Geralt of Rivia (b. 1160) was a witcher, who was tied to Ciri through the Law of Surprise. While initially reluctant to accept his destiny, Geralt eventually came to terms with his fate. Despite their tumultuous relationship, he also loved the sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg.
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Biography[]
Early life[]
As a child, Geralt was raised by his mother Visenna, not realizing he was destined to be one day handed over to the witchers to be trained as one of them. While still young, the fated day came where Visenna left him in the mountains of Kaedwen and the witcher Vesemir picked him up. Geralt was then taken to Kaer Morhen to be trained, alongside Eskel, Lambert, and Remus. He survived the Trial of the Grasses and underwent the transformation involved in becoming a witcher, and in the process, his hair turned white.
Meeting Princess Renfri[]
In 1231, Geralt of Rivia, now a well-known witcher, went to Blaviken in search of an alderman who he hoped would pay him for having killed a kikimora in the nearby swamp. In the village, he met Renfri in a tavern before meeting Marilka, the daughter of the alderman. While Marilka assured him that the alderman would not pay him for the kikimora, she directed him to a sorcerer named Stregobor, who had lured Geralt into town to hire him to assassinate Renfri. Stregobor explained his reasoning behind wanting to kill Renfri: the Curse of the Black Sun, a solar eclipse that marked the imminent return of Lilit, whose sole purpose was to exterminate the human race. Stregobor had studied the girls born around the Black Sun in the past, and he had found that they had all been mutated by the eclipse. He had tried to cure them, locking them in towers for safekeeping, but each girl had died. He now believed eliminating them was the lesser evil.
Renfri, princess of Creyden and daughter of Fredefalk, was one of the girls and was in Blaviken hunting Stregobor because of his having targeted her. He had personally delivered Renfri under the Black Sun and had been given evidence of how the curse had effected her (including killing animals and maiming her maid); he therefore knew for certain that she was the bringer of evil. Previously, in fear of Lilit's return, Stregobor had dispatched someone to follow Renfri into the woods. The man was later found in the brush with Renfri's broach jammed in his ear. She had then disappeared shortly thereafter, hadn't reappeared for another two years, and began chasing Stregobor, plotting her revenge. Stregobor told Geralt that he would stop her himself except for the fact that she was resistant to magic given her mutation, which Geralt was skeptical of. Geralt refused Stregobor's offer to pay him for killing Renfri because he only kills monsters. When Stregobor asked Geralt to do it anyway because killing Renfri would be the lesser evil compared to letting her harm people, he continued to refuse, because either choice he could make would still be an evil in the end.
Renfri, the woman from the tavern, tracked Geralt down outside Blaviken and inquired about Geralt's meeting with Stregobor, admitting that she wanted to kill him for the injustices she had suffered; Stregobor's man who followed her into the woods had raped and robbed her before letting her go, and she blamed Stregobor for stealing her life as a princess from her. She attempted to recruit Geralt's help in killing Stregobor, but Geralt responded by insisting that should Renfri kill Stregobor, she would only be confirming Stregobor's accusations of her being a monster, which he knew from his own experience. Geralt advised Renfri to leave Blaviken and Stregobor behind for a new life for herself.
Renfri followed Geralt back to his camp, where he was recounting his first monster kill to Roach, his horse. The "monster" in question was a man who he had encountered trying to rape a girl, and after Geralt killed him, the girl had been afraid of him. He told Roach that that had been the day he realized the world didn't need him and that he would only ever be seen as a monster. Renfri came forward and questioned what Geralt believes in, as it was neither destiny nor choosing the lesser evil. Geralt's answer was that he simply kills monsters; he doesn't take sides. Renfri told him that she'd decided to leave Blaviken for good the next day based on what Geralt had said about continuing her quest for revenge making her a monster. When Renfri confirmed that Geralt understood her better than anyone had in a long time, the connection that had been forming between them since they met in the tavern came to a head, and they kissed and then had sex.
After, while dreaming of his night with Renfri, Geralt heard her tell him of his future: he would be run out of Blaviken with thrown stones, tormented by the choice he would make, and the "girl in the woods" is his destiny, one which he could not escape. Geralt awakened alone in the woods of Blaviken, realizing that Renfri had lied about leaving.
He went into town to stop her, where he was met by her soldiers, men who she had recruited while hunting Stregobor. He dispatched them with ease. He then found Renfri holding a blade to Marilka's throat, and she threatened to kill everyone in Blaviken until Stregobor came down from his tower to face her. Geralt warned her one last time to leave Blaviken, using a display of magic to further threaten her. However, Stregobor was right about magic having no effect on Renfri—only silver would have one, as with monsters. Renfri released Marilka and attacked Geralt, managing to cut him several times before Geralt disarmed her and left her with only a dagger to combat him. Geralt then lowered his sword, presenting her with an opportunity to attack or disengage with him. As she chose to lunge at him, he evaded her attack and stabbed her in the throat with her own dagger. As Renfri bled out in Geralt's arms, she repeated that the "girl in the woods" would be with him always, echoing what was said in his dream, and commented on how similar they were to one another.
Stregobor came down to see the destruction left in Renfri and Geralt's wake, and he ordered Marilka to bring him a cart so that they could take her back to the tower for an autopsy. When Geralt objected, Stregobor informed him that it was Renfri's mutation that allowed her to influence her followers, and he therefore wanted to study her body. When Geralt refused to lower his sword, Stregobor realized that he must've been similarly influenced and directed the attention of the villagers who had come to see what had happened to the men Geralt had killed. This caused the townspeople, Marilka included, to revolt against Geralt. They threw stones at him, as Renfri predicted they would, until he was forced to leave her body behind. As they parted, Stregobor confronted Geralt with the fact that he had made a choice and taken a side in the dispute between him and Renfri after all, and he suspected it would haunt Geralt.[1]
This event earned him the infamous nickname "The Butcher of Blaviken", as citizens mistakenly believed him to be a ruthless killer after witnessing the aftermath of his fight with Renfri and her men. Geralt kept Renfri's brooch as a reminder of her and as a warning to himself to never interfere in conflicts between humans.
An Encounter with Elves[]
Nine years after his massacre at Blaviken, Geralt was approached while drinking at a tavern in Posada by a bard named Jaskier, who insisted that Geralt review the poorly received musical performance he had just given. Geralt told Jaskier that the creatures in his song don't exist, and Jaskier realized that he was a witcher, which he announced to the bar. A tavern patron named Nettly overheard and offered to pay Geralt 100 ducats if he killed the "devil" that had been stealing the hamlet's grain. Geralt agreed to the job, but only for 150 ducats. Jaskier—to Geralt's chagrin—decided to tag along during Geralt's search for the creature, during which time he offered offered his services spreading around the stories of "The Butcher of Blaviken," to which Geralt responded by hitting him in the gut. Understanding that Geralt resented being known that way, he also suggested that he could help improve Geralt's image through his music, although Geralt was not receptive to this.
While they hunted for the "devil", Jaskier told Geralt that the region they were walking through had formerly been part of land belonging to the elves, then known as Dol Blathana, before they had abandoned the valley for palaces in the mountains; Geralt told Jaskier that whatever they were hunting wasn't a devil, as they don't exist. Their conversation was interrupted when they were attacked by the real creature, a Sylvan named Torque. Wanting to be left alone, he charged at Geralt, knocking him to the ground. Geralt got back to his feet and grabbed him by the horns (which were responsible for the title the town had given him), slamming him to the ground. To Geralt's surprise, the creature could talk. Rather than killing Torque, Geralt showed mercy, allowing him to live so long as he left Posada. However, before Geralt and Jaskier could leave the Sylvan behind, someone snuck up behind Geralt and knocked him out.
Geralt woke up in a cave, tied up back-to-back with Jaskier and surrounded by elves. Geralt and Jaskier were repeatedly threatened and beaten by a sickly elf named Toruviel, and Geralt waited until she was close enough to headbutt her. They were joined by Torque and the king of the elves, Filavandrel. Torque had been stealing goods for the elves in the cave ever since they were forced out of Dol Blathanna; this came as a surprise to Jaskier, as it challenged his assumption that the elves had willingly left, when in reality, they had retreated from persecution to caves, not palaces. Filavandrel regretfully told Geralt and Jaskier that he could not allow either of them to leave the cave in the fear that they could reveal it was them who had been stealing from the nearby humans, who would then be given a reason to attack the elves again, undoubtedly resulting in casualties on both sides.
Geralt cautioned Filavandrel against killing him and Jaskier in the name of it being the lesser of two evils, comparing Filavandrel's position in that moment to his own in Blaviken and warning him that making decisions in that way would one day be his destruction. Filavandrel protested that the choices he was making were the result of what humans had done to him and his kind: his elders had worked constructively with humans and in return were robbed of all they had. When they fought back, they had been slaughtered in a battle that would come to be known as the "Great Cleansing". Bringing his people down from the mountains as Geralt suggested would mean bowing down to the humans, who would make them slaves. Hearing that, Geralt advised them to rebuild elsewhere and explained how although he sympathized with the elves as someone humans often feared and hated, he had learned that the only way to survive was to coexist with them. Filavandrel then had a change of heart in light of Torque pointing out that Geralt letting the sylvan live confirmed that he was more like him and the elves than humans.
Geralt and Jaskier left the mountains, having been released by Filavandrel. In return, Geralt gave Torque and the elves the 150 ducats he was paid to kill Torque. Jaskier walked down the mountain with Geralt and began to write a tune about Geralt's heroics—designed to help improve his public image like Jaskier had promised—while Geralt followed alongside, protesting that Jaskier's song was exaggerating and misrepresented their encounter with the elves.[2]
Hunt for the Striga[]
Three years later, Geralt had just finished having sex with a prostitute who had heard the tales of his adventures from Jaskier when she began attempting to match each of his scars with a different conquest. He simply ignored her. Eventually, she informed him that another witcher by the name of Remus had passed through the brothel last month on his way to Temeria, which was plagued by some kind of vicious creature. A few Temerian miners had rounded up 3,000 orens to have the creature killed, and Remus supposedly took the coins and ran. Low on funds to pay for the room he'd been in, Geralt left Roach behind as he left the brothel and set out for Temeria to find Remus.
Geralt arrived in Temeria and listened in on a meeting being held by the disgruntled miners. When he spoke up and offered to kill their monster, they accused him of trying to steal from them like Remus had. Geralt informed them that unlike Remus, he would only take payment for completing the job after it was done and would do it for a third of the previous price. He also extended an apology on Remus' behalf as another witcher. Ostrit then arrived with several of his soldiers, demanding the miners dispersed in exchange for him not charging them with treason in light of the things they'd said about rebelling against the king in response to his inaction regarding the monster. As for Geralt, Ostrit ordered his men to see him out of Temeria.
As Geralt and Ostrit's men neared Temeria's border, the guardsmen suddenly fell off their horses and onto the ground. A sorceress by the name of Triss Merigold revealed herself to Geralt and offered to hire him to kill the mysterious monster after all. She admitted to him that she served King Foltest but was acting under her own agenda without his knowledge. Rather than kill the beast, she wanted Geralt's help in saving it.
Six years before, stable hands had started vanishing from King Foltest's castle. Before long, citizens were disappearing throughout all of Temeria. It soon became apparent that the creature was coming from the crypt where the king's sister Adda had been laid to rest. Rumor had it that she was having an affair with a young man in town when she died and that she was with child. If that were true, that child would be the sole heir to the Temerian empire after Foltest never married. When the disappearances in the kingdom had started becoming more frequent, the king had fled to his winter castle, ignoring the rising death toll. As a result, Triss had been sent there three months ago by the Brotherhood of Sorcerers to kill the creature.
