I figured I'd post a few Faerûnian curses in one place, for those that would prefer to use them over real world words. Some of them sound good and are great for immersion, others are just plain awkward. Use them at your own judgement:
Ed Greenwood wrote:
Lathanderite curses:
Realms exclamations appear alphabetically, followed in parentheses (with asterisks to lessen the obscenity impact) by the real-world equivalent:
"Beard!" (contraction of "[by the] Beard of Omthas!") [Omthas was an early prophet of Lathander, last heard from over six centuries ago] "Bitterblood!" (contraction of "By the blood of Alathan!") "By the Beard of Omthas!" ("Holy crap!" or: "Jesus!" [profane amazement]) "By the blood of Alathan!" ("Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!" or: "Bloody hell!" or "Jesus f*cking Christ!" [profane shock or disgust]) [Alathan was a high priest of a Lathanderite temple who was martyred four centuries back for preaching the faith of Lathander by the local Tethyrian duke -- who hated and feared change, and didn't want any commoners getting uppoty ideas about starting ANYTHING new] "Darkrose!" ("Blast!" or: "F*ck!") "Dawnfire!" ("Shit!") "Dusking!" ("Damnation!") "Redblood!" ("Bloody hell!" or "Damn!" [upset Lathanderites have been heard to say things like "They even stole the redblooding candles!" so "redblooding" is the form that lets this word be used directly in place of the real-world "bloody" or "f*cking"] "Star of the Morning!" ("My word!" [usable even when speaking to superiors in the church 'polite oath' that denotes surprise or dismay]) "Starfall!" ("Damn!" or "Blast!" [ancient oath, now considered almost poetic or flowery]) "Zustrin!" ("Bloody marvellous!" or "F*cking wonderful!" [used only when pleased, but so shocked or surprised as to burst out into profanity; considered poor form by clergy of Lathander]
Banite curses:
Here are some naughty words apt to be uttered by worshippers of Bane today. Where the curse seems an invented word and no 'name origin' is given, it derives from an ancient, ill-remembered 'temple tongue' or cant used by the very early cult of Bane, to keep secret the nature of converse between priests.
"Aumarrath!" (contraction of "In memory of Aumarrath!" [Aumarrath the Tyrant-King was an early prophet of Bane, and this oath is polite enough to be used to superior clergy, denoting holy awe or satisfaction, somewhat akin to the real world: "Blood of the Virgin!" or "Name of the God!"]) "Blackfire!" ("Blood of the God!" [used in awe, admiration, or profane amazement, but never when angry or disgusted; is much less formal than "Aumarrath!"]) "Clathenar!" ("Holy crap!" or: "Jesus!" [Clathenar was an unintentional martyr of Bane whose long-ago holy service was one long sequence of disastrous screwups, so this oath is always used like a groan of dismay or spat out in despairing anger, when something has gone seriously wrong]; pronounced 'CLATH-en-ar') "Embarranar!" (a gloating thanks to Bane for something that's gone well, or a victory, or unlooked-for aid or good fortune, roughly equivalent to a delighted: "Son of a BITCH!" or "Don't that take all!"; pronounced 'Em-bar-RAN-ar') "Hand of Hate!" ([contraction of the rarely-heard "Feel the Hand of Hate!"] an expression only snarled at foes or victims being slain; rough equivalent of a real-world: "DIE, motherf*cker!") "Holy Fist!" ("Jesus Christ!") "Krisk!" ("Sh*t!") "Lurruk!" ("Bloody hell!" or "Damn!"; pronounced 'LUR-uh-kh') "Sark!" ("Blast!" or: "F*ck!") "Talar!" ("Well, damn!" [a mild expression of surprise or dismay]) "Tondrabbar!" ("To the God!" [a war-cry or exulting expression uttered when an offering is touched aflame or broken, a foe is struck, or an attack is launched (i.e. it would be the first shout of a surprise attack); pronounced 'Tawn-DRAB-bar') "Whiteblood!" ("Bloody hell!" or "Jesus f*cking Christ!" [profane shock or disgust]) T his is of course the very sort of detail dropped because of the original TSR Code of Ethics AND the desire to simplify speech (doing away with dialects/accents, and so on) to make the game more accessible when it first appeared. If your players don't feel comfortable using any of these expressions, or they seem silly when uttered, don't use them. Bane will understand.
