Trouble with naming locations

[Silus]

Okay so I'm going over some homebrew stuff for my game today and I realized that I don't have names for two landmasses and it is really stressing me out. I've tried coming up with names but they always boil down to "The [Adjective/Verb] [Noun]" and I really want to avoid that as I've used it quite a bit so far in the other locations. Random name generators don't seem to work either, so I was hoping Ya'll may have some suggestions.

Locations:
1) “Lethal Lava Land”: Druidically quarantined continent rife with volcanic activity. Kept in check via offshore pylons containing wind spells to keep the ash and soot from spreading. Contains a massive world tree (the first one) now composed of obsidian and basalt and leaking lava, home to a massive mythic phoenix (fancies itself a god, might be on the way to becoming one). Few places where fey still exist, but are now warped to “suit” the environment. Many druidic ruins and pre-pre-Barrier archeological finds.

2) “Elemental Lands”: Massive Asia-sized continent where elementals hold sway (this setting's elementals being more akin to undead spirits than proper elementals). Nomadic tribal society for the most part with most cities either on the coasts or around the “Rift”, a colossal canyon that stretches hundreds of miles at the widest portion and drops all the way to the lowest levels of the underground (i.e. Underdark/Darklands). Landburgs float as a disjointed mountain range over the rift.

[Ravens_cry]

Pick a language. Now, find words that describe that thing. That's the name of the thing. This language could be one related to the current local culture in some way, or it might be a relic left over when a previous culture was in the area and was either conquered, wiped out or assimilated. Remember, when there is only one of something in the local area, it will most likely translate as 'The X'.

[Mr.Sandman]

You could look to mythology for your muse. A quick search of Fire Gods turned up Huracan for example, a Mayan god of Fire, Wind, and Storm. The Plains of Huracan sounds pretty cool, and your players won't know where it came from without a passing knowledge of Mesoamerican mythology, and if they do have such knowledge the name becomes descriptive and evocative. Looking into his story a bit, you could tweak the destruction of the Manikins to be the druids scaring the natives away before the cataclysm, tying the mythos even more into the setting.

[LibraryOgre]

I live in a city named after a man. Just south of my city named after a man, there's another city named "Pearland" because of the fruit farms that were once there, and another named "Sugarland" after the Domino sugar company that once ruled it.

IOW, don't overthink it too much. While it's not terribly original, calling the fire "The Firelands" and the second "The Elemental Wastes" is simple, evocative, and what things are going to be translated as, anyway.

For crying out loud, we live on a dirtball called "Earth", which is really just another word for "dirt".

[dream]

I live in a city named after a man. Just south of my city named after a man, there's another city named "Pearland" because of the fruit farms that were once there, and another named "Sugarland" after the Domino sugar company that once ruled it.

IOW, don't overthink it too much. While it's not terribly original, calling the fire "The Firelands" and the second "The Elemental Wastes" is simple, evocative, and what things are going to be translated as, anyway.

For crying out loud, we live on a dirtball called "Earth", which is really just another word for "dirt".
+1 & LOL :smallbiggrin:

"Godsblood Swamp" came to mind. "The Pool of Hell". "Hellmarsh(es)"? I like Raven_cry's point about language. Go the Tolkien route and explore how non-human races name a place. Or maybe naming a region after something that happened there (a war or mythic battle).

"The Rift" is a perfect stand-by good for all occasions. "The Evervalley", "Oerthhaven", "Etherland(s)", "Plains of (the name of some god or long dead king).

Also, FFR, Seventh Sanctum (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/) is a site that specializes in producing quick random names for anything. Check it out :smallsmile:

[goto124]

For crying out loud, we live on a dirtball called "Earth", which is really just another word for "dirt".

In your universe, the Earth should be called the Dirtball.

[LibraryOgre]

In your universe, the Earth should be called the Dirtball.

I've proposed "Markland", "Marktopia", and "The Hall Dominion", but the IAU keeps telling me I can't rename it.

[Silus]

Also, FFR, Seventh Sanctum (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/) is a site that specializes in producing quick random names for anything. Check it out :smallsmile:

Oooooh Era name generator =D

I need this...for reasons >.>

I'll do some language research, sort out what I can name what by which language.

[Calen]

When naming stuff I tend to take some words, put them into another language, look for some key sounds and maybe change it up.

So your first example Blasted Lands -> terre fate saltare (Italian Translation) -> Salterra

I usually choose the real world language based on the language of who named the thing. For elves I go with Italian or Spanish, Dwarves I go German or Russian etc.

[Comet]

Making up fancy elfnames for things can be a huge waste of time if you don't make them short and distinct enough. Players are faced with a lot of information minute to minute, so it's important to keep that information digestible and evocative. That's why I always try to name things with actual, descriptive words. The capital city of 'Throne' is much more meaningful for players than 'Ael'davátatherö'.

[Silus]

Well I opted to go with "The Spirit Wastes" for the second one but the volcanic Lethal Lava Land one is giving me some trouble. it's mostly due to some of the names sounding pretty neat but being for more specific areas (Like a mountain range called "Immolation Heights" for example).

*Googles a Thesarus for lava and fire and starts up some translators*

[Jay R]

You might try Hephaestia.


