Geralt of Rivia

Geralt of Rivia (Polish: Geralt z Rivii) is a witcher and the main protagonist of the Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski and its adaptations, including The Witcher, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt  videogames. Like all Witchers, Geralt is a monster hunter for hire. He possesses superhuman abilities and is a master swordsman. During the Trial of the Grasses, Geralt exhibited unusual tolerance for the mutagens that grant Witchers their abilities. Accordingly, Geralt was subjected to further experimental mutagens which rendered his hair white and may have given him greater speed, strength and stamina than his fellow Witchers.

Geralt is also known as Gwynbleidd, meaning "White Wolf" in Elder Speech. He was given this alias by the dryads, and is also called the Butcher of Blaviken after an unfortunate incident in that town.

Despite his title, Geralt does not hail from the city of Rivia. After being left with the witchers by his mother, Visenna, he grew up in their keep of Kaer Morhen in the realm of Kaedwen. In the interest of appearing more trustworthy to potential clients, young witchers were encouraged to make up surnames for themselves by master Vesemir. As his first choice, Geralt chose "Geralt Roger Eric du Haute-Bellegarde", but this choice was dismissed by Vesemir as silly and pretentious, so "Geralt" was all that remained of his chosen name. "Of Rivia" was a more practical alternative, and Geralt even went so far as to adopt a Rivian accent to appear more authentic.

Later, Queen Meve of Lyria knighted him for his valour in the Battle for the Bridge on the Yaruga conferring on him the formal title "of Rivia", which amused him. He, therefore, became a true knight of Lyria.

Biography
Geralt is the son of the sorceress Visenna and, presumably, the warrior Korin. Shortly after his birth, Geralt was taken by his mother to the School of the Wolf at the stronghold of Kaer Morhen. There, Geralt was trained and made to be a witcher. He survived the many blistering mutations required to grant witchers their abilities, and passed the Trial of the Grasses. Geralt's training and physical modifications provided him with superhuman physical and mental abilities, including heightened reflexes, increased speed, great strength, and enhanced hearing.

Due to his brilliant success in training, Geralt was selected for additional mutation experiments. He is the only witcher to have survived these experiments, his stark white hair being a side effect of these additional mutations. After finishing his witcher training, Geralt embarked into the world on a horse named Roach, a name he would bestow upon every one of his later horses. Thus, he became a monster slayer for hire.

At one point, Geralt demanded the unborn child of princess Pavetta and her husband Duny (an alias of Emhyr var Emreis, the Emperor of Nilfgaard) as a reward for his services. The child was born a girl, and Geralt refused her. However, fate caused Geralt and the girl, Cirilla, to cross paths three times. Eventually, Geralt took the girl as his protégé, following the death of her grandmother, Queen Calanthe. Now, he loves her as his own daughter.

Personality
Geralt's character is largely left up to the choices of the player, however the player cannot alter most of his personality traits. Geralt does not like to be ordered around or provoked. He can be cold and ruthless to people who are wicked and malevolent. He is by nature a loner and an outcast, with a ruthless streak to him that makes him extremely dangerous when provoked (or when the appropriate dialogue choices are made by the player).

Most of the time he can be apathetic, cynical, and threatening. Despite his outwardly cold nature, Dandelion notes that behind his exterior hides a fiercely loyal friend, and a man of good humour and a giver of sound advice. Geralt is shown in the books and games to have many good friends all over the Northern Realms, such as Caldemeyn of Blaviken, Zoltan Chivay, and of course Dandelion. He is also very protective and loyal to his friends and companions and is willing to go great lengths for those who matter to him. He can be kind-hearted and caring with the people he loves.

Geralt is also shown to be extremely adept at allaying intense, and at times bleak, situations in the video games, and as a man who would much sooner have everyone return home than draw their swords. His experience of at least ninety-seven years in the world makes him a world-weary man, often expressing disdain and circuitous insults to those he considers cruel, foolish, etc. Geralt is consistently shown as fiercely loyal to his friends. Depending on player choice, he risks Temeria's future to save Triss Merigold from the Nilfgaardians. At the Edge of the World, he was shown requesting Scoia'tael to spare Dandelion and kill only himself.

