adjective Definitions: 1 : lacking a head or having the head reduced 2 : lacking a governing head or chief Examples: 1 : The acephalous body of the humanoid was hard to identify, but his clothes suggested he was a member of the royal guard. 2 : After the successful regicide in Tornya, the suddenly acephalous nation was thrown into a state of chaotic conflicts over succession. Personal Commentary: Oof, this one’s interesting. »
adjective Definitions: 1 : sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor 2 : deeply or violently bitter Examples (Taken Directly from Merriam-Webster): 1 : Thick, acrid smoke rose from the factory. 2 : There have been acrid relations between the two families ever since they fought over that strip of land. Personal Commentary: Another double meaning word. This one is interesting in that the first usage is pretty common, but the second is rare. »
adjective Definition: of or relating to Aesculapius or the healing art aesculapius mythological character Aesculapius was the god of medicine in Greek and Roman mythology. Snakes were the god’s sacred emblems, and the god was believed to be incarnate in them. According to myth, the chief god Zeus struck him with a lightning bolt for daring to bring the dead back to life. Example: The aesculapian symbol above the door marked the building as a hospital. »
noun Definition: an act of pouring a liquid on something or someone Example: Affusion is the first step in cleaning an open wound, a soiled rag, or a repentant soul. Personal Commentary: So I left out the “(as in baptism)” section of Merriam-webster’s definition of this word because I found both spiritual and mundane uses of the word while looking it up. I think paizo has it on the list for its spiritual inference, but as in the above example it can be used in many ways. »
adjective Definition: struck with terror, amazement, or horror Example: Elana stood aghast at the destruction the small creature brought to her would-be assassin. Personal Commentary: First this is a bonus word. It isn’t on paizo’s list. I added it because, well I see it a lot, and was suprised it wasn’t on the list. I also see the pun value in it during various undead riddled scenes. Campaigns with lots of undead need the ocassional way to break the terror, and this word used in the correct manner can inspire gigles and groans, without breaking so far out of the mood as to distract the players. »
noun Definition: 1 : a[n illness] (such as malaria) marked by paroxysms of chills, fever, and sweating that recur at regular intervals 2 : a fit of shivering Examples: 1 : The symptoms of some ague continued throughout the night and into the following day. Personal Commentary: Odd that this is listed as a two meaning word. Also, the official definition says “a fever” and then describes that it involves fever and chills. »
noun Definitions: 1 : an apparatus used in distillation 2 : something that refines or transmutes as if by distillation Examples: Personal Commentary: This was added for all those alchemists (pcs and npcs) whose lab the players visit. Oddly enough, I took chemistry in high school and college, and saw these in the lab. However, we never used one nor were we told what it was called. That said, when you look this up in your search engine of choice, you first get references to the ones used in making alcoholic drinks. »
adjective Definitions: 1: a : having no definite form b : being without definite character or nature c : lacking organization or unity 2 : having no real or apparent crystalline form an amorphous mineral Examples: 1: The death cult is rather amorphous in nature, making exposing their members or heirarchy rather difficult. 2: Even when studied the gas seems to be amorphous, unaffected by pressure or temperature. Personal Commentary: So you’ve got ghosts, blogs, oozes, haunts, cloud-spells, so many places this word is used descriptively in any rpg. »
noun Definition: a jar or vase with a large oval body, narrow cylindrical neck, and two handles that rise almost to the level of the mouth; broadly : such a jar or vase used elsewhere in the ancient world Example: taken by Ricardo AndrĂ© Frantz, CC BY-SA 3.0 Personal Commentary: So, this one’s simply a term for items that you see less in modern life but would potentially be seen more in rpgs. »
noun Definition: a person who lives in seclusion usually for religious reasons Example: After seeing so much death and distruction, Luden’s struggle with his faith caused him to move to the mountains. He lives now as an anchorite and hermit. Personal Commentary: Here’s another npc description, and dialect choice for the same or another npc. Any of these description or dialect choices are also good for a player character. »