Titles and Names

[Rinnbaku]

I'm looking at building some characters for a future campaign, and I wanted them to have some impressive sounding names to introduce themselves by. I've thought of a few, but was having trouble coming up with more, so I thought I would throw the idea over here and see what the good folk here at GitP can do.

I'm looking for titles and names like you would find in Tolkien or ancient mythological tales. Names like "Barrel-Rider", "Web-Cutter", Wand-Bearer", "He-Who-Walks-in-Shadows", "Glad-o-War", etc. I was taking inspiration from scenes like Bilbo meets Smaug in The Hobbit, or Odin reveals himself to Shadow Moon in American Gods.

Scenes for reference: Spoilers ahead!
Odin introduces himself: https://youtu.be/MJ_vWRtpLJQ

Bilbo introduces himself: https://youtu.be/05pDYZOhZLc

What's the most outlandish and intriguing titles you guys can throw together?

[goto124]

Kill Six Billion Demons (an awesome webcomic) has some special names, such as Murder Their Gods And Topple Their Thrones, and 82 White Chain Born in Emptiness Returns to Subdue Evil. Even the name of the comic is actually a name.

I'm sure Exalted players have more similar examples.

[Jay R]

Titles I would use in combat?

"I am the Eye-Catcher, the Engrossing Diversion, the Flanking Distraction, the Last Thing You See Before You're Killed by Another!"

That should keep me safe enough while the enemies look around wildly for my team-mates.

[EvilAnagram]

Kill Six Billion Demons (an awesome webcomic) has some special names, such as Murder Their Gods And Topple Their Thrones, and 82 White Chain Born in Emptiness Returns to Subdue Evil. Even the name of the comic is actually a name.

I'm sure Exalted players have more similar examples.

Don't forget 6 Juggernaut Star Scours the Universe and Thunder Cleaves the Stone.

The names in that comic are just great.

[Berenger]

Those are called "kennings".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenning

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_kennings

[Jay R]

Those are called "kennings".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenning

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_kennings

Epithets (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epithet), actually.

A kenning is a specific poetic Norse circumlocution, and could be about anything - a spear is an "ash-snake"; the sea is the "swan-road". Many kennings are epithets, but many are not.

Epithets are bynames, very common in both Greek myths ("swift-footed" for Achilles), Norse ones ("Hammer-thrower" for Thor), or even comic books ("Man of Steel", "Dynamic Duo", etc.)

[Malimar]

I'm fond of monarchs getting long lists of who they're monarch over. (Daenerys Targaryen is famous for this, though half of her titles are also a list of things she's done. I also enjoy the titles and honours of the monarch of of the UK (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_titles_and_honours_of_Queen_Elizabeth_II), which are somewhat excessive to actually list, you'll be there all day.)

[Vogie]

The Shadows of Mordor game has a Nemesis system that will give the opponent warlords titles as they fight the player and each other. The list of their titles are available on their wikia (shadowofmordor.wikia.com/wiki/Nemesis), near the bottom.

[Red Fel]

"I am Richard, Chief Warlock of the Brothers of Darkness, Lord of the Thirteen Hells, Master of the Bones, Emperor of the Black, Lord of the Undead, and the mayor of a little village up the coast. Very scenic during springtime. You should visit sometime." (http://www.lfg.co/page/3/) Later, also "Mistress of Magma."

Really, though, any "X of Y" will do.

Personally, I find that some of the most intimidating epithets are understatements. For example, I am Red Fel, friendly neighbor, admirer of peace and quiet, lover of art and creative expression, stand-up philosopher and sophist, and expert draftsman. Entirely mundane and understated titles. Ask anyone here why they should all terrify you.

[DuctTapeKatar]

"I am not Toph! I am... MELON LORD!!!!"

[Blackhawk748]

Im just gonna leave this one here.... (http://exalted.xi.co.nz/wiki/Names/Abyssal)

Also: He of the Shining Fist of Eternal Radiance Clad in Hellfire.

[goto124]

That early comic strip from Keychain of Creation, where an Abyssal tries to say her full name and faints midway.

Edit: Turns out it's the very first comic strip (https://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0001.html).

[TheYell]

It's a tough request out of thin air with no context.

How about a birth name, a family name, a religious name, a nickname, and a name given by the enemy

"I am Bill Willson, consecrated Pious, called Nutcracker, known to the Fieri as the Bastard and to the MacDonalds as The Gurk"

and further names they have to just earn

"I am One-Shot and Pony-Wrangler."

[hymer]

Some people just have impressive names, like this (https://youtu.be/WGN5xaQkFk0?t=61).