• This Week's Tips Summarized
• A Brief Word From Johnn
• This Week's Tips: 6 Ways You Can Use Names To Enhance Your Campaign, Part II
• Tips Request For Issue #75: "Plot Twists"
• Readers' Tips Of The Week

7. Use A Naming Theme For Groups Of NPCs
8. Re-Use Names
9. Base Names On Interesting Attributes
10. Use Names To Add Humour To Your Campaign
11. Use Anagrams For Clues & Puzzles
12. Sources Of Names

1. A Newbie GM's Story
2. Re-Use Monsters
3. Speed Up Combat With A Stopwatch
4. Tip For Finding New Players: The RPGA

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7. Use A Naming Theme For Groups Of NPCs
   
   For special groups of NPCs, pick a naming theme to make your game more interesting. For example, in the movie "Reservoir Dogs", the main characters were given names based on a colour theme: "Mr. Black", "Mr. Pink", and so on.
   
   A naming theme is great because it gives you an instant set of clues to work with. Your players will be immensely satisfied when they figure out that there is a theme, and they'll enjoy keeping an eye out for future names that match it.
   
   Once the code is cracked, you then have the option of throwing in some red herrings--NPCs whose names correspond to the theme but aren't actually members of the group.
   
   Themed names are especially effective for villains and their flunkies. The theme will act like a hook for the players to latch onto and make the bad guys more vivid in their imaginations.
   
   Brian, a tips reader, suggested using a naming theme for a single individual as a way to make your games more interesting. In the movie "The Saint", for example, the main character uses a different alias for each mission--each name based on a Roman Catholic saint. You could use the same technique to single out a special NPC in your campaign.
   
   Examples of naming themes:
   
   • Types of snakes
   • Types of bones
   • Plant types
   • Exotic weapon types
   • Car makes and models
   • Famous people (in our world or in your game world)
   
   

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8. Re-Use Names
   
   There are several possibilities when you consider re-using names. Many campaigns and genres tend to follow the convention of creating a unique name for everything in the world: people, places, and things. Often, this helps the players leave the real world and immerse themselves in the gaming world.
   
   However, consider re-using names for specific effects:
   
   • Tie names to game world history (see Tip #4, Issue #73)
     
     
   • As a reward (commoners name their children after heroic PCs)
     
     
   • As a penalty (commoners name their dogs after evil PCs)
     
     
   • Story hooks (for example, an evil NPC shares the same name as a PC)
     
     
   • To distinguish a society (one society uses a pool of common names while all the others tend towards unique names)
   
   

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9. Base Names On Interesting Attributes
   
   Depending on your campaign's style, consider basing some names on an interesting attribute of the person, place, or thing. This can help create instant story hooks (the Golden Glow Forest, City of Lost Treasures), and NPC hooks (Bogdar the Undefeated, Nathan Demonfriend).
   
   Often, these types of names stand out more clearly in players' minds, which can help with planting clues, making your stories and NPCs interesting, and creating a fun atmosphere.
   
   Here are a few items for you to use as an ideas checklist:
   
   • Single word names (One-eye, Sniper)
     
     
   • Multi-word names
     
     
   • Subtle or obvious name? (Do you need to meet them/see it/go there first to understand why?)
     
     
   • Self-picked or assigned? (Self picked names are usually positive while assigned are often derogatory.)
   
   I think basing one's name on an attribute or hook would also be a good way to build a reputation, especially in societies without mass media.
   
   

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10. Use Names To Add Humour To Your Campaign
    
    Many books and movies use funny characters to help relieve tension. You can do the same thing by creating NPCs with humorous names and personalities. When you want to lighten the mood, give these minor NPCs a brief cameo appearance and then move on.
    
    You can also use humorous names to further vilify the bad guys. A funny name will give the PCs something to mock and scorn. It works for professional wrestling--it can work in your campaign too.
    
    A subscriber, Spikie, sent in these two names, which illustrate this tip well. He has a local, evil mage called Reigna Terror, and a brutish city guard named Emince Pain. :)
    
    

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11. Use Anagrams For Clues & Puzzles
    
    Following the same vein as Tip #7, you can use anagrams of names as clues and puzzles in your campaign. For example, perhaps the villain uses anagram aliases to disguise himself?
    
    The North American TV show "Lone Gunmen" has a rogue character who uses anagrams of the name "Lee Harvey Oswald" as aliases. The main characters discover these aliases in email addresses, signed guestbooks, invoices, and so on, which act as clues during episodes to make them aware of her presence.
    
    I recently read an interesting book about alchemy. Many alchemists during the Middle Ages created many experimental chemistry "recipes" in an effort to turn lead into gold. They protected their recipes from rival alchemists by writing their work in code and masking critical parts in obscure, mystical passages of gibberish.
    
    You could have your NPCs employ the same technique using names and anagrams. Secret communications could be signed with anagrams. Or, references to important things in scrolls, books, databases, and emails could be made in anagrams.
    
    Another neat anagram use, as submitted by Brian D., is to take the theme or symbolic nature of a character and make their name an anagram of that. For example, in Brian's Vampire: the Masquerade game, he was playing a Tremere (mysterious, treacherous), used the theme "trickery", and turned it into the name "Kirt Recy". Many players will thrive on using this as a basis for PCs names, or discovering this hidden message in NPC names.
    
    

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12. Sources Of Names
    
    
    • Phone books (rip pages out of old ones, or find ones from small communities for portability)
      
      
    • Atlases
      
      
    • Ingredients labels on food products
      
      
    • Dictionary (pick a word and scramble the letters)
      
      
    • Baby name books (many are categorized by ethnicity/language, popularity, occupation/activity, emotion, and gender; and many have explanations of the meaning and/or history of the name too)
      
      
    • http://spitfire.ausys.se/johan/names/default.htm
      • a good online generator: male, female, fantasy, sci-fi, orc
      
      
    • http://spitfire.ausys.se/johan/workshop/
      • has links to name software
      
      
      
    • The Everchanging Book of Names (highly recommended)
      • http://www.worldzone.net/games/ebon/
      
      
      
    • Excellent group of names links
      • http://www.worldzone.net/games/ebon/epilogue.html
      
      
      

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