Music by Culture in My Homebrew Setting

When you go about creating a homebrew world, I recommend delving into every element of life within your world so you can get a real sense of what life is like there. I've offered peeks into the mythology, literature, superstitions, naming conventions, common sayings, and architecture of my world as a way to simultaneously illustrate what life is like there, show you the kind of worldbuilding you can do, and work out these details for myself. When I started writing on this site, I had a working idea of what these domains were like, but nowhere near the level of detail I now have surrounding many facets of life. Today, I want to break down an idea that's dear to me: music. For my profile on each race's music, I will describe the most common themes, the instruments used, a well-known song, and a notable musician or group of musicians. 

Mythology by Culture in My Homebrew Setting

I have created a series of articles about my homebrew setting; I have tackled the literature, architecture, common sayings, naming conventions, and superstitions of each racial culture in my D&D setting. As a whole, these profiles depict the cultural values of each race through various lenses. To that list, I am adding mythology: the stories that people tell about the origins of life. Read on for the full guide to culture in my homebrew world, Evanoch. 

When it comes to mythology, the myth is characterized by the story itself, what that myth tells us about the corresponding culture, and what impact that myth has on that culture in today's world. I will address each of these details for each myth, and I think that regular readers of this site will recognize the trends within each culture as consistent with the ways that their cultures operate outside of the realm of mythology. 

Daltoners

• Pelor's Grace: Daltoners have long passed down the story of Pelor's role in the world, characterizing him as a demanding paternal figure. This image began long before the Daltoners arrived on Evanoch. In the myth, Pelor uses all his godly energy to fuel his light so that the people of the world could grow crops and see clearly. But in the process, he becomes weaker the more his light shines. In order to keep Pelor strong, Daltoners commit to acts of sacrifice under the belief that the lost life energy will transfer to Pelor. It is said amongst Daltoners that Pelor received the first sacrifice--a human sacrifice--with mixed feelings because he did not want Daltoners to die for his own power. This has led many extremist Daltoners to look to capturing people of other races for sacrifices (whereas most Daltoners use animal sacrifices). This myth tells us that Daltoners are gravely serious about their religious beliefs and that they view the world as inherently unstable; they must tirelessly work to keep the world from falling apart, which makes many Daltoners view the world as an endless struggle. This is in-line with life on their homeland, the island of Dalton, where resources are scarce, food is scarcer, and people look out for themselves rather than their communities. In today's world, this myth fuels some of the more extreme imperialist Daltoners, and the prevalence of the myth's repetition in the modern world is a reminder that Daltoners have clung to their myths more literally than any other race. 
• Sir Hector the Pure: One of the earliest tales in Daltoner lore is that of Sir Hector the Pure, a hero king who is said to have united all of the warring factions of Dalton under a single banner, forming the kingdom of Dalton. Sir Hector's great strength as a leader was in his clarity of purpose. He publicly committed himself to uniting the great houses of Dalton under the name of Pelor; although he was not honored with an official title of kinghood, he is commonly considered the first real Tsar of Dalton (the supreme leader of the empire). In the myth, Sir Hector repeatedly faces off against the self-driven lords of the land, speaking to them in adages about the limits of power and the virtues of unity. But while this myth includes ideas like these, the morals about collective power and responsibility to community have been interpreted in other ways, usually emphasizing the strength of empires and the infallibility of leaders. This myth's popularity is less a statement about the values represented in the story and more about its enduring popularity as a text interpreted in favor of existing social mores. Today, Sir Hector the Pure's story is treated not unlike modern America treats the story of George Washington--so much is apocryphal that the truth and the modern understanding are completely separate. 
• The Eternal Mother: In the earlier years of the Daltoner empire (before they arrived on Evanoch), gender relations were considerably stronger than they are in modern day. This was due in large part to the myth of the Eternal Mother. Where Pelor served as a symbol of male energy--radiating energy to support the family of the earth--the Eternal Mother was the symbol of female energy. The Eternal Mother was not a god like Pelor, but a symbol embodied by natural forces, like a protective ghost. The myth went that the Eternal Mother was once impregnated by Pelor, but she was so fertile that even after giving birth, she remained pregnant. The myth continues that the Eternal Mother has birthed the most important parts of everyday life, including tangible things like farming implements and technological devices as well as intangible things like a spirit of indomitability or a feeling of inspiration. This myth fell out of favor amongst Daltoner leaders centuries before Daltoners landed on Evanoch, cementing a mostly male-centric society, but some of the more rebellious Daltoner women keep the tale alive for future generations. Today, most Evanines consider this tale to be some of the only evidence that Daltoner society was ever permissive of anything that they are not currently. 

Faninites

• The Great Splitting: Long before the first Faninite settlers landed on the shores of Evanoch, Faninite explorers had made their way to the continent and encountered the mass of races there. This caused the human society to ask questions about the origin of the different races, and a new myth arose. This new story proposed an idea that was considered mythical at best at the time but which is now supported by genealogical science: the different races are all descended from one common ancestor. The Faninite myth contends that one progenitor (essentially a human) split into the other races over time as the distance between the developing races grew. This myth was partially fueled by the biodiversity of the island of Fanin, where similar but distinct species show signs of specialization. This myth places Faninites at the center of the story (being the base ancestor of all races), but also is one of the only racial myths which includes the other races. This story reveals that Faninites, outsiders to Evanoch, were keen to understand their place in a world that had just grown much larger--this is key to Faninites, who regard their place in the world more humbly than most. Today, this myth is considered more of a philosophical concept which reminds Faninites that the world is a complex place. 
• A Mother's Touch: In a tale long passed down, Faninite culture explains that a mother's actions while pregnant help to determine the personality of the child. Playing games while pregnant leads to a competitive child, serving one's community leads to a nurturing child, eating too much leads to a gluttonous child, and so on. It is said that during the mother's pregnancy, the child learns what life is via the mother's experiences. Belief in this myth leads Faninite mothers to adhere to strict behavioral codes during pregnancy, and Faninite mothers commonly curse themselves for their actions when their child misbehaves. This myth reveals the notion of balance in the world that is dear to Faninites--actions have predictable outcomes. It also stresses the importance of child-mother relationships, which are especially important in Faninite culture. Today, this myth is regarded as a wives' tale by most, but many Faninites adhere to strict codes of behavior while pregnant just to be certain. 
• The Unsung God: In the days prior to Faninite expansion to Evanoch, most Faninites practiced a crude form of worship of nature as an entity--they did not worship Obad-Hai or Ehlonna, but rather an unnamed spirit of all natural things. This unnamed deity was responsible for maintaining the balance between extremes: life and death, summer heat and winter snow, times of plenty and times of scarcity. The belief was that by honoring this god, imbalance in nature could be averted. When more Faninites made Evanoch their home, they discovered that Evanines had direct contact with a whole range of deities who actually responded to them--this changed the Faninite perception of worship. Most Faninites became converts of Obad-Hai or Ehlonna, but a good number of them maintained worship of the unnamed god in private. This myth is a reminder that Faninites (now an integral part of Evanoch) are still newcomers to the continent relative the non-human races despite their assimilation but also reminds Faninites that Evanoch is a more special place than their homeland. Today, worship of the unnamed god is more limited and private than ever, but those who do pray to this deity swear that the setting of intentions is more meaningful than directly speaking with a god, who has their own agenda. 

