Ciri

Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, also known as Ciri or the Lion Cub of Cintra, was born in 1251 (age 21 in Witcher 3: Wild Hunt,) most likely during the Belleteyn holiday. She is a princess of Cintra, and the daughter of Pavetta and Duny. She is the granddaughter of Queen Calanthe.

After the Witcher Geralt of Rivia lifted a curse from Duny, the Urcheon of Erlenwald, he demanded from Duny his wife Pavetta's firstborn child, a child he had but didn't know he had, due to the Law of Surprise. Six years to the day after the child's birth, Geralt went back to Cintra for her, but did not take her with him to Kaer Morhen at that time. In fact, he didn't even lay eyes on her and only spoke with Calanthe. The Queen divulged no information to him, not even the child's gender. This child was named Cirilla.

While she was still an infant, Ciri's parents were both lost in a storm at sea. They were presumed dead. She spent her youth in Cintra and the Skellige Islands, cared for by her grandmother. Ciri first met Geralt when she was lost in the forest of Brokilon. She was nearly taken by the dryads, who wished to make her one of their own. The Queen of the dryads, Eithné, unexpectedly let the girl choose her own future. Ciri chose Geralt, and wished to stay with him after they left Brokilon. However, the Witcher would not take her with him. Instead, he left her with the druid Mousesack who was working for Calanthe. Then came the slaughter of Cintra.

During the Nilfgaardian invasion of Cintra, Ciri was kidnapped by a Nilfgaardian knight named Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach, though his identity was not known at the time. She managed to escape and wandered aimlessly for some time through Sodden until she was ultimately adopted by a merchant's family. Coincidentally, Geralt had been helped by that same merchant and transported to his home. Thus, Ciri and Geralt were once again united. This time the Witcher took her with him to Kaer Morhen, where, under the supervision of Triss Merigold she underwent partial Witcher training, sans mutations, with Geralt, Vesemir, Lambert, Eskel and Coën. It was there that it was confirmed that Ciri was a source.

Geralt and Triss later took her to the Temple of Melitele in Ellander where she received instruction from Nenneke, and then from Yennefer, who began Ciri's magical training in earnest. As news of war began to spread, Ciri and Yennefer left Ellander for Gors Velen and ultimately Thanedd Island and Aretuza where the sorceress intended to enroll the girl as well as attend a conference of mages.

Things did not work out as planned though, not by a long shot. There was a coup during the conference and several individuals including Vilgefortz and Cahir tried to capture Ciri once again, and once again failed with the girl escaping through an unstable magical portal in Tor Lara. Because of the portal's nature, Ciri was simply ejected in mid-air over the Korath desert.

Unaware of where she was and without obvious recourse, the girl decided to make her way out of the wasteland by heading west. Unfortunately she wandered around in circles for some time before deciding to use the stars as a guide. She nearly died of exhaustion, dehydration and starvation. Luckily to her she met a unicorn whom she nicknamed Horsey that helped her out of the Frying Pan (a folk name for the deadly desert).

Ciri, who was still undergoing an emotional tribulation, then joined the Rats, a group of ne'er-do-wells she met when they were rescuing one of their members, under the name Falka. Bounty hunter Leo Bonhart was hired by Stefan Skellen to kill Ciri and by baron Casadei to capture her alive. Bonhart killed the Rats and cut off their heads after their deaths. He neither killed Ciri, nor brought her to baron Casadei, therefore not fullfilling his contracts. Bonhart imprisoned her for some time, beating her, mistreating and forcing her to kill in the arena at Claremont, which belonged to his cousin Houvenaghel.

Ciri managed to escape with the help of Neratin Ceka when Bonhart had taken her to the village of Unicorn on the eve of the equinox. He had gone to meet with Skellen and Rience and possibly negotiate some terms to release Ciri. Bonhart then killed Neratin Ceka, and Skellen seriously wounded Ciri, disfiguring her with an orion as she fled the village on her mare, Kelpie.

