Publisher: Troll Lord Games
Introduction
If you are a fan of Castles & Crusades, or any other OSR game, you might have encountered the challenge of coming up with names for your characters, NPCs, or locations. Names are important, as they can convey a lot of information about the personality, background, and culture of the people or places in your game world. However, creating names that are realistic, consistent, and immersive can be difficult and time-consuming.
That’s why I was excited to get my hands on the Book of Names, a new product from Troll Lord Games that aims to solve this problem. The Book of Names is a 128-page softcover book that provides naming conventions and tables for various races and cultures in the Castles & Crusades setting. The book also explains how to combine different elements to generate thousands of unique names, and how to use them in role-playing situations. In this review, I will give you an overview of the book’s contents, its strengths and weaknesses, and my overall impression.
Contents
The Book of Names is divided into 10 chapters, each covering a different race or culture. The chapters are:
- Chapter 1: Dwarves
- Chapter 2: Elves
- Chapter 3: Gnomes
- Chapter 4: Halflings
- Chapter 5: Hobgoblins
- Chapter 6: Humans
- Chapter 7: Goblins
- Chapter 8: Orcs
- Chapter 9: Half Orcs
- Chapter 10: Ungern
Each chapter begins with a brief introduction to the race or culture, giving some background information and describing their naming conventions. For example, the chapter on dwarves explains that dwarves have two names: a personal name and a clan name. The personal name is usually derived from a dwarven word or concept, while the clan name is based on the name of their ancestor or founder. The chapter also gives some examples of famous dwarves and their names, such as Tharion Ironfist, Durgan Stonehammer, or Bera Silverbeard.
The main part of each chapter is a series of tables that list possible names or name elements for the race or culture. The tables are organized by gender (male, female, or unisex), and by type (personal names, family names, syllable elements, prefixes, suffixes, etc.). The tables are easy to use: you can either pick a name from the list, or roll a die to randomly select one. You can also mix and match different elements to create your own names. For example, if you want to create a male dwarf name, you can roll a d10 on the table for male personal names, and get “Brogar”. Then you can roll another d10 on the table for clan names, and get “Fireforge”. Your dwarf’s name would be “Brogar Fireforge”.
The book also gives some tips on how to pronounce the names and how to use them in role-playing situations. For example, the book suggests that dwarves are proud of their clan names and often use them as greetings or challenges. A dwarf might say “I am Brogar Fireforge of the Fireforge clan. Who are you?” or “Fireforge clan stands ready. What say you?” The book also explains how some races or cultures have different ways of addressing each other depending on their relationship or status. For example, elves use formal titles such as “Lord”, “Lady”, “Master”, or “Mistress” when speaking to their superiors or elders, while goblins use insults such as “Stinkface”, “Runt”, or “Worm” when speaking to their enemies or rivals.
The book is compatible with other OSR games, such as OSRIC, Swords & Wizardry, Old-School Essentials, and Pathfinder. The book does not assume any specific setting or lore for the races or cultures, so you can easily adapt them to your own game world. The book also has some nice artwork by Jason Walton, Peter Bradley, and Zoe DeVos that illustrates some of the races or cultures featured in the book.
Strengths
The Book of Names is a well-designed, comprehensive, and fun product that enhances the Castles & Crusades experience. The book has several strengths:
- It provides a lot of variety and options for creating names. The book covers 10 races or cultures, each with their own naming conventions and tables. The book also allows you to combine different elements to generate thousands of unique names. You will never run out of ideas for naming your characters or NPCs.
- It helps you create names that reflect the personality, background, and culture of your characters or NPCs. The book gives some background information and examples for each race or culture, explaining how their names are derived and what they mean. The book also gives some tips on how to pronounce the names and how to use them in role-playing situations. The book helps you create names that are realistic, consistent, and immersive.
- It is easy to use and well-written. The book is organized in a clear and logical way, with each chapter covering a different race or culture. The tables are simple and straightforward, with clear instructions on how to use them. The book is also well-written, with a friendly and informative tone. The book is a pleasure to read and use.
Weaknesses
The Book of Names is a valuable resource that I would recommend to anyone who plays Castles & Crusades or any other OSR game. However, the book does have some minor weaknesses:
- It does not cover some of the more exotic races or creatures that might appear in the game, such as dragons, giants, or fey. The book focuses on the more common and familiar races or cultures, which makes sense for a general product. However, some players or GMs might want to have some guidance or examples for naming some of the more unusual or fantastical beings that they might encounter or play as in their game. The book does provide enough guidance and examples to help players and GMs create their own naming conventions for those races or creatures if they wish, but it would have been nice to have some tables or suggestions for them as well.
- It does not provide any information on how to create names for locations, such as towns, cities, regions, or landmarks. The book focuses on naming characters and NPCs, which is understandable for a product aimed at players and GMs. However, some players or GMs might also want to have some help or inspiration for naming the places in their game world. The book does not offer any advice or examples for creating names for locations, which might be a missed opportunity.
Conclusion
The Book of Names is a useful and handy resource for any Castles & Crusades player or GM who wants to create realistic and immersive names for their characters, NPCs, or locations. The book provides naming conventions and tables for various races and cultures, as well as tips on how to pronounce the names and how to use them in role-playing situations. The book is well-written, easy to use, and has some nice artwork. The book is compatible with other OSR games, such as OSRIC, Swords & Wizardry, Old-School Essentials, and Pathfinder. The book is a great addition to any Castles & Crusades collection and a must-have for anyone who loves naming things.
The only minor drawback of the Book of Names is that it does not cover some of the more exotic races or creatures that might appear in the game, such as dragons, giants, or fey. However, the book does provide enough guidance and examples to help players and GMs create their own naming conventions for those races or creatures if they wish. The book also does not provide any information on how to create names for locations, such as towns, cities, regions, or landmarks.
Overall, I enjoyed using the Book of Names and I think it is a valuable resource for any Castles & Crusades fan. I hope you enjoyed reading my review and I hope you will give the Book of Names a try.
Castles & Crusades Book of Names on DrivethruRpg
