opportunists
Goodhart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law) and Gresham (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gresham%27s_law), patron saints of banking and economics
Miller (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller%27s_law), patron saint of memory, truth, and perception
Muphry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphry%27s_law), patron saint of scribes
Murphy (or Sod (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sod%27s_law)), patron saint of misfortune
Poe, patron saint of rhetoric
Ševčenko (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0ev%C4%8Denko%27s_law), patron saint of sages and historians
Sutton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutton%27s_law), patron saint of medicine

Also: Meduka, patron saint of magicians and lost causes. (I'm now wondering what patronages/portfolios Hameru, Mumi, Seyiku, and Kyaku would have...)

Grey Watcher
2013-05-03, 05:46 PM
Saint Guybrush (or maybe Saint Threepwood) - Patron Saint of Piracy and Ingenuity

Saint Elan! Patron Saint of Bards and Puppets!

Saint Bartleby - Patron Saint of Scriveners

Saint Sandro - Patron of Necromancy and/or ambition

Saint Snopes - Patron of Facts

Geordnet
2013-05-03, 05:51 PM
Saint Urist, patron of hermits and cats.

Eldan
2013-05-03, 06:14 PM
Classen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classen%27s_law), patron saint of artificers
Gérson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A9rson%27s_law), patron saint of opportunists
Goodhart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law) and Gresham (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gresham%27s_law), patron saints of banking and economics
Miller (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller%27s_law), patron saint of memory, truth, and perception
Muphry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphry%27s_law), patron saint of scribes
Murphy (or Sod (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sod%27s_law)), patron saint of misfortune
Poe, patron saint of rhetoric
Ševčenko (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0ev%C4%8Denko%27s_law), patron saint of sages and historians
Sutton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutton%27s_law), patron saint of medicine

Also: Meduka, patron saint of magicians and lost causes. (I'm now wondering what patronages/portfolios Hameru, Mumi, Seyiku, and Kyaku would have...)

You forgot Saint Sturgeon, patron saint of master craftsmen and sewage workers.

Saint Gordon, patron of the mute.

Saint Reuel, patron of elves and bards.

GolemsVoice
2013-05-03, 07:13 PM
Saint Wright: patron saint of attorneys

Jeff the Green
2013-05-04, 03:37 AM
Wow, this is all awesome, but I'm having trouble placing some of them. What are the sources?


These might be kinda stupid, but here's a few…
Scheiner, patron of secrets and fairness. (Misspelling things is fun!)
Phintias, patron of friendship and loyalty. (Alternate accepted spellings are also fun!)

Schneier on Security and "Damon and Pythias", right?

Saint Godwin, patron saint of arguments and scholarly debate

Saint Lipwick, patron saint of postal services

Godwin's law and Moist Lipwick?


Saint Guybrush (or maybe Saint Threepwood) - Patron Saint of Piracy and Ingenuity

Saint Elan! Patron Saint of Bards and Puppets!

Saint Bartleby - Patron Saint of Scriveners

Saint Snopes - Patron of Facts

Monkey Island, OoTS (duh), the Herman Melville story, Snopes.com.


You forgot Saint Sturgeon, patron saint of master craftsmen and sewage workers.
Sturgeon's law.

Saint Wright: patron saint of attorneys

Phoenix Wright?


Saint Gordon, patron of the mute.

Saint Reuel, patron of elves and bards.

Saint Sandro - Patron of Necromancy and/or ambition
I can't figure those out.

Magatsu Izanagi
2013-05-04, 03:45 AM
I can't figure those out.
Gordon, patron of the mute is Gordon Freeman, the man most people think of when told to name a silent protagonist. I suppose he could also be a patron saint of scientists.

Hyena
2013-05-04, 04:00 AM
Maybe, Saint Gordon could also be patron of the mimes?

Saint Fawkes, patron of the righteous vigilantes.

Magatsu Izanagi
2013-05-04, 04:14 AM
On that note, I think I may have figured out the patronages/portfolios of the other members of Meduka's pantheon.

Hameru, patron saint of desperate situations, time, and explosives (might also share the patronage of lost causes with Meduka and the patronages of friendship and loyalty with tuggyne's Scheiner)
Mumi, patron saint of gunslingers (possibly a shared patronage with Hameru) and pastry chefs
Seyiku, patron saint of musicians, merfolk, and unrequited love
Kyaku, patron saint of food and the homeless

Also, can't forget Coobie, patron saint of contracts.

TuggyNE
2013-05-04, 04:23 AM
Schneier on Security and "Damon and Pythias", right?

Yup! :smallwink:

Hmm, 'nother one: Knuther, patron of diligence and reasoning.

Magatsu Izanagi
2013-05-04, 04:54 AM
Saint Narukami, patron of pimps, gigolos, and womanizers
Saint Adachi, patron of...the world's oldest profession
Saint Dojima, patron of law enforcement officers
Saint Shirogane, patron of private detectives
Saint Sanada and Saint Satonaka, patrons of martial artists and meat products
Saint Kujikawa, patron of singers, models, and visual artists
Saint Aigis, patron of constructs
Saint Kirijo, patron of ice and duelists
Saint Kirito (note the spelling), patron of Drizzt clones dual-wielding swordsmen
Saint Asuna, patron of the wrongfully imprisoned
Saint Kayaba, patron of toymakers and jailors
Saint Sugou, patron of corrupt businessmen and rapists
Saint Thorton, patron of spies
Saint Marburg, patron of mercenaries and assassins
Saint SIE (always spelled all-caps), patron of carnage and bloodlust
Saint Heck, patron of the crazy (and the crazy awesome!)
Saint Brayko, patron of drug dealers and gaudiness
Saint Albatross, patron of secrecy
Saint Shaheed, patron of terrorists
Saint Leland, patron of corrupt businessmen (shared patronage with Saint Sugou), arms dealers, and political manipulation
Saint Heiwajima, patron of strength
Saint Orihara, patron of anarchy and deception
Saint Westen, patron of spies (shared patronage with Saint Thorton), improvisation, and the exiled

Grey Watcher
2013-05-04, 09:32 AM
...

