Dark Souls D&D: part ?, the issue of names
I have been creating a D&D hack that emulates the gameplay of Dark Souls. I'm starting to put these notes and ideas into a single document, and in true old school fashion I decided the first section should be "create your character" which leads me to discovering, or re-discovering, that so much of Dark Souls lore is implied that it is difficult to define specific characteristics for regions and history.
In Dark Souls (the first video game of the series) there are Face Presets which essentially serve as regional background descriptors, and since I'm trying to restrict most of my D&D conversion to the first game I decided to start with these Face Presets as my "Step 1: Choose a Background" for character creation. How do you invoke a region that you have almost no information about simply through suggested names?
ZENA
I started with "Classic Zena" a country of which there is only one NPC who is said to be from: Domhnall of Zena. He's a cheerful merchant with a love of trading and collecting armor from different lands. "Domhnall" has Irish/Welsh/Scottish linguistic roots, and the name itself is a Gaelic form of "Donald" meaning "world ruler."
Based on his Celtic/Gaelic-flavored name and his jovial, wandering merchant personality, these names carry that same quality of a seemingly gregarious and trade-loving culture.
Male: Cormac, Breccan, Eoghan, Lorcan, Tadhg, Fionnbar, Niall, OisĂn, RuairĂ, SĂŠamus, Colm, Diarmuid, Fearghus, Cathal, PĂĄdraig
Female: Aoife, SĂle, Niamh, GrĂĄinne, Eithne, Caoimhe, Sorcha, Orlaith, Deirdre, MĂĄirĂn, ClĂodhna, BrĂd, Fionnuala, RĂonach, Sadhbhâ¨
FAR EAST TRAVELER
That's a great list of names so now I was feeling full of myself. I turned to the "Far East Traveler" preset, a background that also has only one NPC that originates from the stated region: Shiva of the East. Shiva uses and sells weapons that suggest a feudal Japanese aesthetic, however Shiva is actually a Hindu/Sanskrit name, referring to a major deity in Hinduism. This suggests the "East" in Dark Souls may draw from a broader Asian influence beyond just Japan, blending Japanese, Indian, and possibly other Eastern cultural elements.
I created a list of names that blended Japanese and Indian roots into a middle ground where they feel plausibly Eastern without pinning them down to a single real-world culture.
Male: Ren, Kai, Sora, Hiro, Kael, Rajan, Ashir, Toren, Varen, Davan, Kiran, Sajan, Amaro, Nirav, Jorin
Female: Mira, Raya, Nara, Tara, Suki, Yara, Lina, Adira, Chaya, Kesa, Amala, Seren, Priti, Asha, Meiko
COMMONER
Now I'm less confident because when I look at these names I can see the shortcuts I used to make this list. I moved on to the "Commoner" preset, which is described as a standard, non-noble, and considered âlowly." Based on Dark Souls' European medieval setting and characters like Andre the Blacksmith, Patches, Griggs, and Petrus, these are common folk with simple, unpretentious names. I need a list that feels grounded and humble, the kind of names a farmer, blacksmith, or laborer might carry before being swept up in an undead pilgrimage.
Male: Aldric, Bram, Colm, Darren, Edric, Finn, Gareth, Holt, Jareth, Kern, Lenn, Marten, Osric, Penn, Rodric, Tam, Wulf, Cedric, Hamish, Bertramâ¨
Female: Elda, Brynn, Cora, Dalla, Enna, Fern, Gwen, Hild, Jenna, Kella, Lira, Maren, Nell, Petra, Renna, Tilda, Wynn, Bessa, Hanna, Almaâ¨
DELTA FARMER
Next is the "Fivefinger Delta Farmer" which only ever referenced in the character creation menu and never mentioned elsewhere in the series. There is an oft-speculated parallel to the Nile Delta in Egypt, since river deltas have historically been utilized as farming regions. Fan lore suggests it likely has five distinct sections carved out by waterways, with rich soil from nutrient deposits. Given the Nile Delta inspiration, the sun-weathered reddish skin, and the agrarian folk identity, I would blend earthy medieval European names (matching Dark Souls' overall tone) with subtle Egyptian/Mediterranean influences.
Some of these nod to the delta-farming identity: Emmer (an ancient grain), Sedge (river plants), Kemet (the Egyptian word for fertile "black land"), Mattoc (a farming tool), Calla and Rue (plants), and Pella (a Mediterranean river city). They're rough, earthy names for a humble, hardworking people shaped by long days under the sun on rich floodplain soil.