Geralt's personality in the books resembles something much more human. Geralt frequently shows remorse and has revelations in his life throughout the books. Other times he has complete emotional breakdowns, even giving up being a witcher in general and dropping his morals at one point in Lady of The Lake.



In The Hexer movie and TV series, the major role of Geralt as an adult was played by Michał Żebrowski, but a younger Geralt was portrayed by Maciej Łagodziński. Both the series and the movie were based largely on the previously published short stories, taking a few liberties here and there with the narrative.

Naturally, Geralt appears in all thirteen episodes of the series and is the protagonist of the film.

"Both for killing, Monsters."

- Geralt of Rivia In the English version of the game, Geralt is voiced by Doug Cockle and in the Polish version by Jacek Rozenek.

After seemingly having been killed by a mob during a pogrom of nonhumans at the end of the Witcher saga, Geralt returns to life with no recollection of the details of his sudden reappearance or of the five intervening years. He is rescued by the last remaining witchers in the world and is taken back to Kaer Morhen. There, he is drawn into a complicated conspiracy concerning the witchers, their secrets, and the nefarious forces that are after that knowledge.

Geralt pursues the mysterious Salamandra, and in the process meets many people from his past, as well as new acquaintances who either require the witcher's help or offer their own in his quest to regain his identity.

Journal entry

 * A book entitled "The Rivian Pogrom" claims that Geralt, known also as the White Wolf, died during a massacre of non-humans. The pogrom took place in the city of Rivia just after the war with Nilfgaard. Geralt was killed by an angry mob when he tried to defend the oppressed. The sorceress Triss Merigold and the dwarf Zoltan Chivay witnessed his death. The witcher's body was never found.


 * The bard Dandelion recounts the adventures of the witcher Geralt in his ballads. After reading them, one may conclude that the White Wolf was the most famous witcher of his time. He actively participated in many historical events, such as the mage rebellion on Thanedd Island. Dandelion's poems are mostly devoted to Geralt's fights against monsters, the numerous romantic entanglements for which he is famous, and to his love for a certain sorceress.


 * Some years ago, Geralt of Rivia came to King Foltest's court in search of work. He obtained a contract to free the monarch's daughter Adda from a spell which had turned her into a striga, or to kill her if all else failed. The witcher managed to free the girl from the spell, and discovered that one of the courtiers had been responsible for the curse.

"Fucking idiot actually went in."

- Geralt discussing how Dandelion unforcefully entered a succubus's lair.

Journal Entry

 * Behold our hero: subjected to mutations and rigorous sword and sorcery training as a child, he has become a superhuman monster slayer. Always penniless and often disdained by those whom he protects, he wanders the world seeking work. Fate has little mercy for him, piling obstacles in his way, yet he trudges on. He has more scruples than a beggaring bum has fleas. Doubts haunt him even when a band of ruffians, knives drawn, approaches him on the highway. Is he a good man? I do not think so. Does he try to maintain his humanity? I believe he does.
 * You must know that Geralt of Rivia died once already, or at least everyone thought him dead. During a massacre in Rivia, he sought to defend nonhumans and fell to overwhelming odds. Placed in a boat, he floated into the mist, into a realm where he finally found peace, but not for long. Because of forces mentioned later, Geralt returned just in time to defend the witchers' ancient home fortress, and then embarked on a mission to recover the secrets stolen from it. Along the way he took part in a Scoia'tael uprising, shattered a powerful criminal organization, and killed the Grand Master of the Order of the Flaming Rose. All the while his fame as a lover grew. Well, that's Geralt for you. As if all this wasn't enough, he then foiled the attempted assassination of King Foltest of Temeria and became one of the monarch's most trusted men.

