Timewaster's Guide Archive
Local Authors => Writing Group => Topic started by: EUOL on April 04, 2005, 07:07:58 PM
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This is for both those of you who've read MISTBORN and those who haven't.
In the first book, you'll notice that I named two of the three magic systems present in the world. The primary name, which I'm quite satisfied with, is Allomancy.
Sazed's power is the one I'm considering changing. It is called Hemalurgy. Now, I like the way this sounds. However, it doesn't quite fit in meaning with Sazed's powers. (The Hema, which should evoke thoughts of 'blood' has rightly drawn complaints from readers.)
However, Hemalurgy DOES fit quite well with the third (mostly unmentioned magic system) used by the Steel Inquisitors.
So, I'd like to rename Sazed's magic system. Here are my thoughts.
Ferrachemy. I like the sound and construction of this one--it fits with the other two, and seems to relate well to Sazed's powers. The only problem is that I think it's too easy to read as "Ferr-Alchemy," which just doesn't feel right to me.
Ferruchemy. The word I'm drawing the 'Ferr' from anyway is Latin for iron, which is Ferrum. So, this is truer to my source, but it just doesn't sound as good to me.
Ferrichemy. I'm not sure if I like the way this one looks or not.
Ferrochemy. Perhaps where I'm leaning right now.
Anyone else have any suggestions? I like the traditional-science feel endings of things like 'mancy, 'lurgy, 'chemy. I also like beginnings that relate somehow to metals, as those are used so prevalently in the magic.
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Aurachemy or Auronomy from Latin aurum, meaning gold
Argentonomy from Argentum for silver
Also, just Ferra or Ferramy
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Perhaps this is because it's been a while since I've read Mistborn, but I don't remember thinking Hemalurgy was all that out of place for Sazed. It did evoke blood imagery to me, which seemed right because of where the power was drawn from, yes? But either way, if you switch that over to the Steel Inquisitors, that seems good, too. It always just seemed a more generic name, a broader definition of the power.
Anyway, on the ferr- thing. I don't like the -chemy. I would go with a -mancy or -lurgy. Ferromancy? Perhaps not. -lurgy doesn't seem to fit, either, does it. At any rate, the only one of the -chemy endings that looks at all comfortable is the one you're leaning toward. Have you already played with similar combinations using -mancy and rejected them?
Hmm, here's something interesting. How about different forms of those endings? If you go to the dictionary and look up -mancy, for example, you get older variations such as -mantia, -manteia, from the French mantis, diviner. Ferromantia? Seems a bit affected, but perhaps if you played with different forms of those endings, you might find something you liked.
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ferromantia sounds like an affliction.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Smith, but it appears your cerebellum is affected by ferromantia. We'll have to operate"
Ferro- as a prefix at all reminds me too much of Ferro Boy. Probably, however, this is not a wide spread problem.
The greek for "iron" is "sidenos" (all short vowels) and for "steel" is "chalubas" (again, all short vowels) of course, greek nouns decline so there's latitude in ending those, those are just the subjective singular versions. Chaluchemy sounds better to me, but like Stacer, I wouldn't shy from reusing "lurgy" or "mancy" as the ending again. chalurgy actually suits me.
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Chalurgy sounds mexican.
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All that Ferr buisness reminds me of ferrets, which sounds more goofy than magicky. Just a thought.
Come to think of it, Ferricamy sounds like people getting married to ferrets.
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Auronomancy
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That sounds like something to do with hearing.
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Chalurgy sounds mexican.
y'know, now that you mention it, it does.
"Would you like some Chalurgy on your chalupa?"
Except that Spanish doesn't usually use that soft g sound.
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Ah! I don't like ferrachemy at all. It sounds like small furry animals doing thing they shouldn't.
May I suggest: Sangrimancy.
I don't personally see the connection with blood for Sazed's power but if you say there is one, then there is one. Sangri- is a prefix that has to do with blood in spanish. And I think sangrimancy rolls off the tongue. And for me at least, it doesn't have any odd associations.
If there is no association with blood but only with exterior metal as opposed to interior/ingested metals may I suggest:
Exochemy or Exomancy
Since all the magics have something to do with metal it seems like "they" might not have bothered to reference metal in the name. "Allo" implies the alloys that allomancers use in addition to the pure metals. "Hema" would nicely imply the blood involved in the creation of a steel priest, while "Exo" implies the unique trait that Sazed's magic has of being able to use metal on the outside of the body.
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I think exomancy is probably the best suggestion in this thread to date.
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Hrrrrm. I'll have to think about this.
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I like both of Skar's suggestions, and his reasoning.
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Since all the magics have something to do with metal it seems like "they" might not have bothered to reference metal in the name. "Allo" implies the alloys that allomancers use in addition to the pure metals. "Hema" would nicely imply the blood involved in the creation of a steel priest, while "Exo" implies the unique trait that Sazed's magic has of being able to use metal on the outside of the body.
Excellent point.
