Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Edymnion 11-15-04, 10:31 PM	Okay, after the dragonshard article on the Church of the Silver Flame, I simply had to make up a character for it. A character that would go from the depths of despair, only to see the Light, and raise himself up into glory. For some reason, the first thing that came to mind was a Warforged. Anyway, I've got his backstory written up completely, and I've hit a snag. The entire focus on the background comes to a head at the very end, when he chooses the name he will call himself. I tried to set it up as big watershed moment, the only problem is, I can't think of a name for him for the life of me. Here's what I have written:This is the tale of a Warforged, a warforged without a name. For the ease of the reader, we shall refer to this warforged simply as Blank. Blank, like most of his warforged brethern, was a lowly combatant during the War. He went where he was told, he fought who he was told to fight. Like the others, he did not question why he did what he did, it was simply the way of things. He was not happy, he was not sad, the days simply came and went, and he did as he was told. Until, one day, things changed. His commander addressed his unit, he said that the War was over, and that they were free. But what did "free" mean? All he understood was that, in a very short time, he had been given a small pouch of metal disks, coins, and was put outside, without orders. Blank did not know what to do, he had never been prepared for anything like this. From the day he first awoke beneath the towering Creation Forge, up to that day, he had been told what to do. His life had order, it was predictable, orderly. But now, now things were differant. He did not know what to do, and there was no one to tell him. For a short time, he stayed with a group of other warforged from his unit, who were themselves in equal dissarray. He tried to learn about the new world he found himself in, but the more he learned, the more he despaired. The world outside of his unit was chaotic. People came and went without rhyme nor reason, and more often than not reacted violently to him whenever he tried to speak with them. Emotions, he did not understand why some were happy, while others were angry, when despair was the only thing he found himself capable of. There was no one to help repair him, and as time passed, his body wore down more and more. Blank often found himself wondering what it would be like to no longer exist. In fact, in the later days, he would sit in the alleys, in pouring rain or baking sun, looking within himself, and found nothing looking back. Until one day, a man approached him. Instead of fear, or anger, Blank saw something new in his eyes, pity and sympathy. When the man asked Blank to come with him, he did not argue, he simply rose and followed. He was lead to a large building, made of white stone, and shown inside. There, young men and women in simple robes cleaned the grim of the streets from his joints, and fixed his hurts. Blank looked up to them, and spoke his first words in many long months. "Why would you help me? I have nothing to offer you." They responded with an answer he could not then understand, "Because it is the right thing to do." He was given a small room, which they told him was his for as long as he might need it. Not knowing what else to do, Blank stayed with these people, and came to know them. He saw them labor and toil, grow tired, and be forced to stop. One day, when one of the older men stopped to rest, Blank picked up the man's burden, and asked where it should be taken. "May the Flame shine on you" the old man said. What flame? There was no fire here, just a stone hall, and the wooden bench upon which the man sat. When questioned, the old man simply laughed. "Why, don't you know where you are, metal man? You are within the halls of the Silver Flame, which lights our path and gives us guidence in our darkest hour." Guidence. He had been looking for that ever since the day he was released from the War. That day, Blank's life changed. The old man took him to one he called father, although this man was obviously far too young to be the father of the elder. It was from this man he learned of the message of the Silver Flame. To help those in need, as he had once been. To protect those who could not protect themselves, to be a light in the darkness. Somewhere inside of him, Blank felt something happen, something he could not explain. It was if a spark had flashed inside of him, and where he had seen only nothingness before, now he found something new. It was small, but after so long of having nothing, it seemed great to him. Blank listened, and he learned. The Church of the Silver Flame existed to fight evil, that which was dark and wanted everything else to be dark as well. The more he learned, the more he felt that initial spark grow. First into an ember, and then finally a small flame, like a candle in the night. He finally understood why they had helped him so long ago (long ago for him, anyway). Because it was the right thing to do. Blank committed himself to this cause, because it was right. Although he faced obsticals, Blank pressed himself onward. Even here, there were those that thought him nothing more than a living weapon, not worthy of the same respect as those who had been born, not made. But this drove him only harder to prove himself. His quiet, stoich manner gradually faded away as he became more outspoken, more comitted. He was