The third installment of the trilogy will, like its predecessors, follow Geralt through his final adventure. Following the events of Witcher 2, Geralt has regained his memory of the past and prepares to embark on a new journey. In Witcher 3, Geralt is on the hunt for the only person he considers kin, Ciri. Along his journey, Geralt must face the Wild Hunt in order to protect the people he cares about.

In the new open world, Geralt will have the opportunity to complete quests both part of the main story and side quests. He will also interact with old friends Dandelion and Vesemir along with potential lovers Triss Merigold and Yennefer.

Journal Entry

 * Many cannot fathom the friendship Geralt of Rivia and I, Dandelion, have shared all these years. When we first began breaking bread together, spiteful tongues said he'd be better off cutting my throat and dumping my body in a hollow tree – before I provoked someone else into doing that same to us both. Those individuals spoke out of pure jealousy, for Geralt was my dearest friend, a fact which he gave ample evidence of on numerous occasions.


 * I could say a great deal about that world-famous monster hunter, the man know in Elder Speech as Gwynbleidd, or, in our younger (yet no less noble) tongue, as the White Wolf. For Geralt of Rivia is a truly exceptional individual. A brief encounter might tempt one to label him a mere swinger of swords, a simple monster-catcher, a rough-and-tumble practitioner of a dirty trade – but peer closer and you will soon discover he is a man of unplumbed depths, unique views and vast, world-spanning experience.


 * On the surface, he is introverted, tight-lipped, and one might even say gruff, but underneath lies an overflowing sea of goodwill, good humour, and an honest readiness to help his friends, be it with a bit of sound advice or the masterful application of his blade.


 * Setting aside cumbersome false modesty, I can say that I know his story better than any man alive. I was with him through hard times and good, helping with wise advice, warm words and razor wit. As a result, I am a vital part of his story, both in its earlier and present portions. It is thus my duty to continue my chronicle and, for the benefit of future generations, put in writing the next chapter of his deeds and exploits.

Hearts of Stone Expansion
Step again into the shoes of Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster slayer, this time hired to defeat a ruthless bandit captain and Redanian nobleman, Olgierd von Everec, a man who possesses the power of immortality.

Blood and Wine Expansion
Second expansion takes Geralt to a land untainted by war, Nilfgaardian region of Toussaint, where an atmosphere of carefree indulgence and knightly ritual masks an ancient, bloody secret.

The Witcher: Adventure Game

 * Geralt is one of the four playable characters in "The Witcher: Adventure Game".

He is called there "MONSTER SLAYER - DEADLY IN COMBAT".

The Witcher Battle Arena
Geralt is featured as a playable character in "The Witcher Battle Arena".

Trivia

 * Geralt's name in the Elder Speech, Gwynbleidd, is very similar to the Welsh translation of "white wolf", which is blaidd gwyn.
 * Most of The Witcher 2 promotional screenshots or artwork featuring Geralt display a fairly different model, an early design, even the cover of the game doesn't use the in game model for Geralt. A different model was planned to replace Geralt's face from The Witcher, but due to protests in Poland, CDP edited the old model and placed it into the game.
 * CD Projekt RED revealed in a Q&A on Raptr that the first publishing offer they got for The Witcher was on the condition that they made Geralt female, amongst other changes.
 * A grown up Everett—styling himself as Julius Cudera—once challenged Geralt to a fight. Geralt used the Sign of Aard on Julius's testicles, rendering the latter sterile. Up to this day, Julius still asserts his superiority over others out of a blatant sense of insecurity and mental instability.

