Selwyn
Selwyn (died 877), also known as The Gallows, was a Anglo-Saxon member of the Wardens of Faith sect of the Order of the Ancients in England during the 9th century. Holding the title of Palatinus, Selwyn worked as a reeve in the town square, in the city of Wincestre.
Biography
Selwyn came from fortunate beginnings, which showed him being accustomed to being superior over servants and serfs surrounding him. However, his disdain for his father's habits, such as cheating, drinking, and dwindling their monetary resources, made Selwyn disgusted with his own family line. He rose above such manners and unbecoming ways, which he believed was from giving the weak too much leeway. Thus, given the Order's backing, Selwyn abused his power to enforce laws and to enact rulings, as he was trying to destroy human effluence.[1]
City of Faith
In 877, in Wincestre, the title, The Gallows, was mentioned when King Aelfred gave a letter of "Poor Fellow-Soldier of Christ" to his invitee, Viking shieldmaiden Eivor Varinsdottir of the Raven Clan. It stated that three Order members, The Gallows, The Quill, and The Seax, wanted to kill Aelfred. When Eivor agreed to help, a clue of The Gallows stated that the Order member wanted to undermine the king's law reforms. After Eivor found and freed Reeve Goodwin from an underground cell, the topic of The Gallows' identity was discussed. Going over the recent predicaments and the collective clues, The Gallows was finally deduced to be none than a fellow Wincestre reeve, Selwyn.[2]
Death
At Wincestre's market, Reeve Selwyn was showcasing the executions of the aforementioned couple. Upon the husband's execution and the audience's verbal disrespect, Selwyn continued to enforce his will, until Eivor moved stealthily and then assassinated him. Thus, Selwyn's abuse of power over Wincestre ended.[3]
Trivia
- Like other Order members, Selwyn's cutscene in the Memory Corridor differs. At the end of his confession, the darkened tree with hanged people started to lower its rope and then it hanged Selwyn, whose spirit immediately vanished after succumbing to its pull. Selwyn's medallion was dropped from his hands as he was hanged.
- Selwyn is one of the four Order members that wanted and planned to kill Aelfred, along with The Quill, The Seax, and The Instrument.
- Selwyn shares similarities with the character Majd Addin in Jerusalem from the 2007 video game Assassin's Creed. Both served as the city's representative of the king—Alfred and Saladin, respectively—and was an overzealous executioner, though he did not sadistically enjoy it as Addin did, nor did he have the crowd's wild support during the executions.[4]
Appearances
References
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Breaking the Order
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla − The Reeve of Wincestre
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Choking the Gallows
- ↑ Assassin's Creed – Assassination (Majd Addin)