Red Knight curses:
Obscenities uttered by faithful of the Red Knight when personally upset include these: "Alavaerthus!" (equivalent of "God-damn-it!" or "Jesus f*cking Christ!" [this word, pronounced "Alah-VAER-thus," was the name of a member of the Fellowship who had a large hand in founding the church of Red Knight, but went mad in a battle and sent his forces to their dooms through a series of stupid or reckless commands; "playing Alavaerthus" is an informal Fellowship expression meaning to 'totally screw up') "Blood of the Lady!" (equivalent of "Oh my [insert strongest personal obscenities here] God!" [used as a stronger replacement for "Alavaerthus!") "Checkmate!" (formal, usable-in-polite-company equivalent of "Damn!" or "Shit!" or "Blast!" [invoking the name of the Lady's blade]) "Keltor!" (equivalent of "Damn!" and pronounced as "KEL-tor" [spat out swiftly]) "Teskyre!" (equivalent of "Sh*t!" and pronounced as "Tess-kEYE-ur") "Witless!" (equivalent of "F*ck!" [the strongest personal oath of a faithful of the Red Knight alludes to stupidity in strategy or tactics])
Now, a few 'polite oaths,' that can be used in front of priests, or by one priest to another, without any rebuke or sin at all:
"Blood of the god!" [also uttered as: "Blood of Tempus!"] "Hooves!" [a reference to the mounts Tempus rides or stands on, Deiros and Veiros, and therefore to the god at work] "Steel!" [short for "Thirsty steel!" (this longer form is now very rarely heard), and expresses an eager desire to take part in battle] "Sword and Stars!" [a saying derived from the belief that stars flash to mark the god's approval when a favored attack is made or a champion draws his or her sword for purposes of battle] "Warhorn!" [short for "Warhorn forlorn!" (a line from a temple hymn about aid arriving too late to save the lives of heroes dying heroically in a 'last stand' because they upheld their duty rather than departing and so saving their lives), and expresses regret at a battle defeat or at poor tactics that resulted in losses because allies or sword-comrades came too late, or went in the wrong direction, or chose opponents or terrain poorly] "Zelzing!" [a word from an old, now-lost battle song of Tempus, that poetically described the sound of ringing swords in battle; this is now used triumphantly to mark a blow struck, or battle joined, or a foe struck down]
And now, the "hard swearing" indulged in by believers in Tempus who have lost their tempers and let lapse all guard over their tongues. As usual, I've provided modern real-world equivalents in parentheses. Almost all of these words derive from ancient temple cant of the Wargod, now forgotten except for these oaths and a few sacred phrases used in altar prayers.
"Arntarmar!" ("Jesus Christ!"; pronounced "Arn-TAR-mar!" [Arntarmar was a long-ago mortal war-hero who worked wondrous victories in the name of Tempus, and died willingly on a battlefield to allow wounded and children to escape while he singlehandedly held off a vastly more numerous foe in a narrow gorge]) "Caztul!" ("F*ck!" [profane shock or disgust] and pronounced "CAZZ-tuhl") "Gelkor!" ("Sh*t!"; pronounced with a hard 'g': "GEL-kore!") "Harcrimmitor!" (akin to shouting: "DIE, motherf*cker!" and pronounced: "Har-CRIM-ih-tor") "Kelstyn!" ("Blast!"; pronounced: "KEL-stinn!") "Malagard!" ("Well, damn!" [mild surprise or dismay]) "Ralimralar!" (a delighted: "Son of a BITCH!" and pronounced: "RAL-im-RAL-ar!") "Sakros!" ("Holy crap!" [astonishment, not necessarily bad] and pronounced "SACK-roe-sss") "Talandor!" ("Bloody hell!"; pronounced: "Tel-an-DOR!")
