Poll: Name My OC!
Nov. 23rd, 2022 12:18 pmWell, help me pick her surname, anyway.
The OC in question is my SWTOR trooper, Ruta:
The names I've been considering are Ruta Filumen and Ruta Abnik. Each is a little bit punny:
Filumen gestures at three different etymologies, two Latin and one Greek:
– Latin flumen, meaning "river" (since, you know, she's a Nautolan);
– Greek φιλομένα (philomena), meaning "beloved";
– and Latin filia luminis, meaning "daughter of light."
(As a side note, the philomena/filia luminis pun also shows up in the strange history of St. Philomena, who...well, it's not that she wasn't a real person. We can be pretty confident that (a) there was an early Christian named Philomena, who may have been martyred, and (b) the bones identified as St. Philomena's bones belonged to an early Christian, who also may have been martyred, so at least one real person is involved. Whether the bones in fact belonged to a person named Philomena, and whether Philomena, and/or the owner of the bones, was in fact martyred, is the subject of heated debate. Also, a Neapolitan nun in 1833 claimed Philomena came to her in a vision and told her details about her life, which is where the iffy "filia luminis" etymology for "Filumena" comes in; make of that what you will.)
Abnik is more straightforward: It's a pun on the Latvian abinieks, which means "amphibian." (Again...Nautolan.)
Anyway, I can't decide, so I figured I'd outsource it to you all!
And I'd love to hear why in the comments!
ETA:![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
independence1776 has pointed out that the poll is a lie and these are not ticky boxes! My apologies to the ticky box lovers among you. The last option should be interpreted as "No opinion, but I love answering polls."
The OC in question is my SWTOR trooper, Ruta:
Ruta
Pronouns
she/her
Species
Nautolan
Occupation
Major, Republic Special Forces
Bio
Raised in a large, close-knit Nautolan family on Deralia, Ruta enlisted in the Republic Army as soon as she came of age. After two years in the infantry, Ruta's courage and skill drew the attention of her superiors when she played a pivotal role in defending a vital supply convoy from Mandalorian raiders; her actions earned her both a medal and a place in Special Forces training, where she swiftly excelled.
Ruta is fiercely loyal to the ideals of the Republic. Work in SpecForce is often grim, but there are some lines she will never cross: Victory over the Empire would be meaningless if the Republic became just as despotic in the process.
Trivia
Like all Nautolans, Ruta is as comfortable underwater as on land, and her favorite off-duty pastime is swimming. She is also an enthusiastic dejarik player.
The names I've been considering are Ruta Filumen and Ruta Abnik. Each is a little bit punny:
Filumen gestures at three different etymologies, two Latin and one Greek:
– Latin flumen, meaning "river" (since, you know, she's a Nautolan);
– Greek φιλομένα (philomena), meaning "beloved";
– and Latin filia luminis, meaning "daughter of light."
(As a side note, the philomena/filia luminis pun also shows up in the strange history of St. Philomena, who...well, it's not that she wasn't a real person. We can be pretty confident that (a) there was an early Christian named Philomena, who may have been martyred, and (b) the bones identified as St. Philomena's bones belonged to an early Christian, who also may have been martyred, so at least one real person is involved. Whether the bones in fact belonged to a person named Philomena, and whether Philomena, and/or the owner of the bones, was in fact martyred, is the subject of heated debate. Also, a Neapolitan nun in 1833 claimed Philomena came to her in a vision and told her details about her life, which is where the iffy "filia luminis" etymology for "Filumena" comes in; make of that what you will.)
Abnik is more straightforward: It's a pun on the Latvian abinieks, which means "amphibian." (Again...Nautolan.)
Anyway, I can't decide, so I figured I'd outsource it to you all!
Poll #27908 Name My OC!
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 8
What should Ruta's surname be?
View Answers
Filumen
4 (50.0%)
Abnik
3 (37.5%)
Both of those are bad, not gonna lie.
0 (0.0%)
I have an even BETTER idea and will tell you in the comments!
0 (0.0%)
Oooh, ticky box!
1 (12.5%)
And I'd love to hear why in the comments!
ETA:
independence1776 has pointed out that the poll is a lie and these are not ticky boxes! My apologies to the ticky box lovers among you. The last option should be interpreted as "No opinion, but I love answering polls."
