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Some help with a story? Minor issue that I can't seem to solve.
#1
Posted 19 December 2010 - 05:22 AM
Okay, here's the deal. The novel I'm writing is high, mythological fantasy. Very lofty. I think everything I've ever posted on this board is related to it.
Anyway, I have a problem. Among the more world-fitting kinds of magic I use, I also have a sort of psionics, and for the life of me, I cannot come up with a pronoun/title to refer to wielders of such a power that sounds fitting for my story. (And I have one of them as a fairly major character, besides.)
Things like "psychic", "psion", etc sound too modern and technical to me. If it helps, this sort of magic comes from self-knowledge, very monastic and "spiritual" despite not being related to the soul (if that makes sense). The whole idea is that by mastering their own minds, they can master their bodies and the world around them. It accounts for telepathy, telekinesis, precognition, and heightened control over the body (to an almost super-human level in some cases).
So, yeah, anyone have any ideas? This has been eating at me for months, if not years. I'm usually pretty good with this stuff, but I just can't seem to come up with anything. It doesn't help that pretty much every word in the "psychic" vein I'm familiar with covers a "seer" archetype, while this sort of psychic ability is much more directly applicable.
I just... really don't like seeing the word "psychic" in a fantasy novel. :|
Anyway, I have a problem. Among the more world-fitting kinds of magic I use, I also have a sort of psionics, and for the life of me, I cannot come up with a pronoun/title to refer to wielders of such a power that sounds fitting for my story. (And I have one of them as a fairly major character, besides.)
Things like "psychic", "psion", etc sound too modern and technical to me. If it helps, this sort of magic comes from self-knowledge, very monastic and "spiritual" despite not being related to the soul (if that makes sense). The whole idea is that by mastering their own minds, they can master their bodies and the world around them. It accounts for telepathy, telekinesis, precognition, and heightened control over the body (to an almost super-human level in some cases).
So, yeah, anyone have any ideas? This has been eating at me for months, if not years. I'm usually pretty good with this stuff, but I just can't seem to come up with anything. It doesn't help that pretty much every word in the "psychic" vein I'm familiar with covers a "seer" archetype, while this sort of psychic ability is much more directly applicable.
I just... really don't like seeing the word "psychic" in a fantasy novel. :|
These glories we have raised... they shall not stand.
#2
Posted 19 December 2010 - 08:51 AM
When I run into that kind of issue I like to use a thesaurus. Look at this page as an example:
http://thesaurus.com/browse/psychic
But you could also just make up your own name for a psychic.
http://thesaurus.com/browse/psychic
But you could also just make up your own name for a psychic.
#3
Posted 19 December 2010 - 10:50 AM
Anne McCaffery caled hers talents. Or you could try someting like adepts, gifted, cursed, touched, bound etc.
TTFN
TTFN
Imagine a world without such souls.
Yes, it should have been harder to do.
Yes, it should have been harder to do.
#4
Posted 19 December 2010 - 11:52 AM
I enjoy the following epithets:
Sage
Seer
Natural Mage
Kinesist (should be kineticist, but I've abbreviated it)
Adept
Jedi (just kidding)
Sage
Seer
Natural Mage
Kinesist (should be kineticist, but I've abbreviated it)
Adept
Jedi (just kidding)
<!--quoteo(post=462161:date=Nov 1 2008, 06:13 PM:name=Aptorian)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Aptorian @ Nov 1 2008, 06:13 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=462161"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->God damn. Mighty drunk. Must ... what is the english movement movement movement for drunk... with out you seemimg drunk?
bla bla bla
Peopleare harrasing me... grrrrrh.
Also people with big noses aren't jews, they're just french
EDIT: We has editted so mucj that5 we're not quite sure... also, leave britney alone.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
bla bla bla
Peopleare harrasing me... grrrrrh.
Also people with big noses aren't jews, they're just french
EDIT: We has editted so mucj that5 we're not quite sure... also, leave britney alone.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
#5
Posted 19 December 2010 - 01:36 PM
Brainbarians. They summon grizzlies made out of kinetic force to fight for them and are bad at grammar. MY MIND BEARS ARE GREAT PAIN
Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.
#6
Posted 19 December 2010 - 03:30 PM
I too have a rare few people with psychic abilites within my work who are called different things in different parts of the world. The names people give them depends upon their general attitude to them. In some places they are said to have "the spark" and in others they are "god-touched" or "cursed". Most commonly they are known as "the crowned" as historically, as they were potentially able to submit Kings to their will, they were greatly feared and hunted. As a result rulers sought to find ways to tame them and they discovered a rare black metal that could be fashioned into circlets and put on their heads. It was anathema to them (think Otataral) and the rulers could then use them to find and capture others of their kind.
So I think that the best bet might be to either make up some new word entirely or think about how their talents and abilites are perceived in general. Probably all the best and coolest sounding types of names one could think of have been used by someone before and if you try to hard to find original names to describe them (real words, that is) it will sound forced and daft.
