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Need Help Making a Name for Dark Elf Race.

Devora

Sage
I am writing a novel which features Dark Elves, but I'm having a problem giving them a name. The reason for this is because simply calling them "Dark Elf" is a bit bland, and I'm not really for calling them "Drow" (probably like most writers) because that's D&D. I want to have something of my own if possible.

Should I stick with the name "Dark Elf", settle for "Drow", or come up with something my own?

If I were to come up with my own, what would you suggest for a name for the race of elves?

EDIT: I should ask instead of for names, but how do you think i should go about
 
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Xanados

Maester
I'm going to start saying this in every "need a name" thread.

Names, to a large extent, are arbitrary. Names, to me at least, are entirely subjective beings. Only when a character has a wealth of history and experience behind him does his name become memorable and important.

Names can be anything, really. You could name your dark elf something unfitting like "Elwaen". Those letters and the naming conventions therein are generally used for more "fluffy" and "soft" creatures. A name for a dark elf such as "Drokithar" is more suitable. But that is only following the naming conventions that most of us already know.
A race name follows the same rules, I feel.

Your race of dark elf could be entirely different. It's up to you. It's your preference and your aesthetic decision.

I just don't agree with someone asking for help with a name.
 
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Devora

Sage
I'm going to start saying this in every "need a name" thread.

Names, to a large extent, are abitrary. Names, to me at least, are entirley subjective beings. Only when a character has a wealth of history and experience behind him does his name become memorable and important.

Names can be anything, really. You could name your dark elf something unfitting like "Elwaen". Those letters, and the naming conventions therein, are generally used for more "fluffy" and "soft" creatures. A name for a dark elf such as "Drokithar" is more suitable. But that is only following the naming conventions that most of us already know.
A race name follows the same rules, I feel.

Your race of dark elf could be entirely different. It's up to you.

I just don't agree with somone asking for names.

how do you think i should go about it then in terms of coming up with a name
 

Xanados

Maester
how do you think i should go about it then in terms of coming up with a name
If you wanted to do it simply, I'd say follow the standard naming conventions of fantasy races. But, as I say, it's entirely up to you.

A common man, a noble in a civilized world: Thyandil Harthurin (to use one of my roleplaying characters) others are similar, but generally aren't too exotic. Names like Burliman, Thiador, Harlindon (Family name), etc. They can vary of course but it's best to have names that aren't too exotic nor too strange.

A dark elf: Drizzt. (To use the famous DnD character.) Drekthar, Roziel and Okreth. Obviously these are harsher sounding.

A high elf: Selwyn, Lesthial and Golwaen. Softer sounds.

You get the idea. I'm not a lecturer on this subject, clearly. It's just simple stuff.

Edit: As I said, it is very simple. You wouldn't call your typical orc something soft and angelic, would you? No, you'd call him "Orkuk 'Forgehammer' Drotharak"
 
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Queshire

Auror
Is drow even trademarked/copywrite? Well, anyways you could go back to the original dark elves, which did NOT come from D&D, there were dark elves in Norse mytholgoy called either Dökkálfar or Svartálfar, those that was just dark elf or black elf in a foreign language, you could do something like that, just translate dark elf to anoher language.

EDIT: Also, I'm not a fan of so called hard or soft sounds, that's just a cultural thing, sounds are souns.
 

Devora

Sage
If you wanted to do it simply, I'd say follow the standard naming conventions of fantasy races. But, as I say, it's entirely up to you.

A common man, a noble in a civilized world: Thyandil Harthurin (to use one of my roleplaying characters) others are similar, but generally aren't too exotic. Names like Burliman, Thiador, Harlindon (Family name), etc. They can vary of course but it's best to have names that aren't too exotic nor too strange.

A dark elf: Drizzt. (To use the famous DnD character.) Drekthar, Roziel and Okreth. Obviously these are harsher sounding.

A high elf: Selwyn, Lesthial and Golwaen. Softer sounds.