Dwarves

• The Forging of the Hammer: Before Moradin created the dwarves, he was more or less alone in the world. Other gods were warring or creating their domains bit by bit, but Moradin had other plans. To increase his own power, he decided to craft a tool to help him. He considered the spear, but it could not act as a tool. He considered a saw, but it could not be used to protect oneself. He considered a great stone, but it was not easy to use. He decided to combine these features and invented the first hammer, which had reach like a spear, usefulness as a tool like a saw, and power like the stone. The hammer became the very symbol of Moradin, and in many versions of the dwarven creation myth, he used it to create and bless the dwarves. This myth reveals that dwarves' love of tradition extends to all things dwarven, including their deity and their culture. Amongst dwarves today, a hammer is still the holy symbol of Moradin, and many dwarves choose hammers to defend themselves. 
• The Right of Kings: The supreme leader of the dwarven capital of Underhar is called the Dronith, which loosely translates to "Regent." In the earliest days of dwarven civilization, the Dronith was more of a ceremonial rank, someone who humbly performed the rites to keep dwarven leadership going. But sometime just after the beginning of recorded history, the Dronith was transformed into a much more comprehensively powerful person. Many attribute this to the dwarven myth of a mysterious and likely apocryphal leader from the years before history was recorded. In this tale, Dronith Flint Redshield was a dwarven leader whose health was ailing. His people gathered around him on his deathbed, and a cleric whose name was never recorded (known simply as "The Cleric" in this story) decided to direct everyone to empower the dying regent. Through the effort of the gathered people and the magic of the cleric, Dronith Redshield recovered his health and was also invested with the power of his people. From this point onward, dwarven leadership was bestowed along with the blessings of all dwarves in Underhar and the churches of the capital. This myth illustrates the long tradition of strict hierarchy in dwarven culture, as in the myth, common people give up their power for the Dronith's sake. Today, the myth remains something of a reminder from older generations to younger dwarves to remember the power of dwarven leadership in crucial times. 
• A Line on the Floor: Drawn from a myth so old that some details have been lost to time, this myth is the cause of a peculiar dwarven architectural tradition. What remains of the myth tells us this: in the time before humanoids, when it was only gods, the powers of the gods were boundless. They had nothing to sustain, and so they used their powers freely. But because there were no limits on godly powers, the gods were always accidentally interfering with one another. Moradin hatched a plan: he used his hammer to draw dividing lines around himself when conducting magic. These lines separated his powers from the other gods', which allowed them all to practice their powers as they saw fit. This is replicated in dwarven homes by etching lines into the floor that section the home off into distinct areas. A dwarf might eat meals in one section, sleep in another section, and read in a third section; dividing lines on the ground separate these different realms of life. It is said that not employing these lines invites the other gods to interfere with one's designs. This myth illustrates both the dwarven reverence for Moradin (dwarves are among the most committed to a racial deity in the land) and the hierarchical, organized way of life. Today, this tradition is deeply ingrained in dwarven society, and all but the most independent dwarves have clearly marked areas in their homes. 

Elves

• The Phases of the Moon: Corellon Larethian, god of the elves, is indicated by his symbol of a thin crescent moon. In elven myth, Larethian began as the moon itself, more detached than the other gods. This was long before the birth of humanoids; it was simply the gods and the earth. Larethian watched over the world when Pelor was asleep, and the two were very much counterparts of one another. But when the moon reached its waning crescent, Corellon Larethian was split. The moon remained named Corellon, and Larethian is the elven word for "change." Thus, the moon is watched over by Corellon Larethian's highest spirit, while his consciousness lives as the elven god. This separation of spirit and mind indicates the elven tendency towards balancing those two aspects of life. It also represents the elven reverence of the moon. Elves celebrate every waning crescent moon as the beginning of something new, marked by the following new moon. Today, lunar phases remain crucial to elven faith and culture, and some elven traditions are only carried out at night in honor of the moon god. 
• The First Sapling: The story of the first tree is central to elven culture. In this myth, the growth of the first tree precedes even the gods. Before any deities had come to exist, earth, air, and water combined to form the first sapling. In elven culture, trees represent all the elements, as they grow in earth, rise into the air, grow from water, and can be burned as fuel for fire. The first sapling grew strong and tall and spread a variety of seeds across the land, and these seeds grew into different plants depending on where they landed. From this one tree grew all that have ever lived, and elves commonly give thanks to the first tree as though it is a minor deity. The elven homeland on the Lathien Island system is dominated by rich forests with many trees that can only be found there. Many elven homes are built directly into living trees. These facts give context to the elven fondness for forests, and indeed even the symbol of a tree is often used to represent the idea of home. Today, the tale of the first sapling is regarded more as a folk tale than a real history, but the story is shared more often than any more scientific explanation. 
• Tree Breath: One of the oldest substances used as a drug in Evanoch is the refined essence of a plant leaf called Vivara. This substance, when consumed, induces a state similar to elven meditation; for non-elves, it creates a calm but euphoric experience that looks like elven meditation, and for elves, the effect is multiplied by as much as twice that effect. Though uses vary outside of the elven community, for elves, Vivara essence (or "Tree Breath," as it is commonly known) is a spiritual experience meant to bring the user closer to nature. The myth surrounding this is that Corellon Larethian recognized that humanoids were formed with a vital element missing--perspective. To remedy this, he endowed the Vivara tree with the powerful property that opens the door to true contemplation. Many elves believe that the only true path to enlightenment is through Vivara essence. This myth reveals that elves both desire connection with nature (enough to dedicate a powerful drug to pursuing that connection) and that elves believe the path forward comes from reflection, not action. Today, people pay little attention to the myth behind Vivara essence unless they are using it for traditional meditation purposes. 

Half-Elves

• The Other Piece: When Faninites reached Evanoch and mixed with the elves, the result was half-elves. It was noted at the time as curious, as humans and elves were not expected to be able to bear children, since no other combination of races could produce children. Very quickly, half-elves created a myth about the nature of this pairing. Humans and elves were as similar as halflings and gnomes, so why didn't that combination have the same effect? The resulting story posited that elves and Faninites were cosmically linked, fated to meet and create half-elves. The story's details changed with each telling, but the basic premise was the Corellon Larethian and Ehlonna had conspired against the other gods, intending to combine their forces. With this plan, they created elves and Faninites separately, but bound on a collision course. This myth shows the half-elven belief that balancing two extremes is a key part of culture and that half-elves' presence is no accident (a common perception of non-half-elves). Today, this myth is more of an attitude than an actual belief--half-elves are less prone to tradition than their elven parents, and they value philosophy over  faith. 
• The Third Voice: A common elven folk saying (preceding half-elves) says that "Everyone has two voices: a voice for good, and a voice for bad. We must listen to the good." But half-elves developed their own interpretation of this saying with a myth. The story goes that half-elves brought with them a third voice, a voice which is more powerful than either the good or the bad. The third voice, sometimes called "judgment," represents neither extreme, but the push to remain balanced in the middle. The appearance of this third voice is considered by many half-elves to be a real historical event, as the period in which half-elves appeared in Evanoch was also marked by decreased violence, advances in philosophy, and an array of improvements in social conditions. This myth represents the half-elven tendency toward tempering two distinct things as well as the value of compromise and diplomatic thought. Today, the idea that the third voice is a real entity which has changed history is adopted by about one-half of half-elves and a smattering of other individuals; it is often invoked by half-elves when they have a clear solution to a problem that others don't see the merit of. 
• The Half-God: In recent years, a faction of half-elves who feel that they are oppressed and ignored by society introduced a myth they claim is ancient but which few scholars can find any evidence for. The myth contends that there is a forgotten member of the pantheon of deities who is specifically a half-elven god. The patron saint of communication and balance, this deity is named Relligen Larethian--not the god of the moon or elves, but the god of the sky and half-elves. Relligen is supposed to be Corellon Larethian's wife, forgotten by many because her time to shine would not come until the half-elves were born, and ignored then because the other gods were all anyone knew. Although few claim to have been in contact with Relligen Larethian, the myth has gained traction among younger half-elves who want to carve out their own space. This myth is reflective of the difficult social position of half-elves, who have no distinct cultural representation without this god. Today, the myth is continuing to grow, even as it is ridiculed by many outside the half-elven community.  

