Dear all,
I am rubbish with names. I am developing a world of vaguely humanoid creatures but I am struggling with names for the races. Later I will probably struggle with individual names for characters.
Can anybody give me some ideas?
I have written outlines for the races below.
Marinas
Sea dwellers.
Lower bodies like mermaids i.e. legs fused together to form large fin.
Scales over lower body up to waist. These vary in colour. Reptilian like skin above the waist.
Hands are webbed, although the fingers can still be used to pick things up off the sea bed.
The spine has a long thin dorsal fin which they can lift or lower at will. They have the ability to breathe out of water. The gills in the neck can be sealed shut and lungs take over the breathing. However, they can not do much strenuous activity on land without becoming breathless.
In the ocean they are powerful and graceful – like seals.
They have no hair. The nose is flat, nostrils open and shut like flaps. The eyes on the male of the species are bright blue the females have deep green eyes. The lids are a thin filament that flicks over the eyes when on land but stays covering the lens while they are underwater. They can hear very well, particularly underwater. Their teeth are sharp and pointed.
They are omnivorous. They eat fish, seals, kelp and shellfish. They have the ability to extract the salt out of seawater so they can drink fresh water.
They have a clan structure. Matriarchal. They sleep in caves under the great cliffs. The only accesses to these caves are from the sea.
Religion; Sea gods. They have the ability to call upon the storm god and can influence the tides. It has been known for them to call upon the storm god to blow a gale when the Raptors are circling above them. Though they are generally a benign people.
They trade with the Lolanders; fish, seal oil etc. in exchange for nets, baskets, spears and knives. They do not trust the Raptors who are always stealing their fish and they dive-bomb them when they are retiring to their caves as they nest above them in the cliffs.
They like to sing and make music. Their singing voices are not unlike the song of whales and they make musical instruments from the bones of the beasts of the ocean. Raptors try to mess them about by screeching over head when they sing.
They celebrate birth, death and the coming of the ‘narwals’. Their dead are returned to the sea, at a place sacred to their race.
Lolanders
A farming community on land that backs on to the sea.
A strong, stocky build. Biped form. Huge upper body and arms. White skin, ornately decorated with tattoos printed on them at an early age. They grow their hair long and twine ornaments in it as it grows in length. This denotes their status within the group. They live in one large family group in huts made of wattle and daub.Clothes vary according to rank and job title.
They have an ability to grow almost anything as it is needed and the elements allow.
They trade with Arborals produce for wood to allow them to build ploughs, wagons and use firewood. They also trade with the Hilanders for metal blades and stones to grind their grain. They do not like the Raptors as they raid there fields on a regular basis. They have taken to keeping wild dog like creatures to keep guard over there crops. They have bought these from the Steppefolk who also trade skins and meat.
Religion; Worship of Sun, rain and the earth. Celebrate the changing of the seasons. Especially harvest time which is celebrated by a week long party and feast.
Favourite past times are story telling, weaving and painting. The colours used are pulled from the earth and the art usually take the form of farming and plants.
Their dead are buried in a shallow grave without coffins in a fallow field and whatever remains ploughed into the earth during the next planting season. Returning their essence to the Earth mother.
Raptors
Winged beasts. Nest in the cliffs over the coast above the caves of the Marinas. They are troublesome and noisy. Constantly fighting amongst themselves.
Essentially human in appearance except for the huge wings that sprout from their backs. The feathers line their backs and peter out on the back of their calves.
Their feet have claws on the ends of their toes, strong enough to rip open the soft underbelly of the creatures that roam the flat land above the cliffs. Mainly carnivorous but have been known to raid the fields of the Lolanders for corn cobs to supplement their diet.
They have a crest that runs from the bridge of their long pointed noses to the nape of their necks. They can lift this when they feel threatened or are in distress. Colours vary. They have extremely keen eyesight. The eyes being large and dark.They do not have teeth as such but a boney ridge which runs around the mouth, strong enough to crack bones and rip flesh.
They lay eggs to reproduce but they are manufactured and the foetus is deposited within the container and kept warm and dry until it is big enough to break out into the world. Because the process is difficult the Raptors struggle to increase their population but they are long lived so there is not so much pressure on them in this respect.
They are godless. They have the power to adjust wind patterns to suit their flight and climb to incredible heights.
They mainly feed off mammals that live on the open land at the top of the cliff. They are the sole predators as access to the cliff top is almost impossible. Their prey is about the size of a Coypu who live underground. They are quick across the ground so hunting them takes a great deal of skill.