To tide you over on the swearing, here are just a few key words, with various regional variants given (I'll leave the more colourful genitalia descriptors for the full piece):
These two miscellaneous curses have also been introduced by Ed, and I believe the latter's been used in novels (I seem to recall Schend using it in either Blackstaff or Blackstaff Tower): Haularake, stlarn (something akin to "damn it" and "f*uck", IIRC)
These've been compiled by Dagnirion/Lord Karsus, but I recognize several of them from canon sources. I don't guarantee they're all correct, though:
Dagnirion wrote:
Elven:Biir is a term that is translated into 'garbage/waste', and is used in the context of calling someone else garbage.
Dhaerow, we know, means ‘Face of Shadow/Traitor’, and is used in the context of equating someone to a Drow.
Filliken is a term that is translated into 'open skirt', and is used in the context of calling someone a prostitute.
Hahlorkh is a term that means 'Un-Elflike Butchers and Savages', and is used in the context of insulting another Elf.
Lorkh is a term that means '‘Savage Butchers who Lost Their Elven Nature Long Ago Through [savage] Behavior’, and is a grave insult to any Elf.
Saurot is a term that means 'Taint/Rot', and is normally used to refer to something that N'Tel'Quessir do to a lesser quality than Elves. A drink, for example, would be described this way. It can also be used to describe a person.
Vyshaan, as we know, means 'Power Mad', and is used to equate someone to the Vyshaanti, which is a grave and vile insult among Elves.
_________________
On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
"Clathenar!" ("Holy crap!" or: "Jesus!" [Clathenar was an unintentional martyr of Bane whose long-ago holy service was one long sequence of disastrous screwups, so this oath is always used like a groan of dismay or spat out in despairing anger, when something has gone seriously wrong]; pronounced 'CLATH-en-ar')
high-coin girls (obviously, this term and the preceding one refer to rates charged - - and, usually, "quality of presentation," which is to say: to charge high rates, a female usually has to be pretty if not beautiful, actress enough to enjoy her work and to portray what the client wants [from fear to innocence to tenderness, and a liking for whatever the client's preferences are], to be clean and provocatively dressed, and to operate in less than squalid surroundings)
ladies of the evening (implies the ability to function as escorts in social situations; i.e. know how to behave at a feast or formal gathering as ladies of breeding, not merely - - or perhaps not even - - sexual partners)
bedwarmers (entirely neutral and open-society-polite term, as it can imply either gender, and everything from a personal maid who literally warms a rented bed with a bedpan and then departs, perhaps never being seen by the renter, to a regular companion hired repeatedly by a given traveler on every visit to a given establishment; usually means "good, hard-working, trustworthy prostitute")
alley girls (implies low and coarse street workers, often women who literally ply their trade in alleyways by night, usually swift "offerings" for a few coins; young boys who can scrape up a copper coin between them usually get their first sight or fondle [only] of bared female flesh by visiting an alley girl in daylight)
festhall downdancers ("festhall dancers" are usually just that: dancers, though they may flirt and dance unclad or partially so; "downdancers" is the usual shorthand term for "MORE than just dancers")
lightskirts (a mild term, usually implying prostitution but can mean merely promiscuous)
looseskirts (need not be a professional; this term really means "willing woman," but is often employed to mean prostitute by folk who dare not, or don't want to be, more explicit)
snakehips (an exhibitionist and willing sexual partner who is either contortionist or acrobatic, or "willing to try" precarious sites for trysts, such as rooftops, high tree boughs, atop wagons, high windowsills, hanging from ropes or balconies, on horseback, and so on; again, need not be a professional)
low-lantern ladies (refers to the Southern [the Vilhon, Calimshan, and points south] practice of dancing, disrobing, and then lovemaking all to the subdued amber or red light of almost-shuttered lamps that have panels of one of those two hues)
willing-arms (usually used to refer to a village whore, as in "ah, this'll be the local willing-arms")
escorts (implies the acting ability and training to function as "arm candy" in social situations such as revels, feasts, and formal gatherings as persons of breeding, not necessarily sexual partners)
hard-currency girls (a term rarely heard these days; it implied that this particular prostitute wouldn't extend credit - - but almost no one does, any more, so the term is dying out except as a leering, over-the-top "scandalous" term used in some plays - - usually by a "shocked, utterly SHOCKED, my dear!" character)
