Geralt's History
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.
Meeting Princess Renfri
Geralt of Rivia, a well-known witcher, goes into Blaviken in search of an alderman after killing a kikimora in the nearby swamp. It's there that he meets a woman named Renfri in a tavern. She greets him with beer rather than hateful looks. He eventually makes the acquaintance of Marilka, the daughter of the alderman, and she directs him to a sorcerer named Stregobor, who took up the name Master Irion from the long since deceased creator of the tower he inhabits. He lured Geralt into town to hire him to assassinate Renfri. Stregobor explains his reasoning behind wanting to kill Renfri. The Curse of the Black Sun, a solar eclipse that marked the imminent return of Lilit �?? demon goddess of the night �?? whose sole purpose was to exterminate the human race. Lilit's path was to be prepared by 60 women wearing gold crowns, who would fill the river valleys with blood. Stregobor studied the girls born around the Black Sun, and he found internal mutations among them. He tried to cure them, locking them in towers for safekeeping, but each girl died. He believes eliminating them was the lesser evil. Renfri, princess of Creyden and daughter of Fredefalk, is after Stregobor. He personally delivered Renfri in the middle of the afternoon, under the Black Sun and knows for certain that she's the bringer of evil. In fear of Lilit's return, Stregobor dispatched someone to follow Renfri into the woods. They later found him in the brush with Renfri's broach jammed in his ear. She disappeared shortly thereafter and wouldn't reappear for another two years. Stregobor would stop her himself except for the fact that she's resistant to magic given her mutation. She chased Stregobor for years, plotting her revenge, and now she's tracked him to Blaviken. Despite Stregobor's offer, Geralt only kills monsters.
Renfri, the woman from the tavern, tracks Geralt down outside Blaviken and demands to know where to find Stregobor so that she may kill him for the injustices she suffered, claiming that Stregobor's man raped her and robbed her before letting her go. However, Geralt insists that should Renfri kill Stregobor, she would only be confirming Stregobor's accusations of her being a monster. Geralt advises Renfri to leave Blaviken and Stregobor behind.
Renfri follows Geralt back to his camp, where he recounts his first monster kill with Roach, his horse. That was the day he realized the world didn't need him and that he would only ever be seen as a monster. Renfri questions what Geralt believes in, as it is neither destiny nor the lesser evil. Geralt simply kills monsters. There are no sides. Renfri has decided to leave Blaviken for good tomorrow. They kiss and then have sex.
While dreaming of his night with Renfri, Geralt hears her tell him of his future, how he would be ran out of Blaviken with thrown stones and that the "girl in the woods" is his destiny, one which he cannot escape. Geralt awakens alone in the woods of Blaviken. Realizing that Renfri intends to slaughter her way through Blaviken until she finds Stregobor, he goes into town to stop her, where he is met by her soldiers, who he dispatches with ease. He then finds Renfri holding a blade to Marilka's throat, and she threatens to kill everyone in Blaviken until Stregobor comes down to face her. Geralt warns her to leave Blaviken, displaying magic as a means to threaten. However, magic has no effect on Renfri, only silver, as with monsters. Renfri releases Marilka and attacks Geralt. She manages to cut him several times before Geralt disarms her, leaving her with only a dagger to combat him. Geralt lowers his sword, presenting her with an opportunity to attack, however, he evades her attack and stabs her in the throat with her own dagger. As Renfri bleeds out in Geralt's arms, she reminds him of his destiny and that the "girl in the woods" will be with him always.
Stregobor comes down to see the destruction left in Renfri's wake. He orders Marilka to bring him a cart so that they can take her back to the tower for an autopsy. When Geralt objects, Stregobor informs him that it was Renfri's mutation that allowed her to influence her followers. When Geralt refuses to lower his sword, Stregobor realizes that he must've been similarly influenced and directs attention to the men Geralt had killed. This causes the townspeople, Marilka included, to revolt against Geralt. They throw stones at him, as Renfri predicted they would, until he is forced to leave her body behind.
