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Anabelle |
Geralt encountered this young woman’s ghost in the uppermost room in the haunted tower on When enraged peasants stormed the tower, she feared they would ravage her honor if they found her alive and so took a magic potion that put her in a corpse-like state of paralysis. When she awoke, she found herself lying amidst the bodies of her family and servants, unable to move. She watched in helpless horror as rats feasted on the pile of corpses and began to nibble on her as well. This grisly death must have somehow put a curse on her and the tower, for her ghost had wandered it in restless torment ever since. Geralt engaged his vast experience with such curses to search for a possible solution. Having learned that Anabelle had loved a simple fisherman named Geralt agreed to take the young woman’s remains to her love to have him give her a proper burial. Geralt hoped this would lift the evil spell on the cursed isle and bring Anabelle peace at long last. Sadly, what Geralt took to be the ghost of an innocent woman was in fact death and disease in spirit form - a being known as a pesta, or plague maiden. Having lured Geralt into the open, it killed the unfortunate Graham and then escaped to spread the pox and feed on human suffering. It is possible that this incident caused the local outbreak of Catriona that devastated the kingdom of Kerack and sowed the seeds of the coastal city’s ultimate downfall. Yet when Geralt tried to leave the tower, the wraith revealed its true nature. It turned out what Geralt took to be the ghost of an innocent girl was in fact a plague maiden - death and disease in spirit form. Perhaps there was something in the girl’s words that had put Geralt on his guard, or perhaps his witcher instincts simply warned him in time - either way, Geralt knew what he was dealing with a literal second before Anabelle revealed her true nature. The spirit was in fact a pesta - a plague maiden, a terrible wraith which spreads death and pestilence. |
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Anna Strenger |
Geralt did not meet Geralt did, however, receive a detailed description of the missing woman. Anna was a comely forty-something woman with green eyes and hair dark as raven wings which she kept tied in a tight bun behind her head. Geralt discovered that Anna’s marital life had not been working out as well as she might have hoped. She had recently been pregnant, but lost her child for unknown reasons shortly before her disappearance. When Geralt pushed the baron about the matter, the ugly truth finally came out. Desperate and miserable, Anna had fled, taking Tamara with her, after her drunken husband beat her badly. The baron was convinced Anna had miscarried because of his actions, but Geralt was not so certain about this - he couldn’t stop thinking about the strange talisman meant to ward off evil power Anna had received from the pellar. During their heart-to-heart the baron gave Geralt a somewhat clearer image of the Strengers’ married life. While her husband was off leading military campaigns, Anna would seek comfort in the arms of a childhood friend. Once the baron discovered the truth, he fell into an indescribable fury and killed Anna’s lover, something which, predictably enough, further deepened the chasm separating the couple. During his search for Anna Geralt discovered, to his great astonishment, that she and the gray-haired old woman in the swamp were one and the same person. The marks on her hands seemed to be symbols of some mysterious pact she had made with the The situation grew even more entangled when Geralt discovered that, after fleeing Crow’s Perch, Anna had been taken captive by some gigantic beast who carried her off into the darkness. As If that weren’t horror enough, eyewitness testimony claimed her hands had burned with strange, glowing symbols shortly before this. Perhaps this was precisely what the talisman Anna had received from the pellar had been meant to guard against? Tamara only deepened Geralt’s sad understanding of her mother’s situation. The women had decided to flee together because they had had enough of the baron’s drunken rages and beatings. Anna hated her husband so much that she was ready to do anything in order to be free of the man - and the child he had put inside her. Geralt put the facts together and realized the old woman in the swamps was, in fact, Anna, the baron’s missing wife. He also learned that the signs on her hands were symbols of the pact she had made with the Crones in order to get rid of her unwanted child. Anna was found in the end, but the events she had witnessed and took part in had left such a deep mark on her body and mind that she would never again be the same. Her mind had quite simply cracked under the