PhilFleischmann Posted December 1, 2004 Report Share Posted December 1, 2004 Re: Magic field names Hey, that's exactly what I was looking for! Thanks! So, "pyromagy" would be the general study of fire magic, with "pyromancy" being divination through fire (stare into the fire and see visions among the dancing flames?), "pyrology/pyronomy" being the more theoretical side, "pyrurgy" (I don't really know how to combine these roots) being the practical side of making fire DO something, etc. An important disclaimer: You should realize that you're making up words now, but that's your right as a GM. After all, you're making up a whole world, nations, races, monsters, characters, gods, etc. Why not make up words too? At least they'll make more sense than some of the words they make up in that other game system. (Must...resist...temptation...to...bash... ) I made up a number of words for my FH campaign, various heraldic terms for charges and positions unique to my world. Oh, and there's also -osophy = "knowledge, wisdom" but that might not be all that useful in this context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted December 2, 2004 Report Share Posted December 2, 2004 Re: Magic field names It's all sophistry Anyhow, I find in fantasy novels - that the use of created words really helps create the world. And if it was good enough for Shakespeare (ie quintessence) then it's good enough for me I even like books that go a bit too far with made up words (ie Wormwood by Terry Dowling). Language is representative of the culture it grows up in - if you are creating new cultures, you should create new languages... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeropoint Posted December 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2004 Re: Magic field names Yes, I realize that I am making up words. I'm just trying to make them out of pre-existing pieces, the same way we get words like "television" and "microscope". Zeropoint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightray Posted December 2, 2004 Report Share Posted December 2, 2004 Speaking of "microscope", there's also: -oscopy = observation As in horoscopy (observation of the hours/seasons) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeropoint Posted December 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2004 Re: Magic field names So necroscopy would be a really boring discipline, I would imagine. Zeropoint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky Posted December 2, 2004 Report Share Posted December 2, 2004 Re: Magic field names So necroscopy would be a really boring discipline' date=' I would imagine.[/quote'] Well that kind of depends. I imagine in Haiti, it is a lot more exciting than we'd really want it to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted December 2, 2004 Report Share Posted December 2, 2004 Re: Magic field names Not according to the Brian Lumley book (called Necroscope BTW - the main character talks to the spirits of dead folk, yes, just like Sixth Sense) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilFleischmann Posted December 2, 2004 Report Share Posted December 2, 2004 Re: Magic field names Yes' date=' I realize that I am making up words. I'm just trying to make them out of pre-existing pieces, the same way we get words like "television" and "microscope".[/quote'] And if you really want to be a stickler about it (stickler = pedantic nerd), you can even forbid "bastard words" like television, which was built from Greek "tele-" (far) and Latin "vision" (vision), as opposed to most historically established words that use either Greek or Latin roots, but never both. If you really want to, you can find enough info on language rules to drive yourself completely insane! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted December 4, 2004 Report Share Posted December 4, 2004 Re: Magic field names And if you really want to be a stickler about it (stickler = pedantic nerd)' date=' you can even forbid "bastard words" like television, which was built from Greek "tele-" (far) and Latin "vision" (vision), as opposed to most historically established words that use either Greek or Latin roots, but never both.[/quote']Of course, we should be driving around in ipsomobiles If you really want to' date=' you can find enough info on language rules to drive yourself completely insane! [/quote']Drive? Drive?? For some of us, it's a short stroll. A very short stroll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted December 6, 2004 Report Share Posted December 6, 2004 Re: Magic field names Just reading Iron Council (China Mieville) and came across an interesting term- A Sussurator : one who practices Subvocalurgy. A minor division of Thaumaturgy. Which is basically mind control, indirect, incantation, invisible power effects. The sussurator whispers, and it is heard by the target at a distance (and no where else). The very powerful ones can reach miles. It does appear to come with side-effects, however (as all magic does in China's Perdido Street Station setting) - the Sussurator can only communicate through their whispers, and cannot therefore talk to more than one person at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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