Author: FORTHRIGHT

Clan Names. I was just mentioning portmanteaux on Patreon last week with regards to Amaranthine “surnames,” which are more properly referred to as clan names. I use a tried-and-true system often found in fantasy books. Mash a couple of words together, and … voila! That means it’s possible to pick apart most clan names and look at their meaning. Argent Mettlebright is an excellent place to start. ::twinkle::

“Kith and Kin” is an old-timey phrase that refers to ones friends and family, and it led to the name I gave to the sentient animals who are part of the Amaranthine clans. In the Saga & Songs, the Amaranthine refer to themselves collectively as “the clans” or “the Kindred,” with an imperfectly understood hierarchy. There are the so-called High Amaranthine, who are able to take human form. Then the Kith, who seem to be (unusually large) Amaranthine versions of known animals. And then the Ephemera … but that’s another word for another blog post. ::twinkle::

“Children are precious to the clans. They need our affection, our protection, our attention, our guidance.” Offering a small shrug, Deece added, “This is true for Kith and Kindred alike.”

—Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox

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Hey! Have you noticed yet that all Kith have four-letter names? That means that Kith-kin are often given a new name when they find their way into speaking form. What do you think Alder Woodacre’s birth name might have been? ::twinkle::

Fun Fact: Moon-kin Ambervelte, who is also Kith-kin, never changed his name. He still goes by Moon.