City of IF

Crunchyfrog · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 3998

Okay..

So I've had this storygame running for over two years now. Some of you may know it. :)

I have a big big problem with it that I need some help on, which is to give a name to the city in which the majority of the tale takes place.

The name was briefly mentioned as Lundun, but for the way this story has developed, it is too close to London, (and Un Lun Dun) to fit.

You don't have to have played the Storygame to take part in this competition. :D All you need is the following background information -

The city is based on late 19th Century London in an alternative reality with magical overtones. A cross between Golden Compass/Gotham City/Sherlock Holmes if you need a quick visual idea.

The story is about a dark secret behind a magical technology that provides an alternative power to horses or steam, and the struggle between two vehicle manufacturing companies to take control of it.

The plot includes murder, industrial espionage, sabotage and the kidnapping of the inventor.

Suggestions will go to a poll, and the winner will get 500 Fables out of my own pocket. o-)

Let's see how much idearium there is out there!

Gallant · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm Post subject:

An interesting challenge. Let's see what I can think up...

How about:

Vivacity, Umbra, Gist or Timbre. Look them up, they're all real words. :P

The Meaning Of Fear · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:23 pm Post subject:

Donlon? :lol:

Funny, I always thought of MT in a London-like environment, rather than a Gotham-like one, but now there's the possibilty of Wilson turning into Batman!

Which is cool. :P

Not ideas here, sadly. *Bad at names*

Phang · Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:27 am Post subject:

Gothdon. Or Lotham. Oooh, Lotham sounds pretty good actually.

Guest · Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:53 pm Post subject:

I like Lotham

Crunchyfrog · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 3998

Any more?

(Lothan sounds like Lothian to me!)

Will leave it until Friday next, (or 10 suggestions whichever comes first) before polling.

:)

scissorkitty · Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:29 am Post subject:

Hm. You could do something more reminiscent of the time period- "Victoria City" - or something that pulls to mind parts of wellknown London landmarks- "Tower's Gate", "Benston", or something like that?

naming a city is harder than i thought!

Klafarius · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:35 am Post subject:

Nidenholm, Blaisdon, Elenrom, or Cravenshall might be good names.

Chinaren · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:53 am Post subject:

Lundun? Damn.

Er, Lundumium? Maybe a bit Roman. ;)

Great Ester? Sounds too much like an old Aunt.

Damn, this ain't easy.

Crunchyfrog · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 3998

It's not easy is it!

Okay, thinning them out a bit, going to keep to a 1 word name (makes the city seem larger somehow) and English sounding so that it fits with the setting but not obviously a play on London:

Blaisdon
Cravenshall
Benston
Lothan
Umbra (actually I like the idea of this one, shadow - can anyone come up with a made-up name based on Umbra?)

More ideas welcome. Keep 'em coming!

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

Umbreworth?
Umbrackney?
Umbridge?

I can think of plenty of names which have 'umbra' in them by mucking about with place names from where I live, but to be honest I read them and all I can think of is 'Umbrella'.

Klafarius · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 7:23 pm Post subject:

The White Blacksmith wrote: Umbreworth?
Umbrackney?
Umbridge?

I can think of plenty of names which have 'umbra' in them by mucking about with place names from where I live, but to be honest I read them and all I can think of is 'Umbrella'.

Umbrella keeps coming to mind for me too! How about Umbriel, Quince, Klovis, or Arcshire? Okay enough for me...I think my brain is seizing?!

Gallant · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:29 pm Post subject:

How about Umbrellar. :P

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

Under my umberella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh, under my umberella, ella, ella...

We should really get back on topic.

scissorkitty · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 5:52 am Post subject:

Umbradun?

Umbryn?

.... this is hard. very hard. annoyingly so! grr. arg. zombies have eaten my supply of idearium!

gah! :-o

Crunchyfrog · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 3998

Some nice ideas - Rounding them up and thinning them out again (some discarded after unfavourable Google searches):

Blaisdon (Klafarius)
Cravenshall (Klafarius)
Umbradun (Skitty/Gallant)
Lotham (Phang)

I like all of these. Well, it's a little slow at the moment, so I'll leave it open to suggestions for a few more days before setting up the poll.

And Arcshire - although not a city name I can use for a county name. Kudos to Klafarius for that one!

I hope you can see the way this is going - something that sounds City-like, with a quaint Englishness about it.

Keep 'em coming, they're all good!

Crunchyfrog · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 3998

And the poll is up!

Have fun voting.... :D

Crunchyfrog · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 3998

I'll be AFK for a week starting Saturday, so I'll close the poll when I get back.

Keep voting! :)

Chinaren · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 5:45 am Post subject:

I think one needs to consider the history of the name of the pkace when voting. Nayway I voted for nmber 1.

Crunchyfrog · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 3998

Poll closed!

Cravenshall wins - and Klafarius is now 500 F richer!

Well done, Klafarius!

:D