Halflings

• A Hole in the Ground: Visitors to the halfling capital of Curagon notice quickly that many of the buildings there are underground, with only small burrowed entrances to the structures. This method of halfling construction stretches back as far as recorded history. A halfling myth provides the origin for this tendency: the halfling goddess Yondalla was once the most peaceful and nurturing of deities, which created issues for her as the other gods strove to compete for the most power. In order to be safe and keep practicing her good deeds, Yondalla burrowed into the earth and created a sanctuary from the surface world. Scholars argue over whether this myth explained existing burrows, or if, as the myth contends, burrows followed Yondalla's example. But regardless of the truth of it, the myth is celebrated by halflings by placing a symbol of Yondalla at the lowest point in the home (oftentime, a small dugout is added to homes to create a lowest point). This myth displays an explanation for traditional halfling behavior and adds a moral component to it, which represents the halfling tendency toward good deeds on the community level. Today, the myth is regarded as folk wisdom and inspiration for doing things the halfling traditional way.  
• A Single Note: Halfling mythology contends that in the beginning, all was silent. The gods communicated telepathically, and nothing on the earth made a sound. But Yondalla saw a new way forward, and she spoke to herself from her burrow, "Life." At the sound of Yondalla's bright voice, a halfling family appeared before her. Rather than explain what she wanted from the halflings, Yondalla produced a harp and played a single note. From that note, the halfling family came to understand all that Yondalla had to say, and soon the other gods were speaking and attempting to make music, although no god could make music like Yondalla. The halfling family were gifted with their own instruments, and they created beautiful music long before even the gods could. This myth can explain the halfling tendency toward musical expression; halflings are considered the most inventive musicians in the land, and the creation of music beginning with them depicts the pride that halflings feel for their abilities. Today, this myth is taken quite seriously. Even non-halfling musicians are likely to pray to Yondalla for inspiration, and halfling musicians often also dabble in the lore of Yondalla.  
• A Few Inches Less: For much of the beginning of recorded history, halflings were mostly in contact with their neighbors to the northeast, the gnomes. The similar statures of halflings and gnomes led most members of both races to conceptualize the world as mostly consisting of people of their size. As the halflings came into contact with the dwarves to the southeast, the orcs to the southwest, and the elves to the northwest, they began to realize that halflings and gnomes were outnumbered by the larger humanoids. As a result, a myth began to develop that the gods changed the size of a humanoid depending on that person's morality. The better you were as a person, the shorter you would be, went the logic. The smallest halflings were honored, and the largest humanoids feared. Young halflings resented their growth spurts and hoped to be a few inches less than their parents and siblings. This myth reflects the halfling perspective as outsiders on most every issue, as well as the belief that halflings are the most moral of the races. Today, this myth is regarded as an outdated folk tale, and is mostly invoked jokingly: "I've been having an off day--I bet I grow an inch tonight." 

Gnomes

• The First Machine: As inventors, gnomes are unsurpassed; gnomish god Garl Glittergold is said to have been the progenitor of this tradition. In an early gnomish myth, Glittergold witnesses the blessings of the other races: strength for the orcs, grace for the elves, sturdiness for the dwarves--and decided he had to outdo them and make gnomes the most powerful of the humanoids. His strategy was to make the gnomes more than just humanoids, but beings which could command forces beyond their own abilities. So Glittergold invented a machine, using natural objects like shaped stones and twisted trees, that could empower the gnomes with ingenuity. The machine created gnomes who could tinker and create devices at the same age they could first walk. This myth depicts how the gnomish tradition of inventing is viewed as a crucial and even spiritual part of life. Today, gnomish inventors are likely to worship Glittergold, and they often dedicate their inventions to the deity in hope of success.  
• The Next Name: In a myth from the earliest years of gnomish civilization, a businesswoman named Turina Frebenemy began her ascent of the financial ladder. As she created new products, conquered new markets, and made new fortunes, she began to accumulate new names. These names included Heronitin, Grablowski, Vitteramin, and Ampwin. Each name was an honorific--a title rather than a name. But as generations passed and the story was passed down, the emphasis of the myth became the collection of names as a marker of success. Many gnomes credit this story with being the origin of gnomes' collecting names, and the remaining gnomes insist that Frebenemy was a real person who originated the practice. The myth reveals not only the gnomish custom of gathering names, but also the importance of social prestige in gnomish culture. Today, the myth is still shared as a part of gnomish history, and many gnomes who cherish the tale adopt some of Frebenemy's names in honor of the idea.  
• Part of Something Bigger: Appearing around the time that the gnomish capital of Vestry shifted toward a more socialistic approach to government, this myth provides the basis for much of gnomish culture's emphasis on community. The myth holds that in the first few years of humanoids existing on the earth, disputes began to pop up. The other races devolved into fighting each other and amongst themselves, but the gnomes took a different approach. Instead, they banded together in order to protect themselves and advance their interests together. This was a highly successful strategy which was soon copied by the other races, but the gnomes seemed best suited to this approach. Part of the myth's reason for being was that cultural values were changing, and gnomes needed to codify the value of community in place of the former "everyone is in it for themselves" approach. This myth tells clearly how gnomes consider teamwork to be the best way forward, which informs practically every element of their society. Today, the myth has largely been incorporated into serious history as part of the project that is collective gnomish society.  

Orcs

• The Island Alone: The orcish people reside primarly on the island of Grob, a stark land marked by craggy peaks and an isthmus to the mainland to the north. It took centuries after the beginning of recorded history for orcs to encounter any other race--the elves to the north, with whom the orcs share a fierce rivalry. But before that encounter, the orcs lived as though they were the only people of Evanoch. A myth from this period describes the island of Grob as massive and full of varied peoples, all of whom vied for supremacy of the land. This myth was shattered when the elves were contacted, but the orcish view of the orcish people as being varied became highly important when their world expanded. Until warfare with the elves became a primary concern, orcs resented the other races of Evanoch viewing them as one unit rather than members of disparate tribes. This myth displays how the orcs have a worldview that centers on orcish rather than global issues, as well as how identity amongst orcs is conceptualized--orcs are not a monolith, but neither are they individuals; they belong to a clan first and foremost. Today, this myth is passed down by orcish elders as a reminder of the clan obligations of orcs in the modern world. 
• The Wise Woman: In orcish society, the Curtran ("Wise Woman") is the cultural and spiritual leader of communities. The nominal leader is the warchief, but all of their decisions are discussed with the Curtran first. A very early orcish myth tells of the first Curtran: in the beginning, Gruumsh realized that his prowess in battle would not be enough to serve the orcish people. So he pulled the greater part of his spirit from his body, infused it into a body made of earth and fire, and created the first Curtran. This wise woman acted as counsel to Gruumsh throughout her life, then passed her spirit to the next wise woman. The myth contends that every Curtran today has a part of that first Curtran's spirit alive inside her. This myth reveals that orcs have a considerably more favorable role for women in society than many believe of the orcs; while many assume that the militant orcs would relegate women to backseats in society like the Daltoners and dwarves do, the orcs in fact invest most of their community faith in the wise woman. In this myth, the mundane wise woman is even powerful enough to advise a god--a great investment of power. Today, this story continues to be told, especially by the Curtrans of Grob and by orcs who have left the homeland but want to stay connected to tradition.  
• The Elven Conundrum: This myth picks up where the orcish creation myth leaves off; after the gods have formed the earth and their favored people, disputes between the gods begin in earnest. This myth actually precedes the contact between elves and orcs, and many say it was prophesized by this tale. In the story, orcs are beset on all sides by a numerous, long-lived enemy. For every one of these menacing beings the orcs managed to best in combat, five more enemies appeared in its place. The orcs fought for generations, and in the end, both the enemies and the orcs were too badly damaged to continue fighting. This is rare in an orcish myth--combat is nearly always displayed as a meaningful strategy that will be of advantage to the orcs. Nevertheless, this myth was repeated and feared for centuries until the orcs encountered the elves. Some orcs were hesitant to identify the elves as the feared enemies, but many felt the similarities were too great to ignore. This myth reveals that orcish culture is centered around battle, but it also shows that orcs know when a stalemate has been reached. Today, this myth is repeated by people of all races, particularly historian, who believe that this myth is the single most significant foretelling of a real event to ever occur. 

There you have it: three mythical stories from each racial culture along with the meaning and impact of those stories in the gameworld's present day. These myths deepen our understanding of the cultures they come from and open new possibilities for storytelling. As a for instance, we might set our players loose investigating the half-elven story of Relligen Larethian, or we could have the players look into other potential prophecies from the orcish world. As always, worldbuilding serves not only to characterize the world, but also to create places for our players to create their own stories. 

That's all for now. Coming soon: how to develop places of interest, a one-shot adapted from the movie Snakes on a Plane, and the value of including a summary of the last session to start your game. Until next time, happy gaming!

