Verdun or Verdon? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Verdun or Verdon?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
thorf
Feb 23, 2005 6:11:32 My investigation of GAZ9 has produced some interesting results. This one in particular has me rather intrigued.

Alfeisle in the Minrothad Guilds has two settlements. The northern one is called Seahome, but the southern one is actually referred to by two variations of the same name: Verdun and Verdon. The evidence is split as follows.

Verdun
GAZ9's map
GAZ9's trading map
Two text references in GAZ9, one in the text, the other in a table of ports
TM2 The Eastern Countries Trail Map
Wrath of the Immortals' 24 mile per hex map

Verdon
17 text references in GAZ9
Label on the town map in GAZ9

As you can see, Verdun is the name used on all the maps. However, looking at the text alone, it is equally clear that Verdun was an error - 18 Verdons to only 2 Verduns.

Which do you prefer?
#2
gazza555
Feb 23, 2005 6:21:56 You could explain the discrepency this way - locals pronounce it 'Verdon' whilst foreigners pronounce it 'Verdun'. Obviously foreigners produce the maps.

Then again, I vote for Verdon.

Gary
#3
zombiegleemax
Feb 23, 2005 6:29:35 I like Verdun. Sounds slightly more Elvish.
#4
Cthulhudrew
Feb 23, 2005 7:38:00 For yet a third take, I was going to suggest sort of a combination of the two above suggestions- The elves pronounce and spell it "Verdun" in their language, while the name for it in Minrothad Patois is "Verdon".
#5
thorf
Feb 23, 2005 8:53:25 I think I prefer Verdon, because Verdun is a little too reminiscent of a real world place. Kinda like if Thyatis had a town called Pompeii - it's just too full of real world images to make it fit well.

Then again, there's nothing wrong with Verdun aside from that.

It seems to me that the original maps were probably in error, and that error was simply copied throughout the maps with no reference to the text. Judging by the frequency of Verdon in the text, it was the intended name.

One last point: interestingly, I did a spell check on Verdon, and Verdun was one of the three options listed...
#6
zombiegleemax
Feb 23, 2005 9:12:36 Definitely should be Verdon. Verdun is French!
#7
zombiegleemax
Feb 23, 2005 9:21:40 With the risk of sounding ignorant:
Which place does Verdun remind you of?
#8
zombiegleemax
Feb 23, 2005 12:08:33
Which place does Verdun remind you of?

Well, for me the first thing that pops to mind and won't go away is a neighbourhood of Montreal (and accompanying metro station). I assume it was named after a city in France. And a Google search reveals that the city of Verdun was the site of a major battle in WWI (http://http://www.war1418.com/battleverdun/), which explains why the name sounded familiar even when I first moved to Montreal - I just wasn't used to hearing it without "Battle of" in front of it.
#9
zombiegleemax
Feb 23, 2005 12:09:42 Oh. Thanks.
#10
Hugin
Feb 23, 2005 17:33:23
...when I first moved to Montreal - I just wasn't used to hearing it without "Battle of" in front of it.

Cool, another fellow Canadian! Verdun was familar to me as well but I just couldn't put my finger on it. "Battle of" was definately what I was trying to remember.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 thorf Feb 23, 2005 6:11:32	My investigation of GAZ9 has produced some interesting results. This one in particular has me rather intrigued. Alfeisle in the Minrothad Guilds has two settlements. The northern one is called Seahome, but the southern one is actually referred to by two variations of the same name: Verdun and Verdon. The evidence is split as follows. Verdun GAZ9's map GAZ9's trading map Two text references in GAZ9, one in the text, the other in a table of ports TM2 The Eastern Countries Trail Map Wrath of the Immortals' 24 mile per hex map Verdon 17 text references in GAZ9 Label on the town map in GAZ9 As you can see, Verdun is the name used on all the maps. However, looking at the text alone, it is equally clear that Verdun was an error - 18 Verdons to only 2 Verduns. Which do you prefer?
#2 gazza555 Feb 23, 2005 6:21:56	You could explain the discrepency this way - locals pronounce it 'Verdon' whilst foreigners pronounce it 'Verdun'. Obviously foreigners produce the maps. Then again, I vote for Verdon. Gary
#3 zombiegleemax Feb 23, 2005 6:29:35	I like Verdun. Sounds slightly more Elvish.
#4 Cthulhudrew Feb 23, 2005 7:38:00	For yet a third take, I was going to suggest sort of a combination of the two above suggestions- The elves pronounce and spell it "Verdun" in their language, while the name for it in Minrothad Patois is "Verdon".
#5 thorf Feb 23, 2005 8:53:25	I think I prefer Verdon, because Verdun is a little too reminiscent of a real world place. Kinda like if Thyatis had a town called Pompeii - it's just too full of real world images to make it fit well. Then again, there's nothing wrong with Verdun aside from that. It seems to me that the original maps were probably in error, and that error was simply copied throughout the maps with no reference to the text. Judging by the frequency of Verdon in the text, it was the intended name. One last point: interestingly, I did a spell check on Verdon, and Verdun was one of the three options listed...
#6 zombiegleemax Feb 23, 2005 9:12:36	Definitely should be Verdon. Verdun is French!
#7 zombiegleemax Feb 23, 2005 9:21:40	With the risk of sounding ignorant: Which place does Verdun remind you of?
#8 zombiegleemax Feb 23, 2005 12:08:33	Which place does Verdun remind you of? Well, for me the first thing that pops to mind and won't go away is a neighbourhood of Montreal (and accompanying metro station). I assume it was named after a city in France. And a Google search reveals that the city of Verdun was the site of a major battle in WWI (http://http://www.war1418.com/battleverdun/), which explains why the name sounded familiar even when I first moved to Montreal - I just wasn't used to hearing it without "Battle of" in front of it.
#9 zombiegleemax Feb 23, 2005 12:09:42	Oh. Thanks.
#10 Hugin Feb 23, 2005 17:33:23	...when I first moved to Montreal - I just wasn't used to hearing it without "Battle of" in front of it. Cool, another fellow Canadian! Verdun was familar to me as well but I just couldn't put my finger on it. "Battle of" was definately what I was trying to remember.