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NPC's with no last names

EnterHaerDalisEnterHaerDalis Member Posts: 813
edited February 2013 in Archive (General Discussion)
I'm creating characters in an online MMA sim game and I've been using a baldurs gate theme for most of them. .Some NPCs have beautiful names, first and last... others have no last names at all.

The full namers

Ajantis Ilvastarr
Valygar Corthala
Yeslick Orothiar
Skie Silvershield
Edwin Odesseiron (God damn what an amazing name)
Eldoth Kron
Viconia DeVir
Keldorn Firecam
Mazzy Fentan
Nalia de'Arnise
Anomen Delryn
Jan Jansen
Korgan Bloodaxe
Sarevok Anchev
Shar-Teel Dosan
Rasaad yn-Bashir
Dorn Il-Khan

Then we have all the one namers

Alora
Aerie
Cernd
Coran
Dynaheir
Imoen
Khalid
Kivan
Minsc
Branwen
Faldorn
Garrick
Kagain
Jaheira
Quayle
Safana
Xan
Montaron
Yoshimo
Haer'Dalis
Tiax
Xzar
Neera


So to make a purpose of this thread.... what last names would you bestow upon the NPCs without last names? I'm going to come up with some of my own and post them again in this thread in a little while :)
Post edited by EnterHaerDalis on

Comments

  • CoutelierCoutelier Member Posts: 1,282
    edited February 2013
    I've always assumed that Imoen would use the surname 'Winthrop' if pushed for one.

    I think elves don't really use family names, except for the drow. Aerie was probably too young when she was kidnapped to have been given her second name. But it would be a name vaguely hinting at her profession as Cleric/Mage, and similarly for most of the other elves. Wingwalker or Raccoonsummoner or something like that.
    Post edited by Coutelier on
  • EnterHaerDalisEnterHaerDalis Member Posts: 813
    Bhaaldog said:

    Shar-Teel's last name is Dosan

    Ahhhh big fail on my part. Angelo's daughter... touche salesman.
  • The_New_RomanceThe_New_Romance Member Posts: 839
    edited February 2013
    I always found this subject very interesting, especially as the last names are mostly not obvious (they don't appear on the character sheet, for example). However, I find it very difficult to create new ones. I mean, we could sift through splatbooks and look up lists of typical last names of Rashemen and slap one on Dynaheir, but I believe that wouldn't really do it. Also, I'm okay with some of the more outlandish characters not having last names, such as Haer'Dalis or Faldorn.

    To make a contribution, though, I'd say that "Xan of Evereska" would be okay as a last name for a Greycloak from that place. I think it's not uncommon in fantasy literature and accounts of the actual Middle Ages of have people referred to by their place of origin or certain feats they have accomplished.

    Jaheira, of Tethyrean noble descent, might belong to one of the families destroyed in the Ten Black Days (1347 DR), also see http://www.gamejag.net/forum/index.php?/topic/1733-just-a-few-random-questions/. That'd make her at least 21 years old at the time of Baldur's Gate (maybe a little older, depending on her age during the uprisings), which might be a bit young, though. Even if she were a member of one of those families, Lands of Intrigue has little to say about the names of those noble clans. Only a few major families are listed (Piirlon, Sakhar, Riiklass, Akasi, Miklaas), in addition to some higher nobility of Tethyr (Illehhune, Kytolamn, Barstonn, Thrynnar, Raslemtar, Akhmelere, and Morann).
    While inconclusive in itself, this makes it very probable that Jaheira's last name might incorporate a pair of consonants or vowels ;)

    By the way, you missed Neera, Dorn-Il Kahn, Rasaad yn Bashir and Baeloth (whose last name might just be "the Entertainer", who knows).
    Post edited by The_New_Romance on
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    Charname of Candlekeep is a cool name, too!
  • EudaemoniumEudaemonium Member Posts: 3,199
    Yeah... I guess Charname would either be 'of Candlekeep' or some epithet they developed over the course of the game, based on class, alignment, or playstyle.

    Baeloth's surname is Barrityll, btw. He says it when you recruit him.
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    I remember charname being called as either "charname of candlekeep' or 'gorion's ward' - both are catchy
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    Coutelier said:

    I've always assumed that Imoen would use the surname 'Winthrop' if pushed for one.

    .

    Imoen Puffguts is more lilkely!
  • CoutelierCoutelier Member Posts: 1,282
    DJKajuru said:

    Coutelier said:

    I've always assumed that Imoen would use the surname 'Winthrop' if pushed for one.

