Memories of Connor's Adventures

Orlando the Adventurer pulled a Scimitar from beneath his Robes and smiled...

Sunday 25 September 2016

Dungeon Mastery: Phonetic Mapping

Okay...so I previously came up with a list of Japanese words describing specific geography and outlandishly claimed that you could map the origins of the people who created the words based entirely on the geography they knew.
Now lets take a look at phonetic subgroups in those words that are describing physical structures:

Physical Structures
Castle: Shiro
Tavern: Sakaba
Pillar: Hashira
Tomb: Haka
Temple: Shinden
Sanctuary: Hinanjo, Naijin
Outpost: Zensho, Zenshin kichi
Memorial: Kinenhi
Monastary: Shudoin
Quarry: Ishikiriba
Coal mine: Tanko
Gold mine: kinko
Mausoleum: Nokotsudo
Inn: Ryoken
Crypt: Chikashitsu
Cavern: Dokutsu
Cave: Hora-ana
Archives: Kirokushushu, Akaihushu
Arsenal: Hoyuheiki, Heikiko
Abbey: Shudoin
Barrier: Kanman
Canal: Unga
Dyke: Teibo
Road: Michi, Doro
Arena: Kyogijo
Arch: Achi
City: Toshi
Market: Ichiba, Shijo
Town: Machi
Village: Mura
Port: Minato
Fortress: Yosai
Fort: Toride
Tower: To

Phonetic Subgroups
Shi
Castle
Temple
Quarry
Market
Outpost (also chi, zen subgroups)
Crypt (also chi subgroup)
City (also to subgroup)

Chi
Road
Arch
Market
Town
Crypt (also shi, tsu subgroups)
Outpost (also zen, shi, and ki subgroups)

Zen
Outpost (also shi, ki and chi subgroups)
Outpost

Shu
Archive
Archive
Monastary
Abbey (also do subgroup)

Do
Mausoleum (also tsu subgroup)
Cavern (also tsu subgroup)
Road
Abbey (also shu subgroup)

To
Tower
Fort
Port
City (also shi subroup)

Tsu
Crypt (also chi, shi subgroups)
Cavern (also do subgroup)
Mausoleum (also do phonetic)

Ka
Tomb
Barrier
Tavern (also sa subgroup)

Sa
Fortress
Tavern (also ka subgroup)

Ki
Memorial
Archive
Arsenal
Arsenal
Gold mine
Quarry (shi subgroup)
Outpost (zen, shi, chi subgroups)

Maps
Sa + Ka provides us with a map:
A Barrier near which is located a tomb and a tavern.
A Fortress which shares access to the tavern.
Sound familiar? The barrier isnt part of the fortress yet they are close. If the Barrier were in fact the Great Wall in China then we are looking at a district near the Great Wall of China...in proximity to it are a Tomb and a Tavern. There is a Fortress somewhere nearby south (though if it were north perhaps abandoned as a consequence) of the wall. Its entirely possible such a geographic location exists. It also shows that the movement of these words into the Japanese language occurs at a time when the great wall of china and fortress exist.

Dungeon Master
This provides you with maps to play with.


  • A tomb located near a tavern (between the great wall and a fortress). What are the odds of it being the sort of place frequented by adventurers? You have to worry about soldiers from the fortress and the wall, barbarians from beyond the wall, and undead in the crypt. Sounds like an adventure.


  • Meanwhile there is a cavern and a mausoleum very close together located on or near a road. The tsu phonetic adds a crypt to our cavern/mausoleum. This time we have a road that services a nearby Abbey. The Abbey is related to a monastary and two archives. If we add a ro phonetic there is a castle (in the shi phonetic). 
Lots to play with... :-)

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