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Literature by Culture in My Homebrew Setting

The cultures in your homebrew world are one of the most important things to characterize in a tabletop game. Most every TRPG goes to great lengths to create distinct and interesting races or a similar defining features, and it makes sense to me that each of these somewhat insular communities would have its own distinct culture. That's why I have dedicated several articles to the various expressions of culture in my homebrew setting. I have previously written about my world's cultures in terms of superstitions, naming conventions, common sayings, and architecture. Today, I'm providing a glimpse into my setting's literature--the stories that people tell and the big ideas represented by them. Read on for a more complete picture of literature in my homebrew setting, Evanoch. 

For each racial culture in my homebrew setting, I will include three pieces of literary work: one novel, one poem, and one play. In addition to a cursory overview of the plot of each, I will explain the cultural values represented by the work and the perception of that work outside the culture that created it. 

Daltoners

• Novel: The Holy Dry Sun - This novel by George Henderson is a disaster story, fairly post-apocalyptic by any standards, which traces the fate of the world after the sun dries up from lack of sacrificial blood and ceases to shine. Its main character, a Daltoner explorer named Hector, spends his life tracking down the few remaining living things in the world in order to rekindle the sun through his sacrifices. The novel illustrates the Daltoner fixation on Pelor's supposed demands for blood but also the Daltoner virtue of never giving up, even in the face of impossible odds. Outside of Daltoner culture, the novel is regarded as either a complete joke or a reminder that Daltoners are not to be trusted. 
• Poem: "The Last Frontier" - This epic poem by Madeline Withers is a testament to the belief that Evanoch is truly the dominion of the Daltoners. Written when Evanoch was first discovered (before the first Daltoner ship sailed West to the continent), the poem served as a rallying cry over the last 700 years for Daltoners who believe that Evanoch (or Bondar, as they call it) should be in Daltoner hands. In the poem, a group of explorers and clerics create order in the unknown land, dedicating it to Pelor and the Daltoner empire. This poem displays the unbridled imperialism of Daltoner culture and the belief that Evanoch is their ultimate Manifest Destiny. Outside of Daltoner culture, this poem is regarded as offensive because it ignores the rich history and varied cultures of Evanoch as a whole, as though everyone but Daltoners are neglible. 
• Play: The Locked Room - This fairly recent stage play by Brent Golding is atypical of Daltoner culture, and has become incredibly popular outside of Daltoner society. In the play, one member of each of Evanoch's eight races are in a tavern drinking together and sharing their beliefs; when one tries to leave, they realize that the door is locked. The play is mainly comprised of each of the characters proposing a plan that is in suit with their cultural values. In the end, none of them is able to escape, and the play ends without clearly indicating any of their fates beyond their bond formed by shared struggle. Although more typical of halfling or dwarven culture in these ways, the play does toy with the Daltoner sense of superiority in a way that criticizes Daltoner values. Outside of Daltoner culture, this play is regarded as their best example of literature, and stagings of the play are more common outside of New Dalton than in it. 

Faninites

• Novel: The Forest Makes Home - This novel by Thomas Buckskin is a reimagining of a Faninite folk tale. In the traditional story, the forest's border is constantly moving due to human activities, and the animals within the forest suffer for the changes. In Buckskin's retelling, the forest is anthropomorphized into a parent figure for all the woodland creatures, but the humans cannot understand the forest's words. In the end, a spiritual connection between humans and the forest proves more than enough to overcome the lack of language. This reveals that Faninite preference deeper meaning rather than surface communication. Outside of Faninite culture, this is regarded as one of the most important pro-nature stories told in any culture; it is especially well-respected among elves. 
• Poem: "Annabelle in the Snow" - This poem by Reginald Stanton is a slice-of-life scene of a young girl playing in the snow for the first time. Snow is uncommon most everywhere in Evanoch, but on the home island of Fanin, snowfall is a regular part of the year; the meeting with snow is as much about connection to the Faninite homeland as it is about the simple pleasure of the changing of the seasons. Evanine poets are familiar with the final lines: "And as Annabelle kisses the snow / The warmth of nature she comes to know." The poem's taste for simple pleasures and natural blessings are key to Faninite culture. Outside of Faninite culture, few understand the real meaning of the snow (having not experienced it themselves), but many who appreciate nature are keen to remember this poem. 
• Play: The Meeting of the Woodfolk - This play by Candace Thurman reenacts the first meeting of Faninites and elves nearly 1,500 years ago. In the play, Faninites progress from thinking they have discovered a new land, meeting the elves, and the creation of half-elves in a clean three-act structure. Initially, Faninites are wary of the mysterious elves, but each act ends with a notable act of cooperation between the Faninites and elves. The play thematically celebrates the overall cooperation of races and cultures in Evanoch by using the Faninites and elves as an example. For many, the play symbolizes the Faninite preference for cooperation and assimilation; even the adopting of other cultures' values is not marked as a loss for Faninites. Outside of Faninite culture, this play is regarded as a somewhat simplistic view of Evanine issues which ignores the important detail of the Daltoners. 

Dwarves

• Novel: The Hot Iron - This old novel by Werther Forgestoker depicts the relationship between an expert smith and her apprentice. The expert smith is invested with nearly magical powers by merit of the smithing secrets she knows, and her apprentice is a brash young man impatient to become an expert himself. A maternal relationship develops between the two, and despite their clashes over the pace of his education, they eventually agree to work in business together. In the end, the expert smith dies of old age and passes her business to the apprentice, now an expert in his own right. Where the apprentice initially wants to depart from dwarven style, the expert smith shows him the value of the traditional ways. This novel depicts the strict social structure of dwarven society and the love for tradition, as well as making waves when it was first published for its depiction of a dwarven woman as an expert. Outside of dwarven culture, this novel is respected as one of the great canon of literature, and it is even taught as a historical or sociological text at times. 
• Poem: "Moradin's Hammer" - This relatively new poem by Georgia Hideskinner combines classic descriptions of the dwarven god Moradin with modern poetic conventions, effectively reinventing the divine epic genre (already, dozens of imitators have popped up). In the poem, Moradin awakens after a centuries-long slumber to see what dwarves and the other races have made of the world he went to sleep in. He finds that people have forgotten the old ways he taught them and sets out to remind dwarvenkind of his values. In disguise as an average old man, he visits places which are symbols of dwarven society--political houses, houses of worship, and dwarven gatherings--and is shocked to learn that people barely remember his teachings. This poem presents the dwarven preference for tradition while criticizing the individual and financial interests of modern dwarves. Outside of dwarven culture, much of this poem seems to be old-fashioned and without much to say to non-dwarves, but many poets have borrowed from Hideskinner's style. 
• Play: Candleball at Dusk - This play was written years ago, at the height of candleball's popularity; in the intervening years, candleball and the play have both made a considerable comeback. The play depicts a team of dwarven candleball players who need to win a tournament to raise money to pay for a healer for their town's ailing priest. There are themes from ancient dwarven stories represented--the heroic leader with a heart of gold, the tale of success against the odds, the story of cooperation to achieve a great goal--but also new elements, such as a focus on the people's role in supporting the church when the church cannot support itself. The play displays dwarven sensibility by focusing on how the determination of dwarves makes them more formidable than other races and in the way that strength in candleball is prized over nimbleness. Outside of dwarven culture, there is great support for this play amongst candleball enthusiasts, and local productions of the play often change the main cast of characters to suit the racial makeup of the place it is performed. 

