# Cool mysterious names of places (desert)



## Mystery Man (Aug 31, 2005)

Is there a website or namegen for cool site names, you know like the Temple of the Gleaming Sands (not that that's the coolest one ever) or The Obelisk of Dessication for example. So if anyone has linkage to something or can think of a cool name post it here!

Spanks!

I feel I should specify that we stick to a fantasy/desert theme and try (though I know it will be hard) to avoid things like Tower of Power or other silliness. Or if you must try to include at least one _good_ serious one.


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## SidusLupus (Aug 31, 2005)

I'm lame and usually look up real maps from the middle east and cannibalize names for places from there. That may or may not be the type of names you're looking for.

I'm curious what other people use to come up with names though.


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## Warrior Poet (Aug 31, 2005)

There are some cool desert names right here on our own Planet Earth that could be effective:

Monument Valley
Tablelands
The Arches
Slaughter Canyon (named for John Slaughter, not some sort of catastrophe, but no reason it couldn't work the other way in-game   )
Death Valley (c'mon, that one's just, uh, dying, to be used.  I pun in peace)
Redrocks
White Sands (a massive expanse of gypsum dunes in southern New Mexico)
The Salt Flats
The Badlands

There's an alpine desert mountain range in northern New Mexico called the Sangre de Cristo mountains, which translates from the Spanish as "Blood of Christ" mountains (not trying to get into a religious discussion).  The name comes from the color of the rock when the setting sun strikes it, so that the mountains seem bright red (it was named by the Spaniards when they had control of the territory in the 16th and 17th centuries).  So you could always do something with a feature like that, e.g.:

The Blood Tower (named for the sandstone used to build it, and how it looks when the setting sun strikes it . . . and maybe also for what happens inside, etc.)

Also, you could think about certain desert features in other ways:  canyons are just old riverbeds that may or may not have water in them, so one canyon, or wash, or gulch, or arroyo, or wadi, or similar feature might be known as The Dead River (since it's no longer there, so to speak).

There are plenty of great cactus varieties, like Spanish Daggers, and Tumbleweeds, which have good, evocative names.

Certain phenomena could also lend there names:  The Simoon Flats, for example.  Another one:  in the Chihuahua and Sonora desert regions of the southwestern U.S., rain is (obviously) very infrequent.  In the Chihuahua desert, there's a large amount of _caliche_ underneath the initial sand/soil layers (_caliche_ is a flat bedrock that is fairly non-porous, for natural stone, and it's a real pain-in-the-patuckus to dig through, usually requiring heavy machinery).  _Caliche_ is one reason why it's hard to grow much in the desert areas, unless it's really close to water, 'cause once you dig down a certain distance, you hit impassable stone.  Anyway, when it rains, once the sand/soil gets saturated, the water builds up against the _caliche_ and it doesn't have anywhere to seep, so it supersaturates and becomes standing water or a flash flood.  Another interesting side effect is, the water fills up burrow holes very quickly, soaking the tarantulas that live underground and forcing them to the surface, where they wander to nearby stones or pavement to sun themselves and dry out.  It can be cool to drive along in the wake of a thunderstorm and see the highway lined with tarantulas.

Now imagine the same event with Monstrous Spiders   

And there's even another name:  The Spider Flats

If I think of more, I'll come back later.

Warrior Poet


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## Mystery Man (Aug 31, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> There are some cool desert names right here on our own Planet Earth that could be effective:
> 
> Monument Valley
> Tablelands
> ...




Good stuff.



			
				Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> Another interesting side effect is, the water fills up burrow holes very quickly, soaking the tarantulas that live underground and forcing them to the surface, where they wander to nearby stones or pavement to sun themselves and dry out.  It can be cool to drive along in the wake of a thunderstorm and see the highway lined with tarantulas.
> 
> Now imagine the same event with Monstrous Spiders




OH mamma!   



			
				Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> And there's even another name:  The Spider Flats
> 
> If I think of more, I'll come back later.
> 
> Warrior Poet




You better!


