It took me quite a bit of time to decide upon the elvish name that I use at conventions and faires, etc. Finally I settled on something that was particular to my difference of my family's heraldry, basing the family name off of the badge from our heraldry (i.e. the Trillium flower):
Laithoron Aernelóth
(Eagle-spirit Holy-trillium)
Caveat: Just noticed this is in the "advice" forum. Mind you, if this is a request for names to use in your own campaign, I'm not sure how I'd feel about someone else using what is essentially my name.
Mind you, if you need a good pocket reference for Quenya and Sindarin, I've always like this little red book by Ruth S. Noel.
"Cynpharrisong Tremanalim," or Silver-Voiced of the Grove of Many-limbed Trees is involved in Mothman's Age of Darkness Pbp.
Hernonnar Vallassar I like too. Kinsabra T'Consala was an elven ranger.
Mirador Silverstar was an elven crusader of Mystra many years ago. Seems a bit naff now.
Cheers
I typically use this Elven Name Generator or Hiswelókë's Sindarin dictionary (Lord of the Rings Elvish).
So far, my favorite Elven names have been Aleil Sylvari (made up), Angol Ceredir (means Magic Maker, can also be interpreted as Stench Maker), and Galanost Laetalal (made up).
Ssoy-Eak, of course.
Ssoy-Eak, of course.
:P I see what you did there.
Ulaeniir (YOU-lah-neer)
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Mountainfist.
I've used Gil Galad several times, no one recognizes it.
My wife borrowed Serene Silverfaun from an old DnD module pregen character from the 80s which i also like.
I have played many elves along the many years of gaming.
This one, Seldriss, is one of my latest, created for an Eberron campaign which unfortunately stopped.
I like the sound of it, the quite serpentine alliteration, it fits the character, who is a rogue.
Well, what can I say, I was always the guy who came up with character names for everyone, so here’s a bunch of my favorite eleven names. These are over a 28 year time period, some of which were my favorite characters, others, those of my friends.
The Good
Aragast Anádriel (male elf Rgr/Clr)
Ebon Firehand (male drow Clr/Rog)
Elliswan Eushonéva (male elf Ftr/Clr)
Galeea Willowdown (female elf Drd/Wiz)
Narémac Eru (male elf Ftr/Wiz, now Magus)
Zebeyana Windblighter (female desert elf Rgr/Drd)
The Neutral
Toris Arath'Urshurn (male drow Wiz/Artificer)
The Evil
Nal-Tath Mur'ssaghar (male elf Clr/Rog/Asn)
Phantlyn Sarr Fehlviiryn (male drow Rog/Wiz)
Viscerûll Nalynval (male drow Rog/Asn)
Zrogo Soulscreamer (male elf Clr/Wiz (Necro))
These names are copywrited, BTW, since I'm using them in a novel I'm writing, so I better not see them elsewhere.
I've used Gil Galad several times, no one recognizes it.
(Music Plays)
"Gil Galad was and elven king...
of him the minstrels gladly sing..."
Ryliah Las'Baelin
Alina Las'Baelin
Simple, musical and most of all, EASY TO PRONOUNCE :D
GNOME
My one friend named his elf Wizard Keelber.
Drizzt Do'Urdan
:P
Aeriador. A name I've heard in some folk song
My mate Dabbler has an elf on these boards called Eltariel Ellesand..a name I stole for my LOTRO elven hunter.
My own favourite was Caranedhel..literal translation Lone Elf...needless to say he was a Ranger
My favorite is a character from R.A. Salvatore's Spearwielder's Tale:
Kelsenellenelvial Gil-Ravardry
The elves in that setting has complicated, long-winded names; only dragons can boast longer names, although they at least have the decency to shorten them, or to use a nickname.
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I prefer names based on prescription drugs.
I have used/seen:
Paxil
Rogain
Cialis
Acetaminophen
Zoloft
LevaquinJust do a search there are thousands of them and for some reason a lot have a real fantasy flavor.
edit: and by "used" I mean as a character name.
