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Ken Murikumo
2018-10-12, 08:19 AM
Looking for names to associate with the units of a religious army (setting is future fantasy, so guns and power armor and stuff). The names can be religious sounding, royal sounding, or just plain neat! If you guys have any good ideas for descriptions, feel free to share.

Here's some examples:

Paladins: the basic sword & board foot soldier. Minimal ranged capability in the form of a shot-pistol. Higher level soldiers will have magic.

Huntsmen: equal rank to Paladins but they specialize in long range combat with assault riffles (some of which have grenade launchers)

Knights: More powerful than paladins, they are a fusion of heavy melee combat and casting.

Sentinels: power armor specialists with differing arrays of heavy weapons

Yora
2018-10-12, 08:25 AM
I would change knight to crusader. When they go into battle, they fight for their faith. And in their own mind, probably every kind of combat they engage in is in the service of their faith.

The military police might be called inquisitors. Because not obeying orders and disrupting the sacred order and war effort is a violation of the faith.

Pleh
2018-10-12, 09:08 AM
Not sure Huntsmen fits. Maybe Bishop or something.

Actually, I like Sentinel for the long range firearm guys and maybe Cardinal or Bishop for the power armor specialist.

I also like the idea of going Jedi with the Knight term and saying every member is a Knight, while the other terms refer to their role in the army. Then their formal designation can be the combination:

Knight Crusader
Knight Inquisitor
Knight Sentinel
Knight Paladin

Another name might be Templar. Maybe they serve as magician support and tactical group leadership.

Rabidmuskrat
2018-10-12, 09:32 AM
Couple of ideas:

Zealot
Inquisitor
Purifier Cleric (think Gramaton Cleric)
Lightbringer
Peacekeepers
Peacebringers
Soldier (why do they need a special name?)


Mix and match to find something nice and unique.

Xuc Xac
2018-10-12, 10:18 AM
Knights: More powerful than paladins

Other way around. Paladins are a rarer, higher ranking, and just plain better class of knight.

Charlemagne had thousands of knights but only 12 paladins, who were dukes or nearly kings in their own right.

Ken Murikumo
2018-10-12, 11:37 AM
I would change knight to crusader. When they go into battle, they fight for their faith. And in their own mind, probably every kind of combat they engage in is in the service of their faith.

The military police might be called inquisitors. Because not obeying orders and disrupting the sacred order and war effort is a violation of the faith.


I also like the idea of going Jedi with the Knight term and saying every member is a Knight, while the other terms refer to their role in the army. Then their formal designation can be the combination:

Knight Crusader
Knight Inquisitor
Knight Sentinel
Knight Paladin.

I actually really like this idea!


Actually, I like Sentinel for the long range firearm guys and maybe Cardinal or Bishop for the power armor specialist.

Funny story, i had originally named them Sentinels, but the word means more of a stationary guard rather than a mobile soldier. Ultimately the word does sound cool and fitting, so i might stick with it anyways and name the power armor guys wardens or bishops or something.


Couple of ideas:

Zealot
Inquisitor
Purifier Cleric (think Gramaton Cleric)
Lightbringer
Peacekeepers
Peacebringers
Soldier (why do they need a special name?)


Mix and match to find something nice and unique.

Zealot and soldier dont really fit the bill, but the others are good. Especially the purifier cleric. Thats given me a great idea!


Other way around. Paladins are a rarer, higher ranking, and just plain better class of knight.

Yeah, i get ya. But tbh, the paladins are actual paladins (like the pathfinder class) so thats where the name came from. Knights just sounded cool and fit my mental image.

Berenger
2018-10-12, 12:08 PM
Have you already looked at knightly orders from history, e.g. the knights templar?

http://getasword.com/blog/608-knights-templars-ranks-and-organization/

Draconi Redfir
2018-10-12, 12:24 PM
Templar would be good i think. maybe as a general term or the lowest rank. Every soldier is a Templar.

Man_Over_Game
2018-10-12, 12:43 PM
A few that you don't hear too often that I like to use:

Justicar: Effectively a Marshall + Judge in one. AKA Judge Dredd ("I AM THE LAW")
Einherjar: The undying heroes of Valhalla. You die, you get dragged back to Valhalla, you get prettied up, and sent out to battle, until you eventually go back to step 1. I use this one whenever my religious kingdom has some sort of "recycling" or drafting system. "You WERE a pathetic, wasteful mortal, but now you serve something greater for eternity" kinda thing.


Champions, Heralds, Redeemers are all ones I've used a little bit, too, if you're looking for something more generic that hasn't been mentioned.

Ken Murikumo
2018-10-12, 01:39 PM
Have you already looked at knightly orders from history, e.g. the knights templar?

I looked breifly to find some kind of hierarchy that i liked, but nothing really jumped out. That list of templar stuff is pretty cool, but most of it is filled with infrastructure like squires and drapers. I dont really plan on statting out fodder like that so i can do it situationally. The party already came across some engineers and just called them "engineers". I totally over looked Marshal, though. Also, Seneschal & Turcopolier sound like some good bosses.


Templar would be good i think. maybe as a general term or the lowest rank. Every soldier is a Templar.

I might add a variation of the paladin and call it a templar.


A few that you don't hear too often that I like to use:

Justicar: Effectively a Marshall + Judge in one. AKA Judge Dredd ("I AM THE LAW")
Einherjar: The undying heroes of Valhalla. You die, you get dragged back to Valhalla, you get prettied up, and sent out to battle, until you eventually go back to step 1. I use this one whenever my religious kingdom has some sort of "recycling" or drafting system. "You WERE a pathetic, wasteful mortal, but now you serve something greater for eternity" kinda thing.


Champions, Heralds, Redeemers are all ones I've used a little bit, too, if you're looking for something more generic that hasn't been mentioned.

All of those sound like bosses and group leaders!!

Deophaun
2018-10-12, 01:53 PM
Templar would be good i think. maybe as a general term or the lowest rank. Every soldier is a Templar.
I think Templar is a bit too associated with a particular mythology. However, it's a simple matter of changing the root of the word, (being Solomon's Temple) to a different religious structure.

Such as a shrine.

https://preview.ibb.co/iu3219/shriners.jpg

Beleriphon
2018-10-12, 02:11 PM
I think Templar is a bit too associated with a particular mythology. However, it's a simple matter of changing the root of the word, (being Solomon's Temple) to a different religious structure.

Such as a shrine.

https://preview.ibb.co/iu3219/shriners.jpg

It does to a degree, but the name can be quite intentional. Look at Dragon Age's Templars, there is a good reason they called them Templars.

Deophaun
2018-10-12, 02:51 PM
It does to a degree, but the name can be quite intentional. Look at Dragon Age's Templars, there is a good reason they called them Templars.True. It fit in well with the whole "complete lack of imagination" theme they had going.

Honestly, as I fell asleep half-way through the first game, I have no idea why they're called "Templars," and the Wiki doesn't offer an answer. I assume because it sounds cool.

Resileaf
2018-10-12, 07:39 PM
I like Vindicator. It's the title of the Draenei elite paladins in World of Warcraft.