little more than a weapon when he was made, a sword to be fought with until it sundered, to be replaced at need, all at the whim of another. But not now. He was still a weapon, but now he was his own weapon, and now he had his own cause to fight. Blank wiped away what he had been. The insignia of his old military unit was engraved into his forehead, but that didn't matter, not when it could be covered. Blank endured the process to have the insignia of the Silver Flame permanently attatched to his forehead, over the old engraving. That day, Blank died. The symbol of the Silver Flame being moved into place was like the earth put on the graves of the people that died in the area. When the last screw was in place, a new being sat up. Running his fingers over the shape of the arrowhead he would carry for the rest of his days, he realized that he needed a name. Months passed as he thought. In that time, he studied and trained. He worked his body, not in the same way the humans did, building muscle, but in a more litteral sense. Little by little, he replaced bits and pieces of his composite plating. What he couldn't replace, he reshaped. Finally, the day his training was completed, he walked into the great hall. As he passed the arched windows, the light glinted off of his newly finished armor. The smooth contours of his shoulder plates, the ripple of light playing off the back of his gold trimmed hands, the rhythmic click of his bootlike feet upon the stone floor. There was music in the air now, a somber tune that held an undercurrent of boundless hope. On the proper cue, he threw open the heavy wooden door, and walked down the path to the alter of the Silver Flame, where the man he had once heard called father stood, the man he now called Father himself stood. He was given the blessings of the Flame, was complimented on his perserverance, and charged with the lifelong duty of defending the innocent, helping those who could not help themselves, and to destroy evil wherever it appeared. At the end of the ceremony, Father said "Rise... I'm afraid I do not know the name in which you will serve the Flame, what do you now call yourself?" The Warforged raised his head, and spoke clearly, the light in his eyes growing strong with every word, until by the end, it raged like the fires of his heart. "When I was made, I was part of a greater whole, strong as a great stone. Until, one day, the stone was broken, and I realized I was little more than a pebble, rolling down the side of a great hill. When I hit bottom, I was picked up by a man, and brought here. Here, I was subjected to the Flame, my doubts and fears were burned away, as the slag is burned out from the iron. I became pure as silver, and was then forged, strong as steel, into a weapon of the Light. Now, I pledge to spread the Flame, so that others may be tempered as I was. So I choose my name. I am the crucible, which will burn away the darkness, leaving only the good to shine in the eternal sunlight!" "Very well. Then raise, Crucible, defender of the Light, Paladin of the Silver Flame!"So, like I said, I need some help filling in that final blank line. I've asked around with some people on my IM list, but nothing that really captures the moment. One came close with "Crusade", but it just doesn't have that special ring to it. Little help? --+Edit+-- Okay, I think I have my name. I've edited the end of the backstory to reflect my choice. How's it sound?
zambuka 11-15-04, 11:18 PM	A quick look at thesaurus.reference.com http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?q=blank Understanding would be a good name based on the backstory. Maybe Hope, something that replaced the despair One that caught my attention, you may or may not like it. Juncture (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=juncture)
Edymnion 11-15-04, 11:26 PM	A quick look at thesaurus.reference.comThats a danged good idea, actually. Looked up synonyms for Guardian, and came up with something that might work. How does Sentinal sound?
Megatron 11-15-04, 11:30 PM	Argent Pyre Rite Metatron Pax Aspersion
zambuka 11-15-04, 11:46 PM	Everyone should have access to a good dictionary and a good thesaurus. Sentinal sounds good. You used guardian, guardian of what? Right and justice? sounds like the making of a real Silver Flame zealot here, could be fun. Sentinal inspires images of the character who tries to defend the ideals of the church by any means available. It also inpires images of a paladin who would be late to daily prayers because he stopped to rescue a kitten from a tree. He tries to do the right thing but tends to go a little overboard. He'll cut the tree down to rescue the kitten if the tree was too hard to climb. He'll lecture a local pickpocket about the error of his ways. I personally would go for something that is reflected within your backstory. Thats why Juncture looked good to me. It inspires images the character who goes through life a little distant (only because he still has trouble understanding meatbags) but everyone who he comes in contact with becomes a better, happier person. He goes through life doing the right thing just because it is the rigt thing to do. He will use diplomacy and subtlety, like the paladin at the beginning of the article, to achieve the results. He will convince a local pickpocket to climb the tree and rescue the kitten, showing him that good deeds can leave you feeling much better than stealing. But then it is your character and the names may inspire different images to you.