I prefer Seroquel. Its an anti-psychotic that I take to help with my insomnia. :D
We had a player that was having a hard time coming up with a name for his elven fighter/wizard back in the day when that was a choice at first level. Not wanting to hold the game up as everyone was done making characters we started while the player was thinking up a name.
Needless to say when it came time to name the elf, the others at the table gave him one. Elfy Elferson was born.
To this day there are a surprising number of characters that get a nickname based upon that character. (Alchemist are Bomby Bomberson, Arcane Archers get labeled Bowie Bowerson, etc.)
I used the name Elisar Foghammer for my WoW night elf before I knew where the original ("Elessar") came from. Elisar can actually fit any of the core races, though, I think (assuming your half-orc leans towards human and less towards orc).
Of course, the Foghammer thing I've been using for years for a variety of things, but it seemed like a cooler surname than Nightblade or Darkleaf or any other adjective-nouns I run across on a daily basis. The idea came from a shaman/druid character I wrote about for a while whose sole purpose was breaking illusions and solving the mysteries of the supernatural.
It took me quite a bit of time to decide upon the elvish name that I use at conventions and faires, etc. Finally I settled on something that was particular to my difference of my family's heraldry, basing the family name off of the badge from our heraldry (i.e. the Trillium flower):
Laithoron Aernelóth
(Eagle-spirit Holy-trillium)Caveat: Just noticed this is in the "advice" forum. Mind you, if this is a request for names to use in your own campaign, I'm not sure how I'd feel about someone else using what is essentially my name.
Mind you, if you need a good pocket reference for Quenya and Sindarin, I've always like this little red book by Ruth S. Noel.
Noel's book is charming, but deeply flawed. It is fine, I guess, for generic fantasy Elvish.
Ardalambion is a great site, however.My editor for MERP, Chris Seeman, worked with David Salo (the Elvish expert for the LotR series) to get the language right-- though the game had a lot of bad Elvish that had to be retrofitted.
My players are great with names. I saw Elven PCs that were named:
Lagoles
Olrend
and, top of the pops
Glirfondel
*sigh*
The "best" name so far has been "Luthy van Oyten", member of the "People's Front of Westcrown" (did I say their group names are top notch too?).
Playmolas.
Kryzbyn Myzzrym for a Drow...
Gyler Silverleaf for a Wood Elf...
Elminithel Kol'Larienen for a High Elf.
Tashanthara and Serathiniel were some silver elves of mine :)
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If you’re playing in Golarion, remember that elves typically have four names: given and family (i.e., first and last), but also a nickname (which they pick for themselves lest they get saddled with one that they dislike), and a “secret name” that they only tell those very very closest to them (much like T.S. Eliot’s cat poems).
Again, typically, they’ll go by their nickname (rather than their first name) as a matter of course during everyday adventuring/normal everyday life.
Pathfinder Companion: Elves of Golarion has a lot of great flavor and cultural info (as well as other stuff) for elves.
Fred?
Eleron H'byrd (pronounced L Ron Hubbard)
Played a practically feral elf with a vicious mean-streak named Eyovar Volk. That was a good one.
Su'rresh and Zoriel are two others I have played.
Eleron H'byrd (pronounced L Ron Hubbard)
Was he an operating cretin III?
Favorite elf:
Buddy the elf.
Favorite Elf: First edition Elven Thief 11th level when retired. Named Ray.... as in What did you did you do Ray?
hehehe good times.
my first world of warcraft character was a female Sin'Dorei Mage named Sylphenia, whom actually could tank very well despite only cloth caster gear. she started arcane and when wrath came out, she dual specced arcane/frost. Sylphenia has been recycled on a variety of servers. the original sylphenia was going to be my first D&D 3.5 edition character for a group that broke up after the creation stage. and was a grey elf sorceress focused on sonic effects as well as things pertaining to speed.
the original sylphenia that never got played got refined to make
Kira Moonsong
kira had all the sonic evocations planned for the original sylphenia, a rehashed backstory involving a CG paragon half sound elemental kobold named steven whom was essentially pun-pun as an ancestor. kira also had half her wealth blown on research fees and lost her first level feat in exchange for what amounts to a limited version of the choker's quickness ability. but this extra standard action per round was limited to the following
casting DM approved speed enhancing buffs
using DM approved abilities that dealt sonic damage whether by spell, feat, or other means.
taking an extra move action
performing skills with primarily physical components, whether or not they were modified by a physical stat.
another "Elf" i played was a rainmaker named Hitomi Shuisei.
mechanically an Elven Air Shugenja focused on weather related spells. reflavored as a "Fey" from the orient.
hitomi had a broad definition of "weather", and heavily reflavored a variety of spells, some more drastically than others.
she was a japanese "Elf". and had fled the scorpion clan after thier fall with the clan leader's help.
