German-speaking Traveller Players...

[epicenter00]

...I need your help.

I have a world which Germans (under the auspices of the ESA) colonized. The group's primary population was Bavarians and those from the more southern German landers.

The world they colonized was one where the Ancients were doing genetic experiments with Earth predators to create an ecosystem that was more of a work of art than anything natural. A very dangerous work of art.

Essentially, it was a complex tiered net of carnivores. There were plants of course, and grazers to eat the plants. These grazers wouldn't be slouches, being pretty fierce and tough to have a fighting chance of survival against the predators.

Above the grazers were a wide variety of first-tier predators that preyed upon the grazers. But then there were second-tier carnivores that preyed upon the first-tier carnivores exclusively (dependence on certain amino acids and proteins that only the first-tier carnivores had meant they couldn't live on other kinds of meat for long periods). Above them were the third-tier carnivores that could only eat the second-tier carnivores, and so on and so on.

As you might imagine, these predators become larger, more fierce, and cunning as they go up in the food chain. The early colonists were decimated by attacks of these predators (who might not be able to live on human meat forever, but hey, it was -fun- to hunt humans), and only survived by developing a siege mentality.

Now, the help I need is to create convincing German language names for these predators. These don't need to be scientific names, but they should be reasonably colorful and characterful of the creatures and their danger. You can even use your own name in them (like "Johnson's Shadowcat" or something) to give yourself a little immortality.

The predators are based on Earth species, but look different, are usually larger, tougher, and smarter than their Earth counterparts.

Ideally, I'm looking for about ten names:

* Three would be for varities large-ish great cat based on genes of tigers, panthers, lions, or leopards.

* Two for some sort wolf-like pack hunters.

* Two for bear-like creatures.

* One for some sort of boar-like creature.

* One for some sort of flying creature, be it based on bats or birds of prey.

* One for some huge and really fierce creature that doesn't resemble any particular creature on Earth, but would be disturbingly smart (able to work doors and such by watching humans).

If anyone can help, it'd be much apperciated.

 

[Chaos]

Hi,

...Bavarians? Yuck!

Well, all jests aside, I´m happy to help.

One of the cat-like creatures could be a "Kaisertiger" - "emperor tiger", an allusion to "Königstiger", which is also the German word for the Bengal Tiger.

One of the wolf-like creatures should be called "Fenriswolf", after the creature of the Nordic myths.

Maybe I´ll get some more ideas later on...

 

[mbrinkhues]

Some basic words. Always English/German/German Plural exept where both words are identical

Boar = Eber
Sow = Sau
Rabbit=Kaninchen
Hare=Hase/Hasen
Bear = Bär/Bären
Fox = Fuchs/Füchse
Wolf = Wolf/Wölfe
Jackal = Schackal/Schakale
Cheeta = Gepard/Geparden
femal Cheeta=Gepardin/Gepardinen
Lion=Löwe/Löwen
female Lion=Löwin/Löwinen
Bat = Fledermaus/Fledermäuse
Mice=Maus
Eagel = Adler
Falcon = Falke/Falken
Hawk = Habicht/Habichte
Chickenhawk=Hühnerhabicht
Chicken=Huhn/Hühner
Dog=Hund/Hunde
Lepard=Leopard/Leoparden
Hyena=Hyäne/Hyänen
Mamoth=Mammut
???= Bussard (Small mice-hunter)
Crow=Krähe/Krähen
Raven=Rabe/Raben
Sparrow=Spatz/Spatzen
Blackbird=Amsel/Amseln
Shrike=Neuntöter
Mink=Nerz/Nerze
Ferret=Frettchen
Goose=Gans/Gänse
Vulture=Geier
Cougar=Berglöwe/Berglöwen


Typically species names are formed adding a second word in front of the base name, often concatenating them into one word. To use Chaos examples

Fenris + Wolf
Königs + Tiger = Köngistiger
Schnee + Leopard = Schneeleopard (Snow Lepard)

Name add-ons can come from descriptions, general worlds, food or environemts:

Snow=Schnee
Desert=Wüste (Desert Fox = Wüstenfuchs)
Sabertooth=Säbelzahn
Wooly=Woll/Wollig (Wooly Mamoth=Wollmammut)
Rain=Regen
Cabbage=Kohl
Stone=Stein (Steinadler)
Hiking=Wandern
Mountain=Berg

Some real animals

Gänsegeier (Geese Vulture)
Steinadler (Stone Eagle, IIRC largest European eagle)
Wanderfalke (Wandering Falcon, IIRC largest Falcon)
Königstiger (King Tiger aka Bengal Tiger)

Wolpertinger (A hare with Antlers and sharp teeth)

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Der Ringenwurm!