Geralt initially believed the creature to be a monster called a vukodlak, but Triss informed him otherwise. She took him to the tomb the creature had emerged from to examine the corpses of those killed by the creature. He examined Remus' corpse, which was among them, and came to the conclusion that Triss had covered up his death to hide the fact that the creature was powerful enough to best a witcher from the miners. Upon further examination, Geralt discovered that Remus was missing both his heart and liver; only a striga's eating habits are that selective. He informed Triss that they're very rare and can only be created through a curse, meaning someone must have wanted Adda dead. However, the curse hadn't stopped with Adda, and it turned her daughter into a monster, meaning that the striga was the princess of Temeria.
Triss Merigold presented Geralt to King Foltest, Lord Ostrit, and Captain Segelin, with whom she pled to enlist in Geralt's help in stopping the striga's killing. However, Segelin was skeptical of Geralt's claims that Princess Adda was murdered. Triss hoped that the king would allow her to search the abandoned castle for clues as to who killed her, but Segelin protested, fearing that Geralt would kill the princess for the reward he'd been offered. Geralt explained that the striga had grown inside of Adda's corpse, feeding on her womb and mutating for years until she'd gotten so hungry that she was forced to leave and start hunting the king's subjects in order to emphasize how important it was that the king not continue to do nothing about the monster. The king then grew tired of Geralt and Triss' claims and commanded that everyone left the chamber.
As everyone exited, Geralt pushed Segelin out last and locked the door behind him, staying in the room with Foltest. Alone with the king, Geralt asked Foltest who had fathered Adda's daughter and questioned why he had never married and produced his own heir. He also pointed out that Foltest having done nothing up to that point to stop the striga implied to Geralt that he was really the striga's father. In response, Foltest surmised that the widespread rumors of witchers being devoid of heart and emotion must be true in order for Geralt to not feel guilty about accusing him of incestuous affairs with his sister while simultaneously campaigning that he kill his own daughter, in Geralt's mind. At that, the guards broke through the door, and Foltest ordered Geralt to leave Temeria.
Instead, Geralt hid outside Foltest's abandoned castle, where Triss found him and asked if he was going to kill the striga after all. Geralt said he was not but refused to tell her why he cared to help other than to say that it wasn't for any money he might receive. He then scared away the castle's guards, nervous over what the striga had once done there, and he and Triss entered. Inside, they moved past the remains of the striga's past victims and discovered letters from the former queen of Temeria in Adda's bedroom. The letter detailed Queen Sancia urging her children to end their affair and abort their daughter, confirming Geralt's assumption about the striga's parentage.
Geralt and Triss took this discovery to Ostrit under the suspicion that the former queen might have cursed her children. Ostrit dismissed this possibility and revealed that he was close to Adda, serving as her confidant and protector. In light of Sancia's letters, Ostrit suggested that Foltest might have raped Adda and cursed their child to cover it up. However, Geralt questioned Ostrit's theory, as he knew Ostrit was downplaying his attachment to Adda, his heightened senses as a witcher having allowed him to smell Ostrit's scent, old and new, all over Adda's sheets. At this point, Ostrit confessed to being Adda's lover and placing the curse on her, albeit unintentionally, as it had been meant for Foltest. Geralt asked how to lift the curse, but Ostrit refused to tell him, as he still wanted to see Foltest punished for defiling Adda. In response, Geralt simply knocked him out with a single punch.
Later, Foltest met Geralt at the entrance to the abandoned castle, where the striga laid. No longer bothering to deny that the monster was his and Adda's daughter, Foltest asked if Geralt would really be able to save her. Geralt honestly answered that he didn't know, and if she were cured, she would be profoundly effected by her time as a striga, as all she'd ever known her entire life until that point was rage and hunger. Geralt then gave Foltest a gift to give his daughter in case the curse was successfully lifted but Geralt didn't survive his encounter with her. Before leaving Geralt, Foltest claimed that both he and Adda had initially tried to resist their urges, but what they felt for each other was too powerful; in light of that, he envied the fact that he believed Geralt's mutation made him unable to love.
Within the castle, Geralt tied Ostrit to Adda's bed. Once again, he asked Ostrit how to lift the curse on the striga, but he refused, demanding once again that Foltest pay for what he did. However, when he realized that the striga would likely kill him in his current position if the curse remained intact, Ostrit reluctantly revealed that a powerful witch had sold him a lamb and told him to wait until the full moon rose to kill it. Then, he had recited an elven chant and bathed in the lamb's blood until sunrise when a rooster crowed three times. Geralt realized in light of this information that the only way to cure the princess was to keep her out of her crypt until sunrise.
When the striga rose from its crypt, Geralt left Ostrit, still tied to the bed, behind to look for it. The striga approached Ostrit in Geralt's absence, and Ostrit begged it for his life, claiming to have loved Adda and not meant for her or the striga to be the ones who were cursed. Ignoring his pleas, the striga killed him.
Geralt came face-to-face with the creature, hideous and hunched with a severed umbilical cord still attached and dragging on the ground as it walked. He tried to entrap it with silver chains, but to no avail; the striga broke free. A fight ensued between Geralt and the striga, which ultimately resulted in the creature being knocked unconscious. While the striga was down, Geralt placed a barrier over the entrance to the castle, preventing it from leaving. When the striga ran for it, the barrier knocked it back, and Geralt put on some brass knuckles and knocked the striga to the ground. As the sun rose, both he and the striga raced for the crypt. Geralt arrived there first and sealed himself inside to block the striga from accessing it.
When the sun rose, the curse lifted and the striga transformed into an adolescent girl, Geralt having saved her life as he was unable to with Renfri, the last princess he'd encountered who had been turned into a monster. Geralt slowly approached as she laid on the ground, but she abruptly lunged at him and sliced at his throat with her nails and teeth. He bit her neck to get her off of him, drawing blood, and passed out as blood poured from his wound.
Geralt awakened shortly after, having been healed by Triss. She informed him that the princess would heal from the wound he'd inflicted and that King Foltest had issued a statement decreeing that Lord Ostrit had given his life defeating the creature. The miners were therefore building a statue in his honor. Triss then asked Geralt about Renfri, whose name he had uttered while he was asleep. He didn't reply and simply asked for his money he'd earned for saving the princess. Triss skeptically asked him if all life was to him was monsters and money, and he confirmed that it was. Triss didn't believe that and informed him that there's a vortex of fate around every person that draws their destiny closer with each decision they make. Triss then handed him his money and returned the gift he had left for the princess: Renfri's brooch. Before they parted, she told Geralt that she felt that something was waiting for him out in the world.[3]
Royal Betrothal[]
In 1249, Geralt entered a tavern covered in the entrails of a selkiemore he had just killed, interrupting a townsperson's story of how the creature had swallowed Geralt whole. Jaskier started to sing a tune in favor of Geralt, and the townspeople in the tavern joined in, celebrating Geralt's victorious battle against the beast. Jaskier pointed out how his songs had done what he'd said they would, spreading Geralt's reputation as a monster slayer, and asked Geralt for a favor: in exchange for acting as his bodyguard while he performed at the betrothal banquet for the princess of Cintra, Geralt would be able to enjoy a night of food, women, and wine. Jaskier required protection while attending the event as every significant lord, knight, and king from the surrounding lands would be in attendance, many of which he'd personally crossed, having had affairs with their lovers. Geralt begrudgingly agreed, although he protested against Jaskier's claim that they were friends, insisting that he needed no one and didn't want anyone needing him. He also emphasized that although he would keep Jaskier alive for the night, he stayed neutral and didn't involve himself in disputes between humans. During their conversation, Jaskier questioned what happens to witchers as they age, and Geralt explained that there is no retirement for his kind: they hunt monsters until they get too old to win anymore and something kills them, and he wanted nothing more than that for himself.
When Geralt and Jaskier arrived at the Cintran castle, Geralt was immediately recognized by an old associate of his, Mousesack, despite Jaskier's hope that Geralt would remain unnoticed and his presence wouldn't draw too much attention to them. Mousesack warned Geralt that the event would likely last all night until dawn, as every potential suitor in attendance from near and far was vying for Princess Pavetta's hand. Mousesack informed Geralt that the ceremony was rigged, however: Crach an Craite, unbeknownst to most, was already set to marry Pavetta. Her mother, Queen Calanthe the Lioness, had already arranged it with Craite's uncle, Eist Tuirseach, whose own marriage proposals to Queen Calanthe had previously been refused three times according to Mousesack. Leaving Mousesack, Geralt came to Jaskier's defense as he was being interrogated by a noblemen who believed he'd once caught Jaskier having an affair with his wife. Geralt lied to the man, claiming that Jaskier was a eunuch and therefore couldn't be the man he thought Jaskier was, which diffused the situation.
As the feast progressed, Geralt bore witness as Crach and another guest got into an argument, both claiming to have defeated manticores. When Queen Calanthe asked Geralt to settle the dispute as an expert on monsters, he initially claimed that they were both lying, as their descriptions of the creatures they'd killed didn't match that of a manticore, but to prevent a fight from ensuing, he suggested that they might have encountered subspecies that he was unfamiliar with. Intrigued by Geralt, Queen Calanthe inquired about his encounter with Filavandrel and the elves, which the court was familiar with because of Jaskier's songs. Geralt explained that contrary to what Jaskier had written, he'd gotten his ass kicked and was about to have his throat cut when Filavandrel spared his life. Queen Calanthe admired Geralt's willingness to paint himself in the shadow of his failures, as she put it, and invited him to take a seat by her side.
Queen Calanthe enquired about Geralt's presence at the feast, and he explained that he was simply there to protect Jaskier from vengeful cuckolds. Despite his saying that he was not interested in being hired by anyone else, she explained that she hoped that should chaos ensue during the night that she would be able to count on him to use it as an excuse to "strategically remove" individuals from the court that she could not take on herself in the interest of the fairness and decorum that being queen demanded of her. Once again, Geralt insisted on not picking a side in a dispute between humans and continued to refuse to help her.
Later, Queen Calanthe questioned why there are so few witchers remaining. Geralt explained that since the sacking of Kaer Morhen, it is no longer possible to create more of them. Geralt asked why she regularly chose to risk her life on the battlefield when she could instead rest on her throne, and Queen Calanthe replied that there was a simplicity in fighting compared to being at court. Lord Urcheon of Erlenwald then interrupted the ceremony, his face hidden under knight's armor. He'd come to claim Pavetta's hand in marriage. Eist knocked his helmet off where he knelt before Calanthe's throne, revealing a monstrous face resembling that of a hedgehog, shocking the court.
Queen Calanthe demanded that Geralt kill him, but he refused as Urcheon was no monster: his appearance had been caused by a curse placed on him. Queen Calanthe ordered her guards to slay Urcheon instead. Urcheon disarmed the guards and explained to Queen Calanthe that Pavetta belonged to him because he'd claimed the Law of Surprise. More of the queen's guards entered, and they attacked Urcheon. Geralt came to his defense, along with Eist, who had turned to their side at the mention of the Law of Surprise. Together, they dispatched Queen Calanthe's guards with little difficulty, and an even larger fight then ensued between the guests of the banquet as the tensions that had been brewing all night came to a head as Calanthe had predicted it eventually would.
Queen Calanthe stood in the centre of the room and commanded the fighting to end. When it did, Pavetta ran to Urcheon and reminded him that she had told him to stay away from the banquet, revealing that Duny, as she called him, was Pavetta's secret lover. As Geralt and the rest of the party's guests listened, Duny addressed Calanthe and explained that his appearance was the result of a curse, as Geralt had correctly deduced. He continued to explain that many years before when he had saved the life of Queen Calanthe's late husband, King Roegner, he had chosen the Law of Surprise—an old tradition entitling someone to the first good thing the person they claimed it from was surprised with—as payment. Roegner had returned home from the battle they'd fought to find that Calanthe was pregnant with Pavetta, meaning that she was what Duny would be entitled to. Revealing she was already aware of this by the time of the banquet, Queen Calanthe expressed her fury with the situation they were now in, and Geralt realized that that was what had motived her earlier attempt at convincing him to kill Duny.