I can't figure those out.

Sandro is the main villain in the second expansion pack to Heroes of Might and Magic III. Not only does said expansion pack revolve around his scheming for world domination, but it actually retcons things such thatthe massive, five-way war that serves as the plot for the unexpanded version of the game was all the result of Sandro pulling strings behind the scenes.

Also, Frederick, Patron Saint of Duty

Ronson Patron Saint of Alcohol and Apathy

I can't decide if the Patron Saint of Optimism should be named Candide, Pangloss, or Voltaire. :smalltongue:

Khaelic
2013-05-04, 11:23 AM
Saint Jiub - Patron Saint of Warm Welcomes and Destroyer of Nuisances.

Falconer
2013-05-04, 11:39 AM
Saint Attilla, Patron of Knights, Mathematicians, and Explosives

Saint Sterling, Patron of Thieves, Distillers, and Lacrosse

Eldan
2013-05-04, 01:11 PM
I can't figure those out.

Reuel is the second R. in J.R.R. Tolkien.

Paragon468
2013-05-04, 04:27 PM
If you just want some easy ones, Catholics have patron saints for everything

Why yes, we do. The word "Saint" is the reason I even looked at this thread :P

CarpeGuitarrem
2013-05-04, 04:58 PM
On that note, I think I may have figured out the patronages/portfolios of the other members of Meduka's pantheon.

Hameru, patron saint of desperate situations, time, and explosives (might also share the patronage of lost causes with Meduka and the patronages of friendship and loyalty with tuggyne's Scheiner)
Mumi, patron saint of gunslingers (possibly a shared patronage with Hameru) and pastry chefs
Seyiku, patron saint of musicians, merfolk, and unrequited love
Kyaku, patron saint of food and the homeless

Also, can't forget Coobie, patron saint of contracts.
coobie whyyy

GolemsVoice
2013-05-04, 07:01 PM
Saint Durov: patron saint of communication and dogs

Eldan
2013-05-04, 07:04 PM
Saint Pavlov, patron of dogs and waiters?

cavalier973
2013-05-04, 07:23 PM
Saint Keynes: patron saint of government employees
Saint Hayek: patron saint of market participants

ORione
2013-05-04, 10:01 PM
Saint Murphy, patron of bad luck.
Saint Occam, patron of simplicity and parsimony.

TheFallenOne
2013-05-05, 04:40 AM
How praytell do Murphy and Occam qualify as 'obscure'? As I understand it these are supposed to be hidden references, and Murphy Saint of Bad Luck is as transparent as it gets.

But first things first: what about language? Suggesting distinctly Japanese, German, French etc. names is pretty pointless if it doesn't fit the setting.

Anyway
Saint Eduardo, patron of weird pronounciation
Saint Atem, patron of self-references
Saint Hoeth, patron of irresistible force
Saint Llanfair, patron of longwindedness
Saint Cethegus, patron of artistic freedom
Saint Winchester, patron of inappropriate interpretations of subtext

Mono Vertigo
2013-05-05, 05:29 AM
Saint Meliflua, patron saint of devils and anarchists.

Jeff the Green
2013-05-05, 05:52 AM
How praytell do Murphy and Occam qualify as 'obscure'? As I understand it these are supposed to be hidden references, and Murphy Saint of Bad Luck is as transparent as it gets.

But first things first: what about language? Suggesting distinctly Japanese, German, French etc. names is pretty pointless if it doesn't fit the setting.

Anyway
Saint Eduardo, patron of weird pronounciation
Saint Atem, patron of self-references
Saint Hoeth, patron of irresistible force
Saint Llanfair, patron of longwindedness
Saint Cethegus, patron of artistic freedom
Saint Winchester, patron of inappropriate interpretations of subtext

Basically. I like Pythias and Damon, but that's as non-obscure as I want to get.

For language, dwarven is kind of Welsh-sounding, the two elvish languages are Germano-Celtic (sort of English without the French influence) and Semitic, while gnomish is Greek but with lots of 'b' sounds. Most of the Saints are going to be gnomes, but a lot of names can be twisted a bit like I did with Pantagruel -> Pentagrolos.

I get Llanfair as that horribly unpronounceable Welsh place. I'm guessing Cethegus isn't the guy from the Catiline conspiracy, though, and Atem isn't the Egyptian god, which are the only other ones I recognize.

TheFallenOne
2013-05-05, 06:19 AM
Eduardo is Full Metal Alchemist. Protagonist is named Edward Elric, but the Japanese pronounce is 'Eduardo'
Atem: read it backwards. As said, self-references, or perhaps hidden self-references.
Cethegus is the central character in Felix Dahn's Struggle for Rome. He is completely made up whereas the rest of the novel sticks remarkably close to Prokop's Gothic War, save for a healthy dose of Germanic hoorah.
Sam and Dean Winchester are the main characters in Supernatural. They are brothers. There's a lot of slash fiction. Though in defense, the show does ask for it. It is also to my knowledge the only universe where characters are aware slash fiction of themselves exists(there's a prophet having visions of their adventures. He wrote books about it. When Sam and Dean find out and do research on the internet they find slash of themselves. The show really gets hilariously crazy sometimes).