Oathbound Chronicles VIII
The Archer-Knight
Ycelan of Meadowgate considered herself a capable tracker, hunter, and, most especially, a crack shot with the longbow. Many of her fellow Selkyrianes eschewed the yew and arrow as cowardly, or, at the least, unfit for those who follow the tenants of the Codex. Ycelan’s father, the lord of Meadowgate Caern, often told her stories of his ancestors who served alongside the High Queen long, long ago. The Knight of the Gate, her many times removed grandmother, was one of the Selkyriane’s closest companions and was also the most effective archer in the entirety of the High Queen’s army. Those tales resonated with something deep inside Ycelan, and she swore to herself that she would one day take up her grandmother’s mantle as an archer-knight.
That vow is how Ycelan found herself on the remote isle of Yewicke.
Development Insights
Ycelan of Meadowgate is the second play-test character I made to test the travel mechanics for Oathbound. You might not notice it in the ensuing entries, but the travel mechanics changed mid play-test. I’ll talk a bit more about travel in later entries of Oathbound Chronicles.
Ycelan also happens to be the first character I’ve played who’s primary focus is the tenet of Coursing. In Oathbound, tenets are the knight’s stats or attributes. There are four, and each corresponds to one of the major tenets of Selkyriane Knighthood. Coursing covers things like riding, hunting, tracking, and shooting a bow.