Titles for casters: wizard of..., mage, sorceror, what else?

James Trotta

Spellsword
Diversity Committee
I understand that once a caster gets ritual magic they often take on a cool name. For example, I know Zalinarik is "Wizard of Forces and Winds" or something like that.

I think my wife wants something like this for her earth scholar. Now I remember Sorceress Shalizar, but sorceress seems more fitting for a celestial caster than an earth caster. I think I also remember Warlock Marius.

Anyway I was thinking a discussion of possible titles would help my wife and other choose cool names.

So would wizard apply mostly to men (as in Harry Potter)?

Which would apply mainly to celestial casters and do any work well for earth?

Which of these other possibilities would be cool? Mage, battlemage, archmage, magus, witch, warlock, anything else?
 
Both Witch and Warlock should be avoided for religious reasons.
 
I have no problem with that except that we did have a Warlock in the game for a long time (marius I believe) so there is a bit of precedent for those who can remember NERO in the 90s.

The more I think about it, the more I feel this should be spelled out in the rules. I'm not sure we can rely on common sense here. Common sense might tell one person that we should avoid "wizard" because its implications while someone different would feel its more important to avoide "witch". :?
Telokh_Amdo said:
Both Witch and Warlock should be avoided for religious reasons.
 
And actually if you think about it, although unfortunately Witch has had historical connotations in the past. It really is just the female version of Wizard. This is used like such in HP although I can understand why it could be an issue here. Also it tends to make people think about evil characters, so personally I wouldn't want to be called one anyways...

I think however that it would be a bit of a mistake to spell things out too harsh and clearly in the rulebook because this is and will probably always be a Grey area. Ultimately it comes down to trying to do things that don't make people uncomfortable.
 
Mistress of the... you could easily add something that evokes "powerful earth caster" on recitation.

Enchantress
Hag
Hex
Crone
Lady of...

You could even tack on some adjectives in front of the title, i.e. High Hex of the Soothing Touch, Jade Crone of Leaves and Wind, Spider Hag of the Woven Web.
 
James Trotta said:
So would wizard apply mostly to men? (...)

Which of these other possibilities would be cool? Mage, battlemage, archmage, magus, witch, warlock, anything else?
I go by "Sorcerer of the Split Sky," but I don't recall seeing any women refer to themselves as Wizard. I generally refer to non-ritual capable people as 'casters' or 'mages.'
Most of the time I associate titles with the amount of rituals I see someone undertake, or the effort that I perceive them to put into their ritual magic. For somebody like Alavatar (with 30+ levels), I'd refer to them as a Ritualist. For someone with just a few levels but a yang-load of battle magic spells to go with it, Sorcerer.
Otherwise, you could go with something thematically appropriate to the type of memorization she keeps; "Enchantress," "Mesmarist," "Evoker," etc.
Really, it's all flavor text.

~Matt, WCV
 
Very cool ideas here though I'm quite certain my wife won't want to be a hag or crone... But this is great - thanks!
jpariury said:
Mistress of the... you could easily add something that evokes "powerful earth caster" on recitation.

Enchantress
Hag
Hex
Crone
Lady of...

You could even tack on some adjectives in front of the title, i.e. High Hex of the Soothing Touch, Jade Crone of Leaves and Wind, Spider Hag of the Woven Web.
 
James Trotta said:
he more I think about it, the more I feel this should be spelled out in the rules. I'm not sure we can rely on common sense here. Common sense might tell one person that we should avoid "wizard" because its implications while someone different would feel its more important to avoide "witch". :?
Telokh_Amdo said:
Both Witch and Warlock should be avoided for religious reasons.


It is a question of where to draw the line. Given the infinite profusion of religions, any phrase, concept, or creature is going to be holy to someone.
 
Wraith said:
It is a question of where to draw the line. Given the infinite profusion of religions, any phrase, concept, or creature is going to be holy to someone.

I'm waiting for the religion based on, "Your mother."
 
I don't see anything wrong with females being called wizard.

I agree that witch should be avoided.

Other than that, as I said in the Rule Book, you can call yourself whatever you want... and it's not a good idea to anger someone who can cast rituals.
 
Earth Mother...
 
In caldaria, the titles mage, high mage, wizard, and sorccerer/sorceress are ranks within the royal arcanum, and are earned titles. The order of light (earth guild) has its own sets of names.

--bill
 
So warlock would be OK with you then? Not for my wife but in general...
Fearless Leader said:
I agree that witch should be avoided.

Other than that, as I said in the Rule Book, you can call yourself whatever you want... and it's not a good idea to anger someone who can cast rituals.
 
I didn't even ask about that one - assumed it was worse that witch. I still think the ones we want to disallow should be in the rulebook...
Maxondaerth said:
So wait, shaman is okay but witch is not?
 
"Shaman" is a word specific to an indiginous culture that most likely will not encounter our game. It spread from that culture to a wider, anthropological meaning of one who could contact the spirit world. Though many people of pagan religions may use the word today, it's more of a methodology than a strict religious term.
 
Couldn't that methodology cause insult to some? I read some of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaman and if accurate suggests that enough cultures have shamans or shamanism that we should consider disallowing it.

While reading that, I came across the word Mystic which I thought might be safer. Seems I was wrong: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysticism
Telokh_Amdo said:
"Shaman" is a word specific to an indiginous culture that most likely will not encounter our game. It spread from that culture to a wider, anthropological meaning of one who could contact the spirit world. Though many people of pagan religions may use the word today, it's more of a methodology than a strict religious term.

I have gotten some good ideas from this thread so I don't need help too badly at this point. However, a discussion of what should be banned from the game might be helpful and seems to be where we're going anyway...
 
tieran said:
Wraith said:
It is a question of where to draw the line. Given the infinite profusion of religions, any phrase, concept, or creature is going to be holy to someone.

I'm waiting for the religion based on, "Your mother."

Pick any one of the multitudes of ancestor-worship traditions, or those who worship a feminine divine in the maternal aspect , and go to town. In my own self, I believe we go so far with the godlike fey and elemental lords as to hang a lampshade over them being essentially religious figures.
 
Kiefer-

Shh!

There's no religion in this game.
 
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