An Encounter with Elves
While drinking at a tavern, Geralt is approached by a bard named Jaskier, who insists that Geralt review his performance. Geralt tells Jaskier that the creatures in his song don't exist, and Jaskier realizes that he's a witcher, which he announces to the bar. A patron named Nettly overhears and offers to pay Geralt 100 ducats if he kills the "devil" that's been stealing their grain. Geralt agrees to the job, but only for 150 pay. Jaskier decides to tag along, during which time he offers to help improve Geralt's image so that he's no longer seen as a monstrous killer.
While hunting for this "devil", Geralt is attacked by a Sylvan named Torque. It charges at Geralt, knocking him to the ground. Geralt gets back to his feet and grabs it by the horns and slams it to the ground. To his surprise, it can talk. Rather than killing Torque, Geralt shows mercy, allowing him to live so long as he leaves the mountains. However, someone sneaks up behind Geralt and knocks him out.
Geralt wakes up in a cave, tied up back-to-back with Jaskier and surrounded by elves. Geralt and Jaskier are repeatedly hit by a sickly elf named Toruviel. Geralt waits until she gets close enough to headbutt her. They are joined by Torque and king of elves, Filavandrel. Torque has been stealing goods for them ever since they were forced out of Dol Blathanna. This comes as a surprise to Jaskier, who has been under the impression that the elves willingly left to return to their golden palaces when in reality they retreated to simple caves. Unfortunately, he can't allow Geralt and Jaskier to leave in fear that Posada will learn that they've been stealing, giving the humans a reason to attack, which will undoubtedly result in casualties on both sides. Hoping to avoid war, Filavandrel must kill them. Filavandrel's elders worked with humans and got robbed of all they had. And when they fought back, they were slaughtered in a battle that would come to be known as the "Great Cleansing". Bringing his people down from the mountains would mean bowing down to the humans, who would make them slaves. Geralt advises them to rebuild elsewhere. Filavandrel has a change of heart and decides to let Geralt and Jaskier go.
Geralt and Jaskier leave the mountains, having been released. In return, Geralt gave them the 150 ducats he was paid to kill Torque. In this adventure, Jaskier has gained a newfound respect for Filavandrel. They survived the Great Cleansing once. Maybe they can do it again. Jaskier starts to sing a tune while Geralt follows alongside.
Hunt for the Striga
Geralt has just finished having sex with a prostitute, who has heard his tales from Jaskier and associate each scar with a different conquest. She informs him that another witcher by the name of Remus passed through last month on his way to Temeria, which is plagued by some kind of creature. A few miners rounded up 3,000 orens to have the creature killed. Remus supposedly took the coins and ran. Low on funds to pay for the room he'd been in, Geralt leaves Roach behind as he sets out for Temria to find Remus.
Geralt arrives in Temeria and listens in on the disgruntled miners. They accuse him of being like the witcher before, who they believe to have taken their money and ran. Geralt only takes pay after the job is done and for a third of the price. He also extends an apology. Ostrit arrives with several of his soldiers. He demands the miners disperse in exchange for him not charging them with treason. As for Geralt, Ostrit orders his men to see Geralt out of Temeria.
Ostrit's men suddenly fall off the horses and onto the ground as they near Temeria's border. A sorceress by the name of Triss Merigold reveals herself to Geralt and offers to hire him. She serves King Foltest, but she is acting under her own agenda. Rather than kill the beast, she wants Geralt's help in saving it.
Six years ago, stable hands started vanishing at the castle above the city. Before long, citizens were disappearing throughout all of Temeria. They soon realized that the creature was coming from the crypt, where the king's sister Adda was laid to rest. Rumor has 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, it would be the sole heir to the Temerian empire. The king fled the castle ignoring the rising death toll. So, Triss was sent 3 months ago to kill the creature.
Geralt initially believes the creature to be a different monster, but Triss informs him otherwise. She takes him to the tomb to examine the corpses' of those killed by the creature. He examines Remus' corpse and comes to the conclusion that Triss covered up his death to hide the fact that the creature bested a witcher. Upon further examination, Geralt discovers that Remus is missing both his heart and liver. Only a Striga's eating habits are that selective. They're very rare and can only be created through a curse. Meaning someone wanted Adda dead. Only the curse didn't stop with Adda, and it turned her daughter into a monster. Meaning the striga is also the Princess of Temeria.