weight of it all, dropping her into an abyss of horror and despair. Though Anna was found in the end, she was no longer herself, for a terrible curse had transformed her into a monster. The witcher had a good idea who had prepared this fate for her. with a curse which made the fetus inside her wither on the vine, taking Anna’s life energy with it. In despair she turned to the pellar, who made her a talisman to hamper the evil magic’s influence. Anna had lost this during her fight with the baron and was thus rendered defenseless against the Crones’ magic. After that, the worst was free to happen - the markings on her palms began to burn and a fiend dragged her to the heart of Crookback Bog, where she paid back her debt as the Crones’ slave. Geralt snapped the evil spell afflicting Anna, restoring her true form. Yet the Crones had a included one last nasty pinch of vengeance in their vile brew that caused Anna to die as soon as she regained her freedom. Anna’s loved ones had time only for a brief farewell before she parted. Geralt snapped the evil spell afflicting Anna, restoring her true form. Yet the Crones had a included one last nasty pinch of vengeance in their vile brew that caused Anna to die as soon as she regained her freedom. Tamara and the baron had time only for a brief farewell before she parted. Despite the witcher’s best efforts, he did not succeed in lifting Anna’s curse. To the despair and horror of all who witnessed it, Anna Strenger died a horrible death, incinerated by the Crones’ last act of vengeance. |
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Arnvald |
After Guthlaf, trusted seneschal to the an Craite jarls, passed away a portion of his duties were taken over by the jarl’s cupbearer, His purview included not only stocking the larders and cellars of Kaer Trolde but also seeing to the needs of the keep’s inhabitants, as well as the guests that visited it during feasts and other important ceremonies. That is why his betrayal could not have come as a greater surprise. When caught, Arnvald confessed to his role in the murderous conspiracy, revealing his patron as well as his long-seething hatred for Clan an Craite. That is why his betrayal could not have come as a greater surprise. His motivations, however, remained a secret that he took to his grave, for he died while trying to escape, killed on his patron’s orders. |
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Auberon |
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Bart the Troll |
Bart, the troll guarding That is why trolls, ogres and, as a last result, magic crossbreeds were highly prized for such roles. |
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Birna |
It can be difficult for a woman to gain the esteem of knights and warriors not accustomed to seeing female hands on the reins of power. It helps little when, like Justified or not, Birna’s desire to rewrite age-old Skellige traditions put her at odds with the jarls and made it unlikely she would be remembered alongside Calanthe of Cintra or Meve of Lyria as a successful and revered ruler. Birna likewise refused to hide her disgust with the custom of choosing a ruler by vote of the jarls. She dreamed of establishing a hereditary kingship in Skellige and thought the ideal dynasty to hold it was her own, starting with her and In all probability it was this longing for power that drove Birna to concoct the conspiracy that ended in the massacre at Kaer Trolde. The evidence gathered by Geralt and Birna fulfilled her dream of placing her son on the throne of Skellige, but her plans to control Svanrige’s every action were foiled. The freshly-crowned king quickly made it clear he would rule on his own. |
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Blueboy Lugos |
Yet others suspected they came from his father’s belt, rod or fists, for rumor had it Lugos Senior did not wish to spoil his only child and thus punished him harshly for any minor cockup or grander failure. The events Geralt witnessed in the Cave of Dreams confirmed rumors of Lugos , troubled relationship with his father. Blueboy’s greatest fear turned out to be the Madman in his family tree.
True or not, that is how the skalds commemorate him in song to this day. |
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Bran |
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Brewess |
The Crone known as During the she was slain by Ciri’s blade. |
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Caleb Menge |
In those days rampant persecution and the smoke of a hundred pyres choked Novigrad’s air. This grim climate provided cover in which a great many bloody butchers built comfortable nests for themselves. Drummed-up conspiracies, mass arrests and show trials resulting in group executions were the favorite building blocks.
