The Gate Spell and True Names

[Floorlock]

Hi all.

I'm a DM of a campaign that has recently entered into the upper echelons of play.

One of my player's character's has gotten access to the 9th level spell: Gate.

I have a question about one particular aspect of its use.

It reads:

"When you cast this spell, you can speak the name of a specific creature (a pseudonym, title, or nickname doesn't work). If that creature is on a plane other than the one you are on, the portal opens in the named creature's immediate vicinity and draws the creature through it to the nearest unoccupied space on your side of the portal."

My question is about the specificity of the name that you must speak for the summoning. I've seen elsewhere that people have come to the conclusion that it must be a True Name...as in the primordial names of all creatures from the dawn of creation...something you would definitely have to research...

And some have come to the conclusion that it is simply their true name...the name they were given at birth by their mother or father... or at least in some cases... the name the creature most identifies with in their head.

Is there a straightforward answer on this anywhere? What name has to be spoken aloud?

[NorthernPhoenix]

There is no RAW answer, but the intent of the spell is just for you to summon "Klauth" rather than "Old Snarl", for example. For most creatures this is their regular real name. In most settings, only planar beings like angels, devils and elementals usually have a "real name" that is related to "magical Truenaming", and in some settings even they don't.

[Unoriginal]

Hi all.

I'm a DM of a campaign that has recently entered into the upper echelons of play.

One of my player's character's has gotten access to the 9th level spell: Gate.

I have a question about one particular aspect of its use.

It reads:

"When you cast this spell, you can speak the name of a specific creature (a pseudonym, title, or nickname doesn't work). If that creature is on a plane other than the one you are on, the portal opens in the named creature's immediate vicinity and draws the creature through it to the nearest unoccupied space on your side of the portal."

My question is about the specificity of the name that you must speak for the summoning. I've seen elsewhere that people have come to the conclusion that it must be a True Name...as in the primordial names of all creatures from the dawn of creation...something you would definitely have to research...

And some have come to the conclusion that it is simply their true name...the name they were given at birth by their mother or father... or at least in some cases... the name the creature most identifies with in their head.

Is there a straightforward answer on this anywhere? What name has to be spoken aloud?

The answer was detailed in one of the UAs, but the general answer is:

It's not some kind of cosmic, primordial name, not is it the name someone gave you or the name most people call you. Your True Name is the name each individual think when they think "who am I?"

For a lot of people, it is the name they're given as babies, but not for everyone. And it can change if how you identify yourself in your own mind changes. Entities like Fiends and gods are almost never known by their True Names.