in your favorite setting/ruleset, what does "true name magic" DO?
>>48171589
Knowing someone's true name lets you target them with spells remotely. It's mostly specific to scrying or sending messages.
>>48171589
Demons are nameless and formlesslike flame till the Clergy give them names. This binds and chain them so they can be pressed into service punishing sinners or tempting mortals. The Priests record each devil's name in a great register, as anyone who knows it may command the devil.
>>48171589
Knowing true name of the spirit gives you power to summon it directly, command it and interact with it from great distance, they are bound by rules of otherworld to not lie and speak thruthfully. It's equivalent of putting a gun to their hand, magcal beings will hate you for that, they feel completely helpless. Powerful and bold spirits can weasel their way out, twist summoner's orders to hurt him and give him misleading information (they can't lie still). Spirits use alternative names and nicknames to keep them in secret, it's a common practice in the Otherworld. Sometimes spirits reveal their true names to person they like and trust so they can be called at any moment. Every human has a soul but it's true name is name given by parents. Human spirits are bound to earth with flesh and blood and insulated from the effects of magic and power of true name. Still magician knowing true name of a man can work his magic as if he was present before him and can ask spirits questions about this person.
>>48171589
A wielder of truename magic understand a language far older and more fundamental than all others, a "mother tongue" whose words and phrases are the building blocks of the universe.
Except perhaps the gods themselves, no one can speak this original tongue. It’s possible that no one ever did speak it—truenames might be more a set of instructions encoded into a language, rather than a means of communication. But through careful study, the masters of truename magic can understand a smattering of this fundamental language.
When such masters name a thing aloud in the tongue of truenames, they can exert unparalleled control over the creature or object they name. They can command it, alter it, renew it, or destroy it simply by speaking their desire aloud. The cosmos seems to hear a truenamer’s instruction and reorders the universe in accordance with the spoken words.
Like putting in the kill code for an NPC in the command console for Skyrim on PC.
>>48171589
Due to failsafes built into the universe, truenames are fairly powerless when spoken from the material world. In the spiritual world (the gates to which can only be opened by the incarnate forces of creation), and around the rim of the universe, truenames allow a talented speaker to do practically anything.
>>48171977
That's a really simple effect, to the point where it's almost baffling. Then again I'm thinking on the planar scale.
Is there a range/plane limit? Can you target them with ANY spell?
>>48172513
so is that C++ or python?
>>48172633
Knowing their true name lets you scry their location/contact them no matter what plane they're on, even if they are currently just a spirit in the afterlife. This is assuming they're not protected against scrying attempts through other means; IE not sitting in a dense Lead cube.
Plus, it's the only way to target someone specific with any of the Wish spells. Hard to specify "I wish <Grognar the Meat Cleaver> was alive!" when you don't know Grognar's real name is Gary Sprekski.
This system also protects Adventurers/Superheroes from being bothered or spied on in their free time.
>>48172678
Velato interpreted by a horrifying combination of PHP, C+, and JAVA depending on what you are trying to do.
True Names give you complete mastery over the thing you name. This can even extend to forcibly changing them into something else, at risk of changing their Name. It is very difficult to learn even a single Name, though, and as things grow and change, so too can their Name. The Name of something like, say, a mountain? Probably takes a long time to change. The Name of wind? Changes from minute to minute, or second to second depending on the air.
>>48171589NOTHING
>>48172093
Which setting?
You have to discover your own true name to have any ability to be a king, and being a king is kind of a big deal considering how shit things get in places without one, things get a bit, well, tentacly.
From my homebrew.
True Name Magic
Knowing the true name of a being gives powers over it, yet a true name is complex and the power actually is granted by the understanding of the true name. By calling something by its true name, you can attract its attention or even use magic against it. Gods listen to prayers because their common name is part of their true name, but they are too powerful to use ordinary truenaming against them. Sages speculate truenaming is one way gods can be so omnipresent, knowing when and where their name is being used. Some even say this extend to their domain and ideals.
Baptism is common practise to obscure the baby's true name.
Dwarves use their true name instead of hiding it, they used it to power their rune magic. To not fall prey to true naming they use rune magic to protect it. Rune magic is a never practice, essentially a written form of true naming.
>>48172425
Isn't this the name rules from the Bartimeus Trilogy?
