Assault on Stygga castle

The assault on Stygga castle was an unprecedented event in the second war with Nilfgaard. It was ultimately during this battle that Vilgefortz was finally defeated and killed. There were actually two assaults on the castle. The first by Geralt of Rivia and his company, which included among others, Ciri and Yennefer. The second assault was led by the Nilfgaardian Impera led by the Emperor himself.

Double betrayal of Vilgefortz
Vilgefortz fought as part of the group of 22 mages which won the Battle of Sodden Hill for the North. His talents also lead to his appointment as president of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers, and thus the representative of a prominent anti-Nilfgaardian group. What few were aware of, however, was the fact that Vilgefortz was a traitor. He had maintained friendly relations with Emperor Emhyr var Emreis.

At the emperor's command, Vilgefortz and his faithful servant Rience were sent to search for the blood of Lara Dorren, Emhyr's daughter - Ciri. This took them both to Thanedd Island, to the congress of mages being held there. The emperor had also secretly sent in an elven commando lead by Isengrim Faoiltiarna and the young Nilfgaardian count Cahir aep Ceallach to capture Ciri.

During the chaos of the coup, Vilgefortz's double betrayal was revealed. Although the elves and Cahir failed to get Ciri for the emperor, the mage decided to get her for his own sick and ambitious plans. It was only thanks to the intervention of Geralt that Ciri managed to escape through the portal in the Gulls' Tower.

Aftermath of the Thanedd coup
The coup had far-reaching repercussions for everyone. Vilgefortz was sought not only for his first betrayal - by Sigismund Dijkstra, Philippa Eilhart and the Redanian Secret Service for the North, but also for his second betrayal - by Vattier de Rideaux, head of Nilfgaardian Intelligence for Emperor Emhyr var Emreis. Vilgefortz was forced into hiding, being essentially a world-wide fugitive. He was forced to rely on his subordinates, Rience and Schirrú to accomplish anything.

Initially Redanian scryers manage to locate where he is hiding and Dijkstra sets off to find Vilgefortz, only to discover the place empty. Vilgefortz moves his base of operations to Stygga.

Stygga Castle
The location of the hideout was a classic "lion's jaw". In the mountains, on the north-west of Ebbing province, to be more precise. Stygga castle had many levels, the tallest levels were located exactly on the top of the plateau and the lowest were built on the rocky wall. Catle was filled with evil, dark and vibrating magic that suppressed other sources of power, like preventing Ciri using her ability to travel in time and spaces, and gave its master, Vilgefortz, unlimited power. Furthermore, the plateau, were the castle was, was covered with ship wrecks, that were sucked by Vilgerfortz's magic whirl from the Sedna Abyss. The location of the hideout was top secret, only imperial coroner, Stefan Skellen, learned its location when he was cooperating with the Vilgefortz. However, the cover was blown when Geralt of Rivia overheard the name of it when Skellen met with Nilfgaardian nobles in Toussaint. Witcher decided to attack Vilgefortz himself, but he sent a message to Dijkstra, containing name and location of the castle, to be secured in case of Geralt's failure. Dijkstra then, sent a letter to Emhyr var Emreis, and that's how Nilfgaard found out about Vilgefortz's hideout. At the time of assault, the crew of the castle was strong, it consisted of, small Skellen's army, people directly loyal to Vilgefortz, bounty hunter Leo Bonhart and Vilgefortz himself.

The first assault
At the first day of assault, the witcher and his companions came to rescue Ciri. The witcher's team had two advantages at their side, one of them is that Ciri just arrived at Stygga Castle and taken to laboratory so everyone in castle was concentrated on Ciri, leaving small number of guards at the gate. Second advantage is that Emiel Regis, used his vampire tricks to get them inside without any problems and killing every single guard except Boreas Mun, which showed them the entrance through which they could reach Ciri. Further stages of battle, were just chaotic fightings and chasing on the hallways, team split out and by that they freed both Ciri and Yennefer. The castle's crew also had split up, Leo Bonhart broke all promises and went to find Ciri on his own and kill her, Stefan Skellen knew that small groups, in a single combat against wither's team, did not had a chance to win so he gathered all troops and blocked the only way out of the castle. Then the two great duels came, Ciri versus Bonhart and Geralt, Yennefer and Regis versus Vilgefortz. In both duels, the good triumphed. Both Vilgefortz and Bonhart were killed. The price for victory was bloddy, all witcher companions were dead, Milva was shot, Angouleme was killed by Skellen's troops, Cahir was killed by Bonhart in order to defend Ciri and Emiel Regis was literally melted by Vilgefortz, when the vampire was protecting Yennefer. The only survivors were Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer. Only witcher from the assault group survived. When Ciri, Geralt and Yennefer decided to go out, Ciri and Geralt killed anyone who stood in their way to exit and there's no telling what might happened if the second assault did not occurred.

The second assault
The second assault was organized by Emhyr var Emreis, the emperor of Nilfgaard. He found out from Dijkstra where the Vilgefortz was hidding and decided to attack immediately. Although all his armies were at the north fighting with Temeria and occupied conquered regions. So Emhyr decided to use his personal fanatic brigade called "Impera". Nilfgaardians did not had much work as wither's team killed most of the Vilgefortz's men, so they stormed the castle when Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer were fighting with remains of Skellen's troops. The massive superiority in numbers caused that the Skellen's detachment surrendered and so did Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer. Stefan Skellen was accused for treason by Emhyr var Emreis himself, and was arrested with his men. Emhyr then, took Geralt for a long private conversation, then the Geralt recognized that Emhyr was in fact Duny, father of Ciri and he planned to take her with him. Emhyr convinced Geralt and Yennefer to commit suicide in order to avoid unnecessary fight. However, when emperor saw Ciri crying about the loss of her foster parents, he decided to let them go and left with "Impera" to Nilfgaard.

After the battle
Wizard Vilgefortz was indeed the most fearsome and most dangerous person that ever looked for Ciri. His knowledge about the Elder Blood flowing through Ciri's veins and the possibilities that he could have when he put hand on that blood. Using all available talents, ambitions and efficiency of his agents, Schirru and Rience, were the only aspects that could compare the intransigence of his search with the unlimited tracking ability of Emhyr var Emreis. When the assault on Stygga Castle ended, the search for Elder Blood ended as well. The most bitter character, Vilgefortz, was killed and Emhyr var Emreis, with the ax aequo status in the search, gave up Ciri willingly. Witcher Geralt and sorceress Yennefer finally found her and could protect her again. The assault, or battle as some called it, was at the same time as the spectacular victories of the Northern Kingdoms over the Nilfgaardian forces and thus ending the Northern Wars.

Angriff auf das Stygga Schlos Assalto al castello di Stygga Szturm na zamek Stygga