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The Kingdoms: Etymology
To be added onto or altered.
Names bear significance; that goes without saying. When applied to locations, they convey historic, demographic, geographic, or linguistic information about the area. In works of fiction, that significance can be extended beyond the in-universe context of the story, and provide function from a meta perspective. Be it foreshadowing, allusions, or tongue-in-cheek wordplay, a writer can do quite a bit with etymology.
With few exceptions, most of the placenames used in the Redux will be derived from real-world languages. Locations on this list include capitals, major cities, minor settlements (small cities, towns, villages), Huntsman outposts, and Atlesian military bases.
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Kingdom of Vale
ASTYSTRAG
Etymology: From the Latin words astȳ, “city,” + strāgēs (gen. strāgis), strag-, “slaughter.” Translation: city of slaughter.
Explanation: Its name refers to its destruction at the claws of the Grimm.
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AVONFORD
Etymology: From the Middle Breton word avon, “river,” + the Old English word ford, “crossing.” Translation: crossing at the river.
Explanation: Avonford was named for its placement between the cities of Petrichor and Vellichor. In order to travel between the two, most people going over land usually cross the Jet River at Avonford.
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BATO
Etymology: Bato derives its name from a character in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Explanation: The character Bato in A:TLA was wounded in a skirmish with Fire Nation soldiers, and was forced to remain behind at an abbey in the northwestern Earth Kingdom. The abbey was a major exporter of organic perfumes and oils. In the Redux, residents of Bato extract natural oils and dyes from the alikophytic (red-foliaged) plants of Forever Fall, and use them to produce perfumes, soaps, incenses, and food colorings.
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BELPONT STATION
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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CITY OF VALE
Etymology: From the Middle English word vale, borrowed from Old French val and derived from Latin vallis, “valley.”
Explanation: Vale’s name could have originally been intended as a reference to the geography of the city—specifically, the forked body of water overlooked by Beacon Academy. (Technically speaking, the steep-sided cliffs would classify it as a fjord rather than a river valley.) Alternatively, Vale is a deliberate misspelling of veil, a thin material worn to conceal one’s face. The etymology is tentatively reinforced by Patch’s name, suggesting a potential theme of naming landmarks in the Kingdom of Vale after fabrics.
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ELDEGOSS
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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FORT DERECHO
Etymology: Named in-universe after one of the five aspects, or Huntsman saints.
Explanation: Several of the names used by the Huntsman outposts were chosen to honor their predecessors. Named after Derecho, the Hunter.
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FORT KITTIWAKE
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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GYDEN
Etymology: From the Old English word gyden, “goddess,” possibly descended from Proto-Germanic gudinjō. The pronunciation of gyden is also meant to be evocative of Gaia, the Greek personification of the Earth and the ancestral mother of all life.
Explanation: Gyden was named because it sits at the mouth of Jonyu Cave, where the Ancient Sanorum people believed that the first humans emerged. The primary monotheistic religion of Vale is centered around the worship of a mother goddess who embodies the earth. (Hence why the nearby mountain is called the Womb of the World.)
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KEEP OF THE BROKEN SPEAR
Etymology: From the Old English word cēpan, “to keep an eye on.” Synonymous with Old French donjon.
Explanation: This Huntsman outpost was named after the noteworthy armaments borne by a famous warrior long ago.
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KEEP OF THE TATTERED CLOAK
Etymology: From the Old English word cēpan, “to keep an eye on.” Synonymous with Old French donjon.
Explanation: This Huntsman outpost was named after the noteworthy armaments borne by a famous warrior long ago.
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LOWER CAIRN
Etymology: From the Scottish Gaelic word càrn, “heap of stones.”
Explanation: Cairns are rounded or conical piles of stones often used as landmarks or trail-markers for travelers. More traditionally, it refers to sepulchral monuments erected by early inhabitants of the British Isles. Lower Cairn’s name is therefore likely foreshadowing of its destruction prior to the Fall of Vale.
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MOUNTAIN GLENN
Etymology: A stylized misspelling of the Middle English word glen, borrowed from Irish gleann, “a secluded and narrow valley, especially one with a river running through it.”
Explanation: Mountain Glenn’s name, much like Lower Cairn’s, is likely meant to reinforce the theme of landmarks in Vale being named after geological terms.
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OLD FARON
Etymology: Named in-universe after one of the five aspects, or Huntsman saints.
Explanation: Several of the names used by the Huntsman outposts were chosen to honor their predecessors. Named after Faron, the Warrior.
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ONETHROTU
Etymology: Translated from the Redux conlang Old Valin-Vacuose; from dagu ónethrótu, “city of the defender.”
