Naming Rules: A reminder

[Winterborne]

I think I know the answer to this but just for clarity;

When you are disguising, you must ALSO use an actual name, correct? No "Hooded Figure" "Man in a mask" or similar, yeah?

[Darradarljod]

I was recently corrected by the DM staff for creating a character (Gauvain Caldwell, Paladin of Siamorphe) using a canon lore of Balduran Nobility to make him a son of a Balduran noble merchant house (or Patriar). It is my understanding the DM team want to keep Balduran nobility as a reward for players, and that it is off limits to play a nobility background themed character.

It may therefore be worth expressing in a ruling that you dont want players creating characters of aristocratic backgrounds.

For reference here are a list of the names of Balduran noble families that would be off limits (a few not applicable due to timeline);

List of Patriar Families:

Belt—This family bred and sold horses to the traders of the Sword Coast.
Bormul—The Baldurian branch of the Bormul family held investments in silver mines and vineyards. They shared lineage with the Amnian family of the same name.
Caldwell—One of the city's oldest and richest families.
Dlusker—A family that was widely snubbed and held in low-regard, as of the 1490s DR.
Durinbold—The Baldurian Durinbolds owed their wealth to the vast herds of sheep they owned.
Eltan—These aristocrats descended from the famous Grand Duke Eltan, who founded the Flaming Fist mercenary company.
Eomane—Surprisingly enough, this family owned whale- and fish-oil manufactories along with the perfumery that produced the most in-demand scents in all of Baldur's Gate.
Gist—This family dominated the production of various dyes within the city.
Guthmere—The owner of a Baldurian butchery along with a number of tanneries.
Hhune—Originating from the realm of Tethyr, the Hhune family married into the Baldurian patriar and maintained strong ties within the secretive Knights of the Shield.
Hlath—These nobles were known for both the cafes they owned as well the great gambling debts they incurred.
Hullhollyn—This merchant family owned a fleet of ships based in the Gray Harbor.
Irlentree—Merchants as well, the Irlentrees were notable members of the city's Merchant's League.
Jannath—The family of wealthy mine-owners once sat a Grand Duchess upon the Council of Four.
Jhasso—This family was named after the Baldurian merchant who helped found the long-standing Seven Suns Trading Coster.
Linnacker—Like so many other patriar families, the Linnackers held investments in other lands; they owned gem mines in the southern realm of Tethyr.
Miyar—Another family with ties to the Merchant's League, they controlled many businesses related to the repair and resupply of wagons that came into Baldur's Gate.
Nurthammas—These Baldurian nobles owned a number of businesses that supplied ships, readying them for long trips at sea.
Oathoon—They imported a variety of quality wine and fine spirits into the city.
Oberon—A noble family that owned many of the dry docks situated within Gray Harbor.
Provoss—While previously well-off, the Provoss family became near-destitute after the loss of their cattle herds.
Ravenshade—This family made their wealth trading in precious gems and fine jewelry.
Rillyn—Known as wise investors and moneylenders, the Rillyns used guild-sponsored enforcers to collect their debts.
Sashenstar—One of the city's most well-known patriar families, the Sashenstars owned multiple investments and businesses and were members of the Merchant's League.
Shattershield—The only non-human patriar family, the forebears of these dwarves undertook the original construction of Balduran's famous city wall.
Tillerturn—Along with being prominent landowners and renters, this family of nobles traced their lineage back to the original four Dukes that founded Baldur's Gate.
Vammas—This mercantile family controlled much of the trade between Baldur's Gate and the ports of Chult.
Vannath—Recently married into the Baldurian patriar, the Vannath family originated from Neverwinter but fled the city following the siege of 1479 DR.
Vanthampur—Interestingly enough, this family owed their success to the service of civic engineering that they provided for the city.
Whitburn—This family was notable for the slate quarry they owned, which was located some ways east of the city.

[c2k]

Some of those names on that list are pretty common names, such as Caldwell, Shattershield(honestly, sound like a great Dwaren name) and Oberon. I think there has to be some leeway with valid names, for instance, what if the player just created a name that was similar to a FR noble house, but has a back story that has nothing to do with that house.

I am not saying don't investigate, but I believe intent needs to be questioned before enforcement.

[chad878262]

To clarify, PCs are allowed to have noble backgrounds, but they must be from another land like Tethyr or Calimshan or wherever. They cannot have nobility in BG or Amn because that would in turn lead to players expecting special in character treatment and priveledge.

[Steve]

I remember getting in so much trouble when I rolled up Hobin Rood of Cloakwood Forest. LOL.

[DM Bloodvine]

If you do see someone you think has an inappropriate name please approach them as a fellow player and say "Hey listen, the DM team has a naming policy here, they might ask you to change it". You can then make us aware of it, please do not try to force or bully anyone about it, leave the enforcement to the DM team.

[cosmic ray]

There has to be some sensibility in applying those rules as well. For instance, would naming a character after one of the gods a violation of the rule? Many people in many cultures have done that after the gods of their devotions - in the real world, that is. It should be a legitimate thing to do to name a child after a god one feels a particular strong devotion to, either by using the exact name or a very obvious variation of it.

[DM Chant]

To clarify, PCs are allowed to have noble backgrounds, but they must be from another land like Tethyr or Calimshan or wherever. They cannot have nobility in BG or Amn because that would in turn lead to players expecting special in character treatment and priveledge.

This is actually not quite accurate. PCs are allowed to have minor foreign nobility in their backrounds contingent on at least one of the following variables:

• The PC has been expelled from the noble house and cut off by their family.
• The PC's noble house has fallen from grace, rank, and favor.
• The PC is indirectly related to the noble house and has no direct lineage that would give them title within it.

But you are right! PCs also may not have Balduran (or Amnian) nobility built into their backgrounds. This is for many reasons, but the above and what Darradarljod has cited both apply.

Usually, our players are really good about running noble connections in their background by the DM team if they're unsure of whether it is all right. Most often, players simply understand that having a direct noble background is not allowed.

So, for the purposes of this discussion thread, and to bring it back on topic, titles are definitely not allowed as names unless DM-approved.