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So for my own campaign setting I've just about finished designing my own Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The only thing that eludes me is a suitable name for the rider of Death. The other three are:
Nero - Conquest/plague
Malthusia - Famine
Megiddo - War
Death is female, and also a primordial being that had been in Abaddon/Gehenna/Sheol since the beginning, long before the Daemons existed. She is associated with the River Styx, Lampedes (underwold nymphs), as well as natural and accidental deaths (and whatever you would call getting hit by a meteorite, unlucky? Death).
The two I'm toying around with right now is Styx and Loth.
The problems:
With Styx I feel that associates her two much with Pathfinder's Charon.
With Loth that name I believe might cause people to confuse her with Lolth.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Misericordia
Malchezidech
Why mess with a classic?
Thanatos
If you want a feminine version: Thanasia
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Thank you all for your suggestions.
I'm just really particular about names, you could say I collect them, I have 3 books almost filled completely with various names and their meanings. So even if I don't use one of your suggestions for the Pale Rider doesn't mean I won't use it all :3
With Megiddo and Malthusia I think I've hit my limit of M names though.
And Thanatos is already taken :3
If it helps narrow it down I've been looking for something primeval and/or archaic and how to convey that with just a name. Something that when somebody reads or hears will think "now that thing is definetly old".
Keep em coming please!
Yoth (our home-brewed recently-created deity of assassins, bards, birth, chaos, civilization, communion, compassion, darkness, death, discipline, duty, elves (especially drow), evil, fate, inner light, inspiration, invention, knowledge, light, meditation, psionics, prophecy, reincarnation, righteous action, spiders, and spiritual evolution); bonus points in that it's similar to Loth, but slightly more different from Lolth.
For a more classically-themed trait, you could name her after the land of death itself (or perhaps death is named for her): Sheol, Hel, Hades (is there a feminine version of Hades? Hadesia, maybe? I dunno.) She could be a manifestation of the place.
We also use Sheol for one (our home-brewed recently-created deity of air, ale, bravery, elves (especially avarials), death, fertility, freedom, underworld, weather (especially rain), and wine). She is a manifestation of the Underworld created by the Underworld in direct response to the elves' Eternal Court coming into existence. They have a complicated relationship.
Nephthys was a goddess of death and the dead in Egyptian culture. You could also look at similar names for her: Nebthet (or Nyftys, if the wikipedia pronunciation thingy is correct).
Isis, too, was involved with funeral rites, but she is more associated with motherhood, fertility, and that sort of stuff. Other versions of her name include: Aset or Iset. We blended her with Taiia in the home-brew campaign setting I mentioned before, and call her Iaset.
There's always these guys. Seems humanity has a metric ton of 'em.
At a brief look, Persephone might work as well. Or, if you prefer, you can use her other name "Kore".
Anyway, I hope you do well! :)
My home brew goddess of death is named Neith, if that helps.
Ereshkigal was the Sumerian goddess of the underworld.
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Yoth (our home-brewed recently-created deity of assassins, bards, birth, chaos, civilization, communion, compassion, darkness, death, discipline, duty, elves (especially drow), evil, fate, inner light, inspiration, invention, knowledge, light, meditation, psionics, prophecy, reincarnation, righteous action, spiders, and spiritual evolution); bonus points in that it's similar to Loth, but slightly more different from Lolth.
For a more classically-themed trait, you could name her after the land of death itself (or perhaps death is named for her): Sheol, Hel, Hades (is there a feminine version of Hades? Hadesia, maybe? I dunno.) She could be a manifestation of the place.
We also use Sheol for one (our home-brewed recently-created deity of air, ale, bravery, elves (especially avarials), death, fertility, freedom, underworld, weather (especially rain), and wine). She is a manifestation of the Underworld created by the Underworld in direct response to the elves' Eternal Court coming into existence. They have a complicated relationship.
Nephthys was a goddess of death and the dead in Egyptian culture. You could also look at similar names for her: Nebthet (or Nyftys, if the wikipedia pronunciation thingy is correct).