Elves

• Novel: Tesseldin - This novel, whose title translates roughly to "impossible to foresee," was written by Willa Tellarin in the earliest era of recorded history. Considered the most influential novel of all Evanine culture, essentially everyone in Evanoch is at least partially familiar with this story. It depicts an elven cobbler, who at first is dissatisfied with the fact that his living is so humble and that he does not get to have a more varied life life other elves. Over the course of the novel, he has conversations with his customers, learning about their lives and that they, too, are dissatisfied with their lots in life. In the final stretch of the story, he proposes that people switch lives every so often--a plan which is adopted. The novel closes with, "And as he began to shape the leather around the shoe's form, he realized that he had missed the work." This novel is representative of elven culture in that big questions are answered with inventive solutions which help people to appreciate the order of the world. Outside of elven culture, this novel is regarded as practically required reading, and its popularity never wanes too far without a revival taking place. 
• Poem: "A Single Leaf" - This poem by Glienne Zaxis is most known because it invented a new form of poetry in which the first line rhymes with the last, the second line rhymes with the second last, and so on--this structure was meant to make the reader feel an escalating sense of meaning as the poem enters its second half, itself supposed to symbolize how the falling of a single leaf is an action that has two equally important parts. The poem tracks the falling leaf and the thoughts of the leaf as it falls, at first nervous, but reaching acceptance by the end of its flight. This poem represents elven culture by revealing great meaning through the simplicity of nature and by investing elements of nature with their own consciousnesses. Outside of elven culture, the poem is largely regarded as being structurally rather than meaningfully resonant, but Faninites in particular treat the poem as a revelatory experience. 
• Play: Trial by the Gods - This play was written nearly 700 years ago, when the spectre of Daltoner imperialism threatened to stretch across the continent. Although elves typically stood aloof from discussions of the Daltoner threat, playwright Ichibel Willinet took a strong stance and composed this play as a public statement. In the play's story, the Bishop of New Dalton dies in his sleep and awakens in a divine realm, where he is prosecuted by the gods of each race and of nature (as Daltoners were destroying much of the natural world as well). Each deity expounds on the variety of crimes and sins committed by the Daltoners. In the final moments of the play, Pelor himself steps forward to condemn the Pelor-worshipping Daltoners, admonishing them for resorting to a brutal way of life that Evanoch outlawed long before their arrival. This play exhibits the elven propensity for big issues and especially political issues; the voices given to nature gods Obad-Hai and Ehlonna are also indicative of the elven reverence for nature. Outside of elven culture, this play is popular in communities that struggle with Daltoner influence--it is especially popular in the dwarven and gnomish settlements that were ravaged by Daltoner forces in the past. 

Half-Elves

• Novel: The Poison Throne - Probably the best-known work of literature in all of Evanoch, this novel by Rachel Disiel combines elements from practically every culture on the continent. The story follows a half-elf who is promised the power to fix every ill in the land if they accept a bargain with a mysterious faerie. In the end, the faerie is a demon in disguise who tempts the half-elf with the promise of domain over any and everyone. The half-elf is at first excited by the idea of solving problems, but soon realizes the cost is the freedom of everyone in Evanoch. The half-elf renounces all the power they have been granted and finds happiness roaming the world's roads and greeting all manner of people. The novel exemplifies the half-elven taste for the exploration of identity and the meaning of community. Outside of half-elven culture, this novel is held high as an example of fine writing and the Evanine spirit; it is widely taught, and it is common for people to refer to scenes from the novel in everyday conversation. 
• Poem: "Half" - This poem by Roderick Canniel is a meditation on identity in a complex world. The poem frames being half of a race as a problem, but then describes natural things which are also halves (fruit is half food and half seed, a community center is half home and half temple, etc.). In the end, the poem celebrates the idea that being half means having the best qualities of both things involved. The poem explores the difficulty of finding distinct identity in a world that does not see shades of grey, as well as celebrating the joined culture of elves and Faninites, both of which revere nature. Outside of half-elven culture, this poem has a small audience (mostly poets), but it is a standard shared with essentially all half-elves. 
• Play: Dinner at Nerull's - Considered the first mystery to be performed on stage, this play by Filine Branch remains a popular event even hundreds of years after its first performance. In the play, a group of travelers at a small inn talk over dinner, sharing the reasons for their travels. Midway through the play, it is revealed that no one has spoken to the innkeeper, and shortly after that all the doors are locked. The travelers begin to mysteriously die, and the remaining travelers try to determine who is killing the other guests. In the end, the least suspected character--an elderly priest of Fharlanghn--turns out to be a serial killer, but in the years that followed, productions of the play always changed the identity of the killer to keep audiences guessing. The play's inventiveness is a mark of half-elven perspective, and the inclusion of diverse characters is also a tendency in half-elven culture. Outside of half-elven society, the play remains popular, largely for its dramatic appeal rather than its literary merit.  

Halflings

• Novel: The Silver Lock - This novel by Vincent Barrel explores the relationship between a protective father and his rambunctious daughter. It is a coming-of-age tale that switches narration between chapters, alternating between father and daughter. Key to the plot is the daughter's continuous efforts to break into a locked chest in the family house's basement. At the end of the novel, the father passes away from an illness, and with his dying breaths, he discloses the location of the key to the locked chest. Opening it, the daughter finds a large collection of letters from her mother, who her father had claimed was dead, but who actually deserted the family after the daughter's birth. The novel closes with the daughter composing a somber letter to her mother, informing her that her father had passed away. This novel is notable in that it flips traditional gender roles (halfling men desert the family unit, and halfling mothers do the childrearing), but also in that the young halfling daughter is a prototypical halfling child, complete with reckless curiosity. Outside of halfling culture, this novel is fairly widely read, mostly because its dialogue is considered some of the most natural in contemporary writing. 
• Poem: "The Sound" - The only known poem written by songwriter Nina Crest of the band Nina and the Fixers, this piece is more of a manifesto for halfling music than the sensory poem it appears to be at first glance. The poem itself describes a series of seemingly cacophonous sounds that inexplicably form a beautiful melody, which is itself compared to the lilting of speech and thought; the body's heartbeat and footsteps form the rhythm of the song, sometimes regular and sometimes racing. On a more meta-level, the poem explains that halfling music is meant to be different, meant to involve the audience, whose own heartbeats are a part of the song as well. This poem exhibits halfling culture in that it is stubbornly individualistic and willfully resists easy processing; the halfling drive to create unique works is better stated here than anywhere else. Outside of halfling culture, this poem is revered by music enthusiasts, but many find its vexing structure to be a frustration--nevertheless, this poem is at least known of, if not read directly, by most people. 
• Play: The End and the Beginning - This highly experimental play by Josie Clasp inverts the order of the story, beginning at the end of the play, skipping the middle, and ending with the beginning. The story picks up at the end of a person's life (the race of the protagonist is not explicit, so productions choose the actor best suited for the role), showing them to act according to good principles, but also showing them having bad intentions. After half of the play, the jumps back to the beginning and reveals the formative experiences that made the protagonist who they are in old age. This play reveals the halfling willingness to question structure and common perception, especially in its assertion that no moment can be understood without appropriate context. Outside of halfling culture, the play is well-regarded by theater experts, but the difficulty of the play has made it hard for greater success to catch on. It is a favorite amongst theater troupes, and one of the most sought-after roles for actors of all stripes is the lead in this play.  

Gnomes

• Novel: Bozozo the Great - This early novel by Nerderer Kaboom tells the story of a gnome from birth to death. One of the longest novels in Evanine society, it provides lengthy explanations of the development, inventions, and business contacts of the main character. It was initially popular as something of a guidebook to proper living for gnomes, then receded in popularity for a time, and came back into popularity in the last century thanks to the window it opens to historical gnomish society. This novel exhibits the gnomish fascination with inventions and entrepreneurship, and its close attention paid to the protagonist's role in the community is reflective of the way that gnomes view their place in society. Outside of gnomish culture, this book is known but rarely read. Author Kaboom was writing at a time when gnomes strove to be as different as possible from the other races, so it is highly idiosyncratic to gnomish tradition, and as a result, few non-gnomish readers are familiar with the entire lengthy novel. 
• Poem: "The Naming of Gnomes" - This poem by Spinner Broomoom is the first known recording of gnomish naming conventions. Poetry in gnomish culture is generally more dedicated to humor than serious topics, and this poem is no exception. In a long series of rhyming couplets, Broomoom fancifully explains how nicknames are gained and what they symbolize, most of which involve outlandish rhymes. As much as this poem strives for levity, it does hold considerable sentimental value for many gnomes, who do not see their unique naming conventions reflected elsewhere in Evanine culture. In particular, a reader can sense the gnomish struggle to be unique but still accepted in society at large. Outside of gnomish culture, this poem is something of a joke, something that non-gnomes refer to in order to illustrate how bizarre gnomes are, but many young gnomes spend time memorizing the strange rhymes of this poem. 
• Play: The Printing Press - This play by Redred Bonks tells the story of the invention of the first printing press by gnomish inventor Bluella Nabbitton. The play begins with Nabbitton conceiving of the printing press, then moves through the various difficulties of inventing and incorporating the idea, and ends with the building of the first press. Many modern day enactments of this play actually place a rudimentary printing press on stage throughout the entire play, only lighting it in the final scene. Many stagings of the play end by reading a list of the most important works of literature and science that followed the printing press's introduction. The play displays the gnomish reverence of invention and the process of inspiration, as well as the greater good performed by the invention. Outside of gnomish culture, the play remains popular with the learned of Evanoch, and it has gained a steady following via performances at places of higher education. 