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## Warrior Poet (Aug 31, 2005)

O.K., thought of some other phenomenon-related ones:

There's actually a fair amount of cotton grown along the Rio Grande river valley throughout Texas and southern New Mexico.  My understanding is that some varieties of cotton only bloom at certain temperatures, and some years, it gets so hot along the river valley (I can remember summers at my grandparents' place where it would hit 114 F) that the cotton doesn't bloom until *nighttime*, when it cools down a little bit.

So, how 'bout the Valley of Night Blossoms, or similar, where it's hot enough to warrant a Fort save during the daytime during sternuous activity of any kind?

Another:  The Rockslide.  In the Santa Elena canyon, in Big Bend National Park, there's a portion of the canyon wall on the Mexico side that fell into the Rio Grande a few years back (probably tens of thousands, if not more; for some good photos, check out:  http://www.rivergeek.com/se_pic1.html ), resulting in some very bad rapids at the point where the boulders (some of which are larger than yer average 2 story house) met the waterway.  The Rockslide could work, but so could other names like the Earthslide, The Fallen Earth, The Fallen Lands, The Cairn of the Colossus, etc.  An explorer in 1901 dubbed the camp he made on the other side of the Rockslide after portage, Camp Misery (he considered the rapids unnavigable; it's another good name).

It could also be called the Drowning Place, The Drowning Channel, or similar.  My father and I almost drowned there, many years ago, during a canoe trip.  Our group was going to portage over the rockslide (which takes about 2-3 hours itself), but due to a series of mishaps up to that point, the canoe my father and I had ended up having to carry a third person, resulting in a freeboard of about 2 inches.  We got swamped, and for a few moments there, I thought it was the end (even with our life vests).  On Mom's birthday, no less.  Thankfully, we all survived, though there have been drowning deaths in that canyon.

North of Santa Fe, New Mexico is a rock formation weathered from thousands of years of exposure, shaped like a camel.  It's called . . . (wait for it) . . . Camel Rock.  Ta da!  See http://www.goldenhourphotography.com/Gallery/camel-rock-1003/camel-rock-1003.html

Warrior Poet


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## Warrior Poet (Aug 31, 2005)

More phenomenological inspiration:

Lightning strikes out in desert regions (happens on the beach, too, I guess) sometimes hit the sand floor and superheat the immediate strike zone, resulting in very raw/unrefined silicate mineral called fulgurite, sometimes thought of as "glass."  It's not really glass like you think about windows, or champagne flutes, or stuff like that; it's frequently mulit-colored, tube-like, with branches off of it.  I don't know if it would translate into good glass-making material, but for fantasy purposes, why not?   Someone like Alsih20 probably knows a lot more about this phenomenon than I do.

Anyway, The Glass Reach, The Glass Dunes, The Crystalline Paths, the Frozen Tears of the Desert Goddess, The Sand Mirror, etc.

Warrior Poet


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## DungeonmasterCal (Aug 31, 2005)

SidusLupus said:
			
		

> I'm lame and usually look up real maps from the middle east and cannibalize names for places from there. That may or may not be the type of names you're looking for.
> 
> I'm curious what other people use to come up with names though.




Often, I just use names of places I know.  Growing up in rural Arkansas, within 45 minutes driving I could be in Ash Flat, Evening Shade, Cave City, Bald Knob (go on and snicker), Velvet Ridge (keep snickering), Cave Creek, or Oil Trough.

Just grab a map and go nuts!


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## MaxKaladin (Aug 31, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> North of Santa Fe, New Mexico is a rock formation weathered from thousands of years of exposure, shaped like a camel.  It's called . . . (wait for it) . . . Camel Rock.  Ta da!  See http://www.goldenhourphotography.com/Gallery/camel-rock-1003/camel-rock-1003.html



Near Farmington, New Mexico there is another rock formation that looks like a ship sailing on the desert from a distance.  It's called shiprock.  
http://www.lapahie.com/Shiprock_Peak.cfm


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## Warrior Poet (Aug 31, 2005)

DungeonmasterCal said:
			
		

> Just grab a map and go nuts!