For crying out loud, we live on a dirtball called "Earth", which is really just another word for "dirt".

Yep. I have theorized that Krypton, Oa, Tatooine, Zenn-La, Arisia, Eddore, and Magrathea are all alien words that basically mean "mud".

[This theory only works for worlds where intelligent life evolved, of course. Planets named by discoverers or colonists will have a different pattern. "Mercury" and "Venus" don't mean "mud".]

[Silus]

You might try Hephaestia.



Yep. I have theorized that Krypton, Oa, Tatooine, Zenn-La, Arisia, Eddore, and Magrathea are all alien words that basically mean "mud".

[This theory only works for worlds where intelligent life evolved, of course. Planets named by discoverers or colonists will have a different pattern. "Mercury" and "Venus" don't mean "mud".]

The pending name currently is "The Kolvouno Heights", a combination of the greek words for inferno (kólasi̱) and mountain (vounó).

Hephaestia I may keep for a city name though >.>

[dream]

Making up fancy elfnames for things can be a huge waste of time if you don't make them short and distinct enough. Players are faced with a lot of information minute to minute, so it's important to keep that information digestible and evocative. That's why I always try to name things with actual, descriptive words. The capital city of 'Throne' is much more meaningful for players than 'Ael'davátatherö'.
Nice!

PC: You folks have a place to get a drink 'round here?

Local: Sure, stranger. The Tavern's right around the corner there.

PC: Thanks. What's the name of the place, btw?

local: The Tavern, oh, and enjoy your stay here in the kingdom of, Kingdom! :smalltongue:

I thought "Krypton" meant "space dust"?

[Honest Tiefling]

And yet, if you don't name it that, people are going to call it that anyway. I am going to try a campaign of more descriptive names and hope that people remember places this time.

You should have Hephaestia be a city of warriors who use fire magic and fire enchantments to be silly and confuse your players.

[Brendanicus]

Some good formulas I use:

The X of Y: (Example: A minor villain from my last game was called the Bitch of Rats. That got remembered.)
The X-Y: (Example: Thelma-Shatterlens, Bronzepeak)

Keep names snappy and memorable. Sure, they need to be fancy to sound important, but err on the side of simplicity and memorability. Orgnar might be a great name for the Orc Chief, but players won't remember that. Oldtusk or Orgnar the Flatunlant are more likely to stick out in people's heads.

[Calen]

You might try Hephaestia.



Yep. I have theorized that Krypton, Oa, Tatooine, Zenn-La, Arisia, Eddore, and Magrathea are all alien words that basically mean "mud".

[This theory only works for worlds where intelligent life evolved, of course. Planets named by discoverers or colonists will have a different pattern. "Mercury" and "Venus" don't mean "mud".]

Tatooine clearly means sand not mud. :smalltongue:

[Pex]

You could look to mythology for your muse. A quick search of Fire Gods turned up Huracan for example, a Mayan god of Fire, Wind, and Storm. The Plains of Huracan sounds pretty cool, and your players won't know where it came from without a passing knowledge of Mesoamerican mythology, and if they do have such knowledge the name becomes descriptive and evocative. Looking into his story a bit, you could tweak the destruction of the Manikins to be the druids scaring the natives away before the cataclysm, tying the mythos even more into the setting.

That explains where we get the word "hurricane".

[TheThan]

How about the:

Phoenix downs (get it it’s a pun!)

Obsidian wastes

Flamelands

quarantine zone

[Socksy]

In the area I live in, there's a lot of patterns to the way the towns are named.

http://www.wales.com/en/content/cms/english/about_wales/language/place_names/place_names.aspx

In a campaign I played in, I ended up naming a lot of the places like that. The starting village was Llanaber - two of the most common place name bits smooshed together. Welsh looks and sounds pretty fantasy-ish, too.

[goto124]

Orgnar might be a great name for the Orc Chief, but players won't remember that. Oldtusk or Orgnar the Flatunlant are more likely to stick out in people's heads.

Orcnar the Flatulent!

*fart*

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

I decided to give each place two names: One a cool in-universe name, the other the meaning of the word for player remembering. So The Kingdom of Awascan is also the Kingdom of the Wash. It borders the Reikkenorr, or the Kingdom of the North to the, well, North, and the magocracy of Das Hoofdstad or The Capital to the south. Other place-names of note are Grense or the Kingdom of the Border, and the two Elven Kingdoms, the High Kingdom and the Grey Kingdom, or Valtakunta Mahtava and Valtakunta Harmaa, respectively, an excuse to have both High and Grey elves be names of nationalities.

[Pex]

Tatooine clearly means sand not mud. :smalltongue:

I thought it meant The Plain.

[goto124]

I decided to give each place two names: One a cool in-universe name, the other the meaning of the word for player remembering.

To be fair, the easier-to-remember name could also be the nickname that NPCs and PCs in-universe use, because it's... easier to remember =P

[LibraryOgre]

The pending name currently is "The Kolvouno Heights", a combination of the greek words for inferno (kólasi̱) and mountain (vounó).



Gotta say, I like it. It's got a good sound.

[goto124]

The pending name currently is "The Kolvouno Heights", a combination of the greek words for inferno (kólasi̱) and mountain (vounó).

The Volcano Heights.