Geralt first saw Menge lighting Chappelle’s pyre in Novigrad’s main square and had no doubt that, for this man, the appellation “fanatical whoreson” was too mild by far. Which is why I was not pleased - to say the least - when an unfortunate turn of events led to my capture by the agents of this vile man. The paranoid executioner never set foot outside his fortified headquarters without a crowd of armed guards to accompany him. Knowing my life was on the line, my friends decided to pursue a risky plan to infiltrate Menge’s offices - their only hope for a face-to-face meeting with the man. Upon closer acquaintance, Menge only confirmed Geralt’s initial impression of his bestiality. Luckily the witcher’s blade ended this madman’s life and rid the world of one the more hideous monsters ever to walk its surface. Menge only confirmed Geralt’s initial impression of his bestiality upon closer acquaintance. Luckily Triss’ dagger ended this madman’s life and rid the world of one the more hideous monsters to ever walk its surface. |
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Caranthir |
This Aen Elle elf was one of He was also a master of more immediate forms of transport, such as the teleportation he made ample use of during the attack on Yet even with his tricks and spells Caranthir still died during the final battle against the Wild Hunt, his body swallowed up by the cold waters of the ocean. |
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Carduin of Lan Exeter |
Carduin of Kovir was once a wealthy and influential member of the Council of Sorcerers, a man known and respected by all the rulers of the North. After the Council imploded during the coup on Thanedd Isle, Carduin spared no expense in his quest to rebuild his brotherhood’s hard-won position. This motivated him to take part in the eventful summit in Loc Muinne, during which a handful of mages seeking to reactivate the Council were forced to accept King Radovid’s patronage. After that Carduin found himself on the king’s leash, completely dependent on the whims and moods of a mad ruler whom he served not out of respect but fear. The mage’s pride, however, forced him to don a brave face and play out the hand fate had dealt him. |
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Cerys an Craite |
While in
Though Cerys’ decision to stake a claim to Skellige’s throne came as a shock to everyone else, she had thought it over quite thoroughly beforehand. Striving as always to outdo her brother, she intended to perform a great deed that would earn her widespread recognition and respect. That is why she had sailed to Spikeroog to free Jarl Cerys did what she set out to do - with the witcher’s help she freed clan Cerys accepted her defeat in her race for the crown against her brother Hjalmar with dignity. She also made it clear beyond all doubt that the new leader of Skellige had her full support. Once again Sparrowhawk gave proof of her cunning, this time by unmasking All these feats convinced the Skelligers that Cerys was fit to be queen. Though it was clear it would take some time before the young ruler could step entirely out of her father and brother’s shadow, the greater part of the islanders were pleased and proud with their choice of ruler. Sadly Crach’s daughter died alongside her brother during a failed attack on the Nilfgaardian fleet. The inhabitants of Skellige long mourned the brave Sparrowhawk’s premature death. |
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Chappelle |
Geralt and I had long known that Sadly, the chancellor’s conciliatory style must have raised suspicions as a wave of terror and persecution began to swell over Novigrad. The doppler was found out, arrested and burned at the stake for the greater glory of the Eternal Fire. |
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Cleaver |
A joke circulates about the back alleys and seedy taverns of Novigrad. It claims the dwarf Carlo Varese, one of the four leading lights of the local criminal strata, was, in his own way, a fierce proponent of racial coexistence. He applied this principle in a somewhat selective fashion, however.
Cleaver was famed for his hot temper. What boiled his blood hottest of all, however, were folk who thought they could pull one over on him. No wonder, then, that the attack by Whoreson’s thugs riled him somewhat. The violent tirade he directed at Wiley clearly contained not idle threats but promises he meant to keep, even if doing so meant leaving half a district of the city in ruins. |
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Corinne Tilly |
Oneiromancy, the magic art of deciphering the past and the future as they appear in dreams, is difficult for even a highly trained sorceress to master. Those born with the talent, however, excel at it without any formal education. Such was the case of This gifted woman could not only dream of past events herself, but also induce revelatory dreams in persons searching for direction or answers to specific questions. These abilities proved to be of great use to Geralt in his search. |
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Crach an Craite |
There will be few exaggerations in such a tale, for Crach, the mightiest of Skellige’s jarls, truly did possess all the traits of a hero. He aroused terror in his enemies - in fact, Nilfgaardian mothers would use his name to frighten their children into obedience, and all in that empire spoke in hushed tones of the infamous Tirth ys Muire, the Wild Boar of the Sea, who devastated coastal provinces during frequent and terrible raids. Geralt had known Crach for long, since a time when as a young man the jarl had sought the hand of young Pavetta, Ciri’s mother. After To the islanders, honor is the most prized of virtues. Crach thus agreed without hesitation to live up to the pledge he made many years ago on behalf of himself and his entire clan and supported the search for Crach also did not balk when the time came to stand and fight |