In an attempt to convince Calanthe to allow his and Pavetta's engagement, Duny told her that although he had not initially intended to ever even approach Pavetta directly, he'd watched her from afar, and destiny had eventually intervened, the two falling in love despite his curse. Both Eist and Mousesack took his side and advised Queen Calanthe to to honor the Law of Surprise, concerned that there could be dire consequences if destiny and tradition were subverted. Although Geralt didn't believe in destiny as they did, he agreed that a promise made is a promise to be honored and encouraged Queen Calanthe to listen to them. Queen Calanthe seemed to accept this, handing over her sword and extending her hand to Duny, until she pulled him close, revealed that she had no intention of cowing to destiny or traditions upheld by men who did not understand her mother's love for Pavetta, and abruptly aimed a knife at Duny's throat. Pavetta screamed out, her latent magical abilities awakening, and sent Geralt and the other guests of the banquet flying across the room. Pavetta's magic summoned powerful winds that raged through the hall hard enough to lift her and Duny to float above the others until Geralt used magic to knock them down and break the trance Pavetta seemed to be in.
In light of Pavetta's reaction to the threat against Duny, Calanthe finally broke down and announced that she would not continue standing in the way of destiny or the marriage between the couple. As queen, Calanthe then married Pavetta and Duny there on the spot, and as the two kissed, it was revealed that the fulfillment of Pavetta and Duny's entwined destinies was the cure to Duny's curse. His distorted features reverted back to those of a normal man. Elated, he turned to Geralt and insisted that he be adequately repaid for saving his life so that he could continue his newly curse-free life unencumbered by a debt to him.
Wishing to placate Duny and leave the hall, Geralt chose to make them even by taking Duny's own lead and claiming the Law of Surprise himself. Responding to Calanthe's protests, he made it clear that he didn't actually intend to ever invoke this and lay claim to whatever surprise Duny received. However, moments later, Pavetta suddenly threw up, surprising Duny (and the rest of the room) with the fact that she was likely pregnant. Disturbed, Geralt abruptly left, making it clear that he had meant it when he'd said he did not intend to act on the Law of Surprise.
Mousesack, intending to stay in Queen Calanthe's court and help Pavetta develop her powerful magical abilities, tried to convince Geralt to stay as well. He pointed out that whether he liked it or not, Geralt was now bound to the family, and he advised against trying to outrun destiny. Geralt, however, reiterated that he didn't believe in destiny. Mousesack believed that the bond that would come into being between Geralt and Pavetta's unborn child would be extraordinary. If he dismissed it and left without claiming the child surprise, Mousesack worried that he would unleash true calamity upon them all. Geralt was unconvinced and decided to take his chances, leaving Cintra without any intention of ever coming back.[4]
Three Wishes from a Djinn[]
Years after the royal betrothal, Jaskier found Geralt at the edge of a lake, fishing for a djinn that was rumored to be buried at the bottom. Geralt was hoping to use the wishes it would grant to cure severe insomnia, and Jaskier concluded that his sleeplessness was likely related to what Mousesack had said to him about the Law of Surprise and the consequences that could come from Geralt's failing to claim Princess Pavetta's child. However, Geralt emphatically denied this possibility and lashed out at Jaskier for the suggestion, insulting him by comparing his singing to a disappointing, fillingless pie.
As Jaskier protested this, Geralt pulled a bottle inscribed with a wizard's seal from the water, the djinn trapped inside. Jaskier wrestled with Geralt for control of the bottle, demanding that he apologize before he would hand it over, and unintentionally broke the seal of the bottle, which released the djinn. Jaskier rapidly made two petty wishes before Geralt stopped him and reminded him that there was only three. The argument between the two escalated until Geralt exclaimed that he just wanted some peace and Jaskier threw the bottle to the ground, shattering it. As Geralt frantically gathered the broken pieces, trying to salvage it, the djinn attacked Jaskier's throat. Geralt managed to scare it away with Aard, but not before Jaskier began to cough up blood.
Geralt pulled Jaskier onto Roach's back and rushed him to the elf healer Chireadan in the nearby city of Rinde who informed them that Jaskier's affliction was magical in nature. Untreated, the damage to his throat would rapidly continue to worsen, and unless it was stopped quickly, the magic's effects may become irreversible, eventually resulting in death. The medicine given by the healer would provide Jaskier with a few more hours. He advised that Geralt take Jaskier to another town for help despite the urgency of his injury as the only mage in close proximity was extremely dangerous. Geralt disregarded Chireadan's advice and set off in search of this malicious mage, said to be imprisoned in the mayor's house.
Geralt and Jaskier broke into the mayor's house to find him under some kind of trance, naked and rambling. Realizing that the mayor would not be any help, they walked further into the house and stumbled upon a massive orgy made up of the town's citizens, magically orchestrated by Yennefer of Vengerberg, the powerful mage Chireadan had warned about. Geralt approached the masked sorceress where she sat at the back of the room. The mage, seeing that Geralt was immune to her spell, correctly deduced not only that he's a witcher but that he was the famous White Wolf. While the two were intrigued by one another, Jaskier's condition was worsening quickly, and Geralt pulled her attention to the spell the djinn had cast on him by promising to indulge her curiosity about him for as long as she liked if she helped him—and to pay her well. Seeing the seal on the djinn's bottle, Yennefer agreed to his terms and broke the spell entrancing the orgy participants, seemingly bewildered by their surroundings.
Yennefer put Jaskier in a deep healing sleep. She explained that he would be asleep long enough for Geralt to bathe, which Yennefer insisted he needed, as she was able to determine his horse's breed from smelling it on him. While Geralt bathed, she made a point that fishing for a djinn is an extreme remedy for sleeplessness. Geralt replied that he was desperate, although his concern for Jaskier in the wake of the djinn's attack had taken precedence over that.
Yennefer undressed, sat back-to-back with Geralt in the bathtub, and began to question him as he had promised her she would be able if she helped Jaskier, asking if all witchers are as blessed as he is, being as they're made from magic. However, as Geralt explained, being a witcher hadn't made for a happy childhood and "blessed" was the wrong word to use to describe them. Judging by Yennefer's scars on her wrists from a suicide attempt and her attitude as they spoke, he could tell she hadn't had much of a happy childhood either. Verbally sparring together, he accused her of capitalizing on the political situation in Rinde for her own profit, though Yennefer claimed that she was more concerned with serving the stifled townspeople. Ultimately, they both knew there was more to the other's claims about their motivations—Geralt looking for the djinn purely to help himself sleep and Yennefer simply wanting to help the repressed people of Rinde—than they were revealing. Although Geralt had offered to pay her whatever amount of money she named for helping Jaskier, Yennefer decided that his company and conversation that night was payment enough for her services, much to his chagrin.
Geralt watched over Jaskier as he slept, not fully trusting Yennefer yet. Although he wouldn't admit aloud that they were friends, Geralt confessed that regretted what he had said during his argument with Jaskier over the djinn's bottle and he did not want it to be the last thing Jaskier remembered. Yennefer assured Geralt that Jaskier would survive and recover his vocal talents. Geralt looked around and realized that Yennefer was planning to trap the djinn, but before he could leave with Jaskier, Yennefer cautioned him against it, as Jaskier would die without her help. Using this as leverage, she explained that the djinn was tied to its master, and as Jaskier had only made two wishes, Yennefer needed him to make his third so that she could capture it for herself when it was released from him. Geralt, overtaken by the sudden smell of lilac and gooseberries, realized that Yennefer had full control of him, and he blacked out just as she kissed him.
Groggy, Geralt awakened in a cell with Chireadan after an apparent rampage through Rinde. Although he couldn't recall much of it, he had allegedly attacked a pawnbroker and an apothecary, both of whom were threatening Yennefer's position in town by serving on the town council and planning to usurp the mayor and kick Yennefer out of Rinde. Yennefer had used magic to force Geralt to enact revenge on her behalf, and although Chireadan had tried to stop him, the guards who were there to arrest Geralt assumed he was there to help him and had taken him into custody as well. Noting that Geralt was to be sentenced by the same council members he had attacked, Chireadan informed him that they would almost certainly put him to death. Chireadan chastised Geralt for going to see Yennefer despite his warnings, athough he admitted that he could've better prepared Geralt, who questioned if Chireadan was under her spell as well. He denied being under a spell cast by Yennefer, instead conceding that he was in love with her, and he suspected Geralt might be in the same position.
The same guard that Geralt had beaten up the night before on his way into the mayor's home entered and began to attack him, confirming Chireadan's assumption that they had been sentenced to death. As he prepared to finish Geralt off, Geralt made a wish that the guard would "burst," and he did just that, his head exploding. As it turned out, Geralt was the one with the wishes, not Jaskier, and had now used two of the three, the first having been what had harmed Jaskier as Geralt had said he wanted peace from Jaskier.
Geralt rushed back to Yennefer and Jaskier, arriving just as Jaskier was exiting the mayor's home. He realized that Yennefer was trying to become the djinn's vessel in order to gain more power and rushed inside to prevent her from accidentally killing herself by doing it. Jaskier tried to stop him, telling Geralt not to waste time saving Yennefer. Geralt explained that Yennefer had saved Jaskier's life, so he couldn't let her die.
Entering the building, Geralt found Yennefer struggling to contain the djinn. It was getting stronger since it was Geralt who really had the wishes and it was not unbound and weakened when Jaskier had made a wish at Yennefer's demand. Geralt offered to make whatever wish Yennefer wanted on her behalf so long as she stopped endangering herself by trying to contain the djinn, fearing that Yennefer becoming a vessel for it would be too much for her to successfully control. Yennefer refused his help, becoming unstable as she continued to struggle with the djinn. With the djinn's power raging, the tower they were in started to collapse around them. In order to save Yennefer, Geralt made his final wish and the djinn was freed. The building then caved in on both of them as it fled.
Before they could be crushed by the falling debris as the section of the building they were in collapsed, Yennefer managed to portal herself and Geralt downstairs. She lashed out at him and blamed him for the djinn's escape and the mayhem it would surely wreak now that it wasn't contained. Geralt refused to feel guilty about releasing the djinn, however, as he had saved her life (just as she had his) and djinn are only dark creatures when they're held captive, meaning he was certain that it wouldn't cause much harm now that it was free. The two continued to accuse each other of ruining everything... and then suddenly, Geralt and Yennefer closed the distance between themselves and proceeded to have passionate sex there in the building. Afterwards, Yennefer asked him what his last wish was, but Geralt had already fallen asleep.[5]
Prevent the war between land and sea[]
Grealt and Jaskier are is the rocks, which is near sea and there he is hunting Allanorax
Hunting a Dragon[]
Six years after meeting Yennefer, Geralt and Jaskier were approached by Borch Three Jackdaws and his two Zerrikanian companions, warriors Téa and Véa. They had sought Geralt out hoping to gain his assistance in slaying a green dragon that had landed across the border in King Niedamir's mountains. Geralt listened as Borch told him that locals had spotted it and went after it to try and take its treasure, but they had succeeded only in wounding the creature and angering it so righteously that it had caused significant destruction to the area. The king, wanting the dragon dead before it could interfere with his imminent marriage to the princess of a rival kingdom, had commissioned a hunt to kill it, and four teams had signed on, Borch's being one of them. The winner would get the dragon's treasure hoard and the title of lord over one of King Niedamir's vassal states.
Geralt initially declined Borch's offer to join his team as he didn't kill dragons. However, Borch persevered, as he was in need of one final adventure, and he thought that killing a dragon would bring him that. With a witcher on his team, he'd be unstoppable. Geralt remained unconvinced when he learned that joining them on the hunt were a group of dwarves and Reavers, but when he learned that Yennefer and Eyck of Denesle formed the fourth team, Geralt agreed to join Borch on his hunt, much to Jaskier's disapproval, as he was still afraid of her following the threats she'd made while demanding he use the djinn's last wish.
