Organizations

Matt Larkin (author) · February 14, 2009, 04:47:10 PM

How do you name your in-world organizations and factions? What are your favorite names for organizations?

I'm seeking to rename a secret society of magicians because I felt the name I had (the Circle of Grimhild) was pretentious (on the "Circle" side, and thus prone to joking) and now irrelevant (since the Nibelung connection was lost). I don't want to use the word "Order" since I use that for a different secret order, and I don't want anything to pretentious, since the setting is for fiction more than casual gaming.

So I'm racking my brain--and the community--for new ideas.

Ghostman · February 14, 2009, 05:20:06 PM

Here's some ideas for you. Hopefully not too pretentious :D

Gathering of Grimhild
Followers of Grimhild
Grimhild Society
Grimhild Fellowship

Matt Larkin (author) · February 14, 2009, 05:26:21 PM

Fellowship has potential. As I was saying, I dropped "Grimhild" since there was no longer a connection with the Nibelung, though.

Maybe I could call it simply "The Fellowship." But maybe that's pretentious, too.

Even one crack about the "Circle being broken" made me laugh, but also made me think it not appropriate for a darkly serious setting.

What about favorite names for your own setting?

Nomadic · February 14, 2009, 05:42:40 PM

Well let's see... Here are a few "magician" groups I have in my world.

The Kraydin Guild
House of Indraas
The Unchainers
Seekers of the East Star
Ven Druugas

LordVreeg · February 14, 2009, 06:05:31 PM

Where is this group centered? WHat type of magic do they specialize in? What positions do they promote? WHo do they contest?

Lmns Crn · February 14, 2009, 07:02:37 PM

Quote from: Vreeg's BordeauxWhere is this group centered? WHat type of magic do they specialize in? What positions do they promote? WHo do they contest?

I'll applaud these questions and add:

What language do they primarily speak, and what does it sound like?

Matt Larkin (author) · February 15, 2009, 09:50:15 AM

Magician is an oversimplification. They are siddhas, those few people capable of using magic. They get there powers because they have traces of fae blood; because they see their ancestors as gods, they see themselves as gods. Their agenda is thus pretty much enforcing that view on everyone else.

They operate throughout the Eastern hemisphere, but most notably in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Because of their extent, they don't have a primary language, really, though I suppose "Latin" might be the most common.

They contest everyone that is not them, though they probably have particular enmity to the Church and the (Roman-like) Empire. They came to the attention of the Church during the time of Alexander the Great, but everyone believed they were destroyed back then (about 250 years ago).

They are not limited to any particular type of magic, though on another thread (last post cause I forgot how link a specific post) I explain how magic works in my setting.

LordVreeg · February 15, 2009, 10:45:45 AM

The Amplius Viri.
(More than Men)
Caelestis
(From the Gods)

Both odf these might work.

Loch Belthadd · February 15, 2009, 10:49:43 AM

God Hand? Pantheon of (something)?

Matt Larkin (author) · February 15, 2009, 11:38:08 AM

Yeah LV, both of those sound pretty good. I never studied Latin myself--I hadn't really considered asking someone else to translate something.

Thanks GC, but I'd definitely steer clear of anything with "Pantheon." It works well for actual spirits, but I think it has too much claim towards organized religion. God Hand was a video game, so I'm not sure I want to use that.

Matt Larkin (author) · February 15, 2009, 05:27:59 PM

LV, did you just plug English words into a translator, or did you actually study Latin. I'm just curious.

LordVreeg · February 15, 2009, 08:39:28 PM

both would be true.

SilvercatMoonpaw · February 15, 2009, 09:38:26 PM

Quote from: PhoenixHow do you name your in-world organizations and factions? What are your favorite names for organizations?

I like very simple names, even if they might be confusing. For example "the Home Office" is a gigantic, very secret agency. It's good because it's easy to remember, sounds nicely mysterious, and actually has the added quality that if you overheard someone talking about it and didn't know what it was you might not attach any importance to it.

Cheomesh · February 16, 2009, 02:46:38 AM

I use setting-related names. Here are the organizations I've created for my setting so far:

The ClÃewen (The Group or the Coven)
The CrÃ©dare (The Confessors)
The Cildere (The Children)
The ÃsengefÇ½mne (Secret Society of the Iron Women)
The HerewÇ½pen Gadrigendlic (The Warrior's Weapon Collective)
The LeornungscÃ³l (The School or The University)
The Torc Wearers
The Order of the Clerics

M.

Polycarp · February 16, 2009, 03:19:49 AM

I've turned to this for inspiration before. I've always liked translated Chinese names for organizations: Red Turbans, White Lotus Society, Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, the various warlord "Cliques", Triads, and so on.

I follow loose naming themes in my own stuff, which is why it's hard for me to give naming advice to others when I'm not as familiar with their themes. I rely on colors for the Clockwork Jungle (e.g. Indigo Chapters, Black Blood, Saffronites) but that doesn't work in a situation where those colors have different connotations (or none at all).

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