Pronunciation

[dungeonblaster]

How do you pronounce:

Kyuss (Key-us)? Ky as in lie?

apoSTOLic or aPOStolic?

Tar-kin or Tar-kwin?

Drag-oath-a or Drag-oth-a? And is the emphasis on the first or second syllable?

[James Jacobs]

I pronounce them this way:

KAI-us (rhymes with Pie us)

a-POST-to-lic

TAR-kwin

dra-GOTH-uh

[Golbez57]

To add in another that James clarified in another thread, the big bad black dragon mama's name is pronounced:

ill-THANE!

Since "Kyuss" sounds much too similar to Eberron's King Kaius of Karrnath, I'm using key-OOS for our Age of Worms campaign.

[James Jacobs]

Golbez57 wrote:

Since "Kyuss" sounds much too similar to Eberron's King Kaius of Karrnath, I'm using key-OOS for our Age of Worms campaign.

Well... Kyuss came first, so he should get first choice on how his name is pronounced. It's only fair! ;-)

[Rob Bastard]

dungeonblaster wrote:

How do you pronounce:

Kyuss (Key-us)? Ky as in lie?

apoSTOLic or aPOStolic?

Tar-kin or Tar-kwin?

Drag-oath-a or Drag-oth-a? And is the emphasis on the first or second syllable?

KAI-oos (according to the Dragon Compendium)

Like "apostle," only with an "ick" on the end.

Tar-kwin

Drag-OATH-a

[Jonathan Drain]

Apostolic is pronounced "appa stollick", as any Catholic will tell you since it's used in the Nicene Creed.

I have no idea on the official pronunciation of "Kyuss", although I'm sure there is one by whoever invented the fellow, and I'd quite like to know before I start running Age of Worms.

I'd say DRAG-oth-ah.

[Demiurge 1138]

I've always said Kyuss as one syllable, the emphasis on the USS (short u sound), since I read the MMII with its spawn and avolakia. Which is sort of convenient, because my players are familiar with King Kaius.

[Tatterdemalion]

dungeonblaster wrote:

...apoSTOLic or aPOStolic?

In English, a-po-STOL-ic. Granted, this is a fantasy world, so whatever the writer or DM intends is just fine :)

Jack

[Gold Katana]

key-yoos and kyoos are both used IMC.

[Peruhain of Brithondy]

I've always pronounced Kyuss as a one-syallable word with "ky" as a "glide" (like the Japanese pronunciation in Kyoto or Kyushu), and a short u (like in "butt") "K'yuhss!" This makes it short and memorable, and places the emphasis on the sibillant hissing sound of the "ss," which seems appropriate, given his association with worms.

This way, when you hear the sussurus of the worms in the wormpool in SOLS, it sounds like the worms are whispering "Kyuss! Kyuss! Kyuss!" echoing throughout the cavern.