That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!   

Wagon Wheel
Silver City
Hot Springs
Elephant Butte
Crazy Cat Mountain
Salt Lake
Phoenix
The Pass of the North
The Silk Road
Crater Lake

Warrior Poet


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## Warrior Poet (Aug 31, 2005)

MaxKaladin said:
			
		

> Near Farmington, New Mexico there is another rock formation that looks like a ship sailing on the desert from a distance.  It's called shiprock.
> http://www.lapahie.com/Shiprock_Peak.cfm



How could I forget! Good call!   

Warrior Poet


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## Mystery Man (Aug 31, 2005)

Gravy! Brain is working now. Keep them coming though!!


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## lgburton (Aug 31, 2005)

while we're on the new mexico names subject... remember, the desert does weird things to people, and they end up naming their town things like *Truth or Consequences*.


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## Warrior Poet (Aug 31, 2005)

lgburton said:
			
		

> while we're on the new mexico names subject... remember, the desert does weird things to people, and they end up naming their town things like *Truth or Consequences*.



I respectfully submit that while the desert may, in fact, do weird things to people, in this case, *celebrity* does weird things to people.

Frankly, from what I can tell:

(PotClb) _homo sapiens_ = ∆ / fme

Where PotClb is the coefficient of potential celebrity

and

fme is the amount of fame generated (typically in 15 minute increments; also known as Warhol's Number)

Warrior Poet


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## lgburton (Aug 31, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> I respectfully submit that while the desert may, in fact, do weird things to people, in this case, *celebrity* does weird things to people.
> 
> Frankly, from what I can tell:
> 
> ...




no offence meant, but this is relavent how?


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## Warrior Poet (Aug 31, 2005)

lgburton said:
			
		

> no offence meant, but this is relavent how?



None taken, nor any returned.

I see now that it was a feeble attempt at a joke.

The name was changed back in the 50s as part of a promotional event in conjunction with the radio game show, Truth or Consequences, produced by Ralph Edwards.  The town of Hot Springs wanted to boost tourism, and what better way than free advertising everytime the show got mentioned on the radio.  They voted, and changed the name.  Edwards apparently returns to the town to celebrate the name change every year (or did, I don't know if he's still alive).  I've driven through the town on many occasions.

So, I was trying to be clever and develop a pseudo-mathematical formula relating to desire for celebrity and how it changes people.

But I'm terrible at math.

And math-related humor, evidently.   

The short answer to your question is, it's not related at all!   

I'll stick to trying to come up with desert names.   

Warrior Poet


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## lgburton (Aug 31, 2005)

i did know the hotsprings NM history, was just wondering about the pseudo-math and couldn't for the life of me see how it would actually work...

and you're right, i think feeble attempts at jokes are fairly common when trying to deal with new mexico! (i don't live here, really... just visiting for the last 15 years, really!  )

anyhow, thanks for the explanation.


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## Warrior Poet (Aug 31, 2005)

lgburton said:
			
		

> (i don't live here, really... just visiting for the last 15 years, really!  )



Whereabouts are you?  My folks live in Santa Fe.  I love NM, between the awesome Mexican food, the good skiing and hiking, the striking countryside, the history, the spectacular sunsets, the (generally) good weather, and the expansive skies, it's great.  Needs a kick in the economy to get up the longer hills, but mostly runs good, the paint job's got a lot of character, and the interior is a comfortable ride.   

(Am I any better with the geography jokes?)

Warrior Poet


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## lgburton (Aug 31, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> Whereabouts are you?  My folks live in Santa Fe.  I love NM, between the awesome Mexican food, the good skiing and hiking, the striking countryside, the history, the spectacular sunsets, the (generally) good weather, and the expansive skies, it's great.  Needs a kick in the economy to get up the longer hills, but mostly runs good, the paint job's got a lot of character, and the interior is a comfortable ride.
> 
> (Am I any better with the geography jokes?)
> 
> Warrior Poet





'burque. 

well, the geography jokes are just as bad, but at least comprehensible (so, i suppose that would be a yes   ).