Orcs

• Novel: The Bloody Ragnar - This novel by Ruk Nert tells the story of the orc's most famed leader, Grat Riln, and his final battle. The novel picks up in Riln's middle aged years and shows him at his height, then spends most of the rest of the story covering the final weeks before the battle where he died. The final scene of the novel is noted for its dramatic battle scene and the final monologue from Riln. The monologue closes with Riln surrounded by his best warriors and advisers, saying, "I do not pass from this earth. I will be in every action you think of me for. This is will go on. I do not pass from this earth." The novel, especially in its carefully described fight scenes, is a testament to orcish battle prowess, and the relationships between Riln and his people is considered the most authentic presentation of orcish society anywhere. Outside of orcish society, the novel is considered somewhat backwards, as warfare has been frowned upon in Evanoch for centuries; the novel is especially detested in elven society, as the great enemy the orcs face are aggressive elven raiders. 
• Poem: "Curtran" - This ancient poem, composed by Derk Zot, is about the role of the orcish wise woman (curtran). In the poem, divided into five parts, Zot describes in reverent detail the five roles of the wise woman: surrogate parent, spiritual advisor, healer, nature guide, and holder of stories. This poem, traditionally shared via oral tradition, spread from orcish tribe to orcish tribe until it became an essential part of orcish culture and became a guide for wise women across the orcish lands. It remains a key part of orcish identity, and it is credited with advanced the rights of orcish women with its loving depiction of the curtran. It reveals the core components of orcish society and how the wise woman is more essential to orcish society than even the warchief. Outside of orcish society, the poem long held little appeal for its depiction of orcish culture in particular, but women of all races have come to prize the poem for its complex and glowing image of womanhood. 
• Play: The Castle of Grob - This very recent orcish play (a medium seldom employed by orcs) by Wert Prenk is a retelling of history that recasts the orcish people as being more involved in the political happenings of the last few centuries. Scenes in the play depict the other races dealing with issues like the Daltoner incursion and the Treaty for Common Currency (which the orcs were only partially involved in); then an orcish leader enters the scene and adds the orcish perspective to the scenes. Many orcs feel that they are the most ignored and reviled in Evanine society, so adding an orcish perspective to these issues is surprising for orcs and other races alike. In the end of the play, the final scene is a depiction of the modern day, now changed to reflect the orcish perspective that was added to these conversations. The emphatic argument of the play is that orcish values would have improved the current day. The play is a showcase for orcish values like community outreach, reliance on family and clan groups, and willingness to fight for one's beliefs. Outside of orcish soceity, the play has a reputation for being imaginative but not grounded enough for genuine social criticism; nevertheless, orcs have made several substantial advances in Evanine culture since its publication, indicating that Evanines recognize the play's message.  

There you have it: a variety of literature from all the cultures of my homebrew world. To add some detail and reality to the world, we can have NPCs refer to and describe these works in-game. Or these can simply be a way to illustrate the cultures of the homebrew world for my own imagination, which creates a more complex and detailed image of these cultures for when I run my games. You can borrow these or create your own--whatever gives you the best sense of what your world is like. 

That's all for now. Coming soon: rules for commanding and sustaining armies, how to use historical research as inspiration, and how to use Hope and Despair tokens to enrich your storytelling. Until then, happy gaming!

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Naming Conventions by Culture in My Homebrew Setting

In this, my hundredth post, I want to talk about something that I consider very important in homebrew creation that I think can also be one of the most fun details about your world: naming conventions. Whose names sound which way? What do those names mean? What do titles mean? This information about character names should create a sense of consistency in your world and communicate cultural ideas to your players. Below, I have explained all of the naming details in my homebrew world, and you can use the same method to create a system of names for your world. Read on for the full description of naming conventions. 

Note: In my homebrew world, I use the standard D&D 3.5 races, and I have added to that framework the idea that there are two distinct lines of humans with very different cultural traditions. I also have determined that in my world, what the manuals refer to as half-orcs are simply orcs in my world; the orcs in the handbook are too violent to take part in society, so how could an entire race of half-orcs appear aside from as a product of violence? I don't like that idea, so I simply use orcs. Finally, the names I am using as samples for these details come from my list of NPCs complete with ages, personalities, and alignments. 

Daltoners

First Name Conventions: Daltoners are meant to represent forces of imperialism and cultural repression in a way that reminds me of British history in the 18th and 19th centuries, so I decided to give them names that sound like they belong in that era of British history. Classic English language names like George, Madeline, Thomas, and Elizabeth are all good Daltoner names. Generally speaking, the more dignified-sounding the name is, the more prominent that person is in society. 

Last Name Conventions: Last names again are meant to evoke imperial British names. This means that most Daltoner names are simply common English names like Smith, Johnson, Cooper, and Williams. But these hyper-common names are not the limit; any name that makes you think of an average white person will work just fine. There are certain last names in Daltoner society that are more respected because of prominent holders of that name, but the individualist streak in Daltoners means that everyone believes their name will be famous one day as well. 

Nickname Conventions: Daltoners abhor nicknames in general, and the vast majority of them go by their full name at all times. Daltoners who are outsiders to society or who spend more time with other races (a rarity) might go by a shortened version of their name, but this is not a common practice. Even parents use proper names for their children rather than develop nicknames. 
Sample Names: Peter Overstreet, Claire Matthews, Rhonda Skinner, James Sheffield, Earl Sumner

Cultural Titles: There is truly only one cultural position held dear by Daltoners: the religious official. The Dalton Church of Pelor, a dark reinterpretation of the sun god, now requiring sacrifice, has two positions: Chancellors, who are responsible for choosing a Bishop and tending to the financial needs of the Church, and a Bishop, who acts as the supreme leader of the Church. Most Daltoners know the names of the Chancellors, and all know the name of the Bishop. 

Civic Titles:  The chief leader of the Daltoners (located in New Dalton, the capital of the Daltoners) is the position of Tsar. Non-Daltoners contend that the Tsar is nothing but a puppet to be controlled by the Bishop; Daltoners reject this claim publicly but privately acknowledge that the Bishop is the true leader of the people. Because Daltoner society is so stratified with the extremely privileged at the top, there is little chance for the average person to attain a rank or title. 

Faninites

First Name Conventions: Faninites were inspired by Viking culture: I wanted them to be a peaceful version of them, a family-oriented, nature-revering line of humans who stand in direct opposition to the Daltoners culturally speaking. But part of the story of the two lines of humans is that non-humans (and even humans to an extent) cannot tell the difference between Daltoners and Faninites. To that end, I wanted the two human lines to share naming conventions to a certain extent so that names couldn't be used to distinguish between them. So Faninites also have similar names to Daltoners. Sample Faninite first names might include less formal names like Riley, Della, Norma, Aaron, and Sid. But you could just as easily use Nordic naming conventions for Faninites if you wanted them to be distinct. 

Last Name Conventions: Again, Faninite names sound similar to Daltoner names. We might add that Faninite names are a touch more abstract and modern in sound, names like Zorn, Laird, Clanton, Lecky, or Vance. Faninites sometimes grant a different last name to their children than they have; this is because honoring a great person from the past is more important in Faninite culture than passing down a family name. 