Geralt and Jaskier spoke to Yennefer for the first time in years. She couldn't help but wonder why she kept running into Geralt despite walking the earth for decades prior and never meeting a single witcher. She explained that she was there to accompany Eyck as he was to slay the dragon.
While on the path to kill the dragon, Geralt and Borch were only a few feet behind Yennefer and Eyck. In that time, Borch realized that Geralt was in love with her. They reached the hillside scorched by the dragon, a creature that tended to avoid people. Geralt questioned why it hadn't yet left. Borch replied that the beast must be becoming desperate. Jaskier suddenly came face-to-face with a hirikka while picking berries for Tèa and Vèa. Geralt surmised that the creature was starving and of no danger to them. Eyck completely disregarded him and killed it.
All four groups decided to settle down on the mountainside. Geralt, Jaskier, Borch, Tèa, Vèa, Yennefer, Eyck, Yarpen, the leader of the dwarves, and Boholt, the leader of the Reavers, roasted the hirikka and feasted. However, Borch warned Eyck against eating a certain part of the creature, another warning that went unconsidered by Eyck. Boholt interrupted them and made a lewd remark towards Yennefer. Eyck took his leave as his stomach started to gurgle after failing to heed Borch's warning. They proceeded to discuss how the rightful son of Nilfgaard had returned and started burning through the south, with the mage Fringilla aiding him. It wouldn't be long before they tried to take Sodden.
Jaskier doubted the mere existence of dragons until Geralt assured him that they were real, though their numbers were dwindling. Green dragons were the most common, red dragons less so, and black dragons were the rarest. Borch corrected him and stated that gold dragons were, in fact, the rarest. Geralt retorted that they were a myth. Whether that were true or not, gold dragons met the same fate of any other dragon: they'd died out.
Yennefer awakened the following morning to find Eyck missing. Yarpen found him dead by a tree with his pants down and throat slit. Nevertheless, the hunt continued. Yarpen suspected that the Reavers had killed Eyck, and so he knew of a short cut across the mountains that he only shared with Geralt, Jaskier, Borch, Tèa and Vèa, proposing a truce until they reached the next peak. Geralt tried to convince Yennefer to join them on the shorter path. Much like Yarpen, Yennefer suspected that Boholt had killed her escort before he could accomplish the one task she needed him for. Yennefer revealed there are certain healing properties dragons are said to possess. However, Geralt informed her that fertility cures using fresh dragon hearts were a myth. Geralt also didn't believe she'd make a good mother. Yennefer explained that she wanted her choice to bear a child back. Geralt informed her that witchers can't bear children either. They were made sterile because their lifestyle wasn't suited for children. He then unintentionally revealed to Yennefer that he had inadvertently come by a Child Surprise.
Yarpen and his men guided Geralt, Jaskier, Yennefer, Borch, Tèa and Vèa to a fairly narrow path lined with wooden boards alongside the mountain, a tight squeeze for anyone larger than a dwarf. A board broke beneath Borch's feet and he fell, as did Tèa and Vèa. The only thing preventing them from plummeting to the ground was Geralt holding on to the other end of the chain. Borch told Geralt to let him go. When Geralt refused, Borch let go of the chain, shortly followed by Tèa and Vèa, and the three of them disappeared within the fog as they fell to the ground below.
Jaskier told Geralt that he'd done his best to save them. There wasn't much he could do. He suggested that they give up on the hunt and, provided Geralt give him another chance to prove himself as a worthy travel companion, they head for the coast.
Geralt entered Yennefer's tent, which she had placed a spell on to make much larger on the inside than outside. Yennefer admitted to being worried for Geralt on the mountain. He found her scent mesmerizing. He confessed that the moment he dreaded most every time she left is when it faded. Yennefer reminded Geralt that it was he who had left first in Rinde. She had woken up in the destroyed house, and he was gone. Geralt asked for forgiveness, and the two kissed and had sex.
After, Yennefer questioned if the rumors were true about witchers being devoid of human emotion. Geralt explained that was false: people said whatever justified despising his kind. If the choice had been up to him, Yennefer wondered what Geralt would've been instead of a witcher. Much like Geralt, Yennefer didn't have much of a choice in being a mage. She always dreamed of becoming important to someone someday. Beginning to fall asleep, Geralt assured Yennefer that she was important to him now.
Yennefer woke up the following morning to find Geralt still at her side. At a quick pace, they could make it back to the Pensive Dragon before sundown, however, Yennefer had no intentions of turning around. She was still intent on killing the dragon. She then rushed off to the dragon's cave after noticing the dwarves were already ahead of her.
Geralt eventually caught up to Yennefer in the dragon's cave only to find out that Tèa and Vèa were alive, and the green dragon was dead. But she was not alone. Enter the gold dragon, who revealed itself to be Borch. When the dragoness was injured, her cry was heard by Villentretenmerth, but the egg could not be moved or the life inside it would die, which is why she had attacked instead of fleeing. She was protecting her baby by scaring the people away from her and her egg. That's when Borch, Tèa and Vèa had heard about the king's hunt and realized they needed to keep their enemies close. So, Borch had come to find Geralt, the knight who was taught to save dragons rather than kill them. As Borch finished explaining this, Boholt and his gang of Reavers arrived, forcing Geralt, Yennefer, Tèa, and Vèa to defend the dragon and the egg.
Geralt and Yennefer defended one entrance to the cave while Tèa and Vèa defended the other. They were faced with Boholt and one remaining Reaver. Yennefer made sure that it was her who killed Boholt. Afterwards, Borch paid off Yarpen and his men, offering them teeth belonging to the green dragon to take to the king as proof of its demise so that they could claim the king's reward.
Borch thanked Geralt and Yennefer for all their help in defending him and his family. He noted that he sees why Geralt didn't want to lose Yennefer. Yennefer questioned the meaning behind this, and Geralt revealed that he was referring to Rinde and their encounter with the djinn. That was why they couldn't escape each other: Geralt had wished for it. Yennefer took that to mean that her feelings for Geralt were also magic, though he insisted that wasn't true. An argument ensued, resulting in the two parting ways. Borch saved them both a lot of hurt with a little pain now. He revealed that Yennefer would never regain her womb, and Geralt would lose Yennefer. Borch informed Geralt that he was still missing his legacy and destiny.
Geralt grew angry and lashed out at Jaskier, blaming him for all his recent troubles—the Child Surprise, the djinn, all of it could be traced back to him. Geralt exclaimed that if life could give him one blessing, it would be to take Jaskier off his hands. With that being said, Jaskier got the story from the others to write his song and departed.[6]
Imprisoned in Cintra[]
A year after, Geralt returned to Cintra, where he arranged a meeting with Mousesack to ensure his Child of Surprise was healthy and being taken care of. Mousesack corrected Geralt that "he" was a girl, and informed him that Princess Cirilla had been raised by Calanthe since her parents had died at sea. Geralt warned Mousesack that he had seen an army of Nilfgaardian soldiers making camp at the Amelia Pass, threateningly close to Cintra. Mousesack assured Geralt that the queen had done everything she could to ensure her family's safety in the twelve years he had been gone from Cintra. Geralt suddenly spotted men moving through the tunnels. He suspected that Calanthe had gotten word of his arrival and sent assassins to kill him to prevent him from claiming Ciri as his Child of Surprise and leaving with her. Surrounded and outnumbered, Geralt held Mousesack hostage. In order to get to him, they would have first had to kill Mousesack. They charged with their weapons, and so Mousesack was forced to portal himself and Geralt to safety.
Geralt and Mousesack confronted Calanthe. Geralt had stayed away since he'd left Cintra before Ciri's birth and had planned on staying that way until Calanthe had sent eight men to kill him. Geralt had come to protect Ciri, and when Calanthe tried to buy Geralt off, Mousesack interjected that money can't undo the Law of Surprise. Kings who've tried to outbid destiny ended up on pikes. Danek and Lazlo drew their swords as Geralt approached. He advised Calanthe to give Ciri over to him if she had any doubt in her mind that she wasn't safe in Cintra with the imminent threat of Nilfgaard attempting to invade looming. Geralt promised to take her somewhere safe, protect her, and bring her back to Calanthe unharmed when the threat was resolved. Calanthe reluctantly agreed to let Ciri leave with him and exclaimed to the townspeople that the Law of Surprise had been called.
Geralt entered Calanthe's chambers to meet Ciri. Unbeknownst to him, Calanthe had no intentions of giving her up and instead had disguised someone else's child as Ciri and handed her over to Geralt. Mousesack watched on silently. Calanthe then told Geralt that she'd summon him when Ciri was ready to leave. Geralt exited Calanthe's chambers and followed the passageway through a hidden door that magically opened. The tunnel led him outside of the castle, where the girl impersonating Ciri was saying goodbye to her friends, the real Ciri being amongst them.
Geralt confronted Calanthe after realizing that she'd tried to send him off with a imposter that wasn't Princess Cirilla. Calanthe insisted that Ciri was safe with her until the day came that she would take over the throne. Furthermore, she refused to give Geralt's words any further thought. The last time she'd listened to him, she'd let a hedgehog into her court, which ultimately resulted in Pavetta's death. Calanthe refused to lose Ciri the same way she'd lost Pavetta and ordered Eist to get Geralt out of her kingdom.
Geralt recalled when Eist honored the Law of Surprise. Eist explained that was before he'd had a granddaughter. Assuming Cintra was attacked by Nilfgaard, Eist would be right by Calanthe's side. Geralt accused him of putting too much faith in the Queen, but he wasn't there when Pavetta had died. Calanthe would wake up howling in the night, the Lioness, nearly broken. Someone that was able to pull themselves out of that would have Eist's confidence until his final day. He asked Geralt to promise that he wouldn't come back. When Geralt refused, Eist trapped him behind bars.
Geralt plotted his escape while trapped in the dungeon of Queen Calanthe's castle as Nilfgaard invaded. He attacked one of the guards and freed himself from his cell. Geralt made it outside, where he disposed of several Nilfgaard invaders. Geralt watched from the shadow as the Nilfgaard army took Cintra. Suddenly, he heard a loud thud. Upon investigation, he discovered it was the queen. She'd jumped out her window and committed suicide. Geralt ran back into the castle to find Ciri. Instead, he found several Nilfgaardian soldiers, all of whom he murdered when they refused to tell him where to find her.[7]
Bitten by a Ghoul[]
Cintra went up in flames in the aftermath of the Nilfgaardian attack. Geralt remained in the castle, still in search of Princess Cirilla. He left the kingdom after realizing that she was already gone, his previous promise to Calanthe to protect her granddaughter ringing hollowly in his ears.
During his travels, he came across a decimated Cintran refugee camp. There, he crossed paths with a merchant named Yurga, giving the bodies a proper burial, although Geralt initially assumed he was a grave robber. Geralt sensed danger and advised the man to leave the grounds. Instead, Yurga stayed to ensure the bodies were properly laid to rest, but Geralt refused his request to help, turning to leave for Kaer Morhen instead. Moments later, however, Yurga was attacked by ghouls, who emerged from the ground beneath his feet. Luckily, Geralt returned to save Yurga, who cautioned Geralt against the fatality of a single ghoul bite. Geralt sent Yurga away to safety, but he was bitten in the process of slaying the creatures. The bite took effect almost instantly, and Geralt passed out, making one last comment to Roach about how this was a fitting end for him.
Yurga travelled through the woods of Sodden with Geralt going in and out of consciousness in the back of his carriage. The ghoul bite had made him delirious, but he was still alive due to his heightened witcher fortitude. In his delirious state, Geralt recalled moments from his childhood with his mother, Visenna, when she had instilled in him a moral code: to "live and let live" whenever possible.