Isis, too, was involved with funeral rites, but she is more associated with motherhood, fertility, and that sort of stuff. Other versions of her name include: Aset or Iset. We blended her with Taiia in the home-brew campaign setting I mentioned before, and call her Iaset.
There's always these guys. Seems humanity has a metric ton of 'em.
At a brief look, Persephone might work as well. Or, if you prefer, you can use her other name "Kore".
Anyway, I hope you do well! :)
Thankies :3
Yoth is promising
And as for Hades you also have Hadal, one of the deepest parts of the ocean floor.
And yes I have been Scouring Wikipedia for weeks now :3
Mortimer, Mort for short, but Morti to his friends
:)
Anathos (from an old campaign)
Perhaps she has no name other than Death. Or perhaps, to speak her name is death.
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Ever hear a death rattle? That's death's name. She always comes when called.
Hecate, pronounced heck-uh-tay, is an ancient goddess. Maybe Kali? Or how about Lilith?
My home brew goddess of death is named Neith, if that helps.Was she inspired by the Egyptian Neith?
Hmm...might be. Was the name of a character in the video game Zone of the Enders. I liked the name, and used it.
Hel is a classic... maybe use the form Hela.
Otherwise, death is a concept that goes well without a name. Maybe she was the first being and so never given a name?
Actually, in Latin Maris means "of the sea." The only god with that name was an Etruscan figure who was said to be the son of Heracles and was definitely not a god of death.
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Otherwise, death is a concept that goes well without a name. Maybe she was the first being and so never given a name?
This ideal is Appealing to me more and more, now just how to present her...
Death?
Nameless?
The Pale Rider?
The Horseman of Death?
Jennifer?
The Fourth (Or the First)?
Why must death be such an elusive thing.
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When searching for names, I have found this to be a fantastic resource:
I am partial to names taken from Gnostic theology; these among others, may be suitable for a female death deity:
Armozel: First of the Four Archangelic Lights. Aeon of Grace, Ruler of grace, truth and form.
Athoth: “The reaper.” Ruler of Saturn. Ruler of Saturday. Has a sheep’s face.
Nenentophni: Ruling Demon of “grief” passion. Bearer of envy, jealousy, distress, trouble, pain, etc.
Ouriel: One of the seven Ruling Authorities of the Body’s Activity.
Now that's a cool link.
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All you need to do then is come up with a list of adjectives, which you feel describe your "Death" (wow, never thought I would type that...), and then formulate them into epithet style appellations. (The x lady, x one, she of x, etc.)
This thread is fun :3
I hope it's helping everyone else as much as it's helping me.
Irkalla, Ereshkigal, Osiris, Gorgyra, Orphne, Freyja, Kali, Shiva
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Call her The First.
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Should be The Second, because somebody First had to die..
Milton Waddams... Wait. You said female...
Moving on.
Feh. A REAL death goddess doesn't need anyone to die before existing. That is postmodern crap.
MisericordiaThat sounds like an awesome instrument :3
No, that would be the misericordeon.
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Death has no name. That is why she takes ours.
Call her The First.
one of my favorite comics. Love crossgen.
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In an awesome homebrew I play in, the major deities are the four horsemen. They have positive and negative aspects that are used by their followers and detractors.
I played a doctor who worshipped the Pale Rider, or "Gentle Death" as he was known to me. The idea being that with violence, disease and starvation also vying for your soul, mere death offered the best possible outcome.
Feh. A REAL death goddess doesn't need anyone to die before existing. That is postmodern crap.
it pains me to disagree. I prefer the first death to be am important moment, but that's just me.
In an awesome homebrew I play in, the major deities are the four horsemen. They have positive and negative aspects that are used by their followers and detractors.
I played a doctor who worshipped the Pale Rider, or "Gentle Death" as he was known to me. The idea being that with violence, disease and starvation also vying for your soul, mere death offered the best possible outcome.
AWESOME. ....
Mora
She (or Her depending upon context)
The Lady.
The Crying/Smiling Lady
The Nameless/Unnamed Lady
The Last One