courtesan (a professional "hostess" employed by a ruler at his court, to entertain important visitors; need not have a sexual role at all, but usually does; tone of voice or local knowledge implies sexual side of profession if it exists)
warmflanks (a very "polite" way of referring to prostitutes; can be said in polite social conversations by or in the hearing of anyone, including disapproving old matrons and children)
whiplovers (originally only a slighting way to refer to worshippers of Loviatar, or S&M -enjoying cultists of Shar and Bane, its use broadened to include masochists venerating Ilmater, and finally all sexual masochists; recently, has seen use in Amn, Tethyr, and Calimshan as a term for those who offer their bodies to be whipped in return for coin)
kisscoin (a polite, affectionate term for those willing to make love for pay)
footwarmer (an utterly neutral term for a paid companion of the opposite sex, who is willing to sleep with clients; usually sex is implied, but the term literally means to provide companionship in bed for the lonely, so they have a warm body to warm their feet against; increasingly, this term is applied to aging, less athletic and adventurous prostitutes)
she-eel (a snarled near-curse, implying someone who teases, takes coin, and then slips away [or robs clients], OR an approving advertisement for someone very supple and willing to use her skills for adventurous sex or to increase the pleasure of clients)
banner (a male prostitute)
skilled-laces (a prostitute of satisfying skills and performance; the term refers, of course, to unlacing garments)
darksail (someone who makes love for pay while masked, or with identity magically disguised; originally many elves and half-elves of Waterdeep used a "shiftmask" spell that covered their faces - - except for their eyes - - in amorphous darkness; this spell is sometimes cast for hire on wealthy wives and husbands who want to "cheat" at masked revels, so if their masks are torn off, their faces still can't be seen; the spell can also be cast to cloak most of the body, so once garments are removed, the body can be felt more than it can be seen, an aid in concealing wrinkles, or identifying marks that betray identity)
slyblade (prostitute who dresses as a man, to woo female clients or as protection against the disapproving or lawkeepers, when meeting male clients who know her true identity and profession very well, or are "tipped off" by prearrangement plus a card, message, or signal)
catclaw (prostitute who likes rough sex or domination, or who will for coin try to seduce others, or act the role of a slave, spouse, conquered war-captive or former rival who is now a willing lover [in other words, benefit or enhance the status of a paying client by her acting, from wearing chains and willingly accepting abuse to pretending to have been smitten by the sexual prowess of the client)
bell-ankles (a Southern term referring to the dying practice of wearing chiming bells on the ankles when dancing or lovemaking, as audible advertisements; this custom is dying out, but the phrase still sees popular use to mean prostitute willing to entertain "walk-in" clients)
slapthighs (low-rate or coarse or willing-to-be-abused prostitute; the term is descriptive, NOT pejorative)
smilecoin lass (polite term for a friendly, "nice" prostitute, especially one who will cook for, provide conversation for, and provide a bed for the night for, a client - - not just providing sex)
goldglint darling (poetic or "overly polite" term for anyone who provides sex for payment)
playpretty (a female paid for sex by soldiers or sailors)
doxy (mistress or prostitute, especially applied to women who are the shared mistresses of a select roster of men)
warmvelvet (a young, pretty or beautiful prostitute who likes to tease or act alluring or foster an air of mystery; in Silverymoon or Waterdeep, this also means a noble or wealthy young woman "playing" at being a prostitute for the thrills [or to see if she can use this as a "road away" from an unhappy home situation])
chalice (a poetic or very polite term for a prostitute, based on the poetic reference to the female as either a cup that a male drinks from, or a vessel that receives his seed)
glimmersheath (a strikingly beautiful prostitute, or a male crossdressing prostitute; in either case, the term refers to eyecatching beauty and willingly receiving the "dagger" of the male physique)
gold tigress (a prostitute who likes to wrestle with or fight [to be "conquered"] clients, or to bite and claw them; a "tigress" without the word "gold" refers to a female who is not a prostitute but has similar sexual preferences]
_________________ ~Sharess on AmiaWiki~ Priestess, politician, prostitute "[They] were moving in on me like Sharessans on a new broad in the bath house" - Tracer Bolt AmiaWiki mod (mostly inactive)
_________________ "Most assume that all the followers of Lathander are great morning people. They're very wrong." "I think we are the only group where AD&D stands for Attention Deficit Disorder."