Nickname Conventions: Faninites prize nicknames; family members and friends often call a person by a nickname. Faninites might have as many as three or so nicknames, but most will have only one. This nickname is most often a shortened version of the full name, like "Del" for "Della" or "A" for "Aaron." Using a nickname in this fashion is a sign of familiarity, and only people who know the person well use their nicknames. 
Sample Names: Posie Quarterlane, Quint Randolph, Eva Wyatt, Zed Clanton, Della Eckman

Cultural Titles: Titles are considered socially unwieldy in Faninite culture, so positions of prominence are not given special titles. Rather, the individual is given a specific nickname that elongates the name ("Dellarin" for "Della" or "Aaronic" for "Aaron") to indicate their position. 

Civic Titles:  There is no formal Faninite government in Evanoch; the only Faninite governing body lies on the island of Fanin far to the north. But back in Fanin, the leader of individual communities gains a small prefix title: the addition of "Ur-" to the name, such as "Ur-Della." Using this prefix is reserved for only very formal occasions--most of the time, the leader is simply addressed by their first name like any other person. 

Dwarves

First Name Conventions: Dwarves in my world live in a feudal society with a strict aristocracy. To that end, I wanted them to have a sense of early British society, and their first names are in line with this: regal-sounding English names. So like Faninites and Daltoners, dwarves have typical English first names, though with an ear for names that inspire a sense of a time past. Dwarven first names include Damon, Frances, Gordon, Norris, and Viola. 

Last Name Conventions: Of all the names in my world, last names for dwarves are the most challenging to keep varied. My formula for dwarven last names is [a natural thing or common dwarven item] + [a verb ending with -er]; sample names include Hammerpounder, Rockhewer, Copperminer, Oakcutter, and Hidesplitter. Dwarven names are passed down with a focus on familial legacy; these names can be traced back thousands of years, and ancestral research and reverence is a great outlet in dwarven society. 

Nickname Conventions: Dwarves do not take well to affectionate nicknames; decorum is prized in dwarven culture, so diminishing that decorum with informality is frowned upon. Rather, dwarves are often called by friends by their last names as a way to honor their family. 
Sample Names: Tane Stonehauler, Heidi Throatstomper, Lana Golddigger, Edgar Grassgrower, Heathcliff Mudcarver

Cultural Titles: Dwarves who become notable artists are granted the title ortaken, or "Creator"--this title is respected by some, but art is not the highest attainment in dwarven society. Dwarves who become notable spiritual guides are granted the title wedarir, or "Beacon"--this title is highly prized, and neglecting to refer to it is a major faux pas. Dwarves who become notable business owners are granted the title vintish, or "Steward of Community"--this title is the most highly prized among civilians in dwarven society. 

Civic Titles:  Local leaders in dwarven settlements are called prentik, or "Standard Bearer"--this title identifies the dwarf with the title as the face of the community in all regards, and in some communities, neglecting to use this title is a minor crime. The supreme leader of dwarven society lies in the dwarven capital of Underhar, and is the Dronith, or "Regent"--it is absolutely required to address this figure as Dronith, or risk offending the most respected dwarf in the known world. 

Elves 

First Name Conventions: The elves in my world are gentle, thoughtful creatures with a strong sense of duty and hierarchy in society. When I was first developing my world, I aligned the elves with Japanese culture (power in silence, respect for superiors, technological and artistic wonders). But I didn't want to use Japanese-sounding names for a variety of reasons. Instead, I opted for a sound that seemed to me in line with the elven language, which I wanted to be soft and whispery. Elven words use lots of Ls, as well as lots of vowels. Their names function the same way. Sample elven names include Achiel, Illthar, Sorildyn, Higella, and Corbell, each of which has a soft sound. You'll also notice these names are a few syllables longer than the names above--I like to think that elves have very intricate names in this sense. Also, the names for elves are not easily distinguishable by gender; any of these names can serve for whatever gender your character in question is. 

Last Name Conventions: Last names among elves follow the same general rules as the first names. In fact, a good first name for an elf probably works just as well as a last name. We want lots of Ls and other soft sounds and a variety of vowel sounds. Sample last names for elves include Quintar, Pillas, Ternala, Visyl, and Folwyn. Elves pass their names down by family line, but the parents discuss which of their last names the child will take. Generally, elves choose to bestow the most well-respected name. (Elves do not take one another's names in marriage.) 

Nickname Conventions: Nicknames in elven culture are considered flippant to the careful name selection of the parents, but that does not prevent nicknames from occurring at all. Especially younger elves give each other playfully honorific nicknames. For instance, an elf with a fixation on the local library may be nicknamed illin fieln, or "Great Eater of Pages." 
Sample Names: Davil Prenille, Toniel Gla'asa, Gemila Sappol, Lorasta Xarkas, Pethana Bresyra

Cultural Titles: Titles are a major consideration for elves. Some titles persist across communities, while others are created specifically for one person. The trend with elven titles is that they are lengthy and try to communicate ideas in a poetic fashion. So an elf who tends to the poor and sick in their community is called ryster nillian blox welinst, or "They Who Care for the Wilting Flowers." It is considered both bad manners and bad luck to neglect using a cultural title. 

Civic Titles: Since the dissolution of kingdoms nearly five hundred years ago, a variety of elven government style has risen. Many of the leaders who ruled the elven kingdom then are still alive now, and many of them resent the fact that their powers were so sharply curtailed. Thus, they are especially defensive of their titles, and elves who disrespect those titles have faced serious punishment. Though the terms vary by the government style, most elven community leaders are called by the title gollinta, or "One Who Tends." The supreme leader of the elven society is the leader of the elven capital of Mishara, and they are called Cestalion, or "Emperor." 

Half-Elves

First Name Conventions: Half-elves are the product of a union between humans and elves--in my world, half-elves are specifically the offspring of the Faninites and elves, as essentially no elf would be willing to partner with a Daltoner, and Faninites lived in Evanoch for over 800 years before the arrival of Daltoners. All this is to say that half-elven names, like most of the rest of their culture, is based on both Faninite and elven traditions. In general, I like to represent my half-elves with names that suggest their identity: a first name that is Faninite and a last name that is elven, or vice versa. Or course, some half-elves have purely elven or purely Faninite names; details like that should be decided depending on the character who's being named. Sample half-elven first names include both styles: Algar, Dewey, Fintik, Janet, and Osharia. 

Last Name Conventions: Again, this is a mix of Faninite and elven traditions. When it comes to bestowing a name on a half-elven child, the parents choose a name that combines their two traditions, but then on the half-elf's 5th birthday, they are asked to revisit their name--would they like to change it? By means of this tradition, half-elves are allowed to choose how they represent themselves, either by conforming to local standards or representing oneself as an individual. Sample half-elven last names include Yarborough, Topperill, Tanner, Biquinial, and Holcomb. 

Nickname Conventions: Half-elves borrow more from Faninites in terms of nickname customs; most half-elves have a small collection of nicknames by the time they become adults. The modern elven tradition is included as well, and the standard formula for a half-elven nickname is [shortened version of the first name] + [an honorific title]. A sample in this style for a talented young baker named Priscilla might be "Pris, Grand Architect of Cakes." 
Sample Names: Webster Xan, Edmund Biriel, Ivell Cardham, Haleira Yamhill, Valerie Orson

Cultural Titles: The taste for honorific nicknames affects cultural titles; any half-elf who attains a role of even moderate importance in their community is usually given a nickname by the half-elves around them. Half-elves are more broad and less selective about what roles serve society than elves, so these titles can honor even the smallest roles. A sample title for a dedicated schoolteacher might be nerill tydam scintis, or "Farmer of the Mind of the Future."

Civic Titles:  There is no official half-elven government in existence in Evanoch, but due to their skills at diplomacy, many half-elves are in important positions. So while there is no term for a specific leader in half-elven culture, the general term tiellen, or "Conductor," functions to acknowledge the position, but without placing undue seriousness on the term, as half-elves are far less friendly to hierarchy than their elven parents. 

Halflings

First Name Conventions: In the lore of Dungeons & Dragons, halflings are a reinterpretations of Tolkein's hobbits. In my world, though, halflings are more enterprising than hobbits, and halflings are also a matriarchal society in my world. So I wanted my halflings to feel distinct from hobbits. And so instead of the hobbit's naming conventions, my halflings have a formula that recalls the dwarves: [traditional English first name] + [an everyday item]. So the halflings' first names are similar to human and dwarven names, but with the addition that the first names be slightly less common names. Some sample halfling first names would be Kirk, Josephine, Augustana, Abner, and Felix. 