You get the idea. I'm not a lecturer on this subject, clearly. It's just simple stuff.

Edit: As I said, it is very simple. You wouldn't call your typical orc something soft and angelic, would you? No, you'd call him "Orkuk 'Forgehammer' Drotharak"


I don't use actual forms of elvish to make the names.

two of the dark elf characters in the story are named: Da-Jai, and Dru'ik

and the "Light" elves (i'm still in writing the first draft so making evening out the "race balance" is not in full yet) that i have name's are: Duana, and Sau'dra.

But my point is not coming up with character names, but giving the Dark Elf race it's own name (Drow for D&D). What would your advice be for that
 

Xanados

Maester
Is drow even trademarked/copywrite? Well, anyways you could go back to the original dark elves, which did NOT come from D&D, there were dark elves in Norse mytholgoy called either Dökkálfar or Svartálfar, those that was just dark elf or black elf in a foreign language, you could do something like that, just translate dark elf to anoher language.
If you're reffering to me with that, well I'm well aware that the dark elves came from Norse mythology. I just didn't mention it.

Sorry, I've got a ton of books on Norse mythology and I'd hate to sound like a moron there ;)
 

Xanados

Maester
But my point is not coming up with character names, but giving the Dark Elf race it's own name (Drow for D&D). What would your advice be for that
The only advice that anyone can rightly give, I think you'll find, is that it's entirely up to you.

Drow could be called something entirely different and we would accept it either way. It's the background of the race/person that we care about. I'm just repeating myself now. Choose and name that flows and sounds right to you and noone can tell you that it's wrong. It's all subjective.

What I would advise against is this: do not make your story cliche. I just have a feeling that with light and dark elves in a story it will be to unoriginal. or at the very least will turn readers away. I'm sorry to say this but I think they are a tad overdone. But still, it's what you do with them that counts. Write it well because people may be turned off by another story with elves.
 

JCFarnham

Auror
On the subject of the name Drow, it's etymological roots go back further than D&D. The original of Drow, is Trow (the nordic-style "black" elves of Shetland, etc.) who are also the inspiration for the Scottish form, Troll. So as you can see when it comes to Mythology a lot of cultures influenced others, and from there it can be said that early fantasy writers drew their inspiration. Tolkien is credited with the common modern portrayal of elfs, but what we must remember is that he drew from Germanic, Nordic or Scandinavian folklore.

If you aren't comfortable with using "pre-packaged" names and all that comes with them, then may I suggest searching out the roots of those names. You might find something pre-Tolkienian that makes much more sense to you than dark elf or drow ever did :)

For example, I think I'm right in saying that one form of the word elf is alp. (Alp (folklore) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Perhaps you could find other forms of same words and Fae creatures and create something out of those.

Do a Tolkien. Make them your own.
 
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Devora

Sage
What I would advise against is this: do not make your story cliche. I just have a feeling that with light and dark elves in a story it will be to unoriginal. or at the very least will turn readers away. I'm sorry to say this but I think they are a tad overdone. But still, it's what you do with them that counts. Write it well because people may be turned off by another story with elves.

Elves don't show up to promenently in the story other than a few minor characters; nothing particularly Tolkien-esque in terms of scale.

The major characters will involve a dark elf, and a Half Elf.
 

Xanados

Maester
Elves don't show up to promenently in the story other than a few minor characters; nothing particularly Tolkien-esque in terms of scale.

The major characters will involve a dark elf, and a Half Elf.
Well, good. Still, I think you should be a tad careful. And I also didn't mean to offend you by saying that your work may be unoriginal.
 

Devora

Sage
No offense taken. I completely agree with you; i would not like writing a story that, to large degree, wasn't my own.
 

Saigonnus

Auror
I think the name should be something easy to pronounce for readers; not like "Krzkrjyrics" or something like it. Whatever it comes to be called, it will be important only in the fact that people/readers will associate that name with the cultural aspects that you portray in the story.