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Donar an Hindar |
Few jarls of Donar’s home was, like Freya’s temple, on Hindarsfjall. As befits a neighbor to the gods, Donar was famed for his wise, considered opinions and his piety. This last did not, however, extend to the gods of the Continent, whose rich sanctuaries he had often raided in his youth. |
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Dudu Biberveldt |
Geralt and I had known the doppler Dudu for years - from before the moment we had actually met him, in fact. You see, we first unwittingly talked to him when he was in Novigrad impersonating another friend of mine, a halfling merchant named Dainty Biberveldt. Dudu had assumed Dainty’s form to use the merchant’s network of contacts for some business endeavors of his own. Dainty was infuriated at first at his inability to locate the impostor who had inserted himself into his dealings, but when Dudu’s investments began generating sizable returns, the halfling changed his tune. He took the doppler on as a partner, introducing him to everyone as his cousin, Geralt learned that Dudu had crossed Ciri, Dudu and I had all embroiled ourselves in quite the fiasco, but unlike me, the doppler was not caught by the temple guard. Dudu was a theater aficionado and frequent attendee of Irena’s mummers’ performances. Apparently he had even stepped in to replace indisposed mummers on several occasions - and, given his special abilities, proved himself a uniquely convincing understudy. Finally, after a great deal of trouble and thanks to a clever ruse, Geralt was reunited with his old friend - and a certain imprisoned poet’s only hope. To end Dudu’s story, let me just say that, as usual, he found a way to land on his feet. Dudu disguised himself as his one-time adversary, Whoreson Junior, and took over his business, announcing it was going clean and investing all its ill-gotten wealth in a legal (and very profitable) overseas trading company. In a way, you could say he was living the “Novigrad dream.” |
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Elihal |
Geralt erroneously interpreted one of my notes to mean that Geralt found this out when he visited Elihal’s tailor shop, where he also got a first-hand glimpse at the elf’s unusual hobby - adopting the dress and mannerisms of those different from himself in race, sex and social status. |
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Ermion |
Most druids in This stiff-bearded, spindly man was the leader of the Druids’ Circle in Skellige. He was also Jarl Ermion was known to be obstinate and to have a tendency, quite rare in Skellige, to consider all possible consequences of a particular course of action before it was undertaken. All this meant that conversing with him demanded a considerable amount of time and patience. Given all this, one can hardly be surprised that Yennefer and Geralt’s “rash” and “highly irresponsible” actions regarding the magic anomaly - stealing a priceless artifact from a private chamber being first among them - put Ermion quite out of sorts. However, despite his difficult character and his somewhat testy relationship with Geralt, Ermion agreed at once to travel to When persuasion and reason failed, Ermion would, as a last resort, turn to violence - and then he became a foe to be reckoned with.
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Eskel |
the first round of selections, the murderous Changes, the Trial of the Grasses, and training on the Gauntlet - the witchers’ daunting obstacle course. They also received hidings together for more than one act of childish delinquency. When they became adults, they walked the Path separately, but still reconvened at Though Perhaps this traumatic experience lay at the root of Eskel’s dislike for Yennefer, though he tried not to let this get in the way of his friendship with Geralt. Eskel took active part in the defense of Kaer Morhen, standing bravely in the face of overwhelming odds to fight one of the Hunt’s generals. When |
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Felicia Cori |
Geralt had been in situations where he could not prevent someone’s death on more than one occasion. In fact, you might say he had grown accustomed to that particular form of agony. It is another thing altogether, however, to stand powerless and watch the unjust, cruel execution of an acquaintance for whom one has developed a fondness. Such was his lot as regards |
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Folan |
Many brave warriors answered It would have ended horribly for him, however, had the witcher not kept his wits about him and saved him from the clutches of hungry trolls by winning a riddle contest. Folan proved his skill with a bow by riddling the Ice Giant with arrows during the final fight against the colossus, a deed recounted to this day during Kaer Trolde feasts. In order to pay the |
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Francis Bedlam, the King of Beggars |
The Free City of Novigrad had known no king’s rule for nearly two hundred years. Francis Bedlam surely had this fact in mind when he anointed himself the King of Beggars, a title that mocked the pomposity of crowned heads while simultaneously stealing a bit of said pomp for itself. Bedlam was a pragmatic man, a trait of great use in his profession, which involved managing a network of thieves, beggars, tramps and street urchins that trickled through every part of the city. His contacts provided him with the freshest gossip and tastiest morsels of information, and the cut he took of his “subjects’” earnings guaranteed a sizeable income for the maintenance of his “court” in the Putrid Grove. Francis despised fanaticism and prejudice in equal measure, which meant that mages fleeing the witch hunters’ pincers often turned to him for protection. |
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Fringilla Vigo |
either serve their country unquestioningly or die in prison.
