Naming Words of Power

[Tvtyrant]

I'm currently playing a Words of Power character, but I feel like the system was a little lazy in not actually providing words to say for my spells. In normal casting games I take the description of the spell and run it through a translator into a different language, but for words of power this obviously doesn't work right. Does anyone have any suggestions on words that could be used or how to make a system for it?

[JHShadon]

Take a look at this. (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Language)

[Red Fel]

Or this. (http://www.thecomputershow.com/computershow/hints/uospells.htm) (Ahh, the classics.)

Really, the simplest thing is to assign a single syllable-sound to any given component, then mix them together. For example, say I wanted to use a Line Cold Snap. Simple, right? Let's say I called line "Re," and Cold Snap "Froi." So, the spell would be "Re Froi." Bam, ray of cold. Say I wanted to add Careful, to make it a Still Spell. Well, we'll call that "Set." So it's now "Set Re Froi" for a Careful Line Cold Snap.

Alternatively, just use the first two letters of each component, or the first of each word for a two-word component. A Line Cold Snap would be "Lics" (LIne Cold Snap); a Careful Line Cold Snap would be "Calics."

[Gemini476]

Another option is to just run it through Google Translate and turn it into some form of dog latin. Very Harry Potter.

Or translate the components into whatever language seems the most exotic and appropriate, I suppose - DSP's Truenaming conversion is using the old Aztec language, for instance, and I vaguely recall that the Eragon series used something akin to Old Norse for its words.

You could also consider spicing up the formatting before translating it, since Cone Cold Snap Acid Wave sounds a bit worse than Cone of Cold Snap and Acid Wave, although neither is all that great.

Of course, you could also go the old route of just describing your characters actions rather than acting them out - rather than saying "Kon av köldknäpp och syrvåg" or something like that, you could just say that your Sorcerer speaks some fell Words in the Old Tongue before a wave of freezing acid bursts from his fingertips.

[Exegesis]

Allodynia!
Glaucoma!
Onchocerciasis!
Tetrodotoxin!
Cardiac arrest!

[Tommy2255]

http://dndui.com/webcomic/57UninspiringWord_web.php

[Tvtyrant]

http://dndui.com/webcomic/57UninspiringWord_web.php

Pray he never castd Holy Word.

[ezkajii]

Actually just found out about this (http://www.gclvx.org/The%20Whole%20Enochian%20Dictionary.pdf) today, seems like it's got a real solid flavor for what you're doing. (I'm not personally familiar with Words of Power but it sure seems like a good fit.)

[Tvtyrant]

Actually just found out about this (http://www.gclvx.org/The%20Whole%20Enochian%20Dictionary.pdf) today, seems like it's got a real solid flavor for what you're doing. (I'm not personally familiar with Words of Power but it sure seems like a good fit.)

That is certainly elaborate. Book marked for later usage. Particularly I like the renamed letters and the different alphabet.

[atemu1234]

Allodynia!
Glaucoma!
Onchocerciasis!
Tetrodotoxin!
Cardiac arrest!

So, random medical terms?

Though greek does sound nice...

[Nightcanon]

So, random medical terms?

Though greek does sound nice...
Many will have their own counterspells: cardiac arrest, eh? Epinephrine!!

[Exegesis]

The first three are for Blind, the third for Stun, the last for Kill. Hopefully if you did this your DM would allow some tailoring of effects based on what condition you chose, which would be gamebalanced by the fact that they could be countered in ways like the above.

Or even alter self, potentially. Probably polymorph, at least.

Even Enlarge Person could make a given dose of toxin less harmful.

If it doesn't, get a troll, get a small diamond, and whenever you need to cast resurrection, make the troll swallow the diamond, Enlarge it, and cut the temporarily-enlargened gem out of its stomach to use as material component.