Triss Merigold presents Geralt to King Foltest, Lord Ostrit, and Captain Segelin, with whom she pleads with to enlist in Geralt's help. However, Segelin is skeptical of Geralt's claims that Princess Adda was murdered. Triss hopes that the king will allow her to search the abandoned castle for clues as to who killed her, however, they fear that Geralt will kill the princess. Geralt explains that the creature grew inside of Adda, feeding on her womb and mutating. Growing for years until she got so hungry that she was forced to slither out. Essentially an "overgrown abortion." The king has grown tired of their claims and commands that everyone leaves.
As they exit, Geralt pushes Segelin out last and locks the door behind him. He takes this time to ask the king who the father is of Adda's child, and why he never married and produced his own heir. Not to mention he's done nothing to stop the striga. All this points to King Foltest being the father. Foltest surmises that the rumors of witchers being devoid of heart and emotion must be true in order for Geralt to accuse him of incestuous affairs with his sister while simultaneously campaigning that he kill his own daughter. The guards break through the door, and Foltest orders Geralt to leave Temeria.
Geralt and Triss Merigold hide outside the abandoned castle. She asks if he's going to kill the striga. Geralt replies that he doesn't want the miners' coins. He and Triss manage to sneak into the castle, where they discover letters from the former queen of Temeria in Adda's bedroom. The letter details Queen Sancia urging her children to end their affair. Geralt and Triss take this discovery to Ostrit under the suspicion that the former queen cursed her children. Ostrit claims that he was Adda's confidant and protector. He believes that Foltest raped Adda and cursed the child to cover it up. However, according to Geralt, Ostrit's scent was all over Adda's sheets. Old ones and new ones. He smelled what Ostrit was doing in there. At this point, Ostrit confesses to being Adda's lover and placing the curse on her, albeit unintentionally. Geralt asks how to lift the curse, but Ostrit refuses to tell him, as he wants to see Foltest punished for defiling Adda. And so, Geralt simply knocks him out with a single punch.
Foltest meets Geralt at the entrance to the abandoned castle, where the striga lies. Geralt honestly answers that he doesn't know if this will work or if the princess will be normal if she's cured. All she's ever known her entire life is rage and hunger. Geralt then gives Foltest a gift to give his daughter in case the curse is lifted, but Geralt doesn't make it through the night. Foltest claims that both he and Adda initially tried to resist their urges, but what they felt was too powerful. He envies Geralt's mutation to live and never have to fall in love.
Within the castle, Geralt ties Ostrit to Adda's bed. Once again, he asks Ostrit how to lift the curse, but he refuses, demanding that Foltest pays for what he did. Ostrit reluctantly reveals that a woman was hiding from the Brotherhood. She sold him a lamb and told him to wait until the full moon and then kill it. Then he recited an elven chant and bathed in the lamb's blood until sunrise when a rooster crowed three times. Geralt realizes that the only way to cure the princess is to keep her out of her crypt until sunrise.
The striga rises from its crypt. Geralt leaves Ostrit behind, still tied to the bed. The striga approaches, and Ostrit begs for his life, claiming to have loved Adda. He is killed nonetheless.
Geralt comes face-to-face with the creature. He tries to entrap it with silver chains, but to no avail; the striga breaks free. A fight ensues between Geralt and the striga, which ultimately results in the creature being knocked unconscious. While the striga is down, Geralt places a barrier over the entrance, preventing it from leaving. When the striga runs for it, the barrier knocks it back. Geralt puts on some brass knuckles and knocks the striga to the ground. As the sun rises, both he and the striga race for the crypt. Geralt gets to it first and seals himself inside.
The sun rises, and the striga has transformed into a girl. The curse is lifted. Geralt slowly approaches. She turns around and slices his throat with her claws. He bites her neck to get her off of him and passes out.