Later, she was found, near death by Vysogota of Corvo, who hid and healed at his hermitage in the Pereplut swamp. She stayed with Vysogotha until shortly after Saovine when she set off to find the Swallow's tower.

Together with Skellen and Rience, Bonhart tried to hunt her down on the order of Vilgefortz. Eventually, she escaped to Tor Zireael.

Being a twin tower to Tor Lara, Tor Zireael had a portal which led Cirilla to the world of the Aen Elle elves. There she was greeted by Avallac'h, an Aen Saevherne. He explained to her that she had to 'pay the debt' referring to the perceived loss to the Aen Elle when Lara Dorren took Cregennan of Lod as her lover. The elves believed that the latter had 'stolen' Elder Blood from them by marrying Lara. To atone for that 'crime' Avallac'h wanted Ciri to beget a child with Auberon Muircetach, the king of the Aen Elle. That being the only way Avallac'h would let her return to her own world. On their way to Tir ná Lia, the Aen Elle capital, they met Eredin and his Dearg Ruadhri. Ciri was initially quite infatuated with him - he realised that and tried to use it to control her. They also came across a pack of unicorns which appeared to be at war with Aen Elle.

In Tir na Lia Ciri finally met Auberon, who many times tries to conceive a child with her, however he could not - to him she was just a human, a being of no interest for an Aen Elle. Nevertheless he was very proud and refused to admit it. Eredin suggested using a 'potion' which would improve Auberon's performance and allow him to conceive a child with Cirilla. He also told her the truth (probably to gain her trust) - that Avallac'h would never let her go. Knowing this, Ciri found help with the unicorns where she also met Horsey/Ihuarraquax, by then fully grown. The unicorns explained that both Fox and Sparrowhawk had once possessed The Gate of the Worlds, a mystical power known only to those of the Elder Blood but they had lost it. Now they wanted these powers back and for that they needed Ciri. This could not be allowed, however and the unicorns explained to Cirilla how she should escape.

That same day Ciri once again visited Auberon only to find that he had drunk the 'potion' given to him by Eredin. Unknown to Sparrowhawk it happened to be too strong and killed Auberon. That night Ciri attempted to escape Tir na Lia and its barrier by using a boat and swimming with the river's current. She was stopped by Eredin who then revealed his true intentions, being the same as Avallac'h's. The two battled and Ciri proved victorious due to the elf's underestimation of her abilities - she wounded him and threw him into the river. Later on she mounted Kelpie and rode away from Tir na Lia. She met Horsey who offered his help (actually his being by Ciri's side was a part of her bargain with the other unicorns). They came across a huge pile of bones. To her horror, Ciri realised that the skulls had human teeth making them a pile of human bones. Ihuarraquax explained that it had been a human world until the elves led by Fox and Sparrowhawk arrived and killed them all - this also would be the fate of other worlds, including Ciri's own, should Avallac'h and Eredin succeed in once again harnessing the power of time and space. Nevertheless, Ihuarraquax and Ciri realised that they were being chased. Horsey urged Ciri to jump to another world - the only way to escape. She, however didn't know how. The unicorn became her guide and they jumped. This led to the manifestation of Ciri's strongest power, giving her the title of The Lady of the Worlds. That power allowed her to traverse space and time at will. Not being able to control it, however, Ciri had to journey through many different worlds to finally find her own.

At the Stygga castle, Bonhart died at the hand of Ciri.



In The Hexer movie and TV series, Ciri was played by Marta Bitner. Unlike in the books, in the series she first met Geralt in the Temple of Melitele in Ellander. She is also not depicted during her teenage years in the series.

Episodes

 * 09: "Świątynia Melitele" (The Temple of Melitele)
 * 10: "Mniejsze zło" (The Lesser Evil)
 * 12: "Falwick"
 * 13: "Ciri"

In the game, the innkeeper at the Country Inn in the village of Murky Waters can tell Geralt the tale of "Cirilla".