I think perhaps you should explore the reasons for using the dynamic of "Dark Elves" or "Drow" in the first place. Answering some basic questions about the culture could help refine them and help to come up with a suitable name.

1. Why are they evil? Is it religious like with the D&D Drows or something else? What makes them the way they are and what specific things in their culture could be construed at "evil" by outsiders? Are they truly evil or is that just their reputation with the "light" elves?

2. What is their basic social structure like? Is it everyone always trying to murder each other like drows or something different?

3. What kind of racial history do they have? Are they off-shoots of other types of elves (like the typical Drows in D&D) or like with cro-magnon and astrolopithicus are they genetically similar but not part of the same race at all? I think perhaps making them similar but not a species of "elf" wound be more interesting.

4. Why have "light" and "dark" elves? how are they different and why are they enemies? This seems too reminiscent of D&D for my taste with the faerie elves aboveground and dark elves forced below by them in eons past. Certainly, depending on the environment they live in, it could influence how they act and what they look like and you can have several "subcultures" of elves with slightly varying social mores and belief systems.

5. What do they look like? Dark skinned like Drows or different? I always thought that any races that have lived belowground for more than a few generations would actually have lighter skin and that the Drows (in that way) were a little unrealistic. Dark pigmentation in humans comes from Melanin and that is directly affected by the amount of sunlight that a person or people is exposed to. If they don't see the sun at all, it would stand to reason they'd be extremely pale... not dark skinned at all.
 

Xanados

Maester
I think the name should be something easy to pronounce for readers; not like "Krzkrjyrics" or something like it. Whatever it comes to be called, it will be important only in the fact that people/readers will associate that name with the cultural aspects that you portray in the story.

I think perhaps you should explore the reasons for using the dynamic of "Dark Elves" or "Drow" in the first place. Answering some basic questions about the culture could help refine them and help to come up with a suitable name.

1. Why are they evil? Is it religious like with the D&D Drows or something else? What makes them the way they are and what specific things in their culture could be construed at "evil" by outsiders? Are they truly evil or is that just their reputation with the "light" elves?

2. What is their basic social structure like? Is it everyone always trying to murder each other like drows or something different?

3. What kind of racial history do they have? Are they off-shoots of other types of elves (like the typical Drows in D&D) or like with cro-magnon and astrolopithicus are they genetically similar but not part of the same race at all? I think perhaps making them similar but not a species of "elf" wound be more interesting.

4. Why have "light" and "dark" elves? how are they different and why are they enemies? This seems too reminiscent of D&D for my taste with the faerie elves aboveground and dark elves forced below by them in eons past. Certainly, depending on the environment they live in, it could influence how they act and what they look like and you can have several "subcultures" of elves with slightly varying social mores and belief systems.

5. What do they look like? Dark skinned like Drows or different? I always thought that any races that have lived belowground for more than a few generations would actually have lighter skin and that the Drows (in that way) were a little unrealistic. Dark pigmentation in humans comes from Melanin and that is directly affected by the amount of sunlight that a person or people is exposed to. If they don't see the sun at all, it would stand to reason they'd be extremely pale... not dark skinned at all.

Those are all very valid and important questions, some of which I am sure Christopher has already pondered.

Yes, it is important to have an answer to most of these questions, but I'd just say not to get too carried away with world-building. World-builder's disease and all that, eh?

Christopher, would you mind telling us a little bit more about your elves?

Concerning the typical dark elf skin colour: I hadn't ever thought of that myself. And, having not read any of the DnD books, wonder greatly as to the reasoning behind their being dark.
Do you know, Saigonnus?
 
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Saigonnus

Auror
LOL... They simply were... perhaps something to do with the latent "energies" in the subterranean caverns they live in (most of their magic is unpredictable under the sky) I read the Dark Elf trilogy, the Icewind Dale Trilogy and most of the writings by R.A. Salvatore and he is pretty detailed on his drow culture.