Explanation: This theocratic city-state was named in honor of its mythic founder, Nóvu Órdéu. A demigod-like figure who, according to legend, was discovered by farmers as a young girl, sealed within a massive Dust crystal. Eastern Sanorum mythology claims that when she was released from the prism, she was imbued with the Dust’s elemental powers, and gained the ability to wield magic. Onethrotu’s name comes from an old belief that if the city were ever in mortal peril, she would rise again from the grave to defend it. Of course, as many skeptics are fond of pointing out, Onethrotu is now gone, destroyed by Grimm long ago.
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PATCH
Etymology: Of uncertain origin; disputed. From the Middle English word patche, pacche, potentially an alteration of placche, “spot,” derived from Proto-Germanic *plakjō, “spot, stain.”
Explanation: If Vale’s canonical name is meant to be a homonym of veil, then patch (a piece of cloth meant to mend or strengthen a torn point) would reinforce the theme of Vale’s landmarks being named after fabrics.
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PERIIT
Etymology: From the Latin word pereō (active perf. periit), “to pass away; to ruin.” Translation: it has passed away; it has been ruined. [Note: The third-person passive perfect peritum est should have been used instead of the active perfect periit. Despite the grammatical error, periit was kept because it flowed better when spoken aloud.]
Explanation: Its name refers to its destruction at the claws of the Grimm.
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PETRICHOR
Etymology: From the Greek words πέτρα (pétra), petr(o)-, “stone,” + ῑ̓χώρ (īkhṓr), the liquid that flows through the veins of the gods instead of blood. Coined by Richard Grenfell Thomas in his 1964 article “Nature of Argillaceous Odour.”
Explanation: Petrichor is the damp, earthy scent that accompanies the first rain after a long, warm, dry spell. Petrichor was named such for two reasons. Firstly, to maintain its phonetic similarity to Vellichor; and secondly, because Petrichor is located at the mouth of the Jet River, across 60 small islands within an enclosed bay.
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SINDEGOSS
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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SUMIRE
Etymology: From the Japanese word スミレ (sumire), a species of violet (Viola mandshurica) native to eastern Asia.
Explanation: In a departure from Vale’s canonical naming conventions, Sumire’s name bears closer resemblance to settlements in Mistral (which are also named after flowers). In hanakotoba (Japanese floriography), violets denote honesty.
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TIDEWATCH
Etymology: A compound of the English words tide + watch.
Explanation: A Huntsman outpost named for its proximity to the Goetic Sea.
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TORDEGOSS
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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VELLICHOR
Etymology: From The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows - “the strange wistfulness of used bookstores, which are somehow infused with the passage of time.” [1]
Explanation: Vellichor was named such for two reasons. Firstly, to maintain its phonetic similarity to Petrichor; and secondly, because Vellichor is home to the Socotran Library, the largest collection of books on Remnant.
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Kingdom of Mistral
AKEPONT
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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AMENEUROSIS
Etymology: From The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows - “the half-forlorn, half-escapist ache of a train whistle calling in the distance at night.” [2]
Explanation: Ameneurosis is the settlement where Oscar Pine comes from. It was named such to not only reference his canon departure from home via train, but to also capture his emotional state—a combination of homesickness and willful resolve to leave behind the life he knew for the unknowns lying ahead.
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ARGUS
Etymology: From the Latinized Greek word Ἄργος (Árgos).
Explanation: Argus is a name ascribed to many figures in Greek mythology—the king of Argos; the giant with a hundred eyes; the faithful dog of Odysseus; one of the Argonauts; and so on.
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CHAMENOS
Etymology: From the Greek word χαμένος (chaménos), “lost, defeated.”
Explanation: Its name refers to its destruction by the Grimm.
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CITY OF MISTRAL
Etymology: From the French word mistral, borrowed from Old Occitan maestral and derived from Latin magistrālis, “of or pertaining to a master, expert, or teacher.”
Explanation: Mistrals are strong, cold, northwesterly winds that blow from southern France into the Gulf of Lion. The capital set the precedent for other settlements being named after types of wind.
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DÜAHÞ
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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ETESIA
Etymology: From the Latin word estesius, derived from Greek ἐτήσιος (etḗsios), “annual.”
Explanation: Etesians are dry, north winds which blow in the eastern Mediterranean. In keeping with the theme of Mistral’s name, Etesia was named after a type of wind.
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FOEHN
Etymology: From the German word Föhn, derived from Latin favōnius, “west wind.”
