So, bit of a funny story. Going over my Encyclopedia Realmgardica entries and continuing to work on The Alchemist of Middlesbrooke (again, preliminary bits available here), I’ve realised something about Apolline.

All of which is to say, I’ve established a couple things about her. One, her last name is Castor. Two, she’s a sorceress.

Now, let me go on record to say that those two things are entirely irrelevant to each other. That being said, I’ve realised I’ve stumbled onto what’s actually a pretty good pun with that name. Castor sounds like “caster.” And she’s a sorceress. A spellcaster, if you will.

Yeah. Pretty clever, right?

Well, no. That wasn’t on purpose.

I’ve also established that Apolline is from Aurora. Which is Realmgard’s Canada. Her name is Castor because “castor” means beaver. It’s supposed to be a reference to the fact that she’s Fantasy-Canadian. I shouldn’t have to explain the connection here.

So, while it is also a spellcaster pun. What it’s supposed to be is a reference to either her nationality or the real-world inspiration for her nationality. “Pun” isn’t really the right word for what it is.

It’s certainly a deliberate reference, but it isn’t even necessarily a joke. It’s like having an American character named something like Johnny Eagle

Incidentally, the whole Fantasy-Canda angle is also why so far I’ve only ever drawn her wearing red and white (comfy hat notwithstanding).