You stand on the borderlands of civilization, the last bulwark, defiantly raised between the edge of civilization and chaos. It is a lonely outpost beset by evil. Behold! Restwell!
Yeah... not feeling it. Unless the people of the Keep have a serious sense of irony.
Hahahaha, Restwell. That's right up there with "Briarwood."
I felt strongly enough that the CSIO didn't need a name that I made up an in-game rationalization for it being called simply the City State of the Invincible Overlord (the Overlord derives ritual power from it being named thus).
It's always interesting to me what will set of the "Dang nabbit, get off my lawn!" reaction in folks. I don't see a problem with Restwell (or Briarwood for that matter)... people often aren't that clever when they name things, and Restwell strikes me as just the sort of thing I can see random folk coming up with.
In fact I find it odder that CSoIO doesn't have a real name... it's just so cumbersome. I mean, it's a cool title, it just feels cumbersome.
I'm sure many DMs have given a name to the Keep. While they probably resonated at that table at that time, I'm sure lots of those were also somewhat silly.
And naturally their choices mean nothing at my table.
I wonder if using a different name for the Keep in every session of an ongoing B2 game (without making a big deal about it, maybe always famous locations like Gormenghast or Rivendell, & possibly inheriting some feature for that session from their namesake) might not have a little charm.
Restwell is good for irony, much like Sanctuary is good for Thieves' World's city. You can't draw people to come if you call it Keep Slaughterhouse. It's bad for business.
I must have renamed the Keep countless times. Where would the fun be without silly names?
No, I agree. There was nothing wrong with naming it "THE KEEP". I mean, places go to ruin all the time, and they don't get names to them.
(From atop a hill overlooking a reclaimed forested area)
"What is that Marble thing over there?"
"Oh, that's The Temple. It's the only thing left standing where a town used to be. We have no idea what the town was called. Some Elves built it before we ever got here. Some say that the Temple holds some great secret, but I dunno. Still, the Ferkinson Expedition never did come back, but that might have been just the Gnolls. You best be keeping away from that place. It's nothing but trouble."
Just calling something what it is can be effective enough.
This is nothing new. It was called Kendall's Keep in Return to Keep on the Borderlands. It was called Frandor's Keep in Little Keep on the Borderlands. I combined the two and called it Kendor's Keep in my campaign.
"Restwell" sounds like a retirement home. I'd expect to see a bunch of old geezers sitting around in their wheelchairs and complaining about their bowel movements.
Yeesh!! Restwell?? Sounds like a retirement home...
ReplyDeleteNothing SCREAMS adventure like "Restwell". At least it wasn't names Castle Foofylambs.
ReplyDeleteYou can't (c) (r) tm common words... But WordWord you can. Still RestWell doesn't make me think adventure. I guess it's the non-adventure bit. :-/
ReplyDeleteYou stand on the borderlands of civilization, the last bulwark, defiantly raised between the edge of civilization and chaos. It is a lonely outpost beset by evil. Behold! Restwell!
ReplyDeleteYeah... not feeling it. Unless the people of the Keep have a serious sense of irony.
Hahahaha, Restwell. That's right up there with "Briarwood."
ReplyDeleteI felt strongly enough that the CSIO didn't need a name that I made up an in-game rationalization for it being called simply the City State of the Invincible Overlord (the Overlord derives ritual power from it being named thus).
They could have at least showed some humor:
ReplyDeleteTesar's Keep
Gaxgy's Keep
heck, even Keep Whatchucan would have been better.
Ciao!
GW
It's always interesting to me what will set of the "Dang nabbit, get off my lawn!" reaction in folks. I don't see a problem with Restwell (or Briarwood for that matter)... people often aren't that clever when they name things, and Restwell strikes me as just the sort of thing I can see random folk coming up with.
ReplyDeleteIn fact I find it odder that CSoIO doesn't have a real name... it's just so cumbersome. I mean, it's a cool title, it just feels cumbersome.
I'm sure many DMs have given a name to the Keep. While they probably resonated at that table at that time, I'm sure lots of those were also somewhat silly.
ReplyDeleteAnd naturally their choices mean nothing at my table.
I wonder if using a different name for the Keep in every session of an ongoing B2 game (without making a big deal about it, maybe always famous locations like Gormenghast or Rivendell, & possibly inheriting some feature for that session from their namesake) might not have a little charm.
Next up from WotC in 2011: Teenage angsty sparkly Strahd! :)
ReplyDeleteRestwell is good for irony, much like Sanctuary is good for Thieves' World's city. You can't draw people to come if you call it Keep Slaughterhouse. It's bad for business.
ReplyDeleteI must have renamed the Keep countless times. Where would the fun be without silly names?
Ciao!
GW
No, I agree. There was nothing wrong with naming it "THE KEEP". I mean, places go to ruin all the time, and they don't get names to them.
ReplyDelete(From atop a hill overlooking a reclaimed forested area)
"What is that Marble thing over there?"
"Oh, that's The Temple. It's the only thing left standing where a town used to be. We have no idea what the town was called. Some Elves built it before we ever got here. Some say that the Temple holds some great secret, but I dunno. Still, the Ferkinson Expedition never did come back, but that might have been just the Gnolls. You best be keeping away from that place. It's nothing but trouble."
Just calling something what it is can be effective enough.
Restwell is just about the dumbest name I've ever heard for something that's on the border between the realm of law and the wilderness of chaos.
ReplyDeleteBriarwood is ok though.
People name things what they are.
In Mystara the Keep was called Castellan Keep. That was still very generic.
ReplyDeleteBut when we tried to translate it, that sounded too weird, as if you called if the "Castle of Castlefortkeepschloss".
This is nothing new. It was called Kendall's Keep in Return to Keep on the Borderlands. It was called Frandor's Keep in Little Keep on the Borderlands. I combined the two and called it Kendor's Keep in my campaign.
ReplyDelete"Restwell" sounds like a retirement home. I'd expect to see a bunch of old geezers sitting around in their wheelchairs and complaining about their bowel movements.
ReplyDeleteI guess they called it Restwell for the same reason Vikings called that big icebound island "Greenland".
ReplyDeleteHowever, this is the first time something like this torqued me. It will always be just the "Keep" to me.