Geralt awakens shortly after being healed by Triss. She informs him that the princess is fine and that King Foltest issued a statement that Lord Ostrit gave his life defeating the creature. The miners are building a statue in his honor. Triss asks about Renfri, whose name Geralt uttered while sleep. He doesn't reply, simply asking for his money. She asks if all life is to him is monsters and money. He claims that it is. She doesn't believe that. There's a vortex of fate around each of them. Drawing their destiny closer with each decision they make. Triss hands him his money and returns the gift he left for the princess.
Royal Betrothal
Geralt enters a tavern after killing a selkiemore. Jaskier starts to sing a tune in favor of Geralt and the townspeople in the tavern join in, celebrating Geralt's victorious battle against the beast. Jaskier asks Geralt for a favor. In exchange for acting as his bodyguard for the night, Geralt will receive food, women, and wine.
Jaskier requires protection while attending a royal betrothal as every lord, knight, and king will be in attendance, many of which he's personally crossed, having had affairs with their lovers. Jaskier questions what happens to witchers as they age. Geralt explains there is no after for his kind. They hunt until they get killed. And he wants nothing more than that for himself.
Geralt and Jaskier enter the castle. Geralt is immediately recognized by an old associate of his, Mousesack. He warns Geralt that this can take all night as every suitor near and far are vying for Princess Pavetta's hand. Mousesack informs Geralt that the ceremony is rigged. Crach an Craite, unbeknownst to most, is already set to marry Pavetta. Her mother, the Lioness, Queen Calanthe, has already arranged it with Craite's uncle, Eist Tuirseach, whose proposal to Queen Calanthe was refused three times according to Mousesack. Geralt comes to Jaskier's defense as he's being interrogated by one of the noblemen, who believes caught Jaskier having an affair with his wife.
Geralt bares witness as Crach and another guest gets into an argument, both claiming to have defeated manticores. He initially claims that they're both lying, but to prevent a fight from ensuing, he suggests that maybe they encountered subspecies of manticore. Queen Calanthe inquires about his encounter with the elves. Geralt explains that he got his ass kicked and was about to have his throat cut when Filavandrel spared his life. Queen Calanthe admires Geralt's willingness to paint himself in the shadow of his failures and invites him to take a seat by her side.
Geralt explains to the queen that he's only there to protect Jaskier from vengeful cuckolds. However, she hopes that should chaos ensue that'll she'll be able to count on him to strategically move certain irritants. Geralt insists that he's not for hire and only there to help a friend.
Queen Calanthe questions why there are so few witchers remaining. Geralt explains that since the sacking of Kaer Morhen, it is no longer possible to create more of them. Geralt asks why she chooses to risk her life on the battlefield when she can rest on the throne. For Queen Calanthe, there's a simplicity in killing monsters. Lord Urcheon of Erlenwald interrupts the ceremony, his face hidden under knight's armor. He's come to claim Pavetta's hand in marriage. Eist knocks his helmet off, revealing a monstrous form. Queen Calanthe requests that Geralt kill him, but he refuses as Urcheon is no monster, his appearance is caused by a curse placed on him. Queen Calanthe orders her guards to slay Urcheon instead. Urcheon disarms the guards and explains to Queen Calanthe that Pavetta belongs to him via the Law of Surprise. More of the queen's guards enter and they attack. Geralt comes to his defense. Together, they dispatch of Queen Calanthe's guards with little difficulty. An even larger fight ensues between the guests. Queen Calanthe stands in the centre room and commands the fighting to end.
Pavetta greets Duny and reminds him that she told him to stay away. It would appear Duny is Pavetta's secret lover. He explains that he was cursed as a young boy. He lived his whole life in misery until the day he saved Queen Calanthe's husband, King Roegner from certain death. By tradition, he chose the Law of Surprise as payment. Eist recommends that Queen Calanthe honor the tradition. Destiny has determined the surprise be Pavetta. Duny abandoned all hope of claiming the Law of Surprise when he heard the king returned to find a child on the way. He knew no woman could accept him as he is. So he waited until the twelfth bell when the curse breaks. He never intended to meet Pavetta. Only watch from afar. But destiny intervened and they fell in love. Both Eist and Mousesack advise Queen Calanthe to honor destiny's wish. Geralt agrees that a promise made is a promise to be honored. Queen Calanthe seems to accept destiny, handing over her sword and extending her hand to Duny. She pulls him close, whispers "there is no destiny", and pulls out a knife, aimed at his throat. Pavetta screams out, her abilities awakening, sending everyone flying across the room. Pavetta and Duny float above the room until Geralt knocks them down.