Explanation: Foehns are dry, warm, down-slope winds that occur on the lee side of mountain ranges. In keeping with the theme of Mistral’s name, Foehn was named after a type of wind.
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FORT NUBUCK
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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HIGANBANA
Etymology: From the Japanese word ヒガンバナ (higanbana), “red spider lily.”
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Mistral bear the distinction of being named after flowers. In hanakotoba (Japanese floriography), red spider lilies denote lost memories and abandonment.
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KENOPSIA
Etymology: From The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows - “the eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that’s usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet.” [3]
Explanation: Its name refers to its destruction at the claws of the Grimm.
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KUCHINASHI
Etymology: From the Japanese word クチナシ (kuchinashi), “gardenia.”
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Mistral bear the distinction of being named after flowers. In hanakotoba (Japanese floriography), gardenias denote secret love.
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KUEBIKO
Etymology: From The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows - “a state of exhaustion inspired by acts of senseless violence, which force you to revise your image of what can happen in this world.” [4] This definition is derived in turn from the Shinto kami of Japanese mythology, who is personified as a scarecrow.
Explanation: Its name refers to its destruction at the claws of the Grimm.
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KUROYURI
Etymology: From the Japanese word クロユリ (kuroyuri), “rice lily.”
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Mistral bear the distinction of being named after flowers. In hanakotoba (Japanese floriography), rice lilies denote both love and curses.
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LOST OZIEL
Etymology: Named in-universe after one of the five aspects, or Huntsman saints.
Explanation: Several of the names used by the Huntsman outposts were chosen to honor their predecessors. Named after Oziel, the Scholar.
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NORTHMARCH
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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ONIYURI
Etymology: From the Japanese word オニユリ (oniyuri), “tiger lily.”
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Mistral bear the distinction of being named after flowers. In hanakotoba (Japanese floriography), tiger lilies denote wealth.
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OROSHI
Etymology: From the Japanese word おろし (oroshi), “down wind.”
Explanation: Oroshis are katabatic winds, which carry high-density air from a higher elevation down a slope under the force of gravity. In keeping with the theme of Mistral’s name, Oroshi was named after a type of wind.
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PINEWATCH
Etymology: A compound of the English words pine + watch.
Explanation: A Huntsman outpost named for its location within Snowbound Forest.
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RABENDA
Etymology: From the Japanese word ラベンダー (rabendā), “lavender.”
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Mistral bear the distinction of being named after flowers. In hanakotoba (Japanese floriography), lavenders denote faithfulness.
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SHANLIN REDOUBT
Etymology: From the Chinese word 山林 (shānlín), “a forested, mountainous area.” Similar to Japanese さんりん (sanrin).
Explanation: Shanlin Redoubt was named for its position along the Great Crescent Road, in the deciduous mountain region that makes up the Hinoki Pass.
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SHION
Etymology: From the Japanese word シオン (shion), “aster.”
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Mistral bear the distinction of being named after flowers. In hanakotoba (Japanese floriography), asters denote remembrance.
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SIROCCO
Etymology: From the Italian word scirocco, “south-east wind,” derived from Greek ἔξαλος (éxalos), “out of the sea.”
Explanation: Siroccos are Mediterranean winds that originate in the Sahara. In keeping with the theme of Mistral’s name, Sirocco was named after a type of wind.
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SKIRON
Etymology: Name taken from the Scironian rocks, a geographical feature to the west of Athens.
Explanation: Skiron was one of the wind gods (the Anemoi) of Greek mythology who personified the northeastern winds. In keeping with the theme of Mistral’s name, Skiron was named after a deity associated with a cardinal direction.
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TALUS
Etymology: From the French word talus, “slope, embankment.”
Explanation: The settlement was named for the stony accumulations—or scree—that come from the volcanic activity of Blackmount.
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WIND PATH
Etymology: From the English words wind + path.
Explanation: Wind Path is arguably the most literal example of Mistral’s naming theme.
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Kingdom of Atlas
CHEQUER
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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CITY OF ATLAS
Etymology: From the Greek name Ἄτλας (Átlas), “Bearer of the Heavens,” descended from τλῆναι (tlênai), “to suffer, endure, or bear.”
Explanation: While an atlas more commonly refers to a collection of maps within a book, the capital was undoubtedly named for the eponymous Titan. As punishment for warring against the Olympains, Atlas was condemned to bear the weight of the sky upon his shoulders forever. The connection is strengthened by the City of Atlas being literally suspended in the sky, with Mantle’s worse-off citizens having to bear the metaphorical weight of the capital upon their shoulders.
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EVADNE
Etymology: From the Latinized Greek name Εὐάδνη (Euádnē).
