Speak With Dead #19: Opera Ghost

Each week, our resident necromancer Maxillae the Mad takes time from her busy life as a alchemist and practitioner of death magic to offer her unique insights and advice to denizens of any world or setting. At the bottom find out how you can Speak with Dead and ask your questions of our necromancer with the answer. Until then, welcome to the crypt!

Dear Maxillae the Mad,

Is Maxillae your given name? I assume “the Mad” was added on for a bit of flair, but I suppose Maxillae could be a name parents would give their child. Additionally, do you notice an abundance of people in your world named too appropriately? I’ve heard tales of fighters named Braun Foehammer, paladins named Alaric Brightstar, etc. While the last names may be coincidental, they could after all be following in their parent’s footsteps, it seems to me that having a first name which matches your personality/profession/etc. would require incredible foresight or perhaps something a bit more…difficult to explain. Any insight would be appreciated!

Signed,
Nom De Confus

 

Dear Nom de Confus,

As a matter of fact, no, Maxillae is not my given name, but that does not make it less real. As far as anyone else is concerned, yes, that is my name. At the risk of being accused of appropriating elven culture, I took it for myself when I decided I was an adult that could make her own poor decisions instead of relying on the poor decisions of my dear belated parents instead.

That said, names do have a certain degree of magical power attached to them and true names in particular. Many people choose to keep that a closely guarded secret and if the name that person chooses to show the world is a tad on the nose, can you blame them for it? I’ve heard of people doing some very dark things with a person’s true name.

Additionally, as far as the last names go, in many places commoners don’t have them at all and are meant to earn them for themselves. For example, in a town with two men named Jack one might be called “Jack Rivers” because he lives by the river and the other “Jack Brawny” because…well. You flick the abacus.

I would wager a good many of them are sobriquets collected while the person adventures. There are a number of reasons for someone to have a name like that, after all.

Regards,

Maxillae the Mad

 

Dear Mistress Maxillae,

I have recently begun my forays into more complicated necromatic arts and I have begun noticing some problems. While my raising of anything bestial continues without a hitch, anytime I raise something with a more advanced intelligence all they do is sit there and begin singing what I am told are quite beautiful operatic arias.

Any pointers on how to correct this issue would be greatly appreciated,

Signed
Confused Drow Journeyman

 

Dear Journeyman,

Mistress Maxillae, is it? Oh, I must admit I do like the sound of that.

But your zombies are singing to you, you say? Interesting, I cannot say I’ve ever experienced a problem like that before. Are you certain you aren’t drawing in some form of spirit? Sometimes these phantoms find an empty vessel and have a compulsive need to take it over.

My suggestion would be to acquire some sort of cleric or soothsayer to consult with this phantom of the opera and find out why precisely they are usurping your dead. It may not be a bad idea also to acquire a bard to write down the nature of these notes and see what secrets they might contain. Perhaps the spirit simply died before their time and wants you to spread their final works to the world.

Best of Luck,

Mistress Maxillae

P.S. Oh yes, I do very much like that honorific.

P.P.S. And if that ghost happens to answer to the name Erik please send him my way, he owes me gold.

Do you have a question for Maxillae the Mad?

Please, if you have anything you would like to inquire of our resident necromancer, leave your inquisitions in the comments below or simply tweet out to #SpeakWithDead and have your questions answered!

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