 

[Chaos]

@Michael:
I think the Wanderfalke is the Peregrine, or Peregrine Falcon, in English.

I am also quite sure the Wolpertinger is NOT real.

 

[Border Reiver]

I was about to correct Michael on Steinadler being the largest European Eagle when I realised it was the same bird as the Golden Eagle (Europe's largest Eagle).

So some suggestions.

Adjective+Noun:
Jagerspinne=Hunter Spider (sorry can't figure how to add an umlaut)
Gelb=Yellow just yellow, nothing else.
Todeslachse=Death Salmon
Spiegelteppich=Mirror Carpet (well you did want Alien creatures)
Rauchdieb=Smoke Thief
Schwarzer Liebeballon=Black Love Balloon
Scheissepapegei=shit parrot (name speaks for itself)

It's all about thinking outside the box. I would expect the colonists would contract the nouns.

 

[jatay3]

Wouldn't the predators in the middle be the ones that have to be most cunning?

 

[mbrinkhues]

Originally posted by Chaos:
@Michael:
I think the Wanderfalke is the Peregrine, or Peregrine Falcon, in English.

I am also quite sure the Wolpertinger is NOT real.

What do you mean the Wolpertinger is not real? But the friendly Bavarian guy assured me that the stuffed one was shot by his Grandfather![1]

As for the Wanderfalke=Peregrin: You are correct, that's the bird's name.

And from the works of our beloved BattleTech Translators:

Phoenix Hawk = Feuerfalke (Firehawk)
Shadow Hawk = Dunkelfalke (Darkhawk)
Wolverine = Steppenwolf (Where's Peter Maffai?)
Locust=Heuschreck(e)
Wespe=Wasp

And plundering the BT "animals"

Firemoth = Feuermotte
Hornet=Hornisse
Gnat=Mücke
Cicada=Zickade
Cockroach=Kakerlak(e)
Bug=Wanze or Käfer

[1] Wolpertingers are to Bavaria what Nessie is to Scotland

 

[epicenter00]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

I had thought of various "dramatic" names for the animals myself, like "teufeltiger" or "todesfalke" and such. But I was looking over the list of the names that I had come up with and they seemed so...adolescent in some way and I started wondering, "Sure as an English-speaker these kinds of names sound cool to me, but would a German really come up with names like that?"

---

All of the predators would be pretty cunning, really. The middle ones because they have to catch food and evade being eaten. But then again, the ones at the top would have to be smart enough to catch the cunning predators who are trying to hide from you, and strong enough to overcome them once you found them.

 

[mbrinkhues]

Originally posted by epicenter00:
Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

I had thought of various "dramatic" names for the animals myself, like "teufeltiger" or "todesfalke" and such. But I was looking over the list of the names that I had come up with and they seemed so...adolescent in some way and I started wondering, "Sure as an English-speaker these kinds of names sound cool to me, but would a German really come up with names like that?"

---

All of the predators would be pretty cunning, really. The middle ones because they have to catch food and evade being eaten. But then again, the ones at the top would have to be smart enough to catch the cunning predators who are trying to hide from you, and strong enough to overcome them once you found them.

Why not just post the list and "us Krauts" comment on it?

 

[Plankowner]

Wolpertingers have several other relatives throughout Terra.

I believe an English sub-species, without the antlers, was discovered during the middle-ages. The incident was documented in the movie "Monty Python's Holy Grail". I believe the creature is called a "Vorpal Bunny".

An American sub-species also exists. In the lava flats of southern Idaho there is a sub-species with the antlers but apparently without the fangs, called a "Jack-a-lope". I have a postcard picture of one.

I'm sure there are other sub-species of this interesting little critter in other parts of the world.

 

[KrasnyKot]

Hi!
The Teufelstiger and Todesfalke sound quite o.k. to me.
More german sounding could be the Schreckkatze (terrorcat) or a bit more mysterious Lauerer (lurker).
Hope I had be of help.

