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Message no. 1
From: David Buehrer dbuehrer@******.carl.org
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 13:33:19 -0700 (MST)
MC23 wrote:
/
/ I'm back here lurking on the outskirts maybe I can rant about something
/ that you start off topic to really get things back to normal. How about,
/ 'What's in a name?'

And I'm gonna drag this thread kicking and screaming back On topic :)

I think a lot is in a Shadowrunners name/handle. It's a challenge to come
up with a name that personafies your character.

I'm a GM, so I have to come up with a lot of names for my NPCs, and enjoy
the challenge. I also enjoy coming up with memorable names.

For example, my most memorable NPC is a troll sam named Bosco. Even
though he didn't do much the PCs haven't forgotten him.

So, players and GMs, what are some of your best names (and why?).

-David B.
--
"Earn what you have been given."
--
ShadowRN GridSec
email: dbuehrer@******.carl.org
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1068/homepage.htm
Message no. 2
From: Lehlan Decker DeckerL@******.com
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 15:59:29 -0500
>So, players and GMs, what are some of your best names (and
>why?).

Anything memorable or humorous will work.
Here are some of my own, as well as some of my players.

Skid Molar - One of my player's slow witted indestructible troll
(I have a good story about him barehanding a piasma in a
gladiator match once, don't ask) He also collected the teeth and
claws of various predators he killed. (The piasma claw necklace
comes to mind)

Shaft - My current Adept, who specializes in Projectile (9+ dice)
(Originally patterened after a character in the old Marvel Comics
Elektra/Daredevil comics)

MoonDog - an adept ganger in a PBEM I'm currently in.
Named for a silver amulet her mother gave her

Dozer - a dwarven adept, former urban brawl champion. Known
for his "combat" style.

Fangs - a dog shaman, with semi-agressive tendencies
Tended to like leather and spiked objects.

Arcana - a decker of some repute. Magic in the matrix
Persona and programs in form of a stage magician

Phantom - the original street samurai. Named so for his speed
and stealth.

Some of these names are bit generic, but I subscribe the KISS
principal, short sweet and memorable.

There also was a Shark Shaman, a beautiful lady in a suit, who
a good friend of mine played, but the name escapes me. I'll
see if I can dig it up.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lehlan Decker, Unix Admin (704)331-1149
deckerl@******.com Fax 378-1939
Moore & Van Allen, PLLC Pager 1-888-608-9633
Message no. 3
From: Marc Renouf renouf@********.com
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 16:14:48 -0500 (EST)
On Wed, 3 Mar 1999, David Buehrer wrote:

> So, players and GMs, what are some of your best names (and why?).

<rant>
I am more or less averse to the entire concept of street names.
Monikers, epithets, aka's, nicknames, or whatever are okay, but the
"handle" is more or less a ridiculous concept. Would you expect any
potential employer to take you seriously if you walked up and said "Hi.
My name's 'Dark Rapture'" ? Hell no. But if you said, "The name's Ned,
but ever'buddy calls me 'Crusher'" that's at least believable.
And as far as using a cheesy street-name to keep people from
learning your "true name," you could just as easily lie. "Mr. Johnson?
I'm George, George Washington. Pleased to meet you."
A pseudo for deckers I can buy, but walking around and introducing
yourself as "The Chromed Accountant" to folks on the street smacks of
either an inferiority complex, excessive paranoia, or supreme arrogance.
Further, what do the people on your team refer to you as? "Hey,
'Matador,' let's go grab a beer." Knicknames are okay, but they are a
little bit different in how they come about. Most people don't pick their
own nickname, it's given to them by the people they are forced to call
friends. That's why I require players in my campaign to explain where
their nicknames come from if they're going to use them.

</rant>

Marc
Message no. 4
From: Dvixen dvixen@****.com
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 13:39:49 -0800
At 01:33 PM 3/3/99 , David Buehrer annoyed me by writing:

>And I'm gonna drag this thread kicking and screaming back On topic :)

Good boy <pat pat>

>I think a lot is in a Shadowrunners name/handle. It's a challenge to come
>up with a name that personafies your character.

In our most recent game, I didn't. It came to the point that one of the
other players had to come up with a name and quick to call my character.
Hence, she's known as Jessica. :)

>So, players and GMs, what are some of your best names (and why?).

This dwarf that ran the weapons check at a bar (if it could be called
that). He introd himself to my character (whose english was not too great
at that point) "Monikers' Stump" he said "Nice to meet you Moniker"
was the
reply. Poor Stump never did get his old nick back, because everyone started
calling him Moniker. :)

--
Dvixen - dvixen@********.com - dvixen@****.com
Herkimer's Lair - http://shadowrun.html.com/hlair
"What's your sign?" - "Trespassers will be shot."
Comments/Questions accepted, flames dropped into the abyss.
Message no. 5
From: Mark A Shieh SHODAN+@***.EDU
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 16:57:34 -0500 (EST)
Marc Renouf <renouf@********.com> writes:
> On Wed, 3 Mar 1999, David Buehrer wrote:
>
> > So, players and GMs, what are some of your best names (and why?).

