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Proper name for blink dogs and displacer beasts?

Started by Shipyard Locked, September 29, 2015, 01:46:49 PM

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Omega

#15
October 01, 2015, 11:59:53 PM
Quote from: Shipyard Locked;858583I believe a one-word name would work a little better if speaking versions of these creatures with a slightly more developed society were referring to themselves.

Early edition of White Dwarf had an article for playing a blink dog as a PC. Or more aptly a blink dog pack. You started out as one and through EXP expenditure add first to the dogs HD and damage. then once fully grown at 4HD, each additional purchase adds pack members. Up to 16 total.

JRT

#16
October 02, 2015, 07:48:58 AM
Quote from: Shipyard Locked;858583I believe a one-word name would work a little better if speaking versions of these creatures with a slightly more developed society were referring to themselves.

Except the problem with that is many names are rarely created out of whole cloth.  Many place names and "common" species names are created by combining descriptive words in a language.  For example, Quebec is "where the river narrows" in a native tongue.  A lot of common animal names are like that.

For these particular animals, there's no culture so I doubt they have a language of their own (blink dogs are "semi-intelligent" if I remember correctly).  We would assume that they would be named by the popular culture (the "common tongue"), and thus in these cases the compound species name works well.  Only wizards and sages would try to put them in a sort of evolutionary taxonomy akin to biologists and the latin words today.
Just some background on myself

http://www.clashofechoes.com/jrt-interview/

ThatChrisGuy

#17
October 02, 2015, 08:20:57 AM
Quote from: JRT;858624For these particular animals, there's no culture so I doubt they have a language of their own (blink dogs are "semi-intelligent" if I remember correctly).

Nah, they had Average intelligence in AD&D.  We used to take Blink Dog as a common bonus language and go "yip yip bark arf" at each other.

We were easily entertained back in the day.
I made a blog: Southern Style GURPS

Phillip

#18
October 02, 2015, 12:47:33 PM
Quote from: Shipyard Locked;858583I believe a one-word name would work a little better if speaking versions of these creatures with a slightly more developed society were referring to themselves.

They would presumably use a word in their own language, which I imagine sounding feline or canine.
And we are here as on a darkling plain  ~ Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, ~ Where ignorant armies clash by night.

Shipyard Locked

#19
October 02, 2015, 01:03:08 PM
Wasn't there an elven hound in the game's history that had a distinct name? I can't remember where I think saw that. I could just steal that probably and use coeurl for int-buffed displacer beasts.

Phillip

#20
October 02, 2015, 01:28:35 PM
Quote from: Shipyard Locked;858659Wasn't there an elven hound in the game's history that had a distinct name? I can't remember where I think saw that. I could just steal that probably and use coeurl for int-buffed displacer beasts.

Cooshee, after Gaelic cu sidhe.
And we are here as on a darkling plain  ~ Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, ~ Where ignorant armies clash by night.

Omega

#21
October 02, 2015, 11:13:42 PM
Quote from: Shipyard Locked;858659Wasn't there an elven hound in the game's history that had a distinct name? I can't remember where I think saw that. I could just steal that probably and use coeurl for int-buffed displacer beasts.

Coushee I believe or some simmilar spelling. One of the Dragon articles added some more. Like a underdark adapted dog and some others.

The Butcher

#22
October 03, 2015, 07:06:00 AM
Quote from: Omega;858751a underdark adapted dog

If this isn't called "underdog" I will be sorely disappointed.

Shipyard Locked

#23
October 03, 2015, 08:02:15 AM
Quote from: Phillip;858662Cooshee, after Gaelic cu sidhe.

Oh dear, that's rather silly sounding, isn't it? I mean yes, the premise of a blink dog 'culture' is silly too, but that name wouldn't help.

Omega

#24
October 03, 2015, 09:34:10 AM
Quote from: The Butcher;858779If this isn't called "underdog" I will be sorely disappointed.

Dragon 117.
Gith Dogs = Kaoulgrim & Szarkel
Cave Dogs = Xotzcoyotl (probably before the whole FR "underdark" name caught on.)

Phillip

#25
October 03, 2015, 06:43:57 PM
Feywyrd Dimdark Underbelow Woofbarks of the Misplaced Monarchies.
And we are here as on a darkling plain  ~ Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, ~ Where ignorant armies clash by night.

The Butcher

#26
October 03, 2015, 10:06:02 PM
Quote from: Omega;858788Dragon 117.
Gith Dogs = Kaoulgrim & Szarkel
Cave Dogs = Xotzcoyotl (probably before the whole FR "underdark" name caught on.)

Can't begrudge a good Nahuatl name.

Quote from: Phillip;858883Feywyrd Dimdark Underbelow Woofbarks of the Misplaced Monarchies.

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