Vernon Roche reads a report about the Death of Geralt and Yennefer in Rivia several years before which mentions Ciri although does not know of her actual identity "The Bodies of Geralt and the sorceress are taken away by a mysterious young girl with ashen hair"

Ciri is a playable character in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, in which she is being pursued by the Wild Hunt.

In the prologue, Geralt experiences a dream where he trains a younger Ciri at Kaer Morhen. However, the dream turns into a nightmare, as the Wild Hunt appears, freezing everyone, including Ciri, with Geralt helpless to act.

Having hidden in another world for over half a year the Wild Hunt found Ciri forcing her to flee. At some point Ciri discovered that Geralt had been captured by the Wild Hunt and managed to free him and send him to the forests outside of Kaer Morhen although he lost his memory in the process.

Several months later Ciri along with an elf called Avallac'h returned from another world ending up in Skellige where the Wild Hunt found and attacked them cursing Avallac'h and forcing Ciri to teleport away. This lead her to appear in Crookback Bog where she collapsed and was found by the Crones. The Crones intended to give her to the Wild Hunt however knew that she possessed Elder blood and could not decide whether to cut her up for her blood or not. Ciri realising this escaped and fled into the nearby forest, narrowly evading Imlerith. Traveling west into Velen, she encountered a young girl who was lost and rescued her as well as a local man from a werewolf. She was then taken to Crow's Perch and taken in by Philip Strenger (known as the Bloody Baron) who alongside with his men she befriended. During a race with Philip the two are attacked by a monster and Ciri was forced to use her powers to save him. However, Ciri realised that Wild Hunt would sense her powers so she left Crow's Perch and headed to Novigrad.

Ciri tracked down Dandelion to enlist his help in repairing a phylactery to lift the curse on Avallac'h, though she excluded the identity of her friend. Dandelion suggested going to Cyprian "Whoreson Junior" Willy. Willy later turned on them, capturing and torturing their friend Dudu. Ciri managed to rescue Dudu but her activities got the attention of the Temple Guard, who chased her towards Temple Isle. Just as an crossbowman took a shot at her, Ciri teleported herself to safety.

Ciri teleported all the way to Skellige, where she fell unconscious, dropping into a lake. Avallac'h found her and gave her to the safety of a native Skelliger, Skjall, and his family. When she came to, Ciri accepted the invitation to heal at the local sauna. But soon as she prepared to depart, the Wild Hunt descended on the village, forcing Ciri to flee once more. She found her way to Avallac'h, who was waiting with a boat. But upon seeing Skjall being cut down by a Red Rider, she attempted to turn back to help him, but Avallac'h stunned her with a sleeping spell and took her to the Isle of Mists to hide her from the Hunt.

Ciri was taken in by a company of seven dwarves, who were also stranded on the Isle. She is later found by Geralt, who had managed to lift the curse on Avallac'h, who gave him a magical firefly to lead him to the Isle. After gaining the trust of the dwarves, whose number had been reduced to five, Geralt is allowed to see Ciri. Seeing her prone form, he assumed her dead, until the firefly merges with her, stirring the young woman awake. Geralt and Ciri catch up on what happened to the latter. Ciri reveals Eredin's motive for pursuing her, explaining that the Aen Elle world faces annihilation, so the King of the Hunt seeks to use her to power the portal to allow his army to conquer the Continent, even at the risk of Ciri's life.

As they prepare to leave, they discover the dwarves had taken Geralt's boat and fled the Isle, before spotting the Wild Hunt's flagship, the Naglfar, in the distance, forcing Ciri to teleport them directly to Kaer Morhen. Upon arrival, Ciri is happily reunited with Vesemir, Yennefer and Triss.

However, the time for celebration was cut short, as the Hunt would soon assault the aging keep. Ciri was ordered to remain inside the keep while everyone else defended her. Triss provided Ciri with a magical amulet to call down a magical fireball. However, Ciri defies orders and goes to help Triss when she came under attack by Hunt warriors. She later assisted Eskel against Caranthir, before the Hunt general hears a war horn signalling him to retreat.

