"Shaerrawedd" is the first episode of season 3 of Netflix's The Witcher series.
Characters[]
- Geralt of Rivia
- Yennefer of Vengerberg
- Ciri
- Professor
- Vizimir II
- Sigismund Dijkstra
- Philippa Eilhart
- Radovid V
- Jaskier
- Francesca Findabair
- Gage
- Filavandrel aén Fidháil
- Gallatin
- Rience
- Dara
Description[]
- Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri journey to the far reaches of the Continent in search of a safe haven. King Vizimir puts his charming younger brother to use.
Summary[]
The episode begins with Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri continuing their journey across the Continent in search of safety. They are being pursued by Rience, a fire-wielding mage, and his henchmen, who seek to capture Ciri. The trio finds temporary shelter with Yarpen Zigrin, who offers them a brief respite from the dangers that lurk outside.
Throughout their travels, Yennefer continues to train Ciri in magic, though Ciri struggles with the discipline required. Yennefer reflects on her past mistakes, particularly how she once betrayed Geralt and Ciri, and vows to do better by them. She hopes to earn back Geralt's trust through her dedication to protecting and teaching Ciri.
Despite their efforts to remain hidden, the trio is ambushed by a creature known as a Jackapace, a feral armadillo-like beast trained by Rience using a potion containing Ciri's blood. The Jackapace tracks them by scent, leading to a fierce battle. Geralt manages to kill the creature, but the encounter makes it clear that Rience will continue to hunt them as long as he has access to Ciri's blood.
Realizing they need to stop running, Geralt devises a plan to confront Rience directly. They decide to set a trap, with Ciri as the bait, in hopes of drawing Rience out and ending the pursuit once and for all. To do this, they enlist Yarpen's help in spreading false information about Ciri's whereabouts, hoping to lure Rience into their ambush.
As they prepare for the confrontation, the trio sneaks into the ruins of Shaerrawedd, an ancient and sacred elven site. The ruins are overgrown with wild roses, which Yennefer explains are linked to a tragic story of an elven warrior named Aelirenn, who led a doomed rebellion against the humans. The visit to Shaerrawedd is both a somber reminder of the cycle of violence on the Continent and a foreshadowing of the battles yet to come.
In parallel, political intrigue unfolds in Redania, where King Vizimir becomes increasingly frustrated with his spies, particularly Sigismund Dijkstra, for failing to locate Ciri. Vizimir decides to involve his younger brother, Prince Radovid, in the search, setting the stage for further manipulation and betrayal within the court.
The episode ends on a tense note, with Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri preparing to face Rience, uncertain of what the future holds but determined to stop running and take control of their destiny.