It's fun to try and make your own cusses and praises. "Vith" is a word that is most often used the same way as f*ck, so I think it sounds blarghish anyways. The drow translator pages can probably give you the inspiration you need.
Joined: 12 Oct 2005 Location: On a Disk, carried by four elephants, which stand on a gigantic turtle.
You've made being a Tempurian 200 times better. Also, some of those curses have relevance to a theory of mine about Targus, Tempus and Garagaos.
I however now see a new form of warfare. A 10 tempurain pc's charging at you screaming obscenties at the top of there lungs. It makes me happy to be a red knight/tempus worshipper.
_________________ I keels u with my axe!
"Do ye know where the Holy-Flamin' Frost-brand Gronk-slayin' Vorpal Hammer o' woundin' an' returnin' an' Shootin'-Lightnin'-out-yer-bum is?"
whiplovers (originally only a slighting way to refer to worshippers of Loviatar, or S&M -enjoying cultists of Shar and Bane, its use broadened to include masochists venerating Ilmater, and finally all sexual masochists; recently, has seen use in Amn, Tethyr, and Calimshan as a term for those who offer their bodies to be whipped in return for coin)
catclaw (prostitute who likes rough sex or domination, or who will for coin try to seduce others, or act the role of a slave, spouse, conquered war-captive or former rival who is now a willing lover [in other words, benefit or enhance the status of a paying client by her acting, from wearing chains and willingly accepting abuse to pretending to have been smitten by the sexual prowess of the client)
_________________ ~Sharess on AmiaWiki~ Priestess, politician, prostitute "[They] were moving in on me like Sharessans on a new broad in the bath house" - Tracer Bolt AmiaWiki mod (mostly inactive)
Heh, who would of thought the Realms would be so colourful in terms of insults. All I can remeber is the fairly common "Cyric's blood" from the NWN 2 series >.>
_________________
Kerath Zau'tar - Underdark commander and thief - Scheming and lurking.
Derryn de'Drenise - Watcher of Helm - Scolder of witches and wizards
You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny - Llie n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina
We have a winner.
Totally agreed.
_________________ "Most assume that all the followers of Lathander are great morning people. They're very wrong." "I think we are the only group where AD&D stands for Attention Deficit Disorder."
Great, now people will use elven insults on one another, and claim that the player/s of other elves should know, which will lead to a ton of IC crap. Woo!
I'll take the upportunity to just say "Fuck right off," whenever I see something mildly resembling elven.
_________________ Profiles: DakoDako & ElWacko
Characters: Currently trying my best to stick to Beridoc Brushgale
Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Location: [st]Ultrinnan[/st] [st]Edonil[/st] Nec'perya
Isen says Vithling a lot, I dont know if its real, but people understand what he means.
_________________ Slander [Zanthair Akarupa of the Horsemen of the Apcalypse] - Sorcerer 'Mediocreare' Isendu't'tar Ussen'd'Vhid d'My'ana'd'Xull'd'Vharcan - possibly the longest name in Amia Tiffany Seagrass - weak and fragile weaver of words
Selvec is right, fyi. I'm stickying the post on the Order forums for the Tempusian and Red Knight insults, and they'll now be a part of the education of all young squires.
Along the lines of using 'Jesus Christ!' RL, I suggest
Boppi!
Mander!
Shada!
_________________ ~Sharess on AmiaWiki~ Priestess, politician, prostitute "[They] were moving in on me like Sharessans on a new broad in the bath house" - Tracer Bolt AmiaWiki mod (mostly inactive)
I think the Faerunian curses are like the sort of cursing adults do around kids. "Oh Fudge!" and stuff like that, really takes the bite off the words I think.
_________________ Wyjyn: Loving all of you (and above all Disco) since 11 Jan 2007.
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