Geralt awakened more fully in the back of Yurga's carriage. He inquired about the nearby explosions he could hear, and Yurga informed him that Nilfgaard was attacking Sodden. Geralt then drank a black elixir from his bag and poured some on his wound. He requested that Yurga take him to the Blue Mountains, where someone would be able to save him. In his delusional state, he recalled more memories with his mother, including one where he had been in the back of a carriage that she steered. Eventually, she had stopped and asked him to get water from a nearby creek. By the time he returned, his mother was gone, but Vesemir was waiting for him.
Still infected by his ghoulish bite, Geralt's condition worsened. He began hallucinating Renfri and Yennefer treating his wound. Lastly, he hallucinated actually seeing his mother in front of him. She explained that he had been saved by his pulse, which is four times slower than that of a normal man. She heard a merchant's cry for help and decided to help as healing was her profession. She said to him "people linked by destiny will always find each other." Geralt grew so angry at the sight of her. He asked if she liked his eyes and if she knew what they did to witchers to improve their eyes. It didn't always work. Only three out of ten boys survived the trial to become a witcher. He questioned if his mother knew this when she gave him up to Vesemir. She told him not to ask any more questions as the answers would only hurt them both. Instead, she urged Geralt to find Princess Cirilla. Geralt awakened from his sleep, asking Yurga where the woman went, but she was never actually there. He then asked how far is Yurga's house from Sodden, to which he replied an hour on a swift enough horse. Geralt hopped on the back of Yurga's carriage headed for Sodden. While Yurga's can't repay Geralt for saving his life, he can offer him the Law of Surprise.
Yurga arrived home with Geralt on his back carriage. Zola, his wife, told Yurga how she met an orphan girl in the woods nearby. Hearing Yurga's conversation with his wife reminded Geralt of Renfri telling him to find the "girl in the woods." Geralt jumped off the back off the carriage and into the woods, where he met Ciri for the first time, as she ran into his arms. "People linked by destiny will always find each other", he said to her. She then asked who Yennefer was.[8]
Lifting Nivellen's Curse[]
After meeting Ciri in the forest, Geralt traveled with her to the site of the Battle of Sodden Hill in search of Yennefer. He learned from Tissaia that they'd won the battle thanks to Yennefer. Upon realizing that she'd possibly died, Geralt took Tissaia's response as an acknowledgment of Yennefer's death. He asked if winning the war was worth Yennefer's life. Geralt held back tears as he walked back towards Ciri. She continued to wonder who Yennefer is, but Geralt said it didn't matter anymore, she's gone. Geralt and Ciri continued their journey. Resting, Ciri tried to get some sleep, but couldn't. Geralt told Ciri that he couldn't sleep either. Changing the subject, Ciri asked about the Law of Surprise, and Geralt explained that it was from saving her father's life, which earned him the Law of Surprise.
After, Geralt and Ciri sought refuge with an old friend of his, Nivellen, who they discovered had been cursed by a priestess and turned into a beast after trashing the Temple of the Lionheaded Spider while high on godflesh mushrooms. He let Geralt and Ciri take refuge in his house. Nivellen magically summoned a hot bath for Ciri, while taking Geralt out for a beer. After the bath, Ciri joined Nivellen and Geralt. Nivellen called a banquet and told Ciri how he and Geralt met.
Geralt and Nivellen had met many years ago when he was hired by Nivellen's father to get rid of a Wyvern infestation. Nivellen tried to prove himself to his father by killing one first, but instead fell into their lair. Luckily, Geralt saved him and slayed the wyvern. He then handed Nivellen the wyvern's head and told his father that Nivellen was the one who'd killed it.
After dinner, Geralt wondered about the village at the foot of the abandoned hill. Nivellen replied that deserters and thieves roamed the countryside in search of loot. The townspeople decided to leave to save themselves after the Battle of Sodden. Geralt was not convinced that the Battle of Sodden would cause an entire town to leave their home. Nivellen told him it was because of the Wild Hunt. Ciri knew them as the Wraiths of Mörhogg, her grandfather saw them before the fall of Cintra, but Geralt said his grandfather was just a drunk. Geralt was still not convinced, so Nivellen told him that the end of days might come. He responded that he had gone through the Dark Ages, as well as three supposed end of days. He told Nivellen that the end of days was nothing but bullshit. Hearing scratching and cooing from the ceiling, Nivellen assured them that he had a cat. However, Geralt wanted to investigate. While outside with Roach, Geralt noticed footprints in the snow outside the estate and after a few steps they disappeared.
Suspecting Nivellen was hiding something, Geralt challenged him to a drinking game, hoping to get some answers. They threw daggers at a portrait of Nivellen's father, and whoever missed had to drink and tell a truth. Unfortunately for Geralt, missed every throw, whereas Nivellen had near perfect aim and asked what changed Geralt after willingly spending many lifetimes alone. Geralt replied that it was not what but who, Yennefer, who she unfortunately died, as far as he was aware of. Nivellen was intrigued that someone like Yennefer could win the heart of a witcher. Geralt then pulled his own knife from his boot and hit the portrait spot on, uncovering the fact that Nivellen was cheating with magic knives, leading Geralt to question what he was hiding. He refused to tell her and went to relieve himself.
Geralt checked Nivellen to see if he was asleep. Then he went to the town below to investigate. Immediately, inside he saw frozen corpses. Geralt drew his sword and prepared for the worst. Geralt investigated the corpses and found bloody footprints. The footprints stopped and left only a few drops of blood before disappearing. Geralt knew that thing could fly.
Upon discovering that there was a bruxa nearby, Geralt warned Ciri to leave the house and followed the sounds of her purring to Nivellen's room, where the Bruxa, Vereena, is draining his blood from him. A fight ensued, which eventually led outside, where Geralt managed to wound Vereena before beheading her. It was then that not only was Nivellen's curse broken due to the death of his true love but that he revealed the real reason behind his curse: he raped the priestess. The ugly truth left Geralt and Ciri somewhat disappointed. Geralt decided to remain silent and simply leave with Ciri. Nivellen begged Geralt to kill him, but Geralt said he could kill himself since he became mortal again.[9]
Returning to Kaer Morhen[]
Geralt and Ciri arrived at Kaer Morhen, where he reunited with his witcher brethren. While everyone celebrated, the witcher Lambert told a story about a job he once had. When Eskel arrives boasting, after a six-hour fight against a leshy. He brought the monster's hand as proof. Eskel told everyone that he could have ended the fight sooner, but he had lost all of his elixirs. Geralt was a confused,as it had been a while since a leshy had been seen. Vesemir questioned his story and asked him if he didn't think about the leshy's weakness of burning his heart. The other witchers, including Geralt also began to hesitate, before Eskel directed his attention to Ciri.
Trained outside, Geralt was lightly scolded by Vesemir for claiming his Child Surprise and bringing her within their walls. He told him that adopting the Law of Surprise was a big mistake. Previously, Geralt had told Vesemir that he was not going to take the girl. However, he had to save her. He knew that keeping her safe would be long enough to discover her secrets. It wasn't long after her arrival that Ciri began pushing to start training, but Geralt warned her that it was too dangerous and that despite her hatred for the Black Knight, they don't kill out of fear, rather to save lives.
When they heard screams from laboratory, Geralt left Ciri behind to investigate. He headed to the dining room and saw that Eskel has invited prostitutes to keep everyone entertained. There he meets an old acquaintance, who heard from the others about his new daughter, Geralt says that she is not his daughter, and gives her a look of disgust, when she offers to take her in. Geralt confronted Vesemir, as witchers had to keep their stronghold a secret. Vesemir assured him that by tomorrow they would not remember anything. Geralt doesn't like this and decided to confront Eskel, while Ciri spied. He seemed happy that the witchers were happy; However, Geralt wanted to set an example. He told Eskel not to have fun inside Kaer Morhen. Eskel wasn't really in the mood for scolding. Think life was unfair. Geralt returned with a princess while the rest of them almost died on their missions. Eskel tried to hit Geralt, but he anticipated the blow and managed to subdue Eskel. He told Eskel to go to sleep.
Geralt later asked Vesemir if he had seen Ciri, Vesemir jokingly told him that she was hitting a guy named "white seagull" while dancing on the table. Geralt laughed sarcastically and asked him the truth. He told Geralt that he had seen Ciri spying. He sent her to bed after talking to her. Vesemir wondered if he was ready for the duties of caring for and keeping Ciri safe. Geralt explained that he was in a cell in Cintra when the kingdom fell. He had heard everything, fires, screams and deaths, the same sounds he used to hear as a child the day Kaer Morhen fell. Vesemir was the only surviving witcher. He wondered if he was ready back then when he took them in and helped them become witchers. Vesemir said that he didn't protect them because he wasn't preparared that day, he just taught them to fend for themselves. Geralt acknowledged that he would do the same with Ciri. Their conversation is interrupted, when they felt all of their medallions vibrate, alerting everyone that there is danger. Them got the prostitutes to safety, while Vesemir told Geralt to stay and fight instead of looking for Ciri.
Geralt and the other witchers scattered to find the intruder. Entering the laboratory, Geralt discovered a leshy. Noted that the prostitute who was with Eskel before is dead. Leshy attacked Geralt, but he managed to counterattack. After a few attacks, the leshy managed to grab Geralt. He found a torch and burned the monster's vines. But when he noticed the witcher's medallion on his chest, to his surprise and confusion, Geralt looked at his face and saw that he is actually Eskel. He realized that the leshy he fought Eskel earlier had infected him. With Vesemir's help, they were able to restrain him using hooks connected to chains. However, when Vesemir's life was nearly taken, Geralt had no choice, set his sword on fire and stabbed Eskel in the heart, killing him.
This close call within the walls convinced Geralt it was time to teach Ciri how to defend herself.[10]
Laying Eskel to Rest[]
There was anguish among the witchers when Geralt told Ciri to take a break from training. Lambert did not agree with Geralt killing Eskel. They had lost a brother. Geralt replied that what he had killed was not his brother. When Geralt left the cafeteria, he had a flashback of him and Eskel. He went to the laboratory where Vesemir was searching for the cause of Eskel's transformation. He didn't want to give up, but Geralt told him it was time to let him rest.
Geralt and Vesemir carried Eskel's body to a cave, where they laid his body to rest. Geralt felt as if the Continent was evolving underneath their feet. Still, Vesemir was determined to figure what happened and what he could have possibly missed in his tests. As the wolves arrived to consume Eskel's flesh, Geralt and Vesemir made their way out of the cave.
They returned home, where they discovered Ciri on the witcher training course, which she nearly completed until she stumbled and hit the ground at full force. As Geralt patched her up, he told Ciri that just because she could do anything, doesn't mean that she had to, as Ciri wasn't afforded the same healing ability as witchers. Ciri left the room angrily, because she thinks Geralt wasn't allowing her to train enough. When Geralt noticed and found Ciri's scarf, inside a crack in the walls, he realized that Eskel's roots had sprouted there when he became leshy.
Continued training with Coën, Geralt interrupted her training and asked Ciri to describe a strange sensation when something was chasing her. Ciri responded that she felt like someone was pulling her and would take her to the forest. Geralt and Ciri set off into the forest to find what was pulling her. Ciri wonders what he wants from her, Geralt said that her mother Pavetta manifested a uncontrolled magical power on their wedding day. Apparently Ciri has inherited that power.
Geralt and Ciri followed the pull in her body as it led them to the very same leshy in the woods that infected Eskel. However, they watched as the leshy was ripped apart by a much bigger, deadlier, and unfamiliar creature. Geralt told Ciri to run whilst he fended the creature off, but the creature seemed particularly interested in Ciri. It chased after her, but Geralt came to the rescue, beheading the beast with his sword.[11]
Investigating the Monolith[]
Geralt continued training with Ciri, with the duo scaling mountains, walking across rocks, and running through the woods, where he reunited with Triss, who he invited to Kaer Morhen to help train Ciri, who likely inherited an evolved version of her mother's untrained magic. However, Ciri hadn't exhibited any typical indicators of Chaos. She only seemed to have the power of foresight, as well as a pull that led them to the leshy, leading Geralt to suspect that the creatures could've been sent by a mage, and so Triss performed a test to determine any signs of mutagen alchemy, but they wouldn't have results until morning. When Triss, who is tormented by the Battle of Sodden, begins to list the names of her deceased friends, but Geralt's belief that Yennefer was dead was almost unbearable, and he did not want to hear it. Although witchers pretend not to have feelings, Triss knows them do. She showed her feelings for Geralt and suggested staying with her tonight, but he turned her down, as he was still mourning the loss of his love.