Male: Heron, Mattoc, Sedge, Aldwin, Tomm, Barric, Corin, Emmer, Luken, Farren, Renn, Sable, Kemet, Henner, Dael
Female: Pella, Merryn, Thessa, Adra, Senna, Calla, Ilva, Brenna, Lotta, Tannis, Retha, Rue, Elke, Maret, Duna
ASTORA NOBLE
Now for something easy! The "Astora Noble" preset has a lot of established lore which already paints a rich picture of what the kingdom of Astora might be like, and the initial description already implies that maybe the "Commoner" comes from Astora, but just like the fanbase I chose to ignore this. I also wanted the names to feel significantly different.
Astora was known as a refined land with a highly sophisticated culture and society, a land of noble knights, fine craftsmen, and valorous deeds. The named characters from Astora across the series are: Oscar, Solaire, Anastacia, Andre, Anri, and Ricard. These names lean into French, Latin, and broadly Western European noble traditions, which is fitting for a land of chivalry, sunlight worship, and fine craftsmanship.
The names should draw from the same French/Latinate as the canonical Astoran names, with an aristocratic elegance befitting a land of blue-eyed, fair-haired nobles devoted to sunlight and chivalric tradition. Names like Gauvain (Gawain), Percival, and Isolde evoke Arthurian romance, which fits Astora's knightly ideals perfectly.
Male: Aldric, Gauvain, Edmont, Lucien, Corwin, Bertrand, Theodric, Renauld, Alaric, Leoric, Gervais, Auberon, Roland, Armand, Percivalâ¨
Female: Clarisse, Eloise, Vivenne, Isolde, Margaux, Celestine, Arienne, Seraphine, Rosalind, Adeline, Emmeline, Ysolde, Elara, Aveline, Heloise, Dauphineâ¨
DRAGON SCHOLAR
Next up is the "Dragon Scholar" which also has significant lore about. The Dragon Scholars clearly come from Vinheim, a land of sorceries and the home of the Vinheim Dragon School. It is heavily implied that those from Vinheim tend to be scholarly and are sometimes scorned for it. The school has a variety of specialties, including sound, smithing, swordsmanship, and combat sorcery, and the country was supposedly controlled by the Vinheim Dragon School.
The canonical Vinheim NPCs are: Griggs, Rickert, Logan (Big Hat), and Orbeck. The naming convention is Germanic/Nordic. Vinheim itself sounds Scandinavian ("vin" meaning friend/meadow, "heim" meaning home). The names are sharp, clipped, and intellectual-sounding. The names should lean into the same Germanic/Nordic register with sharp, consonant-heavy sounds befitting sharp-featured scholars who prize intellect over social graces and might draw suspicion from the less learned.
Male: Aldrecht, Wendel, Harken, Sigurd, Caspian, Thalric, Voss, Erasmus, Kelmut, Torben, Aldwin, Gerhard, Stellan, Wolfram, Othmar, Fennric, Balthus, Reiner, Dettmar, Hengestâ¨
Female: Elke, Sigrid, Ottilie, Linnea, Dagny, Frauke, Maren, Gisela, Wynn, Almira, Thessa, Hilda, Cordula, Solvei, Brigida, Ragna, Edda, Merethe, Katarinâ¨
THOROLUND
Next is the "Thorolund Cleric" preset, which is interesting because Cleric is specifically named as a Face and yet it also appears as a Class. The lore of Dark Souls is rich with religious and political intrigue. Allfather Lloyd seized power after Gwyn disappeared, and various item descriptions point to his rule in Thorolund as being something of a police state, where dissenters are exiled.
The canonical Thorolund NPCs are: Lloyd, Petrus, Reah, Vince, Nico, and Leeroy (probably a WoW reference if we're being honest but I included it anyway). These names blend Latin/Roman ecclesiastical tradition with short, blunt names for the soldier-clerics of a theocratic society steeped in dogma and political scheming. Reah even speaks Latin in her farewell dialogue. These names blend the Latin/ecclesiastical gravitas of a theocratic society with the blunter Anglo-Norman sounds of the soldier-clerics.
Male: Aldous, Clement, Erasten, Gregor, Habel, Marius, Norbert, Severin, Thadeus, Callum, Desmond, Ignatius, Marcellus, Quillan, Rufus, Simeon, Tobren, Valerus, Wendell, Corvusâ¨
Female: Adela, Brielle, Cassia, Elara, Faustine, Gisele, Honora, Liviana, Miriel, Octavia, Piera, Roselle, Serilda, Tarenne, Ursula, Valenne, Colette, Damaris, Evelise, Celeste
GREAT SWAMP
The Great Swamp is a land of rugged grasslands and treacherous swamps, famous as a land of pyromancy practice. The natives are looked down upon due to their atypical looks and lifestyle, for which they are unwanted and even considered heretics. Its residents are forced to constantly trudge around hazardous marshland on foot, wielding hand axes to help cut through the thick foliage. The pyromancers revere the Witch of Izalith as a godmother figure, and it is as much a religion as a magic discipline.
