The whole team at Codename are ardent fans of both gaming and movie culture. Sometimes it reaches the point where an innocuous conversation in the office will quickly devolve into a cross-office debate about tactics and experiences in Fallout 4 or fan theories about Star Wars.
In Crusaders, one of the most noticeable references often called out by players is the 'arrow to the knee' text for the Washed Up Hermit upgrades.
The Washed Up Hermit
The 'arrow to the knee' reference became famous for most fans due to its inclusion in the awesome The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, a game we played religiously when it first launched.
Arrow to the Knee in Skyrim
However, unbeknownst to most pop culture fans, the original inspiration for the now infamous meme was the popular 2007 novel, The Name of the Wind by author Patrick Rothfuss.
The book is the first in a series of fantasy stories that won several awards and is much-loved by members of the Codename team. The original passage is delivered by an innkeeper character:
“Took an arrow in the knee on my way through the Eld three summers ago. It gives out every now and then.†He grimaced and said wistfully, “It’s what made me give up the good life on the road.†He reached down to touch his oddly bent leg tenderly."
The Washed Up Hermit's scraggly appearance and ranting should give players just enough pause to question whether he is a broken-down vestige of an epic adventurer or just a rambling, booze-fueled delusional old fart. We won't tell.