Lasrifriir 11-15-04, 11:48 PM	First of all, I must say that your story is one of the best backgrounds for a warforged that I have ever read. It takes the entire theme of the warforged being bred for war, his existence afterwards, and his discovery of faith. Now, for names, there are a number that I could suggest off the top of my head. Templar (the all encompassing, likely too cliche) Hospitallier (one of the other knightly Holy Orders, I beleive that they were known for hunting down heretics) Teutonic (yet another) Pilgrim (in the true sense of the word, without all the Thanksgiving baggage)
Save-vs-DM 11-16-04, 02:43 AM	Sentinel works - the warforged cleric of the Sovereign Host in my game uses the name. What about Blaze? I started as a candle, but now I am a blaze of faith. Maybe Wildfire? Those are teh only two I can think of. And man, that was a good backstory. If you were in one of my games you'd have gotten a free feat and probably something else cool (possibly even a permanent +2 to wisdom or charisma). CHeers, SvD
Sucros 11-16-04, 03:06 AM	Flametouched is what I'd go with. Other ideas: Silversoul, Flameheart Rejected ideas: The Silver Bullet
Marshall Stone 11-16-04, 03:24 AM	Nice Background. I gotta go with Lasrifriir here and suggest "Pilgrim" Though, admittedly, it doesn't sound all that exciting, it's contations seem to fit well with the background provided. Other suggestions: Archon - the other kind of celestial being besides Angel. Tyr - God of Justice from Viking mythology, though maybe out of place for Eberon. Baldur - Same Viking mythology problem but you could say it means something like "Holy Light" in celestial or something. Hope or Faith - nice ideals, but girls name though, if that matters. Honor or Valor - Hmmm, "Very well, then Raise, Honor, defender of the light, Paladin of the Silver Flame!" (?) Valiant - "Very well, then Raise, Valiant, defender of the light, Paladin of the Silver Flame!" That sounds a bit better to my ears. Good Luck with finding a name, let us know on what you decide.
LazarusX 11-16-04, 04:05 AM	Well...I can give ya a few; although some are not very 'Forge-like; but they might seem to fit the character. Most of these suggestions go off the idea that you character has been "reborn"...once a thoughtless warrior construct, but now; a dedicated religious knight. -Reborn = alittle soft and fluffy; but still---adaquate -Lazarus = no, i'm not plugging my own name, lol....but it does fit the whole "death to the old meaningless life, and arise as a new crusader" -Phoenix = same idea as last one, add in an associated creature of "flame" -Daanvi = named after the moon of "Perfect Order" and lawfulness There's a few...if you don't like any of the ones that any of us have posted; and you still are looking for a name, let us know...we'll keep trying to help. If not; let us know what you decided ;)
ThanisKartaleon 11-16-04, 04:29 AM	FLAMEBOT 027!!! jk Resolve? Vigilance? Bastion? Guardinal? Eladrin? (Hey, somebody said Archon like they were the only other celestials... I like eladrins...) Temper... like he's been tempered in the light of the silver flame. or Temperance? nah. that's all I got for now.
ChronosCrow 11-16-04, 04:38 AM	I think you should name him ChronosCrow, but I know you won't. I say "Understanding" or "Pilgrim" are pretty good choices.
TranquilDarkness 11-16-04, 04:44 AM	My 'forged cleric/fighter has been called Goldheart - and since from your backstory it seems at least some gold is incorporated in your armor.. It might fit. The name that popped to me as I read your story was 'Guide' as guidance meant so much to him. A warforged paladin of the Silver Flame in our campaign was called Sir Theome.. Cool story cheers
Killerring 11-16-04, 06:44 AM	Maybe a name revolving around light would work? Perhaps Latern, or Lamp? I know it seems odd it just seems like most npcs warforged are named after something they feel exemplifies what they are. For example many evil warforged are named after weapons. Names like cutlass saber or mace all make you think of something thats made to kill maybe shield or something else that makes you think of protection.... mabye Bastion? hmmm making me wanna play a forged but im my groups only DM. :weep:
Kid SixXx 11-16-04, 08:59 AM	The warforged paladin in a friend's campaign is named Final Arbiter.
MarkB 11-16-04, 09:28 AM	It probably sounds too silly, but the name that came to mind naturally as I read your background story is Spark.