In the morning, Geralt watched as Triss harshly rebuked Lambert and Coën, who were ridiculing Ciri for dressing pretty and how they were treating her. In laboratory, Geralt told Ciri that witchers felt bad for not finishing her breakfast. The Triss test results confirmed that there was no evidence of mutagenic alchemy. However, they uncovered stellacite, like from a monolith, both inside the leshy that turned Eskel and the creature Geralt killed, meaning they came from the same place, more specifically the same monolith. It was then that Ciri revealed that when Nilfgaard attacked Cintra, just outside the city walls, she caused a monolith to topple with her scream, which Geralt decided to investigate for himself.[12]
Geralt prepares for his trip to Cintra when Triss appears with her elixers. Regarding the night before, Geralt explained that he couldn't give her what she wanted or deserved, but for Triss, he was all that she was looking for last night. His pain excited her because she finally felt something again. Most of them were cured after the battle, but all wounds could not be healed, like her burns. Geralt hoped that in her search to feel again, she'd find her value to him, as she was important to him. Vesemir appears and asks how someone who swore he would never return to Cintra twice now finds himself heading there for the third time. But Geralt now has to protect Ciri and he needs to do what he has to do. Triss then opened a portal for Geralt to Istredd, someone Triss knows and is an expert on monoliths.
Geralt informed Istredd of his discovery and how he suspected that a new subspecies of monsters were emerging from a stellacite tower just outside Cintra and that monster were nesting in the subterranean structure for years. With this theory in mind, they decided to investigate and crawl down into the subterranean, where there wasn't a nest or any evidence of life. Historians have always theorized that monoliths were scars from the Conjunction of the Spheres, but monster didn't exist on their plane before the Conjunction. All species were on different planes until the spheres merged into one. A Conjunction like that would've required two things: a massive surge of energy and conduits to channel it, leading Istredd to suspect that the monoliths were actually conduits, meaning their monoliths were calling to the original spheres, opening a gateway between the spheres and the Continent.
Istredd wanted to know how Geralt knew the monsters and monoliths were linked, but Geralt was reluctant to tell him anything, as he didn't trust Istredd, who in a moment of transparency, revealed that he actually came to Cintra in search of a woman, Yennefer. It's from Istredd that Geralt learned that Yennefer was alive. He noticed that Istredd loved her. Geralt's eyes began to have hope upon hearing that Yennefer survived after Sodden. Suddenly, Geralt heard Ciri's scream and her cry for help. However, they were forced to take cover as shards of stellacite began flying at them. This resulted in a portal opening and a chernobog of some kind emerging and flying away.
Geralt traveled through a portal made by Istreed back to Kaer Morhen, where he stopped Vesemir, who just before he could inject Ciri with a new witcher mutagen, created from Ciri's blood. He unties her from her bonds and tells her that she didn't think about the consequences and could have died during the process. Ciri wanted to be a witcher so that she no longer had to feel the pain of her past. However, Geralt explained that no one could forget who they were, including witchers. Their best chance was to kill the hatred they held on to and move on.[13]
Reuniting with Yennefer[]
Geralt and Ciri hunted down the chernobog that escaped from the monolith. Unfortunately, this encounter doesn't go as planned and Roach is left badly wounded, leaving Geralt with no other option but to put her out of her misery. The duo proceeded to stage a trap for the beast that killed Roach. Ciri climbed up on top of a rock to lure the chernobog in. Just when it was nearly within reaching distance of her, Geralt appeared and killed the beast, shoving his sword through its chest.
Geralt and Ciri arrived at Melitele's Temple. Graduates of the temple school are known to become midwives, historians, healers, and witchers. Vesemir sent Geralt here when he was about Ciri's age to learn signs. They were joined by Nenneke, who embraced them both and took Ciri to her office. And after a chance to speak with her, Nenneke explained to Geralt that he was screwed no matter what. Kingdoms would want her for her status. Thousands had been killed in pursuit of her already, not to mention her Elder blood. Nenneke believed that she was a Child of Destiny, and that Geralt and Ciri were a part of one another. Geralt needed to find balance, and then maybe he might stand a chance of helping her.
While at the temple, Geralt had a surprise when Yennefer unexpectedly appeared, finally reuniting with her. Geralt was relieved to see the love of his life alive. Them kissed but were interrupted by Ciri, who Geralt revealed was his Child Surprise. The trio then sit down and talk about what they have experienced. Noticing the tension between Geralt and Yennefer, Ciri leaves them to continue the conversation alone. The last time they saw each other was a bit tumultuous. Yennefer questioned what changed his mind about claiming Ciri. Many things changed his mind, and Yennefer was among them, he admitted. Yennefer revealed that she ran into Jaskier in Oxenfurt. He was in some kind of trouble with a mage using fire magic who was looking for Geralt. He realized was actually looking for Ciri. Yennefer's heart had been beating fast the entire time. She was nervous, and Geralt questioned why, the reason to which being that some wounds refused to heal, she explained. Geralt asked Yennefer if she still wanted to have a child, Yennefer said that this time was different.
When Geralt and Yennefer discovered that the temple was under attacked, they found Ciri surrounded by fire and in the path of Rience the mage of fire and the Michelet brothers, who Geralt slaughtered whilst Yennefer and Ciri hid in a room. Geralt killed the brothers, but Rience managed to escape. He caught up to Yennfer and Ciri just in time to watch them go through a portal. He told Yennefer to stop, but she replied that she couldn't. Yennefer went through the portal and left with Ciri.[14]
Hunting Down Yennefer[]
After finding Redanian crowns on the bodies of the Michelte brothers, Geralt apologized to Nenneke for brining death to her temple, as the men were after Ciri. Geralt was then portalled to Oxenfurt by Nenneke, where he broke Jaskier out of jail and asked for his help in tracking down Yennefer. Jaskier wanted to make sure Geralt meant it, since they had parted very bitterly the last time they saw each other, and Geralt assured him yes.
Arriving at a stream, while Jaskier takes a washing, Geralt wanted to know what Yennefer was doing in Oxenfurt. Jaskier replied that she had saved his life and was on the run after losing her magic. However, when she was imprisoned, he recalled her magically disappearing after muttering an incantation about a hut, leading Geralt to come to the conclusion that she was in league with the Deathless Mother, also known as Voleth Meir, who was imprisoned by the first witchers and entombed in a hut, as she was a demon that fed on pain. Geralt then realized that Yennefer wanted to offer Ciri to the Deathless Mother in exchange for her magic.
On the other side of the stream, Geralt and Jaskier reunite with Yarpen Zigrin and his crew, and who Geralt asked to borrow a horse from and would repay later. On the way to Cintra, Geralt and Jaskier discussed how Geralt's life was entwined with Ciri. While Geralt had accepted to protect Ciri from harm, this also meant he may have to kill Yennefer if she harmed the girl, though Jaskier noted maybe Yennefer has changed on account of people doing stupid things when they're desperate.
Before long, they arrived outside of Cintra, where they found Ciri and Yennefer under attack by Nilfgaard. After killing the guards, Geralt drew his blade on Yennefer, who apologized for her betrayal. Geralt intended to stay behind and kill the Deathless Mother whilst Jaskier took Ciri back to Kaer Morhen. With the blade to her neck, Geralt forced Yennefer and she recited the incantation, but when they arrived at her hut, they discovered that Voleth Meir, who had received enough pain and despair, had escaped her prison.[15]
Saving Ciri[]
Geralt, angry at Yennefer but needing to get to Ciri, returned to Kaer Morhen with an upset Yennefer following him all the way. Yennefer tried to hopelessly plead her case and apologize for her actions, noting how Voleth Meir knew how to find and exploit just the right weaknesses to make people do the demon's bidding, which in Yennefer's case meant even sacrificing a child. However, when she realized how special Ciri was to Geralt, she stopped at the last minute. This all fell on deaf ears though as Geralt was still angry at what she tried to do.
When they arrived at the keep, they discovered that Ciri had been possessed by the Deathless Mother and found her in Vesemir's room, just as she was about to try and kill the sleeping witcher. The demon then tried to revert and pretend she was Ciri, but Geralt saw through her ruse, causing the demon to slice Geralt's face before running off.
With Vesemir awake now, Geralt tried to reason with the older witcher that killing Ciri wouldn't work, even if the Deathless Mother had already killed several witchers in their sleep. He then reminded him witchers killed to save lives, not out of fear and that Ciri could be saved, but he'd need Vesemir's help to do so.
They soon found Voleth Meir in the dining hall, standing before the medallion tree and Geralt offered up himself in exchange for Ciri, but Voleth Meir had no interest in this. The Deathless Mother, using Ciri's powers, then unleashed a scream, cracking the medallion tree open and revealing a monolith hidden inside. She then shattered the monolith before opening a portal for two basilisks to exit, forcing the witchers to defend their home. Geralt asked Vesemir to trap him inside a barrier with Ciri to try to reach her.
During the commotion, Jaskier ran into the hall with active jasper, trying to get it to Geralt under Yennefer's instructions that it'd help free Ciri. However, as a third basilisk is summoned, it charges at Geralt and pushes him outside. Geralt fortunately managed to get the upper hand and slay the beast before rushing back in, only to see Vesemir, attempting to stop anymore deaths, stab Ciri. However, she heals herself within seconds, proving his efforts futile.
Geralt, on seeing the jasper and connecting Voleth Meir's remarks about them all feeling so much hatred and pain, realized what Yennefer had meant and got all the witchers to stop and let go of trying to kill, removing the demon's ability to feed her powers off of them. However, the demon still refused to leave Ciri, making Geralt realize her hut that she'd embodied was burned and thus couldn't escape even if she wanted to as she needed a vessel in their sphere. Yennefer then offered herself up instead for the demon by slitting her wrists and, with Ciri having managed to awaken from the illusion she'd been under thanks to Geralt, pushed Voleth Meir out and to Yennefer.
While Voleth Meir slowly took possession, Geralt then asked Ciri to open a portal to the demon's native sphere to release her there, noting he believed in Ciri and that she could do this. With that, Ciri successfully created a portal and she, Geralt, and Yennefer went through. Finally back home, Voleth Meir left Yennefer's body and instead linked up with the Wild Hunt that was galloping through the land to get to Ciri, but Ciri managed to teleport herself, Geralt, and Yennefer back to Kaer Morhen.
Back home, Geralt discussed with Vesemir on the realization that Ciri was being hunted, not just by various factions in their world, but the Wild Hunt as well. As such, they could no longer stay at Kaer Morhen as they'd have to constantly move to avoid their enemies. Later, Yennefer also revealed she'd regained her powers, having felt it return when she sacrificed herself for Ciri. While Geralt han't forgiven her yet, but he knew she was the only person who helped Ciri control her powers. He also reminenced on when Vilentretenmerth noted the two were destined to be together, but destiny alone wasn't sufficient and something more was needed. Geralt then deduced that "something more" was Ciri. As the two joined Ciri outside, they assured her they'd see her along the way to her destiny, whatever it may be. However, one thing that greatly concerned Geralt was that he couldn't figure out how Nilfgaard knew about Ciri before anyone else.[16]
In search of a home[]
After leaving Kaer Morhen, the trio traveled near constantly, not staying at any one place for long to avoid people that were trying to find and capture Ciri. At one location, Geralt confronted and killed some men Rience had hired to find Ciri.