Szechuan Dave, the Triad affiliate who delivered Chinese food
for a Triad-influenced restaurant betweem runs. It started from a
group brainstorming session after getting food from an actual delivery
guy called Dave, the guy from Szechuan Express.

> <rant>
> I am more or less averse to the entire concept of street names.
> Monikers, epithets, aka's, nicknames, or whatever are okay, but the
> "handle" is more or less a ridiculous concept.

It depends on the character concept. If I'm playing teenaged
street muscle, I think it's appropriate to give myself an
appropriately testosterone-laden or reptile-derivative handle.
Handles were cool when I was BBSing way back in high school. :)

> Would you expect any
> potential employer to take you seriously if you walked up and said "Hi.
> My name's 'Dark Rapture'" ? Hell no.

I agree. This is sometimes a reason *for* choosing a handle.
The last character I did this with was a razorboy John Woo film
wannabe. He relied on paired SMGs/pistols/MGL-6/katana, and called himself
"Blade" (the most common-sounding handle I could think of after
contemplation). It all depends on the level of play you're expecting
from the characters.
OTOH, an experienced character as well as the newbie may also
have a handle. If you walk up with your team and the team leader
says, "Hi, this is our long gun. You may have heard of him as 'Dark
Rapture'."

Mark
Message no. 6
From: Ereskanti@***.com Ereskanti@***.com
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 17:47:57 EST
In a message dated 3/3/1999 4:33:17 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
dvixen@****.com writes:

<snipped why's/how's/who cares' remarks as to nicknames and the like>

> This dwarf that ran the weapons check at a bar (if it could be called
> that). He introd himself to my character (whose english was not too great
> at that point) "Monikers' Stump" he said "Nice to meet you
Moniker" was the
> reply. Poor Stump never did get his old nick back, because everyone started
> calling him Moniker. :)

Good way of going about it. A player's character currently in the weekday
game aquired the name "Daisy" after one of the other character's noted she
seemed "Dazed and Confused", after which time another PC (who was attempting
to handle certain negotiations on the fly) was Intro-ing the members of the
group, and when looking at the character, suddenly came up with "Daisy" from
"Dazed".

<Padre'> is simple, simpler than most would believe. He often views himself
as the "father" of the group.

<Binder> arose from the time period in which a Free Spirit associated to
Ometeotl had been cohabitating with a character for a long time (many years
before "LOA" rules ever came about).

<Passion> (one of Mike B's character) came about because she was born to the
actions and "passions" of another character.

<Host> (Perry F'sC) came about because the decker in question sent out an area
moded attack program into the middle of a combat situation involving some of
"Deus' Minions" (descending upon the Lord of Hosts....)

<Stone> (other Mike's character) came about no part in lue of his character's
totemic orientation (Gargoyle).

<Angel> (Jeremy's PC) has her story detailed on HHH, and I won't repeat it,
but the idea of "sexual heaven" for some reason comes to mind.

<Fortune> (Greg's PC) arose from "Soldier of Fortune" magazine in
reference to
the mercenary PC.

<Prophet> arose from an unknown part of my own mind, and got twisted for two
reasons in it's pronunciation. First of all was he was a "decker", and no one
at the time wanted to listen to how I said the word, so it changed. Second,
he hung around "Fortune" (see above), and thus his name became
"Profit".

<Jynx> (John H's PC) is lue to the references of "cat's luck" (Cat
Shamaness)
and his character having a particular run of "bad luck."

<Lady Zot/Dazzler> (Jon T's PC) arose from her usage of the "Light Ray"
spell
as her preferred combat means. She later aquired "Lightning Bolt" and "EMP
Strike", so "Zot" came in later.

those are the one's I can think of ATM...

-K
Message no. 7
From: Lehlan Decker DeckerL@******.com
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 17:45:02 -0500
<SNIP gripes on names>
I agree. Usually my character sheet is something like
Shaft aka Vince Black aka (Real name here)
Add appropriate names for each sin.
he has a street name, a fake sin name, and then his real name.
Which he uses depends on the situation, but I figure the player
isn't stupid enough to go to a Johnson and go "Hey I'm the Neon
Blade, I can solve all your problems". If so I lower their offered
compensation accordingly.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lehlan Decker, Unix Admin (704)331-1149
deckerl@******.com Fax 378-1939
Moore & Van Allen, PLLC Pager 1-888-608-9633
Message no. 8
From: MC23 mc23@**********.com
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 99 23:24:15 -0500
Once upon a time, David Buehrer wrote;

>And I'm gonna drag this thread kicking and screaming back On topic :)

BASTARD!

>I think a lot is in a Shadowrunners name/handle. It's a challenge to come
>up with a name that personifies your character.