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## Warrior Poet (Aug 31, 2005)

lgburton said:
			
		

> well, the geography jokes are just as bad, but at least comprehensible (so, i suppose that would be a yes   ).



Clearly, I have no future in comedy.


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## Mystery Man (Aug 31, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> None taken, nor any returned.
> 
> I see now that it was a feeble attempt at a joke.
> 
> ...




I got it. Andy Warhol, 15 minutes of fame. 

Doesn't necessarily _have_ to be a desert name. I'm just looking for interesting names of locations or site based adventures. Like what would be a good title for a trap filled maze that leads foolhardy adventurers to their death. The Maze of Death while functional is a bit obvious. Going for the bling factor here.


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## Warrior Poet (Aug 31, 2005)

Mystery Man said:
			
		

> The Maze of Death while functional is a bit obvious. Going for the bling factor here.



The Maze of Death and Bling?  




I'll stop.


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## lgburton (Aug 31, 2005)

the painted desert
the petrified forest

hmmm.... i'd also actually suggest looking at some of the names used for features on mars - translated into english, they might make really neet names..

for example:

the peacock mountain (pavonious mons)

etc...


but a trap filled maze leading adventurers to their death... (in a desert)... howbout
the Labyrinth of Whispiring Salt?


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## nakia (Aug 31, 2005)

I've always liked the word "wadi".  It just sounds fun.

In deserts, springs, wells, and oasis (what the plural of "oasis"?) are vital and often claimed or contested.  So you could have "Tayschren's Springs" or somthing similar, where the name of the spring indicated it's owner or a previous owner.  What if the owner was a dragon?

I've also been to the Valley of Meggedo, in Israel.  It's the place where the battle that ends the the world is supposed to happen -- the battle of Armageddon.  So, you could take a proper name or name of some big event, change it around, use it for the name of a landform or place, then see if your players notice.


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## amazingshafeman (Aug 31, 2005)

I used to live in Tucumcari, NM.  That town used to be named Six Shooter Sighting until they decided it was better to be named after a local Native American "Princess" of legend than an image of lawlessness.  The town also claims to be the only place in the desert that a 6 foot "tidal" wave swept through mainstreet, complete with fatalities.  Early water tower ingenuity and all of that...

All of the local features there followed the naming trend of using words from the indeginous language describing the feature, so "Eagle Peak", the aviary version of Camel Rock was actually whatever "eagle peak" is in that particular Native American tongue.  Unfortunately, since I haven't been there in over ten years, I can't remember what that is.  Regardless, that's a naming pattern I follow in my own desert campaign.  Things have a native name and a common name.  Since the native writing was geometrically based, I've been tempted to have a few translations from the old tongue be "Five Pointed Star With Squiggly Line" or "Geometrical Representation For Calculating an Arc".  Haven't tried it, though.


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## Hand of Evil (Sep 1, 2005)

I always say take from real life places...

Hellhole Bay, South Carolina
Cut and Shoot, Texas
Chugwater Wyoming    
Devil's Ice Box, Ohio
East Due West, South Carolina
Gizzard's Cove, Tennesse    
Jerk Trail, Missouri    
Nob Noster, Missouri    
Number Nine, Maryland
Pee Pee, Ohio
Sleepy Eye, Minnesota    
Superior Bottom, West Virginia    
Toad Suck, Arkansas    
Who'd A Thought It, Alabama
Zook Spur, Iowa


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## DungeonmasterCal (Sep 1, 2005)

Hand of Evil said:
			
		

> I always say take from real life places...
> Toad Suck, Arkansas




Toad Suck isn't a town, actually, but is the name of a site where a ferry used to run back and forth across the Arkansas River.  I live in Conway, which is where Toad Suck is located. Every spring we have Toad Suck Daze, a big 3 day weekend festival with carnival rides and the whole bit.  Ya'll come see us!