Last Name Conventions: The last name of a halfling is an everyday item, something common. But it's not just a random item; halflings are raised solely by their mothers and are given a unique last name on their first birthday that reflects an everyday object that inspired wonder in the halfling as an infant. So some sample halfling last names would be Glass, Loom, Cuff, Bluebottle, or Tealeaf. 

Nickname Conventions: Halflings are pretty easygoing about nicknames; if they are given one, they will answer to it, but it is unlikely that they tell others about this nickname. Some halflings who have lost the wonder at the item they were named for will elect to go by a new item; Josephine Glass, no longer enticed by the shine of a perfectly smooth surface, goes by "Lock" when they become transfixed by the lock's intricate mechanisms. Halflings themselves never bestow nicknames on others, mostly because they understand the fickleness of nicknames and wouldn't place others in that position. 
Sample Names: Lisa Keyhole, Tabitha Tealeaf, Clover Loom, Felix Manykeys, Ralph Warmpipe

Cultural Titles: Halfling society is incredibly individualistic; the halfling capital of Curagon is a massive anarchistic collection of people who live as though no one else shared their space. As a result, honoring specific people with special titles simply does not happen. Cultural leaders are referred to by their first names. One small exception is in the field of music; halfling music is the most inventive and wild of all the cultures' music, and halflings who prize a specific musician may refer to them as ringert, or "Little God"--a reference to the otherworldly control over sound that these musicians display. 

Civic Titles:  Because halflings have no government and actively resist hierarchy, there are no civic titles in the halfling culture. However, halflings who try to establish governmental or otherwise controlling entities are known derisively by other halflings as gorin, or "Misguided Fool." 

Gnomes

First Name Conventions: When I was first getting into D&D about 15 years ago, I read that gnomes collect a variety of names over their lifetimes, and that many of these names were silly-sounding. I was inspired. Gnomes quickly became one of my favorite groups to play as both player and DM, and when I established the naming conventions in my world, I simply had to keep this fun detail. So, according to gnomish custom, gnomes are given names regularly and by a variety of people. The gnomish sense of humor dictates that silly-sounding names are among the most prized. So gnomish first (and last, and middle) names are either strange sounds or nonsense words. (These are the most fun to come up with.) Sample first names for gnomes include Melodrome, Tinktink, Quilp, Mimble, and Arcwitz. 

Last Name Conventions: Gnomish last names are basically the same as gnomish first names, but I do try to make it so that the first and last name work together to be sillier than the sum of the parts. Above, I used the example name "Melodrome," which I thought needed a similarly bouncy and nonsensical counterpart; the last name I chose for "Melodrome" is "Boddynock," which I think has a nice ring to it. Similarly, the name "Arcwitz" needs something especially silly to balance out the cool-sounding first name; this character's full name is "Arcwitz Jellyroll." Other gnomish last names include (Tinktink) Clicksteel, (Quilp) Wobblebonk, and (Mimble) Ladlesworth. 

Nickname Conventions: Gnomes collect nicknames like a magpie collects shiny things. Not only are gnomes given a name each by their mother, father, siblings, aunts and uncles, grandparents, friends, coworkers, and partners, gnomes will adopt any strange name they think up, hear, or are called by relative strangers. It is not uncommon for a gnome to have upwards of 20 names, all of which they regularly use; gnomes employ certain nicknames depending on the situation and their mood. Close gnomish friends might have as many as five nicknames for each other or more; it all depends on the particular disposition of the gnome in question. Among gnomes, introducing oneself with up to 10 names is expected, and gnomes sometimes get into informal competitions to see who has the most names or the strangest names. Most gnomes provide only two names to fit in with the other races' naming conventions, but some stubborn gnomes will list more than a dozen names just to mess with non-gnomes. 
Sample Names: Haftra Fiskinspark, Gorbulus Boffins, Dimly Sadpockets, Trifffft Penderflerflur, Darcy Fortypigs

Cultural Titles: There are far too many titles in gnomish culture to count. Any individual rank might be referred to be a score of different names, often causing confusion to those who are not well-versed in gnomish naming conventions. The one title that is common enough to mention is a special honorific for inventors who have changed the world in some way through their inventions: wielinack, or "Manipulator of Matter," is a term of extreme status and is not used lightly. 

Civic Titles:  There is a specialized title for every rank within the densely hierarchical structure of gnomish government. The gnomes in my world have a sense of order and structure that is represented in government; they live in a democratic socialist society, and there is a system of power that includes a variety of ranks. The gnomish capital of Vestry is organized into sixteen sectors (in a large square shape), which creates four quadrants and one whole. Thus, the leaders of the sixteen sectors are referred to as xintash, or "Mayor." The leaders of the four quadrants are called perinsh, or "Governor." The leader of the whole of the gnomish capital is called snirj, or "Lord." 

Orcs 

First Name Conventions: Orcs, with their focus on actions over words, are often quiet in conversation, speaking only when action is called for. I interpreted this to mean that the orcish language is rough, guttural, and sharp. To that extent, the names of orcs are short words, mostly intimidating sounds. Linguistically, the orcish language is rich in Rs and Ts, which create a sense of sharply-spoken language. So the orcs in my world end up having first names like Trall, Ruk, Grat, Rilka, and Lazgar. 

Last Name Conventions: Orcish last names follow the same pattern as first names: short, sharp words. But while the first names of orcs are normally only a syllable (maybe two) long, their last names are a bit longer, which I used because I figured family names would be more distinct than first names. Orcish parents traditionally engage in a sparring match just after the child is born; the victor decides which of their last names passes on to the orcish child. Oftentimes, this sparring match is only a formality, as most modern orcs pass down the name of the more well-known of the parents. A few example last names for orcs would be Frenk, Dugorim, Ragash, Lagahk, and Bagdurash. 

Nickname Conventions: It is tradition in orcish society to gain a manner of nickname--an honorific of combat prowess--at the age of 16, when they enter adolescence. This honorific title is called grountin, or "Battle Face." Typically, a young orc spars against either a parent or other caretaker/mentor, and their actions become the source of a new grountin. Even if the young orc does poorly in the fight, they are rewarded with a name that honors what they did well. A formidable orc might have a grountinlike ruktin, or "Fearless"; an orc who performed less well in the fight might have a grountin like turrak, or "Cautious." These nicknames are worn as a badge of pride and are considered to foretell the future of the orc who has been bestowed the name. These nicknames are generally not shared outside of orcish society, as orcs recognize that the other races do not understand the cultural implications of it. 
Sample Names: Globat Borbal, Ghorza Rulfim, Shadbak Uloth, Grat Sharn, Lazgar Mazoga

Cultural Titles: Standard cultural roles like educator, religious representative, and artist are not particularly prized in orcish society, so those roles don't receive titles. But leaders of military forces and the role of village wise woman are honored. Orcish military groups don't follow a regimented structure; rather, there is one leader for each distinct group of troops, each of whom answer to the political leader of the group (who also serves as a kind of General of the army). The unit leaders are called kurak, or "arm," and the overall group leader is called ragtin, or "head," assuming that leader is not also the leader of orcish society known as Ragnar, or "supreme." The wise woman, who assists a clan's ragtin in a fairly equal role, is known as curtran, or "heart." In ascending order of respect paid, an orc might refer to one of these cultural leaders by their first name, their full name, their title, or their title and their last name. 

Civic Titles:  As described above, most of the leadership responsibilities in orcish society are the domain of the military leaders and the wise woman. For orcs who live in the orcish capital of Kruush on the island of Grob, ultimate fealty is paid to the Ragnar, whose clan tends to the other lesser clans on the island. The Ragnar is treated with great respect, but not necessarily deference; it is a cultural staple for orcs that anyone can challenge the Ragnar to a fair fight at any time to take the throne from them. In modern times, these challenges are less common, as orcs have tried to collectively mobilize against the other more imperialistic.