My unhealthy attraction to Arizona Sports and evil names

I’m sure some readers have looked and scoffed at the name Yote Diamondback in Arcane Awakenings. But it’s a product of Arizona sports.

Yeah, that’s kind of a strange name, right? But it comes mainly from my obsession with Arizona sports, namely the (former) Arizona Coyotes and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

While my NHL team is technically the Buffalo Sabres, one reason I could never get fully on board with the Coyotes was that I always had an inkling they’d end up somewhere else. That inkling turned into a reality when in April 2024, news broke that they were heading to Salt Lake City to become the Utah Mammoth.

If you looked at my website before I rebranded it, my brand colors reflected this, as the Mammoth’s scheme inspired them. Anyway, the colloquial name for the Coyotes, the ‘Yotes, inspired our brilliant protagonist’s name in The Arcane Prophecy, while the Diamondbacks inspired her last name.

But I also went with some evil names. You may know if you read Arcane Awakenings’ Author’s Note that Harry Potter is a huge inspiration here. Yet, to be frank, I wasn’t about to give Yote’s traits something reminiscent of Gryffindor House.

Yote was gonna be a Slytherin

Yote’s a Slytherin in so many ways. Ambition might be her standout trait. It’s also why, in many character concepts, you’ll see her wearing green – not shown in the featured image, unfortunately.

Her sister, Jett, also displays Slytherin characteristics, if you hadn’t already guessed. Ironically, though, she’s a Comac McLaggen type of Gryffindor. The popular “mean girl,” you’ll find Jett seeking more attention and social media fame in The Arcane Prophecy. But with all that being said, you can’t underestimate her work ethic.

Oh, and before you ask, Jett was named after the Winnipeg Jets, whose original franchise became the Coyotes. Beyond that, you’ll find some dark names associated with many characters who I’ll introduce in some upcoming profiles, like Rayne Grimbane, Cassara Darkwood, Archer Shade, Rass Vexx, and more.

Want to meet Yote and Jett Diamondback? Check out their duels in the first three chapters of The Arcane Prophecy, and see the action for Yote’s journey unfold.

(This article first appeared in the author’s April 28th Readers Republic newsletter and later on his Substack, Rune-Written Resistance)