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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Korwin on April 16, 2010, 08:19:20 AM

Title: True Names
Post by: Korwin on April 16, 2010, 08:19:20 AM
If an Child got an Name at Birth from his Parents.
The Child gets adopted/raised by another one.
The Child gets an new name.

Whats the True Name of the Child?

I could see arguments for both...
Title: Re: True Names
Post by: Bosh on April 16, 2010, 08:22:36 AM
I would say that whatever the child thinks of themself as would count.
Title: Re: True Names
Post by: Ihadris on April 16, 2010, 08:32:29 AM
Perhaps its whatever name the child most closely ties to their identity. I beleive Harry mentions this when discussing summoning with true names in the early books- Demons names dont change because they have no sense of self but the subtle intonation on the way a mortal says their own name can change as who they are does.

As a further example
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: True Names
Post by: Wordmaker on April 16, 2010, 09:01:33 AM
There does seem to be a lot of importance on the idea of personal identity when it comes to Names. Part of learning something's Name, and having it be of any use, is also knowing how the person/creature themself pronounces it, so I'd say that if someone was born with one name, then adopted and given another, it'd be the name they grew up knowing as theirs that mattered.

I'd say that if a woman got married and took her husband's name, depending on her views of herself and her marriage, that could even cause her Name to change. I'm pretty sure, for example, that Charity's true name would include the Carpenter surname.
Title: Re: True Names
Post by: Wyrdrune on April 16, 2010, 10:47:49 AM
and as I remember - in the early books - harry tells us that to speak the own name to a wizard is dangerous.

maybe that only counts for humans as the names of spirits/demons/whatevs can be written down.
Title: Re: True Names
Post by: srl51676 on April 16, 2010, 01:58:16 PM
The true name is the one that the person uses to self identify. It is what makes humans different from daemons a human's self concept is always changing so the name is only good for so long. Daemons do not change their nature so once you have there name that's it. you also need to get the name from their own lips.
Title: Re: True Names
Post by: margath on April 17, 2010, 04:13:24 PM
Quote from: srl51676 on April 16, 2010, 01:58:16 PM
The true name is the one that the person uses to self identify. It is what makes humans different from daemons a human's self concept is always changing so the name is only good for so long. Daemons do not change their nature so once you have there name that's it. you also need to get the name from their own lips.
So at which milestones do True Names "stale" or "expire"?  Or do  you have to change 2 or 3 aspects? :)
Title: Re: True Names
Post by: iago on April 19, 2010, 03:24:18 PM
Quote from: margath on April 17, 2010, 04:13:24 PM
So at which milestones do True Names "stale" or "expire"?  Or do  you have to change 2 or 3 aspects? :)

I wouldn't tie it to milestones. Changing your aspects might do the trick, though I get the sense from the novels that it's the sort of thing that "softens up" over the course of a few years.
Title: Re: True Names
Post by: srl51676 on April 20, 2010, 04:19:09 PM
I would let it work as long as it works for the story and as long as it is fun for the players unless there was a permanent aspect change. I think that would represent enough of a change in self concept to invalidate the name.