Like they say, if he looks like a mage, walks like a mage and talks like a mage...he's a mage
So I think that the best bet might be to either make up some new word entirely or think about how their talents and abilites are perceived in general. Probably all the best and coolest sounding types of names one could think of have been used by someone before and if you try to hard to find original names to describe them (real words, that is) it will sound forced and daft.
Like they say, if he looks like a mage, walks like a mage and talks like a mage...he's a mage
Victory is mine!
#7
Posted 19 December 2010 - 04:44 PM
Reverie
...┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐...
Why dont they make the whole plane out of that black box stuff?
Why dont they make the whole plane out of that black box stuff?
#8
Posted 19 December 2010 - 10:26 PM
That's an excellent point, Gamet, regarding cultural perceptions. I already have made-up fantasy gibberish name for their people/ethnicity, so I'd prefer an actual word for their "profession" as it were. Expanding the search into something more subtle (and hopefully more evocative) sounds like the best option.
Though, I have to admit, Brainbarian certainly has its charms...
And, Apt, I think I have that thesaurus.reference.com entry memorized. I've come close to tearing my hair out looking over its inadequacy.
Perhaps I'll go with something focusing on their tenet of annihilation of the self. (The character in question consciously projects a fabricated personality whenever he has to interact with other people. Luckily, he's very good at it, though I plan to have another character call him on it at some point.)
I'm sure I'll think of something. Thanks for the input, everyone.
Though, I have to admit, Brainbarian certainly has its charms...
And, Apt, I think I have that thesaurus.reference.com entry memorized. I've come close to tearing my hair out looking over its inadequacy.
Perhaps I'll go with something focusing on their tenet of annihilation of the self. (The character in question consciously projects a fabricated personality whenever he has to interact with other people. Luckily, he's very good at it, though I plan to have another character call him on it at some point.)
I'm sure I'll think of something. Thanks for the input, everyone.
These glories we have raised... they shall not stand.
#9
Posted 20 December 2010 - 09:44 AM
When I am having troubles with names of things, places, people, etc. I use a translator and put the english or a very board defintion of the word I want to use and pick a language and then modifie that word. It may be cheating but it works for me.
#10
Posted 14 March 2011 - 05:54 PM
Pslayers if they tend toward, or are simply trained for, the more violent use of their innate talents. If not, you're on your own. I tend toward the more violent use of my innate talents
#11
Posted 14 March 2011 - 08:03 PM
Quote
If it helps, this sort of magic comes from self-knowledge, very monastic and "spiritual" despite not being related to the soul (if that makes sense). The whole idea is that by mastering their own minds, they can master their bodies and the world around them. It accounts for telepathy, telekinesis, precognition, and heightened control over the body (to an almost super-human level in some cases).
Sound like a yogi. How about Yogin
Sattvas (from Bodthisattva)
Vajra (from Buddhism)
Tirthankar (from Jainism)
Atman (from Hinduism(
#12
Posted 14 March 2011 - 08:46 PM
nacht, on 14 March 2011 - 08:03 PM, said:
Quote
If it helps, this sort of magic comes from self-knowledge, very monastic and "spiritual" despite not being related to the soul (if that makes sense). The whole idea is that by mastering their own minds, they can master their bodies and the world around them. It accounts for telepathy, telekinesis, precognition, and heightened control over the body (to an almost super-human level in some cases).
Sound like a yogi. How about Yogin
Sattvas (from Bodthisattva)
Vajra (from Buddhism)
Tirthankar (from Jainism)
Atman (from Hinduism(
Along with these ideas, perhaps 'Tori' would be a good title, short for satori. It's my understanding that it's a kind of supreme enlightenment moment. Sounds kind of like what happens to your psions in order for them to gain their abilities.
#13
Posted 15 March 2011 - 02:53 AM
Tarcanus, on 14 March 2011 - 08:46 PM, said:
nacht, on 14 March 2011 - 08:03 PM, said:
Quote
If it helps, this sort of magic comes from self-knowledge, very monastic and "spiritual" despite not being related to the soul (if that makes sense). The whole idea is that by mastering their own minds, they can master their bodies and the world around them. It accounts for telepathy, telekinesis, precognition, and heightened control over the body (to an almost super-human level in some cases).
Sound like a yogi. How about Yogin
Sattvas (from Bodthisattva)
Vajra (from Buddhism)
Tirthankar (from Jainism)
Atman (from Hinduism(
Along with these ideas, perhaps 'Tori' would be a good title, short for satori. It's my understanding that it's a kind of supreme enlightenment moment. Sounds kind of like what happens to your psions in order for them to gain their abilities.
Those are all excellent and interesting suggestions. I'll have to do some research into those. Thanks a lot.
These glories we have raised... they shall not stand.
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