 

[mbrinkhues]

Extremly aggressive and murderous beasts, Beast that kill without hunger:

Teufelskatze (Devilcat)
Höllenwolf (Hellwolf)
Terrorechse (Terror Lizard / Terror Dinosaur)

Huge beast:

Riesenmammut (Giant Mammoth)
Riesenadler (Giant Eagle)
Hunderatte (Dog rat, size description)

Sneaky beasts:

Schleichkatze (Sneaky cat, Schleichen=To Sneak)
Chamaeleonbär
Steinechse (Stone Lizzard, looks like one)

Grazing beasts:

Rennbock (Running Deer, Bock = Male deer)
Wollschwein (Wooly Pig)
Landwal (Land Whale, extremly large)

 

[epicenter00]

Originally posted by Michael Brinkhues:
Why not just post the list and "us Krauts" comment on it?

Good suggestion. Here's my original list. I've rendered it to basic English words. In the cases where I'm reasonably sure about the German, I've used the German, but I'm avoiding Google translation as much as possible.

Mind you, these aren't like gamers like us - these colonists are probably college educated people, technically trained (but not necessarily technically-oriented). In my history, they came out to the stars to escape a fear of Vilani invasion (or at least cultural domination).

They probably slept through literature and history class (like many students) so literary or mythological related names won't be too common. They were named by terrified people huddling in prefab shelters that have been hastily reinforced with hull plating and whatever else they can find. Many of these names should be at an almost instinctual level, without much flourish or poetry.

GREAT CATS

* Devil Cat
* Mist Hunter
* Screamer-Killer (named for a particular cry the cat makes as it strikes)

BEARS

* Speckled Crosshead (or spotted crosshead - named after a silvery fur pattern on its head)
* Neumann's Mauler (named, of course, after the first unfortunate victim)

BOARS/GRAZERS

* Red Charger
* Blade Back (or perhaps Sword Back? - think of a cross between a hedgehog and a really large boar)

FLYING BEASTIES

* Night Falcon (Nachtfalke?)
* Lurking Haunter (a large, silent bat-like creature)

REALLY LARGE AND DANGEROUS CREATURES

* Snow Terror (or Ice Terror or Winter Terror or something similar, a large clawed creature similar to a Yeti)

 

[jatay3]

What is the campaign?
Too often, not least in sci-fi, a seemingly dazzling setting, is crippled by the fact that no one can find a plot worthy of it. You know how it goes: you found Atlantis, now what?
That thought is a little off subject but is worth mentioning. It does seem a great setting though.

 

[Dunryc]

GREAT CATS

* Devil Cat -> Teufelskatze
* Mist Hunter -> Nebeljäger (Nebeljaeger)
* Screamer-Killer (named for a particular cry the cat makes as it strikes) Schreiender Tod

BEARS

* Speckled Crosshead (or spotted crosshead - named after a silvery fur pattern on its head)

* Neumann's Mauler (named, of course, after the first unfortunate victim)-> "Neumanns Fluch" (I had to be a little free with this translation to get the right drama )

BOARS/GRAZERS

* Red Charger -> Roter Keiler (again a little bit free but the name should hit the mark

)
* Blade Back (or perhaps Sword Back? - think of a cross between a hedgehog and a really large boar) -> Schwertrücken (Schwertruecken)

FLYING BEASTIES

* Night Falcon -> Nachtfalke
* Lurking Haunter (a large, silent bat-like creature) -> Lauernder Geist

REALLY LARGE AND DANGEROUS CREATURES

* Snow Terror (or Ice Terror or Winter Terror or something similar, a large clawed creature similar to a Yeti) -> Schnee Terror

 

[mbrinkhues]

Edit:

Note to self: Next time hit "reload" before typing an answer. You'd look less stupid since you'll not repeat another persons work

Originally posted by epicenter00:

GREAT CATS

* Devil Cat
* Mist Hunter
* Screamer-Killer (named for a particular cry the cat makes as it strikes)

Devil Cat = Teufelskatze or Höllenkatze (Hellcat)

Mist Hunter = Nebeljäger (If Mist == Sneaky: Schleichjäger[Sneaking Hunter, Schleichender Tod [Sneaking Death])

Screamer-Killer: Kreischender Tod (Screaming Death), Schreikatze (Screming Cat)

BEARS

* Speckled Crosshead (or spotted crosshead - named after a silvery fur pattern on its head)
* Neumann's Mauler (named, of course, after the first unfortunate victim)

Speckeled/Spotted Crosshead = Gefleckter(Speckeled) or Gepunkteter (Spotted)

Question: Crosshead because the head is resembles a cross or because the spots do?

