If you read some of my TTRPG adventures or play in one of my campaigns, you will probably begin to recognize some names, places, and archetypes.
For example, you might find yourself in the kingdom of Fallrest or hear word of the mines in the distant Tolsak Peaks. You might meet the old elven seer who takes the title of “mother.”
Is this uncreative? A little. I’ve always felt a bit guilty when I do it.
And yet, I find it helps me get words on the page. It’s a familiar starting point. I chose those names (usually off of Fantasy Name Generators) because they felt evocative of a certain type of place or person. I used those archetypes because they provided a backdrop for the story I want the players to get caught up in.
They’re also a solved problem. Naming is tough. If you already like the vibe a name gives you, reusing it means you don’t have to stop and think about it. You can simply plow ahead.
Inspiration, not copy and paste
When I reuse a name or a concept, I try to put a twist on it, because it’s a different thing each time. I don’t want this to be a callback, nor do I want it to be the “Tommy Westphall universe” that connects all my games. It’s simply a tool for inspiration.
Sometimes, Fallrest is just another peaceful kingdom. Sometimes it’s beleaguered by the Ceothan Empire’s war of expansion.
Sometimes, the Tolsak Peaks are where a dark entity goes to hide. And sometimes, the Tolsaks are home to dark entities that bubble up from the dark corners of the earth via abandoned mines.
The Sylvan Gorge might be an entrance to a section of underdark. Or, the Sylvan Gorge might be a sacred druid grove where the veil between worlds is thin (not unlike Auldir, the sacred cave where a concentration of natural aether produces strange hallucinatory effects).
These are different Fallrests, different Ceothan Empires, different Sylvan Gorges and different Tolsak Peaks.
Sometimes, that old elvish seer has a slightly different demeanor. Mother Dolgan is angry, furious that the PCs are brining a dangerous artifact into her town. Mother Seda is quiet and firm with the PCs when they push her.
Galske the firbolg hunter escaped Ravenloft and went off in search of a home. Galske the tiefling druid sits at the bar, his hound near his feet, nursing a drink.
Verdus, goddess of nature is very likely a near-immortal fey being that lives in the next demiplane over. Elsewhere, Verdus goddess of nature might be the figurehead patron of a small country church.
Context matters
Like I said, I can feel a bit guilty when using this technique. Other people may not notice it, but I certainly do.
The reason other people may not notice it, though, is because they’re not seeing it. The players who play in my D&D campaign are usually not also playing the one-shots I run at my FLGS or conventions. And if they do, there’s enough time between them that they may not remember.
It’s a good reminder that what feels glaringly wrong to you might not be particularly noticeable to your players. And as long as they’re having fun, you don’t need to sweat it.