In other languages

 * {| class="sorttable" border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"

! class="unsortable" width="35" | Flag ! Language ! Geralt Гералт от Ривия 
 * [[Image:Flag poland.png|32px|Polish flag]] || Polish (original) || Geralt z Rivii
 * [[Image:Flag bulgaria.png|32px|Bulgarian flag]] || Bulgarian ||
 * [[Image:Flag bulgaria.png|32px|Bulgarian flag]] || Bulgarian ||
 * [[Image:Flag bulgaria.png|32px|Bulgarian flag]] || Bulgarian ||

Geralt ot Riviya Gkéralt ti̱s Rivíi̱s Geralt iz Rivii Geralt od Rivije Geralt z Ryviyi Lì wéi yǎ de jié luò tè Geralt od Rivija
 * [[Image:Flag czech.png|32px|Czech flag]] || Czech || Geralt z Rivie
 * [[Image:Flag uk.png|32px|British flag]] || English || Geralt of Rivia
 * [[Image:Flag estonia.png|32px|Estonian flag]] || Estonian || Riivimaa Geralt
 * [[Image:Flag finland.png|32px|Finnish flag]] || Finnish || Geralt Rivialainen
 * [[Image:Flag france.png|32px|French flag]] || French || Geralt de Riv
 * [[Image:Flag germany.png|32px|German flag]] || German || Geralt von Riva
 * [[Image:Flag greece.png|32px|Greek flag]] || Greek || Γκέραλτ της Ριβίης
 * [[Image:Flag finland.png|32px|Finnish flag]] || Finnish || Geralt Rivialainen
 * [[Image:Flag france.png|32px|French flag]] || French || Geralt de Riv
 * [[Image:Flag germany.png|32px|German flag]] || German || Geralt von Riva
 * [[Image:Flag greece.png|32px|Greek flag]] || Greek || Γκέραλτ της Ριβίης
 * [[Image:Flag germany.png|32px|German flag]] || German || Geralt von Riva
 * [[Image:Flag greece.png|32px|Greek flag]] || Greek || Γκέραλτ της Ριβίης
 * [[Image:Flag greece.png|32px|Greek flag]] || Greek || Γκέραλτ της Ριβίης
 * [[Image:Flag hungary.png|32px|Hungarian flag]] || Hungarian || Ríviai Geralt
 * [[Image:Flag italy.png|32px|Italian flag]] || Italian || Geralt di Rivia
 * [[Image:Flag latvia.png|32px|Latvian flag]] || Latvian || Geralts no Rivijas
 * [[Image:Flag Lithuania.png|32px|Lithuanian flag]] || Lithuanian || Geraltas iš Rivijos
 * [[Image:Flag iran.png|32px|Iran flag]] || Farsi (Persian)|| گرالت از (اهل) رِویا
 * [[Image:Flag netherlands.png|32px|Dutch Flagge]] || Dutch || Geralt van Rivia
 * [[Image:Flag russia.png|32px|Russian flag]] || Russian || Геральт из Ривии
 * [[Image:Flag Lithuania.png|32px|Lithuanian flag]] || Lithuanian || Geraltas iš Rivijos
 * [[Image:Flag iran.png|32px|Iran flag]] || Farsi (Persian)|| گرالت از (اهل) رِویا
 * [[Image:Flag netherlands.png|32px|Dutch Flagge]] || Dutch || Geralt van Rivia
 * [[Image:Flag russia.png|32px|Russian flag]] || Russian || Геральт из Ривии
 * [[Image:Flag netherlands.png|32px|Dutch Flagge]] || Dutch || Geralt van Rivia
 * [[Image:Flag russia.png|32px|Russian flag]] || Russian || Геральт из Ривии
 * [[Image:Flag russia.png|32px|Russian flag]] || Russian || Геральт из Ривии
 * [[Image:Flag serbia.png|32px|Serbian flag]] || Serbian || Гералт од Ривије
 * [[Image:Flag serbia.png|32px|Serbian flag]] || Serbian || Гералт од Ривије
 * [[Image:Flag slovakia.png|32px|Slovak flag]] || Slovak || Geralt z Rivie
 * [[Image:Flag slovenia.png|32px|Slovenian flag]] || Slovenian || Geralt iz Rivie
 * [[Image:Flag spain.png|32px|Spanish flag]] || Spanish || Geralt de Rivia
 * [[Image:Flag sweden.svg|32px|Sweden flag]] || Swedish || Geralt av Rivia
 * [[Image:Flag turkey.png|32px|Turkish flag]] || Turkish || Riviyalı Geralt
 * [[Image:Flag ukraine.png|32px|Ukrainian flag]] || Ukrainian || Ґеральт з Рівії
 * [[Image:Flag sweden.svg|32px|Sweden flag]] || Swedish || Geralt av Rivia
 * [[Image:Flag turkey.png|32px|Turkish flag]] || Turkish || Riviyalı Geralt
 * [[Image:Flag ukraine.png|32px|Ukrainian flag]] || Ukrainian || Ґеральт з Рівії
 * [[Image:Flag turkey.png|32px|Turkish flag]] || Turkish || Riviyalı Geralt
 * [[Image:Flag ukraine.png|32px|Ukrainian flag]] || Ukrainian || Ґеральт з Рівії
 * [[Image:Flag ukraine.png|32px|Ukrainian flag]] || Ukrainian || Ґеральт з Рівії
 * [[Image:Flag China.png|32px|Chinese flag]] || Chinese Simplified ||利维亚的杰洛特
 * [[Image:Flag China.png|32px|Chinese flag]] || Chinese Simplified ||利维亚的杰洛特
 * [[Image:Romania-flag.jpg|32px|Romanian Flag]] || Romanian ||Geralt din Rivia
 * [[Image:Flag brazil (1).png|32px|Brazilian Flag]] || Brazilian Portuguese || Geralt de Rívia
 * [[Image:Flag croatia.png|32px|Croatian flag]] || Croatian || Geralt od Rivije
 * [[Image:Flag macedonia.png|32px|Macedonian flag]] || Macedonian || Гералт од Ривија
 * [[Image:Flag croatia.png|32px|Croatian flag]] || Croatian || Geralt od Rivije
 * [[Image:Flag macedonia.png|32px|Macedonian flag]] || Macedonian || Гералт од Ривија
 * [[Image:Flag macedonia.png|32px|Macedonian flag]] || Macedonian || Гералт од Ривија
 * [[Image:Flag macedonia.png|32px|Macedonian flag]] || Macedonian || Гералт од Ривија
 * Arabic
 * جيرالت من ريفيا
 * }
 * جيرالت من ريفيا
 * }