Yennefer began training Ciri while constantly writing to Geralt, informing him of her progress, though fully aware and accepting of the fact that Gerlt hasn't fully forgiven her yet for her earlier transgressions. Eventually, they're able to find a remote place to stay at for a time thanks to Yarpen. Months pass and and the trio it starts to feel like family. Over time, the trust between Geralt and Yennefer eases. Yarpen arrived with new information of various conflicts, and realized that Geralt and Yennefer were together again.
When Yarpen tells them that there will be a festival in Belleteyn, Ciri is interested in wanting to go, despite Geralt and Yennefer's protests. Giving in, the trio attended that night to enjoy their first social gathering in six months, though incognito as the event is known for its masks. Geralt and Yennefer begin to talk, remembering the times they spent their beautiful nights over the decades. They entered the maze, but the party is interrupted when Ciri is attacked by a jackapace but Geralt and Yennefer manage to save her.
Realizing their location has now been compromised, they set off on the road once more. Geralt, knowing it was Rience that sent the creature via some of Ciri's blood that was obtained at Kaer Morhen, decides to prepare a trap for the mage so they could finish him off.
Fight at Shaerrawedd[]
With Yarpen's help, they spread rumors about a caravan secretly transporting a white-haired girl. To lend credibility to the rumors, Geralt turned to his faithful friend Jaskier to act as Ciri's partner. As expected, rumors reach Rience, who plans to attack the caravan.
They arrive at Shaerrawedd to take a break, where the statue of Aelirenn was located. Geralt shares with Ciri the story of Aelirenn, she was the first elf heroine who faced the humans who led her followers to death in this very place: "Neutrality. It won't get you a statue, but it will certainly help you stay alive." In the morning, Ciri shares with Geralt and Yennefer about a dream she had, thinking about Aelirenn and what she and her followers fought for. Ciri wants to change the course and bring balance between the two races and peace. Geralt does not doubt her, but he does doubt the world. When it was sensed that Rience was here, them got ready to confront him. Rience arrives, accompanied by reinforcements to catch Ciri.
Yarpen leads his gang against the Rience men, while Geralt and Yennefer fight to protect Ciri. Rience escapes through a portal, and Geralt goes after him, while Yennefer keeps the portal open as long as possible. Geralt sees the place where them were through a window. Struggling, he realizes that Yennefer won't be able to hold out much longer, so he breaks both of Rience's hands, neutralizing her magical abilities, and runs through the portal back to the ruins to help his friends.
He returned, and saw that Shaerrawedd is suddenly ambushed by the elves led by Francesca, who also came for Ciri. Geralt quickly overwhelmed the elves and they ordered a retreat due to many casualties. In the middle of the battle, Geralt saved Ciri who was being captured by Gage, where he stabbed him in the chest.
Everyone gathers and Geralt thanks Jaskier for his help and insists that he will survive, unfortunately his lute was not so lucky. That night, Yennefer revealed that the portal used by Rience was born from a chaotic magic she had never felt before. This meant that Rience was being supported by a powerful dark mage. They needed to advance further with Ciri's training, and to do so Yennefer proposes taking her to Aretuza, where she could receive training from Tissaia. Although, this leads Geralt down a different path, he decides to track down Rience in order to finish him off, so they must separate, but they will meet soon.
He says goodbye to Ciri and Yennefer, the latter promising to take care of Ciri. Geralt promises Yen that he will think of her, being the promise he always makes her. Geralt reads another letter from Yennefer, in which she says that she and Ciri already miss him. He finally answers her and reveals that he understands for the first time what real fear is. Never see her and Ciri again.
Information from Rience's mage[]
Geralt and Jaskier visit detectives Codringher and Fenn, to find out about the mysterious mage of Rience. Unfortunately, Fenn claims that them don't have enough coins for that information. Geralt then offers Codringher to throw a throwing star. If he hits his head, it's game over, but if he misses, he and Fenn must give him information about Rience's master. Codringher misses. Fenn reveals that a sorcerer has his students running dirty deals across the continent. They do not know the name of the mage, but they do know that he resides in Vuilpanne, it is an old castle, it is located on the outskirts of Piana, the ancient scarlet ammonite mines of Redania. That would be the same castle that Geralt was already in when he was fighting Rience.
Having all the information they need, Geralt and Jaskier prepare to leave. However, Fenn's comment about them knowing who Ciri is stops Geralt, as he realizes that Istredd is one of her clients. Jaskier tries to persuade Geralt to think about a more permanent solution of protecting Ciri. Geralt decides to travel to Vuilpanne alone, not wanting to take Jaskier and put him in further danger.
Geralt arrived at Vuilpanne, and feels deep down that he is being trapped, and he drinks his witcher's elixir. In the dungeons, discovered a horrible experiment that went wrong. In which he sees three heads of young girls, attached to what look like bloody tentacles. They beg Geralt to help they. He then finds and saves a girl with ashen-gray hair, who appears to have been unaffected by the grotesque experiments. When he realizes that the young girls are participating in the disturbing experience, a headless creature emerges, composed of several bodies, arms and legs. He was forced to kill the monster to save the young girl.
Geralt carried the unconscious girl to a stream. Once she woke up, she said she knew he would come save her. Confused, Geralt asked her who is, and it turned out that the girl he saved thinks she calls herself Ciri, much to his horror.
The Fake Ciri[]
In an attempt to find out what the young girl has, Geralt once again turned to Jaskier for help. Them take her to Anika, who is a healer and an old friend of his mother. Anika lives with Otto Dussart, a werewolf and another old friend that Geralt has known for years. He was hired to kill him, but instead he gave him a cure. Then, Anika told that she and Otto met a year ago when they were both mourning at the Temple of Truth. Otto mourned his wife and children, who died in a fire, and Anika mourned Visenna. The news of his mother's death was an unexpected surprise for Geralt.
Anika deduced that the girl is exposed to a mind control spell, which combines elements of chaos, druid magic, and elven sorcery. It also turns out that the girl is of elven blood. Geralt suspects that someone wants them to believe that she is Ciri. Anika gives her an elixir, to help snap the girl come out of the trance and verify the cause.
Waiting outside, Jaskier and Geralt start talking about the deal Jaskier made with Philippa Eilhart to bring Ciri to Redania. Jaskier reveals that he agrees: she would be safe with them. However, Geralt refused to accept it. He knows well that Ciri would not like to be locked up in a castle. During the conversation, when he heard Jaskier say "origin", he remembered that the fake Ciri said something about "origin", so he ran back to the house and woke her up. Anika urges Geralt to be careful, because it could alter the elixir's effectiveness.
The young girl revealed to the group that her real name is "Teryn." She remembers the circumstances of her kidnapping in Aretuza, where she was taken from her room by a man and a woman with a "strange voice." But suddenly, the effect of the elixir was altered, before the young girl could reveal more. Someone takes control of Teryn, and tells Geralt that this man, how the "Destroyer of Worlds" will come for Ciri. Teryn sends a magical blast in the direction of Geralt, Jaskier, Otto and Anika. He also steals Otto's protective necklace, causing him to transform into a werewolf. Geralt keeps Otto subdued, while Jaskier tries to tecover the amulet from Teryn. He throws it to Geralt, who quickly places it back on Otto, and Jaskier also manages to calm Teryn with more elixir.
Later, Geralt sat next to Anika, who was recovering after being knocked out by Teryn, and told her how Visenna died. She was severely beaten after being mistaken for an elf while helping a villager. Geralt was left distraught by the news, forcing him to confront his past and the fact that his mother left him with the witchers when he was just a child. He remembers parts of his life, when they had to starve and Visenna used her magic to create dishes they couldn't afford. He never forgave her for abandoning him, but he never didn't want her to suffer. Anika says that love for a child forces parents to make the most difficult decisions of their lives and assured him that what she did was to save him. She suggests he do the same with Ciri, but Geralt knows what it's like to be abandoned like his mother did and he will never abandon Ciri. He then entrust Teryn to Anika's care, and he sets out on her journey to Aretuza to meet Yennefer and Ciri.
Along the way, Geralt finds Ciri and saves her from ghostly horsemen, who turned out to be the Wild Hunt who were chasing her. He shot magical blasts at them, to make them disperse. Geralt and Ciri hugged each other after that terrifying moment. It was then that they noticed a piece of armor on the ground, which made them realize that they were real.
Killing an Aeschna[]
Discovering that the Wild Hunt has escaped his sphere, Geralt explains to Ciri that it was because she left the "door open" when she left. Now they will go to Aretuza, much to Ciri's dismay. He asks why she doesn't want to go, Ciri explains that it is because she doesn't like the women there who are conceited, but also she regrets saying unpleasant things to Yennefer. Geralt assured her that she will forgive her. He believes that the reason Ciri doesn't want to go is because she is afraid of her powers. She believes Aretuza is the wrong move, Geralt tries to encourage her by telling her that if she accepts her powers she will be able to access they whenever she wants and that the only way to overcome this fear is to learn about her powers and learn to use they.
Them meet with Jaskier to board a raft that will travel directly to Aretuza. Seeing that they will not set sail due to the threat of a monster, Ciri convinces Geralt to offer her services in exchange for a free trip. Feeling safe in the presence of a witcher, the boatman, Obin, gladly accepts him. A musical group led by Valdo Marx, Jaskier's rival, comes on board, who were invited to play at the Conclave of Mages.
On board, Geralt talks to Ciri about her struggles with her magical abilities, to which Ciri thought that learning magic would make her a better leader, but now she thinks that maybe her grandmother was right, maybe it's better to rule with only iron. If necessary, Geralt begins a monologue about how nations are invisible lines that mean nothing but life that has real meaning, if she wants to be queen, then be queen, she would do an excellent job. When Valdo Marx and his company start singing in the middle of the trip, cause that their song to attract the monster, an aeschna. The aeschna attacks one of Valdo's fellow musicians before Geralt and Ciri confront the creature. Their combat is fierce and Ciri shows how much she learned under Geralt's tutelage. Ciri is the one who delivers the final blow to the aeschna, an action that makes Geralt visibly proud.
Later, Ciri taunts him with the idea of leaving the Continent's strife behind and forging a new life, hunting monsters for riches. Impressed by how much she has matured, Geralt decided to share with her the horrors he saw at castle, where some young girls were part of a horrible experiment by the mage who supports Rience, and the only one he saved, Teryn, a the one who was brainwashed with Ciri's memories. Whoever is behind this wants to control Ciri's power. As such, they must go to Aretuza, reveal the truth, and take down Rience's master. Otherwise, they would only be condemning more innocent lives. Although Ciri is still unsure of her purpose, she knows that they must do whatever it takes to take down the mage responsible.
Once them arrive in Aretuza and reunite with Yennefer, Ciri apologizes for what she said to her and for leaving. Yennefer apologizes too and the two hug. Geralt then talks to Yennefer alone, while them are watched by Jaskier and Ciri. Seeing that he finally forgives her for her past mistakes, and then they share a kiss and a warm hug.
After leaving Jaskier in charge of taking care of Ciri, Yennefer explained that someone tried to kill her with a corrupted portal where Geralt appeared in the illusion. Discussing the clues they discovered, Geralt and Yennefer conclude that the mage behind everything is Stregobor, which makes sense considering his penchant for strange experiments with women young. Geralt wants to kill him, but Yennefer knows that they must first unmask he to the entire Brotherhood to prevent further chaos on the continent. Before the Mage Conclave takes place, the Brotherhood organized a party on Thanedd Island so that people could mingle and release tensions. Geralt attends with Yennefer, dressed in a luxurious silver and black patterned suit, although he prefers her armor.