The canonical Great Swamp characters are: Laurentius, Eingyi, Cornyx, Cuculus, Salaman (the Master Pyromancer mentioned in lore), and Carmina (Salaman's pupil, mentioned in lore). These names are notably Latin/Mediterranean in origin and the naming convention leans heavily on nature and fauna, befitting a people deeply attuned to the natural world. I took Latin words and added rougher, earthier sounds.
Male: Ranulf, Bogdan, Mordus, Caspus, Fennick, Gallow, Tarvus, Brecken, Hektor, Lacertus, Rufan, Stobren, Vulpen, Ashmar, Graven, Kolben, Morten, Pyrrus, Tallow, Wrenthen
Female: Marrah, Alder, Brusca, Cynna, Dagna, Embla, Fenne, Grella, Hyla, Junca, Kelmara, Murren, Nettis, Rava, Scylla, Tannis, Urchala, Vessa, Wicken, Yarrowâ¨
CARIM
Carim is wonderfully sinister! The people of Carim are much like those of Thorolund, but they are more inclined towards darkness and deceit. Three deities are highly revered in Carim: Caitha, the goddess of tears; Fina, the goddess of love; and Velka, the goddess of sin. The land produced the infamous Sir Arstor, the "Earl of Carim," credited with the invention of Shotels and known as "the Impaler." Carim clergywomen are famous as storytellers, memorizing tons of scripture to beautifully recite.
The canonical Carim characters across the series are: Oswald, Lautrec, Kirk (Knight of Thorns), Arstor (mentioned in lore), Irina, Eygon, and Morne. These names span Eastern European/Slavic tones, Old English/Germanic darkness, and darker Latin. The naming convention feels familiar enough to seem trustworthy, but slightly off, deliberately unsettling.
Male: Aldren, Corvain, Draeven, Gault, Halvard, Mordren, Nachtus, Riven, Sethric, Theron, Ulvain, Vassren, Wolmere, Cadmael, Fenwick, Greiven, Luxien, Phelan, Velmorn
Female: Aislin, Brenna, Caela, Druselle, Evelith, Gwyndra, Iselde, Lysenne, Morwen, Nieve, Orielle, Ravenne, Selenne, Thessaly, Umbra, Velaise, Wynmare, Ysabel, Calista, Damienneâ¨
CATARINA
The character creation screen describes Catarina faces as "characteristically large eyes and mouth, a truly cheerful face." Catarina remained known for being a land of festivity and drinks and whose people were typically outspoken, venting anger and the like with confidence instead of bottling their emotions. Catarina is possibly modeled after the Germanic culture, as the names of all known inhabitants are derived from Germanic origin. The names even reference Norse mythology as Sieglinde is likely a reference to a character in Wagner's Die WalkĂźre, a German opera inspired by Norse mythology.
The canonical Catarina characters are: Siegmeyer, Sieglinde (his daughter), and Siegward. All three share the "Sieg-" prefix (German for victory), and the naming convention is unmistakably Germanic/Bavarian. Hearty, rolling names that sound like they belong to people who laugh loudly and drink deeply, or maybe the NPCs' characterization is what gives me that impression. Siegward in particular likes to drink!
My naming conventions then must include big, warm, round-sounding Germanic names that fill a room the way a booming "Hmmmm!" does. Names like Traugott ("trust in God"), Aldbrau (evoking "old brew"), and Gotthelm ("God's helmet") capture the blend of piety, festivity, and battle-readiness that defines Catarina. They're names for people who toast their enemies before charging them.
Male: Aldbrau, Burkhart, Dietmar, Eberhard, Folkert, Gotthelm, Helmfried, Ingmar, Kolmar, Leodegar, Mannfried, Ortwin, Ragnvald, Steinmar, Traugott, Volker, Waldemar, Germund, Hartwin, Baldricâ¨
Female: Adelheid, Brunhild, Dagmar, Gudrun, Hedwig, Irmgard, Kunigunde, Liesel, Magda, Ottilia, Rosmund, Solveig, Theda, Ulfhild, Waltraud, Gerlinde, Helga, Berta, Kriemhildâ¨
This was fun to write out, and now I wish I had done it with my Kosranon names because even though I know I took from Greek and Armenian roots for those I don't remember the exact process that led me to any of them.
I've thrown a few easter eggs in here as well, but overall I'm pretty happy with how all of them turned out. It took me three days to do all of this work, and now today I am avoiding transferring data from one word doc to my pdf by writing up my process on this blog.
Catarina was the most fun which is why I did it last. Cheers!