I am not saying those questions will make any difference to the story, just the basic answers to those questions would at least give him the idea on the culture and whether the details make it into the book is up to him but at least HE knows those details and can decide which ones to put into the story.
 

Devora

Sage
Those are all very valid and important questions, some of which I am sure Christopher has already pondered.

Yes, it is important to have an answer to most of these questions, but I'd just say not to get too carried away with world-building. World-builder's disease and all that, eh?

Christopher, would you mind telling us a little bit more about your elves?

Concerning the typical dark elf skin colour: I hadn't ever thought of that myself. And, having not read any of the DnD books, wonder greatly as to the reasoning behind their being dark.
Do you know, Saigonnus?

Saigonnus, you made me realize that I need to put more planning into my story. I don't have much back story because I mostly write-as-I-go. Do you have any advice to give in terms of Planning a story?

Xanados, The most I can tell you about the Dark Elves and "Light" Elves is that they started out as one Elven Tribe before Dark Elves were shunned, and a war (which is on going in the story) broke out (I might take Saigonnus's questioning and think of why the two factions got to this position). I will say that there are three types of Elves (tell me if it's too cliche): Dark Elves, Wood Elves, and High Elves. The reason the "light" elves are two factions is because a small group of Elves left the main cities long ago, and lived an almost Druid life amongst nature (there's gonna be an instance of druids in the story). The High Elves still respect the Wood-Elves, seeing that they prove themselves formidable warriors, while High Elves stuck with mainly Political and War planning matters. I might elaborate on Dark Elves in a chapter of the story, more so than Wood or High Elves because two of the major characters of the story are Dark Elves.
 

Devora

Sage
LOL... They simply were... perhaps something to do with the latent "energies" in the subterranean caverns they live in (most of their magic is unpredictable under the sky) I read the Dark Elf trilogy, the Icewind Dale Trilogy and most of the writings by R.A. Salvatore and he is pretty detailed on his drow culture.

I am not saying those questions will make any difference to the story, just the basic answers to those questions would at least give him the idea on the culture and whether the details make it into the book is up to him but at least HE knows those details and can decide which ones to put into the story.

I won't be using Salvatore's Dark Elves (I never read those books so it would be easier to do so). I want to steer away from them being subterranean, Matriarchal beings.
 

Saigonnus

Auror
Basically what alot of people do for outlining a story is just write down all the major plot points you want to hit for the rough draft. These could change as you write, but at least you'll have some idea of what you can start with. Even if you keep all the major plot points, there is still alot of room for adding other stuff in.

MC is orphaned from this family and forced to live on the streets.
MC meets a thief who takes them in
MC becomes part of the guild
MC realizes that the guild master is a hypocrite and begins to see things differently
MC meets a girl in the market and they get to hanging out together
MC finds out the girl is a "watcher" who wants to find out about the guild so she can bring about it's destruction
MC helps her from the inside, giving small tidbits so that the most powerful individuals in the guild are captured/killed
The guild master finds out about the MC and he is forced to flee.
The watcher hides him and incorporates him into her plans.
Together the MC and the watcher expose the guild to the full wrath of the powers that be or their enemies.

As you can see it doesn't generally take anything about the environment or background into account, nor does it cover personal emotions or interpersonal relationships, just the flow of the story and it is easily malleable into something more detailed.
 

Xanados

Maester
I read, Christopher, that you haven't thought much about outlining your story. While this I generally shun, I believe that the right amount of "free form writing" can do a writer some good.

I will say that having an exstensive document is good if you're an "architect" writer (like I am - somone who plans a lot before writing), but it can sometimes write out the life of your characters.
On the other hand, if you want to entirely free-form, you may find that your writing is unfocused and clumsy.

I feel that one shouldn't be a writer if one cannot plan ahead and have an exstensive list of notes ;)
 
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