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Sasaisen
2014-12-21, 12:57 AM
A campaign that I'm running has recently returned from a hiatus, and system changes from 3.5 to Pathfinder are forcing me to shake up my cosmology. One of the key features of the setting is that there are no Outer Planes and, similar to Dark Sun, the elemental planes are somewhat self-aware and effectively the deities of the setting. These are personified and worshiped as the Incarnates, of whom the five greater ones are straight up the Chinese Heavenly Creatures (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Symbols_%28China%29)...

Water - Genbu, the Ebon Tortoise.
Air - Seiryu, the Azure Dragon.
Fire - Suzaku, the Vermillion Bird.
Earth - Byakko, the Ivory Tiger.
Void - Kouryuu.
...and the four lesser ones are more or less invented whole-cloth...

Rain - Setsuna, the Jade Wolf.
Sun - Tensatsu, the Saffron Ape.
Sand - Orochi, the Cinereous Serpent.
Moon - ???, the Celestine Bear.
I'm having a hard time figuring out a name for that last one. Any suggestions that sound in-line with the existing names? Bonus points are due if it's an actual Japanese name.

(Un)Inspired
2014-12-21, 01:16 AM
Balzac, Balzac the Bear from Classic Japanese mythology.

Red Fel
2014-12-21, 01:30 AM
Moon - ???, the Celestine Bear.
I'm having a hard time figuring out a name for that last one. Any suggestions that sound in-line with the existing names? Bonus points are due if it's an actual Japanese name.

Well, in the traditional mythology, Tsukuyomi (or Tsukiyomi) was the moon god, from the character Tsuku (meaning the Moon) and Yomu (meaning to read or to count). If you don't want to use the traditional figure, you can still use the character for moon, in either its traditional Chinese-inspired on-reading (Getsu/Gatsu) or its more modern Japanese kun-reading (Tsuku/Tsuki). But that character should be no more than half of the name; you still need more.

You'll probably want to give him something that fits his nature. So what makes a bear? Claws are a thing. "Moon-Claw" has a nice flow to it. Claw is tsume, so Tsuki-Tsume has a nice alliteration to it. Alternatively, you may emphasize the cave-dwelling aspect of bears; the night is, in many ways, like the sun receding into a cave (which is also a Japanese myth). A cave can be dookutsu or hora, depending on context, if memory serves. Tsukihora (Moon-Cave) has a nice flow to it.

Reading them both, I like Tsukitsume. The cadence of it reminds me of a slow, lumbering bear. It's almost onomatopoetic.

As an aside, you seem to have shuffled the Heavenly Beasts - as I recall, in a four-element system, Seiryuu represented the waters, Suzaku the flame, Genbu the swampy earth, and Byakko the cloudy skies. Was that deliberate? I know that they change slightly in a five-element system, but you're not using a traditional five-element system - you exclude wood and metal, and instead use air and void. I thought I'd ask.

Kol Korran
2014-12-21, 09:36 AM
Some ideas, who'se sound I just like:
- Kadoom.
- Olanco.
- Wahap.
- Suman.
- Baugo.

mig el pig
2014-12-23, 09:01 AM
Tsukuma (kuma is bear, Tsuki is moon)
Kogumon (koguma is bearcub)
Kumashi (kuma is bear, ashi is paw)
Ginashi (silverpaw)

Frenth Alunril
2014-12-25, 01:03 AM
Oh! Ursa major is Hokuto shichise! The seven stars of the north. Made famous in Hokuto no Ken! Fist of the North Star.

Um, the Japanese moon is associated with the rabbit.

Other than that, sound like it's time for artistic license ;)