Anyone have an idea of a name I could call my Shadow Riders, other than, well, Shadow Riders? The name has a good essence, but is not only cliché, but also has some conflictions with my story. The name could be a variation, a totally different made up name, anything. I just need help. And I'm finally asking for it.

I thought about Shrouded Shadows or Shadowed Ones, but a Beta reader thought those were too sophisticated and not animalistic enough. So, reading the two different excerpts below, which describe them, what comes to mind?


Above his head Tierin saw eight dark figures enter the sky. They were winged, resembling large birds of prey, but their bodies never seemed to be consistent. They were vapor-like in appearance, their bodies unable to hold their shape, reminding Tierin of billowing smoke. Their dark forms cut swiftly through the air, leaving a streak of dark mist behind them.

The men who stood on their backs, if they could be called men, were dark clad with tattered hoods and long sweeping robes. Tierin couldn’t get a good look at them, but their eyes were yellow with piercing black slits that sent terror through his soul. Their hands resembled the talons of their mounts. Their faces were deathlike and hollow, their hair scraggly. Their features reminded Tierin of a bird of prey, angular, sharp, cunning. They walked and rode as men, but they were not.



Chalice shivered and curled her head closer to her body as if to shield herself from the thought. “What about those creatures I saw? They were like birds, but they weren’t. Their form didn’t hold its consistency. They were more like- and they were ridden by men with piercing yellow, predatorial eyes.”

“Those creatures,” Fledgrin said with disdain, “are not men. Once they might have been, but they have become so altered, there is nothing humanistic about them. The Dimolts are the creatures which you saw, carnivorous just like their masters. They will shred anything they can get their talons on, they feast off the body. Their riders, however, hold the same appetite. They will beat back their Dimolt in order to take the mangled carcass of their prey for themselves. Dunndar starves them for weeks at a time. They cannot die from lack of food, he has made them immune to that, but they feel the pain of starvation. Once they are let loose again their single object is to maim and destroy, feast and pillage. Only their fear of Dunndar is stronger, and he alone can force them to obey an act other than their desire for flesh. They are more beast than anything, though they may look like a man, with human intelligence.”

“How many are there?”

"Ten originally, they were each once a lord of Dunndar’s court. But the fools decided they wanted to rule the world and no longer be under Dunndar’s authority. The ten lords plotted and planned in secret until Dunndar found them out. As an example, Dunndar used them for experiments and torture. You have seen the result of his effort. Animalistic eyes, enhanced with the ability to see in the night. Retractable talons that infect their victims with poison. Highly developed sense of smell, ultra-sensitive hearing. There are only seven now, two killed in an attack against the Lady Alonah, one in the fight for your release.”

“But what about the creatures, Dimolts I think you said? What are they and where do they come from?”

Fledgrin sighed. “They are the captured souls of their riders. The only emotion the Rider feels, is fear. Never target a Dimolt. Their rider is the link to the soul’s demise.”

I liked some of the ideas the person on Buzz had (can't remember who said person is ). I'd probably go with one of those.

(That was me, Sui )

Enaidu (black soul)
Scanam (shadow soul)

Ah ha!

Yeah, she has good names.

Those look cool also, Lady Eruwaedhiel.

*has decided he should be helpful for once*

Shadowed Hunters? *wonders if that is cliché also*

What about the name causes conflictions in the story?

*is not leaving this thread til this is resolved or he's booted off the computer*

Aww, thanks, Mark!

Okay, the reason they throw in a conflict is that 2 people thought they were fallen Diegosian Riders, as opposed to Lord Dunndar perverted into Shadow Riders. And I don't want people thinking they are fallen Diegosians. Cause that just isn't so.

Ah. At first I thought that as well, but I soon realized my mistake.

Dimar?
Damer?
Dimal? (No idea what they mean, I just modified Dimolt)

See, that is exactly why I want to change it! Now you are number 3.

*moves rack up a couple notches*

This needs to be decided soon.

*grins * Thanks, Mark.

You and I will just keep working on hunters and see what we come up with.

Of course.


*grins*

Darkened Hunters...? Yeah, that was a bad idea.

I'm going to give my brain a rest from the rack and sleep on this.

You sleep- er, wait... it's morning, you better have slept some! What will your mother think if I wear you out too much?

*chuckles*

My Mom went to sleep at the same time as me.

Since a literal name with their essence is seemingly impossible... would a made-up name that somehow has the right essence work?

(Jay should invent a name generator that requires input of essence )

I have thought about that. I mean, I named their mounts the Dimolts, so I'm open to calling them a name. The problem is finding the right kind of name with the right kind of essence.......

Yeah...

Is there anyone on here who knows what word parts give the essences we're looking for?

Hmmm... *pokes Jonathan *

I've been watching this thread and thinking about it a lot. Over the past week or so, here's the best I've come up with:

Shadron
Shadaron
Shadar
Shadari

*shivers * That's actually a perfect essence for them.

Shadar really gripped me.... what do you guys think? *pokes Beta Readers who would know the essence of the Shadow Riders *

Hmmm.... but how would you pronounce Ssadar, Brendan? *looks complicated and probably is not *

It would probably be the same as Shadar, just without the H, so Sadar.

It sounded to me like he intended the 's' sound to be more drawn out, hence the second s. So 'Sadar', but with an extra long 's' sound.

Yes, I meant how it would be practical to say it and spell it. "Ssadar" would be awkward to say and spell, but "Sadar" would still capture some of the "ss" essence while getting rid of the awkwardness.

Or it could still be Shadar. Whatever Airianna wants.

*waits anxiously for Kaitlyn's decision*

I think I've fallen in love with Shadar.....

And my brothers think it is the perfect essence, too.....

*begins to calculate out the work involved in removing all other references *

Yay!!!!! *is super excited for Kaitlyn*

Good.

Just open MS Word, do a find and replace

I like Shadar It sounds...shadowy

eru

Yeah, except I gotta also replace where I just called them riders. And I can't find and replace that word, otherwise Tieirn will become a Shadar.

You definitely can't have that happen.

Nope, nope, t'would not be a good thing.

Yeah, find+replace wouldn't work for that

eru

Ooh, I love it, Airi; it really does fit them well too!

Oh good! I'm glad my Beta Readers are loving the name. Since you guys have read the story and know about the Shadow Riders you are good judges of how well it fits.

Sure. It is basically wrapped up.