Explanation: Evadne is a name ascribed to many figures in Greek mythology, including the wife of King Argus. Evadne’s name was chosen to compliment the canon city Argus, given that both are seaports which facilitate trade between Mistral and Atlas.
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ÍSSVANGAR
Etymology: From the Old Norse words íss, “ice,” + vangr, “field.” Translation: fields of ice.
Explanation: This maximum-security prison/military base is named for its location in the desolate, frozen wastes of Solitas. Íssvangar is also a play-on-words/nod to two other works of media—Isengard, the fortress in The Lord of the Rings where Gandalf was held captive; and Bolvangar, the facility from His Dark Materials where children were detained and experimented on.
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MANTLE
Etymology: From either the Old English word mæntel, mentel, “sleeveless cloak,” or from the Gaulish word mantos, mantalos, “trodden road.”
Explanation: There are multiple proposed explanations for Mantle’s name: [1] A mantle could refer to a sleeveless garment, such as a cloak, adorned over other articles of clothing. This is perhaps a reference to the harsh climate of the region, and how it was historically necessary for settlers to wear layers for insulation. [2] Figuratively, a mantle symbolizes authority or leadership, and perhaps (ironically) alludes to how Atlas displaced Mantle’s leadership after the capital was changed post-Great War. [3] If one assumes that Mantle’s namesake is the Gaulish etymology, then it could be argued that Mantle is a downtrodden city. [4] By far the least likely source, but it’s possible that Mantle’s name is a reference to the Mantle of Arthur, one of the Welsh Thlws ar Ddeg Ynys Prydain (“Thirteen Treasures of the British Isles”). One of these treasures is a cloak (or mantle) that renders the wearer invisible and allows them to move about unseen, while giving them the power to stealthily observe others. In one story, the cloak is used by an assassin to overthrow a kingdom, by eliminating the stewards from the shadows. And much like in the canon, Arthur Watts hides in plain sight by hacking Mantle’s security, so that he can spy on its citizens, execute people, and overthrow the Kingdom of Atlas.
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ROWANSTED
Etymology: From the English word rowan, a species of tree, + the Old English word stede, -sted, “place, spot, locality.” Translation: rowan’s place.
Explanation: Rowansted was named after its founder (a man from Old Mantle named Rowan). The name is also a reference to Rorikstead from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
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SOLAIRE KEEP
Etymology: Named in-universe after one of the five aspects, or Huntsman saints.
Explanation: Several of the names used by the Huntsman outposts were chosen to honor their predecessors. Named after Solaire, the Arbiter.
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Kingdom of Vacuo
AMATHOS
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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CITY OF VACUO
Etymology: From the Latin word vacuus (abl. vacuō), a shortening of in vacuō, “in isolation.”
Explanation: Vacuo’s name is potentially a reference to the dispersal of people across the kingdom—specifically, how the inhospitable desert isolates sedentary populations from each other.
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COQUINA
Etymology: From the Spanish word coquina, “cockle,” derived from Latin concha, “bivalve, mollusk.”
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Vacuo bear the distinction of being named after minerals and rocks. In geology, coquina refers to a sedimentary rock (a poorly-consolidated limestone) composed of shell fragments.
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THE EYRIE
Etymology: From either the Old English word ei (pl. eire), “egg,” or aire, an obsolete spelling of air.
Explanation: The Eyrie—a coastal city supported by several massive sequoia—was appropriately named after the nest of a bird of prey.
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FELDSPAR
Etymology: From the German word Feldspat, “field spar.”
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Vacuo bear the distinction of being named after minerals and rocks. In geology, feldspar refers to rock-forming tectosilicate minerals that crystalize from magma.
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FORT IOSEFKA
Etymology: Named in-universe after one of the five aspects, or Huntsman saints.
Explanation: Several of the names used by the Huntsman outposts were chosen to honor their predecessors. Named after Iosefka, the Guide.
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GOSSAN
Etymology: Of uncertain origin; disputed. Either from Cornish miners’ slang, or from the German word gießen (1PL/3PL pl. pret. gossen), “poured, cast, founded.”
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Vacuo bear the distinction of being named after minerals and rocks. In geology, gossan refers to rock that has been intensely oxidized, weathered, or corroded.
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KENYTE
Etymology: Formed from the words Kenya (from Kikuyu kere nyaga, “white mountain”), + -ite (from Latin -ītēs), a suffix used to create nouns denoting rocks or minerals.
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Vacuo bear the distinction of being named after minerals and rocks. In geology, kenyte refers to porphyritic phololite/trachyte rock with rhomb-shaped phenocrysts.