I'm darned impressed that someone mentioned it!


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## Bloodstone Press (Sep 1, 2005)

I sometimes use names from maps. Some of my favorites are: 
Hell's Kitchen
Grave's End 
Leaper's fork 
Driftwood 
Skull Bone (here in TN, actually)

 I also like to mix and match names and words to come up with my own colorful names such as 
the Hammer Downs 
River Wall 
Wyvern Dale 
the Troll Fens 
Helm Hill 
Ravenwood 
The Shade Lands 
Littlebrook 
Dagger Falls 

 I also like to mix and match syllables of real-world places to come up with flavorful fictional names like
Golanam (an-GOLA + viet-NAM)

Of course if you are just looking for weird names, you can't forget:
Buck Snort, TN


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## JollieRoger (Sep 1, 2005)

How about these:

White Tank Mnts
Animas River (Spanish for River of lost souls I believe) in Colorado
Silverton
Camelback Mnt (Mnt in Phoenix, Arizona that looks like a Camel)
Viper Flats
New River(town and a dry river bottom)
Salt River
Great Salt Lake
Bloody Basin
Table Mesa
Show Low(Town named after a card game)
Quartz Site
Black Canyon
Pikes Peak, Mnt
Iron Mnt, various states 
Sun City, various states
Cholla "jumping cactus", Cactus plant
Barrell Cactus, plant
Prickly Pear Cactus, plant
Painted Rock
Red Rock
Mule Mnts, Mnt range in Southern Arizona
Sierra Mnts(Snow is Spanish), Nevada (they are in part in the desert but high enough to get snow)
Desert Springs
Palm Springs
Hells Gate

Most of the names above are from the American Southwest.

Besides maps another area to look for interesting names would be Hiking guide books. Some of the trail names are quit interesting.  The histories of the various trails could be interesting back stories in and of themselves.

You can also try travel guides and books on plants and animals.


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## haakon1 (Sep 1, 2005)

*Desert place names*

Indian Hill is a name all over, so Orc Hill?

Some other good desert names:
The Anvil of the Sun (translation from Lawrence of Arabia)
The Empty Quarter
Rourk's Drift (famous South African battle site)
Alice Springs (Australia)
Nullarbor Plain (Australia, Latin for "no trees")
x Pan
x Flats
Death or Salt anything
Grand Coulee (coulee = gulch = arroyo = wadi = drift)

To me, Southwestern and Arab desert names are a bit played . . . try look at the map of the Outback in Australia, or the Namib and Kalahari Deserts in Namibia and Botswana, or western China.  Of course, that'd be cooler if you could translate what the heck they were calling places -- "Empty Quarter" is cool; the Arabic version if you don't understand what it means is less interesting, I think.


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## Jupp (Sep 1, 2005)

In an online game session a DM once gave a dungeon/crypt in a desert the name "Anodar Dundshoon" which I found pretty cool 

Anyway, here are some of my ideas:

Plateau of Wandering Dreams
Sea of Glittering Dust
Temple of the Wailing Sun
Pillars of Lost Hope
Valley of the Bones
The Efreet Canyon
The Oasis at the end of the World
The mighty and completely different pyramid if Ni


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## Hand of Evil (Sep 1, 2005)

You can also use (as above) monster names:
The Banshee Plains 
The Ghoul Badlands 
Gorgon Rock 
Striges Flat

As I look at this I now wonder why I have so may problems naming places on my maps!  :\


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## Mystery Man (Sep 1, 2005)

Hand of Evil said:
			
		

> As I look at this I now wonder why I have so may problems naming places on my maps!  :\




Now you know why I started this thread.


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## Hand of Evil (Sep 1, 2005)

Mystery Man said:
			
		

> Now you know why I started this thread.




You also may want to check out the SITE Generators at Seventh Sanctum:
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-sett.php


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