Queen Calanthe announces that the Law of Surprise will be honored and Pavetta will marry Duny. Furthermore, Queen Calanthe herself has agreed to marry Eist. There will be two vowels tonight. Pavetta kisses Duny, and he transforms back into his human form. Queen Calanthe's blessing of their marriage lifted the curse and fulfilled the destiny. Duny wishes to repay Geralt for saving his life. Geralt chooses the Law of Surprise. However, he doesn't actually intend to lay claim to anything. Pavetta suddenly throws up, signifying that she's pregnant moments after Geralt claims Law of Surprise.
Mousesack intends to stay and help guide Pavetta. He tries to convince Geralt to stay as well, pointing out her immense primal power. Like it or not, Geralt is bound to the family. Mousesack advises him against trying to outrun destiny. Geralt, however, doesn't believe in destiny. Crediting Pavetta's outburst to a girl using her magic to stop her mother from gutting her lover. Nonetheless, the bond that will come into being between Geralt and Pavetta's unborn child will be extraordinary. If he dismisses it and leaves without claiming the child surprise, he will unleash true calamity upon them all. Geralt is unconvinced and decides to take his chances.
Three Wishes from a Djinn
Years have passed since the royal betrothal. Jaskier finds Geralt at the river's edge, fishing for a djinn that is buried at the bottom of the lake. Geralt can't sleep, and Jaskier concludes that his sleeplessness is directly related to what Mousesack said to him about the Law of Surprise and claiming Princess Pavetta's child. Geralt pulls a bottle inscribed with a wizard's seal from the lake. Inside contains the djinn. Jaskier wrestles with Geralt for control of the bottle, unintentionally releasing the djinn. Jaskier makes two of the three available wishes before shattering the bottle on the ground. As Geralt gathers the shattered pieces, Jaskier starts coughing up blood, and the djinn escapes.
Geralt takes Jaskier to a nearby elf healer named Chireadan and discovers that his afflictions are magic based. His throat is being attacked and if the spell's actions aren't halted as soon as possible, its effects may become irreversible, eventually resulting in death. The medicine given by the healer will provide Jaskier with a few more hours. He advises that Geralt take Jaskier to another town for help as the only mage in close proximity is extremely dangerous. Geralt disregards Chireadan's advise and sets off in search of this malicious mage, said to be imprisoned in the mayor's house.
Geralt and Jaskier break into the mayor's house to find him under some kind of trance. They stumble upon a massive orgy orchestrated by Yennefer of Vengerberg. The mage of Rinde. She deduces that he's a mutant, a witcher to be exact. The famous White Wolf, as she refers to him. She always imagined that he'd have fangs or horns. She questions just how powerful he is. Whatever the djinn did to Jaskier is spreading. Should Yennefer cure him, Geralt promises to indulge her curiosity. Yennefer agrees to his terms. She states the phrase "ragamuffin", and the citizens of Rinde awaken from their trance, completely unaware of their actions.
Yennefer has put Jaskier in a deep healing sleep. She remarks that he'll be out long enough for Geralt to bathe. She's even acquired his clothes. While Geralt bathes, she makes a point that fishing for a djinn is an extreme remedy for sleeplessness. Geralt replies that he's desperate. Yennefer undresses and sits back-to-back with Geralt in the bath. She questions if all witchers are as blessed as he is, being as they're made from magic. However, as Geralt explains, it didn't make for a happy childhood. Judging by Yennefer's scars, he can tell she didn't have much of a childhood either. He accuses her of capitalizing on the political situation of Rinde, though Yennefer claims that she's serving the stifled townspeople. Ultimately, they both know there's more to the other's claim than they're revealing. Fortunately for Geralt, Yennefer has decided that his company and conversation is payment enough for her services.