Hilanders
Dwarf Monks .They live in the mountains in stone built shelters around a central temple.
Short in stature, bearded. Braids intertwined with their facial hair. The hair on their heads is shaved and they wear a skull cap.Their clothes are simple and made of animal skins and furs against the cold weather. They have large lung capacity to deal with the lower oxygen levels at this altitude. They are very strong as they spend their times between prayer sessions mining for ores and gems which they trade with the other races.
Very spiritual, knowledgeable but intrinsicallyreclusive. They are keepers of a library which records the history of the races on the planet.
They are the first to see evidence of the damaging influence of the Techs.
They live off cultivated mosses and lichens. In sheltered valleys they can grow certain crops during summer months which they store in deep freeze.
Religion; they have a more holistic view on belief. They worship a goddess that they believe inhabits the earth itself. They concentrate their efforts on trying to maintain a balance in nature through prayer and music.
Their metallurgic skills are second to none, artistic and functional.
Arborals
Live in the deep forests. They train the trees to form shelters high amongst the branches.
Tall and slender. Essentially monkey like. Long arms, slender dexterous fingers. Hands instead of feet and a long prehensile tail. There bodies are covered with a short hair which covers their heads but not their faces. Large ears and a sensitive nose, eyesight not so good as they would not be able to see beyond the next stand of trees anyway.
Vegetarian. They look after the forests and guard the trees jealously. In return the forest gives them everything they need to live.
They specialise in fine wood work. Art forms are complicated and ingenious carving. They use music to celebrate their festivals, wooden instruments that can produce a wide range of tones. They accompany the music with howling which can be heard many miles away, they can communicate with other groups in this way.
They very rarely travel along the ground preferring to swing amongst the trees. They can therefore travel at greater speeds than those restricted to ground level.
Religion; worship of the many deities of the woods – faery folk, nymphs, treelords etc.
It is very difficult to see their houses as they can camouflage them very convincingly. The only evidence of their existence are the beautifully carved figures dotted around the forest – idols to their gods for their protection.
They will trade with the other species under extreme circumstances but prefer to keep to themselves.
Thanks in anticipation.
Ady
I am rubbish with names. I am developing a world of vaguely humanoid creatures but I am struggling with names for the races. Later I will probably struggle with individual names for characters.
Can anybody give me some ideas?
I have written outlines for the races below.
Marinas
Sea dwellers.
Lower bodies like mermaids i.e. legs fused together to form large fin.
Scales over lower body up to waist. These vary in colour. Reptilian like skin above the waist.
Hands are webbed, although the fingers can still be used to pick things up off the sea bed.
The spine has a long thin dorsal fin which they can lift or lower at will. They have the ability to breathe out of water. The gills in the neck can be sealed shut and lungs take over the breathing. However, they can not do much strenuous activity on land without becoming breathless.
In the ocean they are powerful and graceful – like seals.
They have no hair. The nose is flat, nostrils open and shut like flaps. The eyes on the male of the species are bright blue the females have deep green eyes. The lids are a thin filament that flicks over the eyes when on land but stays covering the lens while they are underwater. They can hear very well, particularly underwater. Their teeth are sharp and pointed.
They are omnivorous. They eat fish, seals, kelp and shellfish. They have the ability to extract the salt out of seawater so they can drink fresh water.
They have a clan structure. Matriarchal. They sleep in caves under the great cliffs. The only accesses to these caves are from the sea.
Religion; Sea gods. They have the ability to call upon the storm god and can influence the tides. It has been known for them to call upon the storm god to blow a gale when the Raptors are circling above them. Though they are generally a benign people.
They trade with the Lolanders; fish, seal oil etc. in exchange for nets, baskets, spears and knives. They do not trust the Raptors who are always stealing their fish and they dive-bomb them when they are retiring to their caves as they nest above them in the cliffs.
They like to sing and make music. Their singing voices are not unlike the song of whales and they make musical instruments from the bones of the beasts of the ocean. Raptors try to mess them about by screeching over head when they sing.
They celebrate birth, death and the coming of the ‘narwals’. Their dead are returned to the sea, at a place sacred to their race.
Lolanders
A farming community on land that backs on to the sea.
A strong, stocky build. Biped form. Huge upper body and arms. White skin, ornately decorated with tattoos printed on them at an early age. They grow their hair long and twine ornaments in it as it grows in length. This denotes their status within the group. They live in one large family group in huts made of wattle and daub.Clothes vary according to rank and job title.
