New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. - Top - End - #1
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Daemon

    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Corvallis, OR
    Gender
    Male

    Default I need help coming up with a name for mortal servants of a death-associated entity

    Note: these are not clerics of a death god. These are...hitmen. Mortal versions of the inevitables who seek out those who push their luck too much against the First Law (All that lives must die). Originally the "police" of the afterworld, their mission changed. They're not psychopomps--they generally don't care about the spirits of the dead other than to prey on the things that prey on them. Cats (some of them, anyway) fill the "guide of the dead" role.

    So they're sort of shinegami (of the Japanese anime type, a la Bleach), but much less organized and much more mortal. They (the few that remain currently) wander around with their companion cat and look for evidence of immortality-seekers[1] and (try) to prevent that from happening. Each one is pretty powerful, but isolated.

    The entity they serve is the "ruler" of the plane of Shadow (which serves as a combination afterlife, feywild, shadowfell, and the liminal aspects of the astral and ethereal planes). He's called the Watcher at the Gates of Eternity (short: the Watcher). But very few people know he exists at all. He's not a god, just a very powerful entity (somewhere above an archdevil, but killable)--he's effectively a giant skeletal serpent-style dragon.

    I've been going with the name "Scythe" for the servants, but I don't like it. For one thing, it's too...normal. Too...obvious. I could use it as a nickname, used by those few groups that know they exist. But I want something more. Not sure what.

    Any ideas? I'm partial to translated-then-altered names or other foreign-sounding quasi-words, but I like them to have some sort of meaning even if it isn't obvious from the word itself.

    Thanatoi (butchering the greek thanatos into a not-really-plural)?
    Dawn of Hope: a 5e setting. http://wiki.admiralbenbo.org
    Rogue Equivalent Damage calculator, now prettier and more configurable!
    5e Monster Data Sheet--vital statistics for all 693 MM, Volo's, and now MToF monsters: Updated!
    NIH system 5e fork, very much WIP. Base github repo.
    NIH System PDF Up to date main-branch build version.

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Troll in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jul 2015

    Default Re: I need help coming up with a name for mortal servants of a death-associated entit

    The Mokoi are spirits from Australian Aboriginal mythology who killed evil sorcerers. It was also believed that death was rarely caused by old age, but instead the Mokoi were responsible. Perhaps that?
    Now publishing a webnovel travelogue.

    Resvier: a P6 homebrew setting

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: I need help coming up with a name for mortal servants of a death-associated entit

    Tactumort (actually mortem, mortis, and mors are just good word parts for such a such a realm-this one is a modification of "tactu mortem" or death touch)

    Falcati (scythe in latin) Drepani (in Greek)
    Vigilite (watcher = vigilia so a follower of that...)

    O'limbolasi (o'lim bolasi squished) = death child in Uzbek
    Anakmati (anak mati)= “ Malay
    Dodsbarn = " Swedish
    Maranabidda ” Telugu
    Omoiku (omo iku) = " Hausa
    Last edited by sktarq; 2021-03-14 at 11:11 PM.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Barbarian in the Playground
    Join Date
    May 2009

    Default Re: I need help coming up with a name for mortal servants of a death-associated entit

    Carnifex is an old term for a butcher or executioner, similar to knacker. Scharfrichter (sharp judge) is an term for an executioner.

    Characterizing someone trying to dodge death as old meat seems apt. I'd also propose using terms that reference carrion or creatures that seek out carrion, like ravens (or as my ancestors so poetically discribed them "blood eagles"), vultures, hyenas....

    Scythes are for mowing down lots of stalks of wheat; the Reaper isn't doing custom work, he's working in job lots. In India the death god uses a lariat.
    Last edited by Yanagi; 2021-03-15 at 12:53 AM.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    PirateCaptain

    Join Date
    Mar 2021

    Default Re: I need help coming up with a name for mortal servants of a death-associated entit

    Perhaps "Gleaners?" As a reference to the practice of gleaning, going through a field after harvest and picking up crops that fell between the stalks. Like, a way of saying "All that lives must die, so we take care of the exceptions." Though "gleaner" isn't a particularly threatening word. Perhaps something like the "Gleaning Eyes?" A reference to their role relative to the Watcher.