Ultimately, the Hunt breaches Kaer Morhen, freezing everyone except for Ciri and Vesemir. They are then attacked by Imlerith, allowing Eredin to finally get a hold of Ciri. But as he dragged her towards a portal, Vesemir breaks off from Imlerith and engages Eredin, forcing the elf to release Ciri. As Imlerith charged at the elderly witcher, Vesemir used Aard to push Ciri away as the large elf lifts him up by the throat. Surrounded by the Wild Hunt and with her mentor held hostage, Ciri dropped her sword in surrender. However, Vesemir stabbed Imlerith, prompted the general to snap his neck, killing him. In grief and anguish, Ciri unleashed a magical scream that affected the Hunt. Calanthir conjured a portal, which Imlerith fled through, but Eredin desperately stumbled towards Ciri. Calanthir recognized his king would die in the attempt and forcibly dragged Eredin through the portal. But Ciri's power had gone out of control, threatening to kill everyone in Kaer Morhen had not Avallac'h intervened and stopped her.

While cremating Vesemir, Ciri started to regret returning to Kaer Morhen, despite Geralt's attempts to calm her, as she snatched Vesemir's medallion off the pyre. Subsequently, Ciri tried to involve herself in a discussion between Geralt, Avallac'h, Yennefer and Triss over reassembling the Lodge of Sorceresses to fight the Hunt. She becomes angry that decisions are being made without her and departs their company.

A few days later, Ciri becomes disheartened that her training with Avallac'h hadn't be progressing well. Geralt can either cheer her up with a snowball fight or sour her with Lambert's famous home brew.

Ciri later stirs Geralt early in the morning, revealing she had discovered Imlerith was attending a sabbath on Bald Mountain in Velen, as would the Crones, though she hadn't told Avallac'h of her plans. Geralt can suggest visiting her biological father, Emperor Emhyr var Emreis, in Vizima first or go to Bald Mountain immediately.

If Geralt and Ciri go to meet Emhyr, the latter addresses her by all her titles as nobles and soldiers kneel before her. He then presents the second half of Geralt's payment as thanks for finding his daughter. Whether Geralt accepts or not affects Ciri. Ciri then engages in private conversation with Emhyr but later stormed out, angry at his attempts to buy her.

A few weeks later, Geralt and Ciri arrive at Bald Mountain and are forced to contend with the local celebration, which ends in them being sent to a sylvan named Fugas for execution. After slaying the monster, Ciri plays a game of rock, paper, scissors, to decide who will face the Crones and who would slay Imlerith. Ciri lost the game and thus went to confront the Crones. She interrupts them while they were stirring a cauldron full of human remains, prompting them to transform from beautiful women into their true, hideous forms. Ciri managed to slay Brewess and Whispess but Weavess managed to escape with Vesemir's medallion.

Their mission a success, the pair head for Novigrad, where Ciri had a multitude of personal matters to take care of. With Geralt, she revisits all the people she had encountered in the city. She was also present when Geralt and Avallac'h bring Ge'els from the world of the Aen Elle to show him proof that Eredin murdered the previous Aen Elle king, Auberon Muircetach, so he'd stop supporting the regicide. Ge'els attempts to sow animosity between Ciri and Avallac'h, but it fails. Corinne Tilly, an oneiromancer, shows everyone through dreams of Eredin's regicide.

After Philippa Eilhart and Margarita Laux-Antille are gathered, they ask to meet with Ciri. If Geralt accompanies Ciri to the meeting, it undermines her confidence. The sorceresses extended an invitation for Ciri to join the Lodge as an equal partner.

The party then travels to Skellige to find an elven artifact called the Sunstone to lure Eredin into a trap. Ciri then expresses her desire to investigate Avallac'h secret laboratory in the isles, suspecting the elf to be hiding something from her. She goes ahead with Yennefer to await Geralt's arrival. After penetrating the laboratory, they find a genealogical chart of Elder Blood descendants; Avallac'h was studying all paths of Lara Dorren, even those thought extinct. They soon encounter a she-elf, claiming to be Avallac'h's lover, who proceeds to insult Ciri, calling her a degenernate half-breed and that Avallac'h despises that he needs her. Her words anger Ciri so much that she wants to tear up the lab. Geralt can support her and aid in the ransacking, cheering her up, or calm her down and fasten Lara Dorren's necklace around her neck, depressing her.

Once outside, Ciri asks to go to Hindersfjall to see Skjall, only to be told of his death. If Geralt refuses, it depresses her. If he agrees to accompany her, they either meet up later or teleport there. Upon arrival, Ciri learns that Skjall was never buried, instead thrown on a corpse heap. After finding his corpse and giving it a proper burial, they are accosted by a band of villagers, who take issue with their defiance against their elders' writ, as Skjall was dishonoured and his name stricken. Ciri threatens retaliation if Skjall's grave is disturbed and reveals Skjall's role in saving her from the Hunt, restoring his honor.

The party then sail to Undvik to spring the trap, with the Nilfgaardian fleet preventing the Naglfar from fleeing by sea and the sorceresses blocking their attempts to teleport. As the battle started, though advised to remain on shore, Ciri realized that Geralt and his Nilfgaardian detachment were frozen and decided to go out and assist. Avallac'h advised her to find Caranthir and break the jewel on his staff to lift the spell. After fighting through Hunt warriors and hounds did Ciri engage Caranthir, eventually destroying his staff, though the effort seemingly knocked her unconscious. Caranthir then attempted to grab Ciri, only for her to teleport away.

After Geralt mortally wounded Eredin, the elven king stated that Avallac'h had tricked them both, pitting them against each other while he made off with Ciri. When Geralt confronts Avallac'h as another Conjunction of the Spheres begins, but Avallac'h drops his sword proving that he did not betray them but was just following Ciri's wish to come here. Geralt then confronts Ciri who tells him that she has to go inside the portal to stop the White Frost. Depending on Geralt's interactions with her, Ciri may either survive or die stopping the White Frost.

Journal Entry

 * Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon - what can I possibly say about her? That we call her Ciri for short, that she was born in 1251, that she has ashen hair and a scar on her cheek?


 * All true, and that's the Cirilla I know best, one I first laid eyes on those many years ago, the one who seemed thoroughly, well, not ordinary, but certainly not as extraordinary as she in fact is.


 * For Cirilla is also a highly-skilled witcher, heiress to several thrones, the last bearer of the Elder Blood, a powerful Source endowed with exceptional magic talent and the Lady of Time and Space. Her hair colour and date of birth seem... rather incidental now, don't they?


 * I could also tell you she is Geralt's adopted daughter - but that wouldbe a gross simplification. Ciri is much more. She is his Destiny, his Unexpected Child, someone bound to the witcher by Fate's most inextricably tangled fetters.


 * Following age-old witcher tradition, Geralt took Ciri to Kaer Morhen when she came into his care. There he and Vesemir taught her in the ways of the professional monster slayer. It was then that her magic talents were first revealed, and they discovered she was a Source.
 * Ciri's gift proved a curse as well. Because of it, she would one day have to hide from the entire world- even Geralt.
 * Ciri's biography contained one more great secret. Her natural father was none other than the emperor of Nilfgaard, Emhyr var Emreis. His words confirmed the fears swirling in Geralt's mind. Ciri had returned and was in mortal danger, for the unrelenting Wild Hunt was on her trail.


 * Yennefer made it clear why the Wild Hunt wanted Ciri: Eredin wanted the power latent in her Elder Blood. She also let Geralt know that Ciri had been seen in war-ravageed Velen as well as in Novigrad, the largest city in the world.


 * Reports that Ciri had spent time at Crow's Perch proved true. She was there as the guest of the local warlord, Philip Strenger, also known as the Bloody Baron. Despite his violent moniker, this man treated Ciri with kindness and respect.


 * It seemed that during Ciri's time in Velen she got into a quarrel with some sort of witch or witches in the swamps.


 * Geralt learned the truth of Ciri's time in the swamps from the mouths of the hideous Crones themselves. Even Ciri, better able to hold her own than most anyone in existence, was lucky to escape from these powerful beings alive and intact.


 * The visions revealed by the Mask of Uroboros made it clear beyond all doubt: Ciri had played a role in the magic catastrophe on Ard Skellig. More importantly, they confirmed she had been in Skellige - and then fled in the face of grave danger.


 * Ultimate, tangible proof of the truth that the emperor had spoken the truth about Ciri's pursuers came in the form of a corpse - one belonging to a warrior of the Wild Hunt. The Riders truly were on Ciri's trail.


 * In hindsight, putting Ciri in touch with Whoreson was not one of my brightest ideas. In my defense I can only say that her situation was so perilous even the riskiest plan seemed better than inactivity.


 * After my adventures and mishaps, Geralt finally found Ciri on the Isle of Mists. When he crossed the threshold into the room in which she slumbered, the protective spell Avallac'h had cast upon her snapped under the sheer weight of their combined destinies. Geralt was reunited with his adopted daughter after years of separation and searching. No words can describe the joy he felt in that moment.


 * Avallac'h's prediction that the Wild Hunt would descend on Kaer Morhen as soon as Ciri arrived was proven true. All present spared no effort in defending her. In the end, though, it was she who defended them - through an outburst of unbridled power, the raw strength of her Elder Blood, she saved the protectors of Kaer Morhen from certain  death.


 * Though it was Cirilla who convinced Geralt to go with her to exact vengeance on Imerith, it was the witcher who stood against Vesemir's killer in a final duel. Ciri slay some evil that day, however, killing two of the three monsterous sisters who had usurped for themselves rule over Velen.


 * Ciri had not seen her father since she was a young child. Emhyr was in effect a stranger to her, and one responsible for the deaths of many people she cherished at that. Standing face to face with him was surely one of the most difficult challenges she had ever undergone.


 * If Geralt takes Ciri to Vizima and refuses the reward
 * Ciri emerged from this trial victorious, and with an enhanced awareness of how deeply and unconditionally Geralt, her adopted father, loved and cared for her.


 * If Geralt does not accompany Ciri to the Lodge meeting
 * Confronting the Lodge - now there is a difficult task, one many a brave soul would move mountains to avoid. Cirilla, however, decided to stand and face the powerful sorceresses. From the accounts that reached my ears I can conclude that she let the mistresses of magic know in clear terms that she had a mind of her own and would not be a servile tool in their hands.


 * A visit to Avallac'h's secret laboratory revealed facts that shook Ciri to her core. Though she had long known she was the last of Lara Dorren's line, the only remaining heir to the so-called Elder Blood, only know did she realize this line had been an object of unbroken interest to elven Sages and human mages for two centuries. Another blow came from the words of the arrogant she-elf, which rankled in her heart like a thorny bramble.


 * Eredin had perished - but the evil king's death only ever heralds the end in fairy tales. In our Story, this meant it was time for Ciri to face her destiny. Only she possessed the power to stop the White Frost - the near mythical force which threatened not just our world, but countless others as well.
 * If Ciri wrecks Avallac'h's'' lab
 * Though unleashing anger on inanimate objects might not be considered mature behaviour, it definitely helps bring one relief. Ciri thus reached for this most simple of solutions.

Trivia

 * In the optional quest in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt where Ciri meets Emhyr var Emreis he announces her as "Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, Queen of Cintra, Princess of Brugge and Duchess of Sodden. heiress to Inis Ard Skellig and Inis An Skellig, and suzeraine of Attre and Abb Yarra".
 * In Times of Contempt a girl officially claimed to be Ciri by the Nilfgaardian Empire is declared to hold this title, however Emhyr var Emreis being father of the Ciri and knew this girl to be fake and declared her the additional title of "Duchess of Rowan and Ymlac, lady of the castle of Darn Rowan". This was in order to keep this girl far away and out of sight from him until he could find the real Ciri.