Appearances
{{Scroll box|content = ==== Novels & Comics ==== Saga Comics
 * Last Wish book
 * Sword of Destiny book
 * Blood of Elves book
 * Time of Contempt book
 * Baptism of Fire book
 * Tower of Swallow book
 * Lady of the Lake book
 * The Witcher: Fox Children
 * The Witcher: Reason of State
 * The Witcher: House of Glass
 * The Witcher: Matters of Conscience

Games

 * Wiedźmin: Gra Wyobraźnipen-and-paper rpg
 * TWER English logo.png The Witcher (PC)
 * The Price of Neutrality premium module
 * TW2 English logo-0.png The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
 * 289px-TW3 English logo.png The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
 * HOS_English_logo.png Hearts of Stone
 * The Witcher: Adventure Game board game
 * 289px-Twba logo2 en.png The Witcher: Battle Arena MOBA game

Other adaptations

 * The Hexer (film) movie
 * The Hexer TV series
 * World of the Witcher (book) encyclopaedia

Non-canon

 * Something Ends, Something Begins short story}}

Notes & references
Geralt z Rivie Geralt von Riva Geralt of Rivia Geralt de Rivia Geralt Rivialainen Geralt de Riv Geralt di Rivia Ríviai Geralt Geraltas Geralt van Rivia Geralt pt-br:Geralt de Rívia Геральт Geralt z Rivie Гералт од Ривие Geralt av Rivia Geralt of Rivia