Geralt watches over Jaskier as he sleeps. Even if he won't admit it, Jaskier is a friend, and Geralt said some things to him that he doesn't want to be the last thing Jaskier remembers. Yennefer assures Geralt that Jaskier will survive and recover his vocal talents. Geralt looks around and realizes that Yennefer is attempting to trap the djinn. Yennefer explains that it's tied to this plane and its master. With Jaskier only making two wishes, Yennefer needs him to make his third so that she can capture it. Geralt is taken over by the sudden smell of lilac and gooseberries. Yennefer kisses him and in that moment has full control of him.
Geralt awakens in a cell with Chireadan after a supposed rampage. Although he doesn't recall anything, he allegedly attacked a pawnbroker and an apothecary, both of whom are on the town council and are voting to usurp the mayor and kick Yennefer out of Rinde. Yennefer had Geralt enact revenge on her behalf. Chireadan tried to stop him, but the guards assumed he was there to abet. The sentence is to be cast by the same council members Geralt attacked. It is sure to be death. Chireadan questions why Geralt would go see Yennefer despite his warnings. Although, admittedly, he could've better prepared Geralt, who questions if Chireadan is under her spell as well. But Chireadan isn't under a spell cast by Yennefer, he's in love with her.
A guard enters and begins attacking Geralt as they've been sentenced to death. As he prepares to finish him off, Geralt makes a wish; that the guard would burst, and he does just that. His head explodes. As it turns out, Geralt has the wishes, not Jaskier.
Geralt arrives just as Jaskier is exiting the mayor's home. He realizes that Yennefer is trying to become the vessel in order to gain more power and rushes inside to prevent her from killing herself. Yennefer is struggling to maintain the djinn. It's getting stronger because as Geralt explains, it is he who has the wishes. Geralt refuses to make the last wish in fear that Yennefer becoming a vessel for the djinn would have her lose control. Yennefer becomes unstable. The house itself starts to collapse. In order to stop her, Geralt makes his final wish and the djinn is freed. The building then caves in on them.
Before they are crushed by the building around them, Yennefer manages to portal herself and Geralt downstairs. She blames him for the djinn's escape and the mayhem it will surely wreak. Geralt informs her that djinn are only dark creatures when they're held captive. He's certain that it won't cause much harm now that it's free. Geralt and Yennefer then proceed to have sex. Afterwards, Yennefer asks what he wished for, but Geralt does not reveal his last wish to her.
Hunting a Dragon
Geralt and Jaskier were approached by Borch Three Jackdaws and his two Zerrikanian companions Téa and Véa. They sought Geralt out hoping to gain his assistance in slaying a green dragon that had landed across the border in King Niedamir's mountains. Locals spotted it and went after it in search of treasure. They succeeded only in wounding the creature and angering it so righteously that it swooped down from its lair and set half a hillside ablaze. The king was set to marry the princess of a rival kingdom, Malleore, and he's concerned with the creature's presence. So, he commissioned a hunt to kill it and four teams had signed on. The winner got the dragon's treasure board and the title of lord over one of King Niedamir's vassal states.
Geralt initially declined Borch's offer as he didn't kill dragons. However, Borch 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. Joining them on the hunt were a group of dwarves and Reavers. With the introduction of Yennefer and Eyck of Denesle as the fourth team, Geralt agreed to join Borch on his hunt, much to Jaskier's disapproval.
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 much 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. "A great knight never wastes a kill", he replied. It's why he'd make a great lord after slaying the dragon. With Yennefer as his mage. 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 Fringilla as his mage. Wouldn't be long before they tried to take Sodden.
Jaskier doubted the mere existence of dragons until Geralt assured them to be real, though their numbers were dwindling. Green dragons were the most common. Red dragons less so. Black dragons were the rarest. Borch added that gold dragons were, in fact, the rarest. Geralt retorted that they were a myth. Whether that be true or not, gold dragons met the same fate of any other dragon; they 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 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 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 a child. He then unintentionally revealed to Yennefer his Child Surprise.