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LAST STAND
Etymology: From the English words last + stand.
Explanation: Last Stand was retroactively renamed for its significance as the final battlefield of the Great War. Because the fortress is located in Vacuo’s deserts, it’s sometimes called last sand.
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OXEBAY ISLAND
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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RHYOLITE
Etymology: From the Greek words ῥέω (rhéō), “flow,” + λίθος (líthos), -lite, “stone.”
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Vacuo bear the distinction of being named after minerals and rocks. In geology, rhyolite refers to extrusive igneous rock formed from silica-rich magma.
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ROCKPORT
Etymology: A compound of the English words rock + port.
Explanation: Rockport is Vacuo’s naming conventions taken to its literal conclusion—in this case, a coastal city named for the word rock itself, rather than a type of rock.
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SCHIST
Etymology: From the French word schiste, derived from Latin schistos lapis, “stone that is easy to split apart.”
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Vacuo bear the distinction of being named after minerals and rocks. In geology, schist refers to metamorphic rock formed from mudstone or shale.
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SEAGLASS
Etymology: A stylized misspelling of sea glass, a shard of broken bottle, tableware, and such that has been physically and chemically weathered by the ocean.
Explanation: Seaglass’ name is meant to be evocative of white-sand beaches, warm sunshine, and vibrant colors. It reinforces Vacuo’s naming theme (with glass being made primarily of silica, which composes the mineral quartz) while capturing the feel of a coastal resort town.
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STONEHOLD
Etymology: A compound of the English words stone + hold.
Explanation: A Huntsman outpost named for its proximity to the Sandshield Mountains.
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TUFF
Etymology: From the French word tuffe, tuf, derived from Latin tōfus, a type of rock.
Explanation: Many canonical settlements in Vacuo bear the distinction of being named after minerals and rocks. In geology, tuff refers to rock made of volcanic ash that was ejected from a vent during an eruption.
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Menagerie, Autonomous Nation
CELINE
Etymology: From the French name Céline, derived from Latin caelum, “heaven, sky.”
Explanation: After Dun Obel was established, someone pitched the idea of exploring Menagerie’s interior to verify the existence of habitable land. To avoid the risk of heat exhaustion from the arid desert, the expedition group embarked at the tail-end of the wet season. To their surprise, a massive 9,000 km2 lake lay at the center of the red sand dunes. That sense of elation quickly evaporated (much like the lake eventually did) when they realized it was endorheic, and that the salinity dehydrated those who attempted to drink from it. The expedition was undeterred, however, and soon they discovered a second, alternative water source: an aquifer north of the lake. Boreholes allowed the group to tap the basin without need of pumps, and for a time, Celine seemed a viable settlement. That was, until, a wildfire wiped it out less than a year later, and the remaining survivors were picked off by opportunistic Grimm. With how quickly each stroke of fortune was undone, Celine was named somewhat ironically—that is, its “heavenly” qualities were simply too good to be true.
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DUN ASHAI
Etymology: Translated from the Redux conlang Arcadian; from dun ashai, “city of cicadas.”
Explanation: Dun Ashai was named for the trilling songs of the native cicadas.
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DUN OBEL [Kuo Kuana]
Etymology: Translated from the Redux conlang Arcadian; from dun obel, “first city.”
Explanation: When settled by Faunus after the Great War ended, the first immigrants decided to name their cities in their native language. It was a way of embracing their cultural identity, and helping newcomers feel safe about expressing themselves, without fear of persecution. Dun Obel, the capital, was named for its distinction of being Menagerie’s first settlement.
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DUN PAROR
Etymology: Translated from the Redux conlang Arcadian; from dun paror, “verdant city.”
Explanation: Dun Paror was named for the lush, subtropical foliage native to the area.
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RORQUAL
Etymology: Information not currently available.
Explanation: Information not currently available.
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THALASSION
Etymology: From the Greek word θᾰ́λᾰσσᾰ (thálassa), “sea.”
Explanation: Thalassion was named in acknowledgment of being Remnant’s sole underwater city.
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[1] Koenig, John. The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. “Vellichor.” Tumblr post. August 03, 2013. [https://www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/post/57250260260/vellichoria]
[2] Koenig, John. The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. “Ameneurosis.” Tumblr post. December 05, 2009. [https://www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/post/270837880/ameneurosis]
[3] Koenig, John. The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. “Kenopsia.” Tumblr post. July 21, 2012. [https://www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/post/27720773573/kenopsia]
[4] Koenig, John. The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. “Kuebiko.” Tumblr post. December 08, 2012. [https://www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/post/38066056235/kuebiko]