Northman Name

Miscellaneous babblings from the Wildfire Riders and friends!

Moderator: Guild Officer

Bricu
Posts: 1488
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 1:41 pm
Location: CHICAGO!
Contact:

Northman Name

Postby Bricu » Tue Feb 22, 2011 12:19 pm

First, the context: Joe Abercrombie writes books you should buy. In his setting, the Northman are a barely civilized band of tribes and clans who fight against The Union. Northman have a viking-orkney-scotsman appeal. Northman also have a fantastic naming convention: After a battle, they earn their name. For instance, Logen "bloody-nine" is a Named Man because he's a fierce bastard who, in a fight with another champion, lost a finger. Hence, Bloody Nine. There's also Black Dow (for black deeds), Rudd Threetrees, Curden Craw (for choking on a bone after his first battle), etc. SOme northman--Hill People, specifically--have weirder names. Stranger-Come-Knocking or Brack-i-dayn.

Given these conventions, how would you name your character?

Bricu is easy--and please, please, please note he's had this name long before I even knew Tarq and Davithrennalea, the two bastards who addicted me to this brilliant author--as he already has a "name."

Bricu the Bittertongue

Whose next?
I drink to keep you pretty
--
Image

User avatar
Alonora
Posts: 137
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:24 am
Location: Hiding in those trees ahead, to the left. No. Your other left.
Contact:

Re: Northman Name

Postby Alonora » Tue Feb 22, 2011 1:36 pm

First of all OMGWTF love Abercrombie.

Second... hmm. Something I should spend more thinking about, but the first thing that comes to mind is:

(Alonora) the Crazed.
Image

User avatar
Tarq
Posts: 1021
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:12 am
Location: Wherever the trouble is.
Contact:

Re: Northman Name

Postby Tarq » Tue Feb 22, 2011 2:16 pm

It is worth noting that not everyone in Joe's North is named for being super badass. For instance, Forley the Weakest is, well, the weakest fighter in his village.

I like Tarquin the Fiddler. He plays a mean fiddle and can't stop, well, fiddling with things.

Jak needs more thought.
Now hang me by this golden noose
'Cause I never been nothin' but your golden goose
Silver tongue don't fail me now
And I'll make my way back to you somehow

User avatar
Aelflaed
Posts: 609
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:10 am
Location: The Swamp
Contact:

Re: Northman Name

Postby Aelflaed » Tue Feb 22, 2011 2:34 pm

When I first started working at Half Price Books, a copy of The Blade Itself came into the store in a buy. I expressed interest. Another employee said "you should stash that and buy it, those never come in". So I did. I've not read it yet, but said coworker was absolutely right. In 6 months, it's the only Abercrombie book I've seen in the store.

Aely would probably just be "The Tall". 'cause she is. Though her first major written battle (during The Longest Night) involved breaking her foot, so perhaps she's Aely Off-Foot. Or just "Boots". (Then again, she does come from the "hills" west of Stratholme... so maybe "Aelflaed" is weird enough XD)

Angoleth... well, probably something about her shoulder, or about being a sharpshooter. My creativity isn't working today. (Apparently I need a nap)
[5.OOC] Beltar: Hammer of What The Fuck Were You Thinking

User avatar
Chrystenise
Posts: 740
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:14 pm

Re: Northman Name

Postby Chrystenise » Tue Feb 22, 2011 2:39 pm

Kaleigh the Tempest is the one we came up with for Chryste. Obviously for the fighting style that appears to be more wild than it does technical.

Genise Contriver, as she's always planning something. It also shares a distant similarity to the sound of Crownsilver.

Caile Screw-Loose. Because she's nuts, and because screws probably don't exist there, and she has to break the 4th Wall somehow with this project.

User avatar
Tarq
Posts: 1021
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:12 am
Location: Wherever the trouble is.
Contact:

Re: Northman Name

Postby Tarq » Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:01 pm

I really like "Boots" for Aely.

Gabby, there is in fact a character referred to as Cracknut. Cause, well, his nut's cracked. So Screwloose is pretty good.
Now hang me by this golden noose
'Cause I never been nothin' but your golden goose
Silver tongue don't fail me now
And I'll make my way back to you somehow

User avatar
Threnn
Site Admin
Posts: 573
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:53 am

Re: Northman Name

Postby Threnn » Tue Feb 22, 2011 11:21 pm

Thanks to Bricu, who had a line during RP tonight that reminded me what Anna's name would be: Songbird.

She may or may not be happy about it.

Now to figure out Threnn's...

Bricu
Posts: 1488
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 1:41 pm
Location: CHICAGO!
Contact:

Re: Northman Name

Postby Bricu » Wed Feb 23, 2011 12:18 am

Threnn wrote:Thanks to Bricu, who had a line during RP tonight that reminded me what Anna's name would be: Songbird.

She may or may not be happy about it.

Now to figure out Threnn's...


It has to make a reference to spilling a drink all over Christoph Faral.
I drink to keep you pretty
--
Image

User avatar
Lansiron
Posts: 823
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2008 6:45 pm
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

Re: Northman Name

Postby Lansiron » Wed Feb 23, 2011 12:46 am

For Lansiron: One of the first battles he got into, fighting alongside Lordaeron's allies in an attempt to flush trolls out of Quel'thalas, was an incredibly messy sortie that boiled down to him desperately trying to find a way to survive the onslaught of a couple of enraged Amani berserkers.

The details of the fight are lost in a haze of blood, but amidst the gratuitous violence he managed to fell one of the monstrosities by dropping a tree on it. The tree fared about as well as the troll, so the survivors of his meager band decided it would be quite lyrical to call him Lans Cloventrunk. The name has largely been forgotten, even if his tactics remain mostly unchanged.

For Norvallen: Taking this to a somewhat literal extent...one of her jobs back in Northrend, working for the Scourge, was to assist with awakening and making the first contact with the Vrykul. This went about as well as could be expected.

Those first few she managed to convince not to attack her--having suitably impressed them by slaying some of their bleary-eyed yet belligerent brothers--decided after her attempt at an introduction that she be called Mári Lágrkveðja or, roughly, " Mary Small-Greeting".

She still sort of likes it, even though she isn't entirely sure how to pronounce it.

User avatar
Illithias
Posts: 515
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:21 pm

Re: Northman Name

Postby Illithias » Wed Feb 23, 2011 5:18 am

I think Illi's is painfully obvious - Illithias the Half Faced. Hell - that's the name she uses ingame anyway.

She'd probably make a good Abercromiesque North(wo)man, covered in blood, berserking and reaving her way through the snow.

I'd be curious if anyone could think of a Northernesque name for Illi which didn't imply the facial scarring.
I am become Illithias, Destroyer of Worlds.


Return to “General”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 42 guests