Yarpen and his men have 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 that of a dwarf. The board broke beneath Borch's feet and he falls, as does 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 did 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. Her scent was mesmerizing. The moment he dreaded most every time she left is when it faded. Yennefer reminded Geralt that it was he who left first in Rinde. She woke up in the destroyed house, and he was gone. Geralt asked for forgiveness and kissed Yennefer.
After having sex, Yennefer questioned if the rumors were true about witchers being devoid of human emotion. Geralt explained that was false. People say whatever justified despising his kind. If the choice had been 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. Geralt assured Yennefer that she was important to him.
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 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 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 heard about the king's hunt and realized they had to keep their enemies close. So, Borch came to find Geralt, the knight who was taught to save dragons rather than kill them. Boholt and his gang of Reavers arrived, forcing Geralt, Yennefer, Tèa, and Vèa to defend the dragons.
Geralt and Yennefer defended one entrance to the cave while Tèa and Vèa defended the other. They are 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.
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 her. 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. Because Geralt 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 blamed Jaskier 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 would get the story from the others to write his song and depart.
Imprisoned in Cintra
Geralt arranged a meeting with Mousesack to ensure his Child of surprise was healthy and being taken care of. Mousesack informed him that Princess Cirilla had been raised by Calanthe since her parents died. Pavetta and Duny's ship was lost at sea. Geralt warned Mousesack that he saw an army of Nilfgaard soldiers making camp at the Amelia Pass. Mousesack assured Geralt that the queen had done everything she could to ensure her family's safety. Geralt suddenly spotted men moving through the tunnels. He suspected that Calanthe got word of his arrival and sent assassins to kill him. Surrounded and outnumbered, Geralt held Mousesack hostage. In order to get to him, they'd first have 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 been away for 12 years and planned on staying that way until Calanthe sent eight men to kill him. Geralt came to protect Ciri, who Calanthe raised on her own. When Calanthe tried to buy Geralt off, Mousesack interjected that money can't undo the Law of Surprise. King's who've tried to outbid destiny ended up on pikes. Danek and Lazlo drew their swords as Geralt approached. He advises Calanthe to give the child over to him if she had any doubt in her mind that Ciri wasn't safe in Cintra. Geralt promised to take her, protect, and bring her back unharmed. Calanthe reluctantly agreed 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 on giving her up, and instead, 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 tried to send him off with a girl 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 word any further thought. The last time she listened to him, she let a hedgehog into her court, which ultimately resulted in Pavetta's death. Calanthe refused to lose Ciri the same way she 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 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 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 jumped out her window, to her death. Geralt ran back into the castle to find Ciri. Instead, he found several Nilfgaard soldiers, all of whom he murdered when they refused to tell him where to find her.
Bitten by a Ghoul
Cintra went up in flames in the aftermath of the Nilfgaard attack. Geralt remained in the castle, still in search of Princess Cirilla. He left the kingdom after realizing that she was already gone. During his travels, he came across a decimated Cintran refugee camp. There, he crossed paths with a merchant named Yurga, giving them a proper burial. Geralt sensed danger and advised the man to leave the grounds. Instead, Yurga stayed to ensure the bodies were properly laid to rest. In doing so, he was attacked by ghouls, who emerged from the ground beneath his feet. Luckily, Geralt returned to save Yurga. But he was bitten in the process of slaying the creatures. The bite took effect almost instantly, and Geralt passed out.
Yurga travelled through the woods of Sodden with Geralt going in and out of consciousness on the back of his carriage. The ghoul bite made him delirious, but he was still alive. In his delirious state, Geralt recalled moments with his mother, Visenna, where she instilled in him a moral code; "we must live and let live."
Geralt awakened on the back of Yurga's carriage. He inquired about the nearby explosions. 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. With him on the back of the carriage that she steered. She stopped and ask 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. Lastly, he hallucinated actually seeing his mother. She explained that he was saved by his pulse. Which was 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 says to her. She then asked who is Yennefer.