Mind you, if you need a good pocket reference for Quenya and Sindarin, I've always like this little red book by Ruth S. Noel.
Noel's book is charming, but deeply flawed. It is fine, I guess, for generic fantasy Elvish.
Ardalambion is a great site, however.
My editor for MERP, Chris Seeman, worked with David Salo (the Elvish expert for the LotR series) to get the language right-- though the game had a lot of bad Elvish that had to be retrofitted.
I use Ardalambion as well, but sometimes it's just really handy to have an actual book on-hand rather than a web page. Mind you, my use of Noel's is pretty much strictly for coming up with proper nouns. Since my campaign world is not Middle Earth, I like to apply a 'cant' or dialect to things anyway. As such, I actually prefer that it not be 100% authentic Quenya or Sindarin — that would strain believability IMO.
In terms of actually using Quenya or Sindarin as a spoken/written tongue, do you know of any other books that fit the bill? I've heard some pretty negative commentary about David Salo's work and Jim Allan's is even older than Noel's. Putting together everything from scratch (as I've heard some students of Elvish suggest) simply isn't my idea of a rewarding experience.
Mind you, if you need a good pocket reference for Quenya and Sindarin, I've always like this little red book by Ruth S. Noel.Noel's book is charming, but deeply flawed. It is fine, I guess, for generic fantasy Elvish.
Ardalambion is a great site, however.
My editor for MERP, Chris Seeman, worked with David Salo (the Elvish expert for the LotR series) to get the language right-- though the game had a lot of bad Elvish that had to be retrofitted.I use Ardalambion as well, but sometimes it's just really handy to have an actual book on-hand rather than a web page. Mind you, my use of Noel's is pretty much strictly for coming up with proper nouns. Since my campaign world is not Middle Earth, I like to apply a 'cant' or dialect to things anyway. As such, I actually prefer that it not be 100% authentic Quenya or Sindarin — that would strain believability IMO.
In terms of actually using Quenya or Sindarin as a spoken/written tongue, do you know of any other books that fit the bill? I've heard some pretty negative commentary about David Salo's work and Jim Allan's is even older than Noel's. Putting together everything from scratch (as I've heard some students of Elvish suggest) simply isn't my idea of a rewarding experience.
Salo had to make some judgment calls to make Sindarin (and to a lesser extent, Quenya) work for the films. Tolkien simply never finished a grammar or dictionary and many common verbs and nouns have to be approximated using his roots published in The Lost Road. Hostetter (imho) has been rather abrasive and has hoarded data, so his behavior may have filtered into my opinion of this issue.
Anyway, my favorite ever Elven character, Nileth (who was semi-immortalized in the LotR RPG, actually, if only in cameo - her name is listed as a Silvan name on p.64) was a Dark Elf (like Eol) -- she was basically a Monk/Ranger in PF terms. Ironically, for our house game, Chris (the Merp editor) used BRP for his rules. The name was based on Salo's Silvan Elven language published in Other Hands. The name means "friendly woman." The name actually entered a fan fiction forum from the LotR RPG, so she has sisters of a sort. I also noticed a few characters named for her in other contexts, like WoW.
She died saving ME from primeval chaos, so I have retired her-- the death was pretty epic.
Personally, I tend to take the view that ME may have demanded linguistic accuracy of its RPG developers (out of respect for its creator) but names and places probably are best created for sound in PF and similar games. Linguistics is a mind-bogglingly intricate and time-wasting preoccupation for RPG designers, which is why Chris hired David.
