Tonight in my saga, an apprentice of Murion, somewhat dismissed, turns out to be a nobleman's son - his only heir, in fact.
Cue courtroom battle! Murion will demand repayment for the time she has invested in the apprentice. The noble will demand his son back.
How did the noble track them down? Who wanted Murion to get in trouble?
Anyhow, what I need is a name for the nobleman. I was thinking a Rhinegrave? Or whatever... but I can't think of a good name. Anyone have any sources that might be authenticish?
His title I cannot recommend, unless you tell me what political and juridical power your nobleman is supposed to wield.
But here's a few of the more original male Cristian names which I just read from the witness lists of German medieval documents of the 11th to 13th centuries:
Eribert, Willigis, Wulfhard, Rutger, Tilman, Abelo, Sigipolt, Penno, Enci, Witulo, Richold, Magon, Werinheri, Ruotprecht, Odalscalc, Ratolt, Zacco, Engildieo, Werinhart, Pernger, Immo, Engilpero, Ascherich, Gozrat, Waltheri, Herrant, Odalrich, Sontprecht, Adelger, Liuzi, Erchinpero, Lantpolt, Liutprecht, Wisirich, Horchsmot.
The site is obviously a work of love and a nice find, but full of unexplainable spelling issues and anachronisms, making it unusable as a reference, and requiring care and crosschecking with other sources to use it even to find the names of medieval dignitaries.
Just one example:
The site lists for the bishopric of Hildesheim
St. Bernhard III von Sommerescheburg...............993-1022
Meant is clearly St. Bernward, who through his mother Frithrun is related to the line of the counts palatine of Saxony. (Vita Bernwardi by Thangmar: "ortus igitur egregiae indolis puer Berwardus claro nostrae gentis sanguine ex filia Athelberonis palatini comitis"). And a title used in the 12th century by the counts palatine of Saxony is 'von Sommereschenburg'. But conferring that title to Bernward and adding a number as if he were a dynast is unjustified.
To be honest, I don't think that matters overmuch for a game, unless you're playing with obsessive History PhDs. Regardless of its suitability for academic purposes, it still gives flavor enough for the layman who just wants to play. As Vrylakos said, "authenticish" is usually enough.
Thanks! All of these are wonderful bits of info! I had to fake it a bit last night, but I think it'll work out if I retrofit a bit using items from this thread.