Neumann's Mauler = Neumannstod (Neumann's Death), Neumannskiller, Neumannstöter

BOARS/GRAZERS

* Red Charger
* Blade Back (or perhaps Sword Back? - think of a cross between a hedgehog and a really large boar)

Red Charger = Roter Renner (If fast), Rotbulle or Rotbüffel (If huge)

Bladeback = Messerrücken, Swordback = Schwertrücken

FLYING BEASTIES

* Night Falcon (Nachtfalke?)
* Lurking Haunter (a large, silent bat-like creature)

Night Falcon is correct

Lurking Haunter = Lauernder

Question: What does the Haunter refer to?

REALLY LARGE AND DANGEROUS CREATURES

* Snow Terror (or Ice Terror or Winter Terror or something similar, a large clawed creature similar to a Yeti) [/QB]

[/quote]

Schneeterror / Eisterror / Winterterror

Schneemonster (Snowmonster)

 

[Plankowner]

If it has been a while since the colonization don't forget that some words will drift, even be combined into something that may not be a true word any more.

For Example:

Snow Terror = Schneeterror => Schneetor
Red Charger = Roter Renner => Roternor

The "Feel" is still there of the original German, but it isn't really a word anymore, just a Name.

Just a thought. This would also be a good excuse if you made a mistake somewhere and one of the players called you on it. "Oh, the name just drifted through the centuries."

 

[KrasnyKot]

Originally posted by Plankowner:
[QB] If it has been a while since the colonization don't forget that some words will drift, even be combined into something that may not be a true word any more.

Good point.
Since most names have a nice translation I like to try the last one:
Speckeled/Spotted Crosshead
Gefleckter Grosskopf (means speckeled bighead)
Gepunkteter Querkopf (means spottet crosshead) Querkopf which, as my fellow german may notice, also refers to a stubborn person.

 

[epicenter00]

Free-ish translations are fine. In fact, I'd rather have them free-ish. The point is to get some reasonably authentic names for these creatures. Mostly, these creatures won't be a hazard to players, but are going to be used as names for military vehicles, military units (do Germans have a tradition of naming military units after animals? I'm unsure), commercial products, as well as in slang.

There's already a certain mythology about these creatures, usually descended from human folklore on Earth. However, a few of language terms are new.

For instance, a nachtfalke has lovely iridescent violet-black plumage with "eye" like patterns (think peacock) on their tailfeathers and wings. Yet these are dangerous creatures well able to kill a man in one or two swipes. Because of their beauty and deadliness, Neubayern slang also uses Nachtfalke to refer to a "femme fatale." Commonly, it's used to refer to high class prostitutes or courtesans, though the term has been co-opted to refer to any beautiful woman where the hazards of associating with her are part of her allure. Not all women are insulted if they're called a nachtfalke.

jatay3:

The setting is a homebrew campaign called Crusade Across the Stars, a modification of TNE universe but with a strong 2300 feel where the players start (my two favorite Traveller-ish games). I've got quite a bit written up on it, but didn't want to spam people on here with Yet Another Campaign. The nation of Neubayern is one of the starting points.

Michael Brinkhues:

The Spotted Crosshead is basically a large bear-like creature that lurks on stony mountainsides and such above the treeline (most of the time). It has grayish fur that is spotted or speckled with spots of black and white (similar to flecktarn camoflauge). However, on its head is a cross-shaped (or plus-shaped) area of white fur, thus the name "crosshead."

The Lurker parter refers to the fact that people associate the Haunting Lurker as creature that "lurks." It's a bat-like creature that can fly very slowly when it desires (nearly hovering) and lacks the distinctive 'flapping' noises that Earth bats make when they fly. So they're very quiet for the most part, though the ultrasonic cries they make to echolocate can't quite be heard by humans, it leaves humans with a sense of unease, thus areas where these bats tend to hunt were considered "haunted." They tend to be very patient and wait for their prey to settle down in some fashion before attacking, thus they lurk. They secrete a natural painkilling venom that they 'spit' onto their targets before feeding so those being fed on don't feel it. People would go to sleep out in the open, and the bat would literally eat parts of the face off...and the victim would have never felt a thing. As always, if you can think of a more evocative German name for such a creature, I'm always open for suggestions/ideas.

Plankowner:

That's actually a good point. It has been some centuries since initial colonization so there probably will be shortening or bastardization of the names. The animals are largelly under control. People still do get killed by them, but those are usually campers or hikers or similar types. You don't have animal attacks in settled areas anymore.