Some favorites in no particular order,

Waif <burnt out sorcerer aspect and ex-BTL junkie> formerly Loki is his
past history (which he mistook from being named Loci by an alleged
immortal Elf)

Candygram <female PhysAd> redhead. passive authority figure

CrackerJack <Elf Raccoon Shaman> goes by CJ. "when you're the best they
call you CrackerJack" or was it because he was always after the toy
surprise?

Xerox <skillchipper>

Cavalier <samurai speedster> deceased B>[#

Eightball <black ogre samurai> drifted between Zulu Nation and Ork town
in NOLA (see WW article) all important decisions made by his magic 8-Ball.


and there was that one I called MC23 for some strange reason that escapes
me now.
Message no. 9
From: Bruce gyro@********.co.za
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 11:12:27 +0200
-----Original Message-----
From: Marc Renouf <renouf@********.com>
To: shadowrn@*********.org <shadowrn@*********.org>
Date: 03 March 1999 11:21
Subject: Re: What's in a name?


>
>
>On Wed, 3 Mar 1999, David Buehrer wrote:
>
>> So, players and GMs, what are some of your best names (and why?).
>
><rant>
> I am more or less averse to the entire concept of street names.
>Monikers, epithets, aka's, nicknames, or whatever are okay, but the
>"handle" is more or less a ridiculous concept. Would you expect any
>potential employer to take you seriously if you walked up and said
"Hi.
>My name's 'Dark Rapture'" ? Hell no. But if you said, "The name's
Ned,
>but ever'buddy calls me 'Crusher'" that's at least believable.
> And as far as using a cheesy street-name to keep people from
>learning your "true name," you could just as easily lie. "Mr.
Johnson?
>I'm George, George Washington. Pleased to meet you."
> A pseudo for deckers I can buy, but walking around and introducing
>yourself as "The Chromed Accountant" to folks on the street smacks of
>either an inferiority complex, excessive paranoia, or supreme
arrogance.
> Further, what do the people on your team refer to you as? "Hey,
>'Matador,' let's go grab a beer." Knicknames are okay, but they are
a
>little bit different in how they come about. Most people don't pick
their
>own nickname, it's given to them by the people they are forced to
call
>friends. That's why I require players in my campaign to explain
where
>their nicknames come from if they're going to use them.
>
></rant>


Good call Marc...

I remember a snide comment in an SR book about interviews with runners
all named Nemisis, because their mothers didnt love them ... (was it
SRComp?)

-- BRUCE <gyro@********.co.za>

<hard@****>

Theres nothing like a netfight
Everything is True
Nothing is Forbidden
Message no. 10
From: ArcLight arclight@**************.com
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 18:37:36 +0100
> -----Original Message-----
> From: shadowrn-admin@*********.org On Behalf Of David Buehrer
> Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 9:33 PM
> To: shadowrn@*********.org
> Subject: Re: What's in a name?
>
>
> MC23 wrote:
> /
> / I'm back here lurking on the outskirts maybe I can rant about
> something
> / that you start off topic to really get things back to normal.
> How about,
> / 'What's in a name?'
>
> And I'm gonna drag this thread kicking and screaming back On topic :)

I am just making a new char for a pbem, and I might call him Kenny:
my last char got D everytime he entered a fight... hope this stops :)

ArcLight
[BABY #361]------------[ICQ 14322211]
All suspects are guilty, serious.
Otherwise, they wouldn't be suspects,
would they?
Message no. 11
From: chimerae@***.ie chimerae@***.ie
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 22:35:17 +0000
and thus did Bruce speak on 4 Mar 99 at 11:12:

> Good call Marc...
>
> I remember a snide comment in an SR book about interviews with runners
> all named Nemisis, because their mothers didnt love them ... (was it
> SRComp?)

IIRC there was something in the Lone Star book about a cop making
snide remarks about stupid nick names. I don't have the book around
anymore so I can't check it, but I'm pretty sure.



Martin Steffens
chimerae@***.ie
Message no. 12
From: Snake Eyes snake.eyes@********.att.net
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: Thu, 04 Mar 1999 17:37:27 -0800
At 11:12 AM 3/4/99 +0200, Bruce wrote:
>
>Good call Marc...
>
>I remember a snide comment in an SR book about interviews with runners
>all named Nemisis, because their mothers didnt love them ... (was it
>SRComp?)

While I can't imagine actually addressing someone in my group as "The Neon
Samurai," or "Death From Above" in casual non-combat conversation, I can
see deckers posting under such pseudonyms.

My fraternity days notwithstanding, I always looked at "handles" more as
call-signs to streamline tactical radio communication than as actual PC
nicknames or street-names.

Anybody see the movie "Navy SEALs" with Charlie Sheen? You really can't
beat a team called "Bad Karma" backed up by a sniper named "God."

~Snake Eyes (a pseudonym, not a nickname)

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