They have an ability to grow almost anything as it is needed and the elements allow.
They trade with Arborals produce for wood to allow them to build ploughs, wagons and use firewood. They also trade with the Hilanders for metal blades and stones to grind their grain. They do not like the Raptors as they raid there fields on a regular basis. They have taken to keeping wild dog like creatures to keep guard over there crops. They have bought these from the Steppefolk who also trade skins and meat.
Religion; Worship of Sun, rain and the earth. Celebrate the changing of the seasons. Especially harvest time which is celebrated by a week long party and feast.
Favourite past times are story telling, weaving and painting. The colours used are pulled from the earth and the art usually take the form of farming and plants.
Their dead are buried in a shallow grave without coffins in a fallow field and whatever remains ploughed into the earth during the next planting season. Returning their essence to the Earth mother.
Raptors
Winged beasts. Nest in the cliffs over the coast above the caves of the Marinas. They are troublesome and noisy. Constantly fighting amongst themselves.
Essentially human in appearance except for the huge wings that sprout from their backs. The feathers line their backs and peter out on the back of their calves.
Their feet have claws on the ends of their toes, strong enough to rip open the soft underbelly of the creatures that roam the flat land above the cliffs. Mainly carnivorous but have been known to raid the fields of the Lolanders for corn cobs to supplement their diet.
They have a crest that runs from the bridge of their long pointed noses to the nape of their necks. They can lift this when they feel threatened or are in distress. Colours vary. They have extremely keen eyesight. The eyes being large and dark.They do not have teeth as such but a boney ridge which runs around the mouth, strong enough to crack bones and rip flesh.
They lay eggs to reproduce but they are manufactured and the foetus is deposited within the container and kept warm and dry until it is big enough to break out into the world. Because the process is difficult the Raptors struggle to increase their population but they are long lived so there is not so much pressure on them in this respect.
They are godless. They have the power to adjust wind patterns to suit their flight and climb to incredible heights.
They mainly feed off mammals that live on the open land at the top of the cliff. They are the sole predators as access to the cliff top is almost impossible. Their prey is about the size of a Coypu who live underground. They are quick across the ground so hunting them takes a great deal of skill.
Hilanders
Dwarf Monks .They live in the mountains in stone built shelters around a central temple.
Short in stature, bearded. Braids intertwined with their facial hair. The hair on their heads is shaved and they wear a skull cap.Their clothes are simple and made of animal skins and furs against the cold weather. They have large lung capacity to deal with the lower oxygen levels at this altitude. They are very strong as they spend their times between prayer sessions mining for ores and gems which they trade with the other races.
Very spiritual, knowledgeable but intrinsicallyreclusive. They are keepers of a library which records the history of the races on the planet.
They are the first to see evidence of the damaging influence of the Techs.
They live off cultivated mosses and lichens. In sheltered valleys they can grow certain crops during summer months which they store in deep freeze.
Religion; they have a more holistic view on belief. They worship a goddess that they believe inhabits the earth itself. They concentrate their efforts on trying to maintain a balance in nature through prayer and music.
Their metallurgic skills are second to none, artistic and functional.
Arborals
Live in the deep forests. They train the trees to form shelters high amongst the branches.
Tall and slender. Essentially monkey like. Long arms, slender dexterous fingers. Hands instead of feet and a long prehensile tail. There bodies are covered with a short hair which covers their heads but not their faces. Large ears and a sensitive nose, eyesight not so good as they would not be able to see beyond the next stand of trees anyway.
Vegetarian. They look after the forests and guard the trees jealously. In return the forest gives them everything they need to live.
They specialise in fine wood work. Art forms are complicated and ingenious carving. They use music to celebrate their festivals, wooden instruments that can produce a wide range of tones. They accompany the music with howling which can be heard many miles away, they can communicate with other groups in this way.
They very rarely travel along the ground preferring to swing amongst the trees. They can therefore travel at greater speeds than those restricted to ground level.
Religion; worship of the many deities of the woods – faery folk, nymphs, treelords etc.
It is very difficult to see their houses as they can camouflage them very convincingly. The only evidence of their existence are the beautifully carved figures dotted around the forest – idols to their gods for their protection.
They will trade with the other species under extreme circumstances but prefer to keep to themselves.
Thanks in anticipation.
Ady
