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The assembled sorcerers parted, bowing with respect at the personages entering the hall. The first was a middle aged but vigorous man in extremely modest woollen clothing. At his side strode a tall, sharp-featured woman with dark, smoothly combed hair. "That is Gerhart of Aelle, also known as Hen Gedymdeith, the oldest living sorcerer," Yennefer informed Geralt in hushed tones. |
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| - pg. 117, Time of Contempt (U.K. edition) | |||
Hen Gedymdeith (d. 1 July 1267), originally known as "Gerhart of Aelle", was the oldest living mage before the Thanedd coup.[1]
A member of the Chapter of the Gift and the Art, the highest ranked of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers, he was also the author of Elves and Humans[2] and The Legends of the Elder Races,[3] and was hundreds of years old at the time of his death.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Born in the late 8th century, Gerhart as a child was recognized as a Source by Jan Bekker and Giambattista and taken to Mirthe to learn. After a while, he went with Geoffrey Monck and several other students to Loc Muinne, where he was trained as an elven sorcerer.[1]
After joining the Brotherhood and rising in rank, at some point Gerhart oversaw the banning on necromancy, under the basis that the "revived dead are always unpredictable and reviving them always involves entirely negative side effects. In other words, no matter how noble a mage's motives might be, necromancy will always lead to evil".[4]
Interwar period[]
In 1267, after hearing news of the northern rulers meeting at Hagge, he sent Artaud Terranova and Tissaia de Vries to meet with Vilgefortz for his opinions on the matter.[2]
Thanedd coup[]
On the last night of June, on Thanedd Island, he attended the banquet in Aretuza, and the following day, July 1st, met for the Grand Mage's Assembly in Garstang. After the coup during the night, he died remembering the days when Monck led the Sources to Loc Muinne, as his heart gave out.[1]
Trivia[]
- His Gwent: The Witcher Card Game card art is a reference to Shylock's appearance in the movie The Merchant of Venice.
- Hen Gydymaith/Hen Gydymdaith means "Old Companion" in Welsh ("hen" means old/aged/elder; "cydymaith/cydymdaith" (soft mutation "gydymaith/gydymdaith") means companion/comrade).