Aretuza ball[]
Entering the party, Yennefer introduces him to the well-known mages, though surprised by Geralt's presence, the mages constantly monitor the witcher. During the party, meet Sabrina Glevissig, who makes clear advances towards he right in front of Yennefer, but Geralt is not fooled by Sabrina's antics. He later socializes with Philippa, who tells Geralt everything that happens at the ball and Geralt wonders if she believes Rience's master is also present. However, they're interrupted by Sigismund Dijkstra, who wishes to talk to Geralt alone. Once the men are by themselves, Dijkstra tries to convince Geralt to join his side and hand Ciri over to Redania, trying to say she'll be safe with them. However, Geralt sees through this ploy and rejects the offer.
Geralt saw how the Stregobor board of directors was being rude to the staff and intervened. Geralt threatens him to make him pay for everything he did. Stregobor saw that he has not over Renfri's death and claimed that it was he who stabbed her with the dagger after all. Also that he is determined to save the continent from monsters like Geralt, but the witcher says he doesn't do anything like Stregobor.
After, walking through the hallways above, Geralt enters the Gallery of Glory, where he meets Vilgefortz, who shows him the paint that is known as "The First Arrival" when the Brotherhood was forged on the coast, it's also like his favorite paint. Vilgefortz then insists that the two have more in common. He reveals that he was an orphan who had a difficult life. He didn't fit the labels of mage, human, druid, so he decided to become a sorcerer. Vilgefortz says he changed when he met Tissaia. Seeing Yennefer with Istredd, Vilgefortz tells Geralt that they had been dating before. First loves are difficult to forget. Later, Vilgefortz tried to convince him to get on the right side and become a mage as well. Geralt insists on adapting to the world around him, responding to events. Vilgefortz believes that enemies will perpetually surround him if Geralt does not choose a side.
A short time later, he finds Yennefer talking with Istredd, where she tells Geralt that Istredd was telling her about a dangerous Book of Monoliths that Stregobor has, making them suspect he might be behind everything happening on the continent but they need evidence. Before more can be said, the formal dancing starts and in which Geralt must participate. As Geralt rotates partners, he finds himself dancing with Lydia van Bredevoort, who he notices when he asks if she's enjoying the dance, she doesn't say a word. Then the sorceress Marti Södergren threw herself at Geralt, telling him that she had been wanting to get to him all night. In her obvious attempts to seduce the witcher, she told him about her extraordinary flexibility, although Geralt tried to ignore her before continuing to totates partners. He then dances with Triss, who wonders about Ciri's safety, though Geralt reassures her that Ciri is safe for now. Exchanging partners and back to dancing with Yennefer, he tells her that he will create a distraction so she can sneak into Stregobor's office. Geralt then brushes up to Istredd and tells him to play along and the two pretends to fight over Yennefer, distracting everyone and allowing Yennefer to sneak off.
However, unbeknownst to the trio, Stregebor had a security measure in place so became alerted to someone snooping in his office and left the ballroom. Geralt followed behind, allowing him and Yennefer to confront Stregobor about the kidnapped noivces and torturing them to get to Ciri. In the midst of this, Tissaia, Vilgefortz, Istredd, Triss, and Artorius arrive while Geralt and Yennefer bring up the fact that he has a list of all the missing elvish novices and has been practicing mind control on them. Stregobor protests this, having no idea what they're talking about as Istredd finds the book of monoliths in the safe. Stregobor looks somewhat puzzled by the book being among his possessions, but the evidence says it all and Tissaia proposes to lock him up until the Conclave and be judged.
At the end of the evening, everyone toasts the alliance between all the mages of the north. In the process, they give special thanks to Yennefer, who designed this event. On this occasion, Geralt confessed his love to Yennefer for the first time and the two kiss front of everyone.
Later that night, Yennefer tells Geralt about the conversation between her and Philippa and how Philippa tried to persuade her to join her instead of serving the Brotherhood. She also told notes that Tissaia is a lot like Lydia, blinded by love and that she would follow her lover everywhere. As they unwind in their private room, feeling accomplished at having managed to thwart plans to get Ciri, something troubles Geralt until he realizes they were wrong. Connecting the dots, he realizes Lydia was the mage who couldn't speak and was communiting telepathically as the woman of the "strange voice" that Teryn mentioned and that Tissaia's bracelet, which the sorceress had lost during Stregobor's arrest and Yennefer had recovered, matched the same red stone that was in the pair of earrings Lydia wore at the dance. Geralt also divulges his conversation with Vilgefortz at the ball, in which he invited him to be a mage in the Brotherhood for the war that awaited them. The two then realize the scarlet ammonite itself can only be found in the mines in west Redania, where Geralt found the girls and Teryn, and as the only survivor she revealed that Rience worked together with a familiar face from Aretuza. Geralt and Yennefer then realize that the mage responsible for all the events is actually Vilgefortz.
Yennefer stays in the room from uses a locator spell to find Tissaia, while Geralt goes in search of Vilgefortz. However, once Geralt leaves the room, he hears the sounds of battle already beginning to echo through the hallways. Just right, Dijkstra comes out of the shadows, surprising him with a sword to his neck and says that Geralt should have chosen a side.
Thanedd coup[]
After hearing the screams in the hallways, and being cornered by Dijkstra, the master spy reveals to Geralt that he and Phillipa have planned a coup d'état, taking Aretuza as a hostage, since the largest kingdom in the North has tired of the mages who plot on their behalf, rather than working to unite the continent against the invaders of Nilfgaard. The Redanians aim to rid the Brotherhood of Sorcerers who have allied themselves with Nilfgaard. They have used dimeritium to suppress the magical powers of Aretuza's traitor mages. In turn, Philippa launched an anti-magic dome around Aretuza to ensure the success of the invasion of Redania. Since Geralt has no particular problem with Redania, he decided to leave his sword behind and see how things develop. Furthermore, he already knows that Vilgefortz is behind all the events on the continent, which means he benefits from letting Dijkstra expose the traitor.
While they try to expose Vilgefortz, claiming that he is an ally of Nilfgaard, Geralt who sits in the corner uninvolved, sees a mist in the bay, claiming that someone is using magic to hide ships. Themimagine it to be the army of Redania, about to land on the coast of Thanedd to reinforce their betrayal. Blinded by her love for Vilgefortz, Tissaia dismantles Phillipa's dome and frees her fellow mages. During the following conflict, Geralt confronted and fight Dijkstra, breaking him his leg for trying to kidnap Ciri.
Once outside Aretuza, Geralt found and saved Ciri and Yennefer from Rience, who attempted to catch Ciri again, just as Yennefer threw his sword, appeared behind him and dealt the final blow, decapitating Rience, finally ending his life. Geralt explained to they that both Redania and Nilfagaard are here for Ciri. Them decide to flee through the ferry chain. When Tissaia is summoning the Alzur's Thunder, Yennefer knows she must help her, Ciri understands what Tissaia means to her and that she must help her, despite Geralt's protests that them didn't come here to separate, so Yennefer promised to find them soon.
In the middle of the Thanedd coup, Geralt and Ciri met Cahir, the Black Knight, whom Ciri hates and wants to kill him for destroying her home and family, to which Geralt reminds she that when her does it there will be no turning back. Surprisingly, Cahir does not want to fight and asked Ciri for her forgiveness, offering his life to Ciri. He admited to following brutal orders without thinking, but has now realized his mistakes and vows to protect Ciri at all costs. To prove his worth, Cahir even steps aside to hold off the Scoia'tael warriors while Geralt and Ciri flee.
While trying to escape on a boat, they are surprised by Vilgefortz. Geralt asked Ciri to run, and she ran away towards the Tor Lara tower. Upon coming face to face with Vilgefortz, the mage offered Geralt one last time to join him, but the witcher rejected him again. The two engage in a huge fight on the beach. Geralt believes he can finish him off, but the mage reveals his power that he has been holding back to pretend that he was weaker than he really was. Vilgefortz inflicts a series of serious wounds on him, including breaking his back and leg and shattering his steel sword. The mage then went after Ciri, but she managed to escape through the Tor Lara portal, which then exploded. Geralt is found and saved by Triss with her last strength and takes him to the Brokilon Forest to be healed by the dryads.
The dryads begin to treat the witcher, who endures his wounds with extraordinary resistance and does not even lose consciousness. Later Jaskier arrived at Brokilon, who gave him news that Yennefer was fine, but Ciri has disappeared. Also that Emperor Emhyr has devastated many northern cities searching for her and has offered a large reward in exchange for information about Ciri. In a letter, Geralt learned that she has been found and was on her way to Nilfgaard.
Treaty by the Dryads[]
Geralt was desperate to go save Ciri who had to stay in Brokilon due to his very bad condition. He was cared by Milva, a human archer, charged by Queen Eithné to care for him while he recovers. Jaskier sits next to him, as the dryads attempt to use the healing water to treat his wounds. Unfortunately, it didn't work due to its mutation. As for Geralt, he's ready to go right now despite his leg, but Milva tried to convince him that he was in no condition to fight.
Geralt tried to train, but Milva showed him that he is not yet capable of going to save Ciri. Later, she asked about the brooch, Geralt explained that it reminds him of someone he killed, his encounter with Renfri in Blaviken was a deeply traumatic experience for him, leaving him with a heavy burden and a feeling of guilt. Her brooch always served as a reminder of her and to never forget the lesson she gave him not to get involved in conflicts between humans.
That night, Geralt received a visit from Yennefer, whom he was very relieved to see. She informed him that Ciri was not with her, but Geralt pointed out that it was his fault, he let Vilgefortz defeat him, stating that he failed to protect her. Yennefer also reported that Tissaia was gone. Them both blame each other for the loss of Ciri, while Geralt begins to shed tears. He promises to find her and make both Vilgefortz and Emhyr pay. Yennefer makes Geralt promise that they will see each other again before using her magic and finally healing his wounds.
The next day, Geralt encounter and meets Dara, a young elf, who revealed that he had met Ciri. He asked her to convey a message to Ciri: that he forgives her and that he is very sorry. Geralt and Jaskier then prepare an improvised version of the elixir. Geralt drinks it and resumes his training, to sharpen his senses and prepare.
Geralt and Jaskier are at a checkpoint while trying to reach Nilfgaard. Although them do not have the papers, Geralt offered the brooch as payment, which the guard accepted. As them continued on their way, they stopped when they realized that the guard is turning away a family and snatched a girl's doll. Despite Jaskier's warnings, Geralt, who always followed his rule of never intervening in other people's conflicts, could no longer remain neutral in the face of abuse. Go into action, and kill all the soldiers. Milva arrived in time and quickly killed three handfuls of soldiers. She decided to join their company. Geralt leaves the guard alive, whom he threatened to send a message to Emperor, that Geralt will come and free Ciri. After returned the doll to the girl, the three took horses and continued on their way.
Appearances[]
| The End's Beginning | Four Marks | Betrayer Moon | Of Banquets, Bastards and Burials | Bottled Appetites | Rare Species | Before a Fall | Much More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Notes[]
- Geralt was made bald in The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf as a kid to hide the fact that it was him until the end, as his white hair would be a dead giveaway.[17]
Videos[]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Season 1, Episode 01: The End's Beginning
- ↑ Season 1, Episode 02: Four Marks
- ↑ Season 1, Episode 03: Betrayer Moon
- ↑ Season 1, Episode 04: Of Banquets, Bastards and Burials
- ↑ Season 1, Episode 05: Bottled Appetites
- ↑ Season 1, Episode 06: Rare Species
- ↑ Season 1, Episode 07: Before a Fall
- ↑ Season 1, Episode 08: Much More
- ↑ Season 2, Episode 01: A Grain of Truth
- ↑ Season 2, Episode 02: Kaer Morhen
- ↑ Season 2, Episode 03: What Is Lost
- ↑ Season 2, Episode 04: Redanian Intelligence
- ↑ Season 2, Episode 05: Turn Your Back
- ↑ Season 2, Episode 06: Dear Friend...
- ↑ Season 2, Episode 07: Voleth Meir
- ↑ Season 2, Episode 08: Family
- ↑ Twitter: Why is Geralt bald?