# Quick: Need a name for a coven of witches!



## Psion (Aug 15, 2002)

I am running FDP's _Quest for Amelia_ tonight. I am replacing the unnamed "coven of sorcerers" in the adventure with my own "witches" (IMC, the witch is not a class, but when correctly identified refers to a specific group of sorcerers, adepts, and clerics devoted to a Demoness named Nocticula.)

It might help me cement this group in the player's mind if the player's mind if I had a memorable but not too cliche name for a specific coven. Any ideas?


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## Nightfall (Aug 15, 2002)

How about Dar'Noktun which translates out into : Spellbinders of the Dark Weird


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## Dinkeldog (Aug 15, 2002)

Daughters of the Unseen Moon.


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## Psion (Aug 15, 2002)

Wow... that was quick. And both are cool. I may have to make arrangements to use them both!

Thanks!


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## Nightfall (Aug 15, 2002)

Nope problem Psion.


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## Jamdin (Aug 15, 2002)

Why not Daughters of Nocticula?


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## tarchon (Aug 16, 2002)

Nightfall said:
			
		

> *How about Dar'Noktun which translates out into : Spellbinders of the Dark Weird *




In what?

I'd call it "the PTA."


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## Dr Midnight (Aug 16, 2002)

Dinkeldog said:
			
		

> *Daughters of the Unseen Moon. *




I curse you Dinkeldog. I was coming in to brainstorm, but I can't conceive of a better name for a coven of witches. Nice one.


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## King_Stannis (Aug 16, 2002)

the sisters of smegma?


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## A2Z (Aug 16, 2002)

The Witches of Eastwick?


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## Psion (Aug 16, 2002)

Jamdin said:
			
		

> *Why not Daughters of Nocticula? *




Someone here has no sense of mystery...

It's so much better to have the party hear a missive about this cryptic group, and then only later while spying on the coven do they hear chants to "Nocticula".

That said, it ended up not mattering last night. The party would have been pointed in the right direction had they investigated the missing guardsman, but they picked up enough clues from the main module that they didn't need to do that in order to continue with the adventure, so it passed them by.

They'll pop up later, though...


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## Thorntangle (Aug 16, 2002)

A few off the top of my head

Compacta Sanguine
The Toadstool-Eaters
Council of Eight
The Madrigal Goodberry Social Club
The Hut with Many Eyes
The Graven
The Unbroken Circle
Harkon's Wives
Order of the Root
The Symmetry


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## Taloras (Aug 16, 2002)

As any self respecting "witch" knows, we dont worship demons. 

Interesting names.....


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## Psion (Aug 16, 2002)

Taloras said:
			
		

> *As any self respecting "witch" knows, we dont worship demons.*




"We" who? Last I checked, you aren't a character in my campaign world. 

IMC, "witch" is a general euphemism that may apply to rural spellcasters not formally recognized by societal structures such as guilds or churches, usually sorcerers, shamans, and adepts (commoners don't know the difference...). It's sort of like "mage" or "priest"... no specific game connotation. But IMC, there are "witches" who very definitely worship demons. Which is why I need a more specific name.


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## TiQuinn (Aug 16, 2002)

How about "The Scarlet Hex"?


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## Jamdin (Aug 16, 2002)

Oh, I have a sense of mystery but I was just wondering why not use the obvious. There is still a mystery involved since the general world would not have knowledge of Nocticula.

So how does Children of Nocturnal Nightmares sound?


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## Taloras (Aug 17, 2002)

Psion said:
			
		

> *
> 
> "We" who? Last I checked, you aren't a character in my campaign world.
> *




Sure I am *steals Psion's campaign notes and writes his name in there*


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## Neo (Aug 17, 2002)

The Circle Embraced
The Four Winds
The Covenant
The Daughters of the Fae
The Terin'Sha
Rhiannons Children
The Ve'el Galahn
The Harmonian sisterhood
The Sacred Word
The Sisters bound


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## Neo (Aug 17, 2002)

The Wildes of Mannon


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## Xarlen (Aug 18, 2002)

Fingers of Nu-Carten
Arcanum Ornanus
The Tre-Urnian
Sisters of the Midnight
Un-Suns


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## Serpenteye (Aug 18, 2002)

The Severed Sisters (as part of their initiation ceremony they remove a bodypart of their choice, the more important the part the greater their prestige)


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## Jack Haggerty (Aug 18, 2002)

Do you really need a name for them to be memorable?

I'd think the Coven would have a one or more simple names for themselves that described precisely what they are...  The Servants of Wee-Jas, for example.  When together and referring to each other, it'd be easiest and proper for them just to call each other "sisters".

The local townspeople however, would be superstitious about them, and the Sisters would, of course, be tight-lipped toward them.  I can imagine the locals speaking about the coven only in hushed whispers, so as not to draw their attention.  If pressed, they'd refer to them simply as "The Witches" with an accompanying hand gesture to ward off the Evil Eye.

But suit yourself, it's your game.


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## tarchon (Aug 19, 2002)

As a general rule secret evil cults are best advised not to call themselves things like the "Vile Conclave of the Apocalypse."  That tends to make people suspicious when they overhear you talking to your fellow conspirators and you say something like "Oh the Fellows of the Blood-Stained Dagger are having their picnic in the old graveyard at midnight.  It's bring-your-own-virgin this year, since the bake sale didn't go so well."
No, you call yourselves "the Windhund Social Club" or "the 39 Steps", "the Gleek Society of Upper Millhaven," "the Tooth-Grinding Support Group."  If you go around calling yourself "the Weird Sisters of the Shimmering Void," you deserve to have a bunch of nominally good-aligned thugs bust you up and take all your magic items.


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## Nifft (Aug 19, 2002)

Psion said:
			
		

> *a Demoness named Nocticula*




What kind of a demoness is Nocticula? Taking tarchon's advice into account, they'd name themselves for some positive feature of their patron ("good spin").

Here are some quick ones off the top of my head:

Spiders -> Sparkling Skein
Snakes -> Patient Watcher
Death -> Lulabye
Storms -> Shower
Floods -> Laughing River
Insanity -> Fool
Torture -> Manners
Famine -> Clean

Here's a use example:
"Ach, I remembers th' last thorp what didn't respect the Clean Ladies. I's eight when they come, a-flyin' cross the moon. We didn't hear nothin' from Yakhollow for three days -- we went out there, see, an' saw then what clean means. The fields were gleaned clean, an' the crows an' wolves had picked the bones clean. Don' know what they cursed 'em with, but those fields are clean an' clear o' crops to this day. You don't go messin' with the Clean Ladies -- lessin' you want them ta clean yer scythe for ya."

 -- Nifft


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