Edymnion 11-16-04, 09:35 AM	I gotta go with Lasrifriir here and suggest "Pilgrim"Pilgrim just doesn't sound very grandios though. Honor or Valor - Hmmm, "Very well, then Raise, Valor, defender of the light, Paladin of the Silver Flame!" (?)Hmmm... lets give that one a try... "I have pledged myself to serve with honor and valor in all things. So that I may always remember that fact, I have chosen the name of Valor." "Very well, then Raise, Valor, defender of the light, Paladin of the Silver Flame!" Not bad, not bad at all. Definately one of my favorite suggestions so far. Oh, and if it makes a differance to anyone or not, if/when I play him, I'll be asking the DM to let me take a custom body feat. I'm dubbing it "Reinforced Mithril Body", essentially its Mithril Half Plate instead of a Mithril Breastplate. I want him decked out in nice big pieces of armor, but not full plate, and I definately don't want it to be adamantine. But, thats not here or there, I'll go make another thread for that body feat over in the feats and combat board.
Weo 11-16-04, 12:53 PM	Crucible - as in, a metallic form in which impurities are melted away from something valuable...
Lujayne34 11-16-04, 01:11 PM	How about just plain old PALADIN He has found meaning and purpose in life and the simple name is straightforward and proclaims it to the whole world!
Ithamar 11-16-04, 01:14 PM	I think Pilgrim sounds like a good name, but to throw in my own suggestions: Found or Flicker. That or Smitey... :D
Golbez57 11-16-04, 01:15 PM	I like Crucible. A lot. Bastion is cool, too. Back in my "Marvel Superheroes RPG" days, my favorite home-made character was a hulking, armor-plated behemoth. People expected, of course, that he'd have Unearthly strength and fire laser beams from his eyes. Actually, his main power was Force Fields. And "he" was actually a "she"... a robotic hero controlled, far away, through a holographic interface by a paralytic woman. I was so excited to finally create this hero when I bought the "City of Heroes" MMO this past summer, and was crushed to find that the name had already been taken. I was "Steelclad" instead, but that only lasted for a short while, as did my time with the game. There is a lot in a name, after all. At any rate, when I saw the first pictures of the Warforged in Dragon, it IMMEDIATELY brought back memories of this cherished character. The name of that character, and my offering of a suggested name? Solace \Sol"ace\, v. t. 1. To cheer in grief or under calamity; to comfort; to relieve in affliction, solitude, or discomfort; to console; -- applied to persons; as, to solace one with the hope of future reward. 2. To allay; to assuage; to soothe; as, to solace grief. Hope it's to your liking, Edymnion. Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Edymnion 11-16-04, 02:16 PM	Crucible - as in, a metallic form in which impurities are melted away from something valuable...Yeah, crucible... The place where raw, broken ore is place, and subjected to the flame. Impurities burn away in the face of the heat, but the strong, pure metal remains, stronger than ever before for it's ordeal, ready to be forged into a tool, or a weapon. I think that fits him exceedingly well. He was part of a unit, strong as rock, until the end of the war shattered him, and we was rubble. Until he was subjected to the Flame, and his doubts were burnt away. He was left formless, but pure, until he was forged into the perfect weapon of divine justice. I'll admit, I thought it was just an okay name when I first read it. But the more I peel away the layers, and really look at what the word means, the more perfect it sounds. Now he is no longer the broken ore, or the formless metal. Now he is the crucible, and his fires will purify the world. Okay, yeah, thats definately going to be his name. Going up to modify his backstory with it now!
fhilbrandt 11-16-04, 02:53 PM	Biff. It's a good name. :)
Weo 11-16-04, 03:39 PM	:D sweet!
Hanuman47 11-16-04, 04:31 PM	While I was reading Blank's story (very well written, by the way) one word popped into mind - Integrity. I like it because it can be defined in three ways all of which apply to the warforged paladin: 1) Behavior guided by strong morality 2) Physical wholeness and strength 3) Spiritual wholeness and strength Once again, very nice story. Blank/Integrity may have to show up as an NPC in my world at some point.
Edymnion 11-16-04, 05:02 PM	Blank/Integrity may have to show up as an NPC in my world at some point.Well, I'm currently working up my build of him. I'm thinking I'll go for large shield and one handed bastard sword. Body feat will be Mithril Body if I can't custom build it. If I can, I'm going to see if I can't put him in Mithril Half Plate with 30' of movement instead of 20'. Longbow as a ranged weapon, of course.
zambuka 11-16-04, 05:22 PM	Crucible - as in, a metallic form in which impurities are melted away from something valuable... Hmm.. gotta use that one. It's good.