I like the -chemy, and do not htink you should use -mancy or -lurgy again. Other latin roots that could describe what Terrismens' power does:
resto- (to await, be in store for the future) restochemy
recondo- (to put away , put back, store, hide) recondochemy
condo- (to put up, put away safely, store, to hide, withdraw) condochemy
cella- (a storeroom , or a garret, mean apartment) cellachemy
abdo- (to secrete, hide, to put away , withdraw, remove) abdochemy
amolior- (to remove by an effort , set aside, get rid of) amolchemy
repono- (to lay back; to put aside, lay up, deposit, store) reponchemy
sevoco- (to call aside, withdraw, separate) sevochemy
avoco- (to call away , or off, to withdraw, remove, divert) avochemy
detractio- (drawing off , withdrawal, taking away) detrachemy
mando- (to commit , entrust) mandochemy
aspiro- (figurative: to infuse spirit, etc) aspichemy
compleo- (to fill up) complechemy
cumulo- (to heap up , pile up, increase, heighten; to fill up, overload) cumuchemy
gravidus (heavy; laden , filled, full; pregnant) gravichemy
perfundo- (to steep in, fill with) perfuchemy
attineo- (to hold, keep, detain) attinechemy
capio- (to take in, hold, contain, keep in) capiochemy
distineo- (to hold asunder , keep apart, separate) distichemy
sospito- (to keep safe , preserve) sospichemy
My favorites: cellachemy, abdochemy, amolchemy
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exomancy is still the best. I have no issue with "chemy" except that it isn't really working with any of the prefixes suggested. It sounds consistently awkward.
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Anything with an "A" might be confusing, since one of the systems is already called Allomancy. But I haven't read the book, so maybe not.
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I would think "Feromancy" would look better than Ferro-, personally.
However, that said:
I am opposed to -mancy because, traditionally, "-mancy" was always used only where divination was involved. Bibliomancy, divination from books, Necromancy, divination through the dead, etc. Necromancy has come to have an extended meaning in Fantasy, but my own (Warsword/Elavae) brand of Necromancy harks back to the original meaning some.
So, being a weird philologist like I am, I prefer keeping the specific meaning intact.
I think Auronomy looks cool.
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I have to admit that hemalurgy didn't evoke blood imagery to me. Mistborn was so focused on allomancy that the hema- reminded me of hematite, which has a metallic sheen. And the fact that Sazed used metal bracelets and rings seemed to enforce that.
Ferromancy bothers me. Something about the shape of the word, or the fact that fer is a word that almost anyone who has ever studied chemistry would recognize, and it's still metal based . . .
Perhaps something using the Greek word for iron: sideros? Or blood: phlebe or psuche?
Sideromancy. Siderolurgy. Flebomancy. Siderology.
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the first word I think of when I see "hemalurgy" is "hematology" which is blood stuff.
Sideros isn't doing it for me. I'm sticking with exomancy, being a descriptivist, the origin of the word is much less important to me than the current dominant usage.
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If you channel Serial Killers, can you call it Mansonmancy?
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I'm with JadeKnight. I think I could live with Feromancy if it only had the one "r."
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I think that's okay, but it conjures up pictures of "feral" for some reason.
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I just want to say thanks to everyone who has helped me with this one.
Ones I particularly liked:
Auronomy was VERY cool sounding. However, I'm worried about having two 'A' words for the magic. (Still debating this one.)
Ferramy also had me for a time. The only problem is that I really want something that has the same 'feel' as the other two magic systems. This doesn't quite resonate right.
Sangrimancy is also very cool sounding. The only problem is that I don't really need another 'blood' related magic system. Skar--I stored this one away for potential use in another world.
However, I think Jade has really had the best suggestion on the thread. Dropping the second 'R' from the Ferr prefix makes it work a lot better with things. And, to avoid the 'feral' reference Stacer noticed, I think using the original Latin 'u' with the 'Fer' gets us a better word.
So, the current winner:
Feruchemy. It isn't actually the coolest sounding word on the thread--I think that's a tie between Auronomy and Sangrimancy. However, Feruchemy 'Fits' better with Allomancy and Hemalurgy. The three have a kind of internal resonance, and give the right feel.
Thanks all!
Now, another task. These three are all active arts--something done, rather than simply a study. I'd like, however, a good name for the blanket term for the study of all three magic systems. A name for the system of the world, rather than the specific magical applications of this system.
All three systems use metal in different ways, and all three draw power for the user from different places. Any clever ideas? (Initial thoughts for me include using 'ology.' However, I'm not opposed to something longer, like I used in DRAGONSTEEL. (Realmatic Theory, for those of you who haven't read it.))
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I like Feruchemy. That's good.
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I've always liked the word Metallurgy, cause I think it sounds cool. It has a real world meaning though, so maybe not...
Maybe if you modified it...or put something in front of it...
*Fish thinks maybe she should start writing again, because then she could come up with neat stuff like this and use it
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I think Feruchemy is really ugly-looking. But it lacks -mancy, so I vote for it. =þ
You could call it something like Metallic Gnosis or something.
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But it sounds cool. Or at least how I pronouce it does.
Fer oo cha me
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For your later question, I like the idea of something that begins with "The Tutelage of..." Such as:
The Tutelage of the Mine(s) or
The Tutelage of the Rock
If you still want something with ology:
Adamantology
Aenology
Condrology
Durology
Edurology
(All of these stems are Latin for hard in some way)
Or, you could go with one of each. Have the official name something that starts with "Tutelage of the..." and then have it commonly referred to as an "ology"
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intraferology--something along the lines of "The Study of carrying within"
Intractology/Intratractology--something along the lines of "The Study of pulling from within"
Androtheodynology/Atheodynology--something along the lines of "The Study of Men with God's Strength/Power"
Endopossology/Endodynology -- ..."Study of the Power Inside"
Dynoferology -- ..."The Study of Carrying Power Within"