    .

    Imoen Puffguts is more lilkely!
    I doubt she'd refer to herself as Puffguts. Not until she's much older, anyway.
  • DarkDoggDarkDogg Member Posts: 598
    da faq where's Valygar Corthala?
  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    DarkDogg said:

    da faq where's Valygar Corthala?

    Dead body absorbed into the planar sphere. You know the only thing he is good for.

  • ZanathKariashiZanathKariashi Member Posts: 2,869
    edited February 2013
    Not all of the Faerunian cultures use multiple names, some really do only have a given name. On the other hand, as mentioned in several books, in Faerun, you can have any name you can carry the weight of. For a lot of demi-humans especially, it's actually pretty common to go by an adventuring name, either because you view it disrespectful of outsiders mispronouncing your name (especially true for Dwarves who are often named after honored ancestors) or elves who tend to have extremely complicated to pronounce names (and gnomes have 100s of names, and usually just use their favorites as a given and family name, since a lot of humans have 2) or to give a layer of protection for your friends and family from retribution for your antics (halflings...sometimes)..or because you think your given name sucks and think names that start with X are cool like Xavian..Xeycor..Xykon.

    And for Zhent infiltrators like Xzar and Monty, it's likely they are just aliases. Druids typically give up their family names and possible even take a new one entirely, since they're shedding their old life, like a butterfly leaves behind it's ruined cocoon once they've become a servant of balance.

    Rogues will usually have several names, for laying low when the heat is on (Coran, Safana, and Eldoth are probably very likely to be this, especially Eldoth given his Modus operandi).

    Haery isn't even from the same plane of existence and with from a completely alien culture to a Prime......from places where names can hold absolute power over someone, or rewrite the very fabric of reality depending on the way they're spoken.
  • SCARY_WIZARDSCARY_WIZARD Member Posts: 1,438
    ZanathKariashi said:

    Not all of the Faerunian cultures use multiple names, some really do only have a given name. On the other hand, as mentioned in several books, in Faerun, you have have any name you can carry the weight of. For a lot of demi-humans especially, it's actually pretty common to go by an adventuring name, either because you view it disrespectful of outsiders mispronouncing your name (especially true for Dwarves who are often named after honored ancestors) or elves who tend to have extremely complicated to pronounce names (and gnomes have 100s of names, and usually just use their favorites as a given and family name, since a lot of humans have 2) or to give a layer of protection for your friends and family from retribution for your antics (halflings...sometimes)..or because you think your given name sucks and think names that start with X are cool like Xavian..Xeycor..Xykon.

    Yeah, there was something in the first rulebook about how there were lots of people who ended their name with "Troll-Slayer" or some variant, or something along that line.
  • EnterHaerDalisEnterHaerDalis Member Posts: 813
    Amazing I left out Valygar , I use Valygar Corthala as my username for many, many things online......

    Jesus!
  • EudaemoniumEudaemonium Member Posts: 3,199
    EnterHaerDalis said:

    Amazing I left out Valygar , I use Valygar Corthala as my username for many, many things online......

    Jesus!

    'S probably why. You associate the name primarily with yourself, and not with a character in BG. XD
  • Montresor_SPMontresor_SP Member Posts: 2,208
    DJKajuru said:

    Coutelier said:

    I've always assumed that Imoen would use the surname 'Winthrop' if pushed for one.

    .

    Imoen Puffguts is more lilkely!
    BG2 spoiler warning.

    Later changed to Imoen NicBhaal :-)
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    I was extremly entertained to find out I have a neighbor - Mr. Kron - who tends to make very questionable legal choices. Now to uncover his first name...
  • ReadingRamboReadingRambo Member Posts: 598
    Aloras is obviously Danan! She's a peck after all.
  • HaHaCharadeHaHaCharade Member Posts: 1,644
    edited February 2013
    You left Kagain off your list of one-namers!

    "Why me?"

    Also missing - The Newbies: Rasaad yn Bashir, Dorn Il-Khan, Neera
  • EnterHaerDalisEnterHaerDalis Member Posts: 813
    HaHaCharade said:

    You left Kagain off your list of one-namers!

    "Why me?"

    Also missing - The Newbies: Rasaad yn Bashir, Dorn Il-Khan, Neera

    Ok at this point I think it's safe to say I failed miserably missing all these NPC's lol. Although I left out the new ones on purpose, why, I do not know.
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