Naming (ala The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss)

[KOFFEYKID]

I was reading a thread about this series of novels in another forum I frequent. The thread was about the possibility of starting up a game in that universe and the question came up of what system to use. I (and others) basically jumped in with "You know that DFRPG is total awesomesauce and should be able to do the basic magic in the series pretty easily..."

Then we hit the snag of Naming.

How would you folks handle/homebrew Naming as presented in The Name of the Wind and A Wise Man's Fear within the DFRPG ruleset?

The best way I can figure on handling it is sort of like Supernatural Senses progression wise (1 refresh for 1 name, 2 refresh for 2 or 3 names, 3 or more for more than that), with heavy use of Invoking for Effect to handle the mechanics of it. Invoking for effect, however, feels sort of like a cheat since it is so broad in what it can do (though the power of Naming in the books is broad as well) and would require very heavy Adjudication.

[Sanctaphrax]

What does Naming do?

[KOFFEYKID]

Pretty much complete control over whatever you know the name of. If you know the name of fire you can hold burning coals in your hand without feeling the heat. If you know the name of the wind you can ease somebody's breathing or summon a windstorm, etc.

You are almost legendary if you know one name, any more is like an order of magnitude of legendary greater.

[Sanctaphrax]

Perhaps each name could be a separate variety of Sponsored Magic or Incite Effect.

[MagusVulpes]

Bear in mind what follows is going with the mechanics/themes of the dresden files stuff.

You could have it work out that rather than "Fire" and "Wind" being a single entity, that rather you've discovered the Name of a particular Spirit of that element, hearkening to Sponsored Magic stuff (since everyone learns just a part of the Name it would work as being different faces of the element) but working as Evocation, since Sympathy works a lot like Ritual and Channeling being fused together.

Rework Evocation to replace the bonus two elements (or further define you're talents, ala Avatar the Last Air Bender) to gain a bonus Refinement in your particular element. So you can pick up Fire (+1 bonus to off/def control/power), Lightning (purifying fire to focused plasma), Ice (manipulation of heat specifically) OR gain Fire (+1 Bonus to off/def control/power) and Fire (+2 Bonus to off/def control/power).

I have to admit, having Naming work as Super Enhanced Channeling feels right with me, considering what we know of Naming from the books so far. Or at least from what I remember from the books.