    POST-SHOWER-THOUGHT EDIT: Maybe also consider "Gleaning Hands." Or the "Hands That Glean." So they could say "All that lives must die. We are the hands that glean."
    Last edited by titlebreaker; 2021-03-15 at 10:50 AM.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Lizardfolk

    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Somewhere over th rainbow

    Default Re: I need help coming up with a name for mortal servants of a death-associated entit

    Scythes, Reapers, The Knights of Mort,
    Or, alternatively, you could spin it on the positive axis
    Life-keepers, The Sanctitians, etc
    Professional Ancient Relic
    Beware, Monologues
    Ambassador from Gen Z
    NBITP

    Quote Originally Posted by Waterdeep Merch View Post
    Use your smite bite to fight the plight right. Fill the site with light and give fright to wights as a knight of the night, teeth white; mission forthright, evil in flight. Despite the blight within, you perform the rite, ignore any contrite slight, fangs alight, soul bright.

    That sight is dynamite.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Bohandas's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2016

    Default Re: I need help coming up with a name for mortal servants of a death-associated entit

    The Quietus
    The Timekeepers
    The Creeps
    "If you want to understand biology don't think about vibrant throbbing gels and oozes, think about information technology" -Richard Dawkins

    Omegaupdate Forum

    WoTC Forums Archive + Indexing Projext

    PostImage, a free and sensible alternative to Photobucket

    Temple+ Modding Project for Atari's Temple of Elemental Evil

    Morrus' RPG Forum (EN World v2)

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    ElfPirate

    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Location
    Seattle, WA

    Default Re: I need help coming up with a name for mortal servants of a death-associated entit

    The angels of death, shortened to "angels". It'll sound like a positive thing right up until they learn the etymology.
    Quote Originally Posted by Darths & Droids
    When you combine the two most devious, sneaky, manipulative, underhanded, cunning, and diabolical forces in the known universe, the consequences can be world-shattering. Those forces are, of course, players and GMs.
    Optimization Trophies

    Looking for a finished webcomic to read, or want to recommend one to others? Check out my Completed Webcomics You'd Recommend II thread!

    Or perhaps you want something Halloweeny for the season? Halloween Webcomics II

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Beholder

    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    KCMO metro area
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: I need help coming up with a name for mortal servants of a death-associated entit

    In the same vein as "inevitables," maybe "terminals?" If you've got more than one variety, that is - the way maruts, kolyaruts, etc., are all inevitables, you could have thanatoi, carnifexes, etc., all as varieties of terminal.

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Daemon

    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Corvallis, OR
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: I need help coming up with a name for mortal servants of a death-associated entit

    Quote Originally Posted by titlebreaker View Post
    Perhaps "Gleaners?" As a reference to the practice of gleaning, going through a field after harvest and picking up crops that fell between the stalks. Like, a way of saying "All that lives must die, so we take care of the exceptions." Though "gleaner" isn't a particularly threatening word. Perhaps something like the "Gleaning Eyes?" A reference to their role relative to the Watcher.

    POST-SHOWER-THOUGHT EDIT: Maybe also consider "Gleaning Hands." Or the "Hands That Glean." So they could say "All that lives must die. We are the hands that glean."
    I'm strongly leaning toward this option. They call themselves the Gleaners. Others (the very few who know they exist) call them Scythes. Or "those <expletive> idiots and their <expletive> cats."

    One thing I've decided: each bloodline of gleaners (they're family, sort of) has a base runic symbol, and then each individual has their own variant of that bloodline symbol. And most of them have gotten in the habit of leaving tokens marked with their symbol behind when they glean someone. Some leave origami, others leave playing cards, others daggers with the symbol etched into the blade.
    Last edited by PhoenixPhyre; 2021-03-17 at 06:51 PM.
    Dawn of Hope: a 5e setting. http://wiki.admiralbenbo.org
    Rogue Equivalent Damage calculator, now prettier and more configurable!
    5e Monster Data Sheet--vital statistics for all 693 MM, Volo's, and now MToF monsters: Updated!
    NIH system 5e fork, very much WIP. Base github repo.
    NIH System PDF Up to date main-branch build version.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •