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Alexander Clark
Learned Scribe
106 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Oct 2016 : 21:19:44
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Hello, I am trying to make a character for Neverwinter MMO. I already made up a name, but I've a trouble finding a good surname for him. My character is going to be a commoner from Waterdeep. What are some common surnames there? The only thing I could find with Google was Noble Families of Waterdeep. - https://xaeyruudh.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/nobles-of-waterdeep/
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2016 : 02:18:19
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I don't believe I've ever seen a list of common surnames for Waterdeep...
Since it's a large city that's built on trade, that means that it's going to be something of a melting pot, with lots of cultures and races represented.
If you want to go with a name that's canonically accurate, just grab any of the source material on Waterdeep -- and there's a lot of it -- and pick a name from there. If you want to go this route, I'd recommend finding a pdf of Volo's Guide to Waterdeep; it's a great source and Ed names a metric buttload of NPCs in that one.
But I'd actually suggest just making something up or grabbing some existing fantasy name that you like. In the absence of an official published census, there's nothing to say that there really isn't a Bahb Nounsilver walking the streets of the City of Splendors (using my preferred example NPC).
As long as the name you go with isn't obviously lifted from some other source, no one will notice it or say it's not accurate.
(And even if you do lift an existing name from somewhere, it still might not be noticed. My username is an obscure Spelljammer reference that few have caught) |
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sfdragon
Great Reader
2285 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2016 : 03:58:03
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| WAnds, Thann just two of them |
why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power
My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234 |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2016 : 04:28:07
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| Yeah, there is no such list. Your best bet would be to page through the various waterdeep/north products until you find a name you like. The Nobles have been detailed a lot. A couple novels set in waterdeep also focused on commoners but that is it. |
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KanzenAU
Senior Scribe
Australia
763 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2016 : 11:26:15
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Here's part of a quote from Ed in his thread, circa 5th of Jan, 2015:
quote:
Common human surnames in Waterdeep as the 1400s draw to a close are Blount, Maerammon, Telfeather, and Wintertal; families bearing these names have been resident in the city for at least four centuries, but have been more fecund than most since the mid-1460s DR.
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Regional maps for Waterdeep, Triboar, Ardeep Forest, and Cormyr on DM's Guild, plus a campaign sized map for the North |
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shades of eternity
Learned Scribe
288 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2016 : 17:55:11
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waterdeep is the fr equivalent of new york so take a prominent new york family and make it more fantasy like. :)
for example
bloomberg - change to bloomcrowns. |
check out my post-post apocalyptic world at www.drevrpg.com |
Edited by - shades of eternity on 27 Oct 2016 17:55:33 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12194 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2016 : 00:53:31
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| Or go the exact opposite method.... Smith... Miller... Glazier... Mason... Carpenter.... Brewer.... or take some of these and add "son" or "dotr" to the end |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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sfdragon
Great Reader
2285 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2016 : 01:04:26
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or take thesurename Crow and add sbane for crowsbane
on NEverwinter I have a characer with surename winterhunt....( this character is up for deletion anyway.... |
why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power
My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234 |
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moonbeast
Senior Scribe
USA
522 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2016 : 16:38:52
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A poor rural farming family would have more "commoner" surnames related to their occupation. For example Wagner, a family that has been creating wagons and carts for generations. Brewster, a family that has been brewing beers and spirits for generations. Docker from a proud family of sailors, seamen, and dock workers. Zzarmaster, from a family that has been creating/bottling the famed Zzar wines for generations is more likely an upper middle class merchant family since wine selling is lucrative.
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Edited by - moonbeast on 31 Oct 2016 16:45:56 |
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Alexander Clark
Learned Scribe
106 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2016 : 12:22:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
If you want to go this route, I'd recommend finding a pdf of Volo's Guide to Waterdeep; it's a great source and Ed names a metric buttload of NPCs in that one.
Thanks. Bought it, what a great read! Maybe I'll grab some surnames from it for several of my characters.
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
(And even if you do lift an existing name from somewhere, it still might not be noticed. My username is an obscure Spelljammer reference that few have caught)
I googled it. I never knew that Minsc's Boo was a reference to Spelljammer. :)
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Or go the exact opposite method.... Smith... Miller... Glazier... Mason... Carpenter.... Brewer.... or take some of these and add "son" or "dotr" to the end
I was considering just grabbing some medieval English surnames, but I think I read somewhere (probably even on this forum)that Forgotten Realms tend to have less "realistic" names.
quote:
Originally posted by moonbeast
Zzarmaster, from a family that has been creating/bottling the famed Zzar wines for generations is more likely an upper middle class merchant family since wine selling is lucrative.
I actually like how it sounds. I am considering making it "Zzarmaker."
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Waterdeep surnames