One must mention here that Geralt first met Fringilla at the ducal palace in Beauclair many years ago, when we were there enjoying the hospitality of my one-time love, Duchess All indications were that Fringilla had been arrested and remained in a Nilfgaardian prison, undoubtedly awaiting execution for acts of high treason. She was later released, however, thanks to a bargain Yennefer had struck with Emhyr. |
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Fugas |
The devil In size, Fugas resembled a somewhat overgrown troll, and he likewise displayed a troll’s lack of subtlety. There was not a jot of mischievous puck or cunning verbal trickster about this “devil.” Instead, he did his job with the commitment and professionalism of a Novigrad bouncer. Trying to stop Geralt, though, turned out to be Fugas’ dumbest and last idea, ending both his life and his flourishing career in the Crones’ employ. |
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Ge'els |
Intelligent, composed and endowed with massive charisma, For this reason Ge’els not only retained his high-ranking position after Though Ge’els was one of the most influential of the Aen Elle, power had never been among his driving aims. According to As predicted, Ge’els acted out of loyalty to his former king and withdrew support for Eredin once he learned the truth about Auberon’s death. This momentous act portended important ramifications for the outcome of the coming battle. |
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Graden |
Geralt’s subsequent encounters with Graden confirmed his suspicion that the man was not a typical hunter. Graden was unorthodox in his methods, prioritizing results over ideological purity and a strict adherence to the hunters’ codex, even though, as he was undoubtedly aware, this approach would hardly endear him to his superiors. After the affair in the swamp was over, he returned to Oxenfurt, taking Tamara with him. |
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Graham |
Exactly how the young man had participated in the incident in the tower remained rather unclear. What was certain was that he tried to defend his beloved and fled Fyke Isle right after what he thought was her death… Stories about poor fishermen in love with their lord’s daughters are not wont to end happily, but even the most tragic-quilled poet would find what Graham and Anabelle experienced excessively cruel. Their desire for happiness and mutual love was defeated by the cruelty of fate and the greed of men, damning the young couple to eternal suffering – Graham without his love at his side, Anabelle as a tortured soul wandering between the living and the dead. There was nothing left to the witcher but to bring the young man Anabelle’s earthly remains, hoping that a proper burial would bring peace to the girl’s spirit and lift the curse. Yet though the evil spell was indeed broken, this story still did not have a happy ending. A devious ghost of the plague was freed, and Graham became its first victim… Graham filled Geralt in on the rest of the story, one in which youthful longing for happiness lost out to fate’s cruelties and human greed. Having learned there was a slim chance he could save his beloved’s ghost, the fisherman set out at once to help the witcher lift the curse weighing down on the isle. Yet though the evil spell was indeed broken, this story still did not have a happy ending. Despite his courage and dedication, Graham died while saving the one he had never ceased to love. |
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Gran |
In times of war one often encounters those who have suffered cruelly at the hands of fate. Geralt was thus not shocked to meet the woman who the children in the Velen swamps called Whatever her woes, it was clear she cared for the war orphans in her charge with love and devotion. Gran bore strange marks on her hands that burned with living fire. In time they proved to be signs of her indentured servitude to the When Geralt heard from the fisherman about burning marks on Anna’s hands, he quickly added one and one to draw a conclusion. Though recent events had changed her nearly beyond all recognition, the Gran he had met in the swamps must have been the When Geralt saw the marks on the woman’s hands, he quickly realized she must be the Bloody Baron’s wife, though changed beyond all recognition by the hardship she had suffered. Geralt’s first attempts to talk to her came to nothing. He was only able to break through her mistrust with the help of a godling named |
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Hendrik |
Considering the way spy corps of all stripes tend to function, “ After asking around, Geralt learned a “Hendrik” lived in the village of Sadly, Geralt arrived too late. The village had been ravaged, its inhabitants slaughtered and Hendrik’s service to Nilfgaard terminated in a most violent and disturbing manner. Yet the agent showed such determination before he died that |
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Hjalborn |
Young Despite his young age he had already managed to achieve some renown, both during overseas raids and while fighting the monsters dwelling in the dangerous regions of the archipelago. His deeds had earned him enough fame, name-recognition and treasure that he stood a good chance of being elected king. Halbjorn’s courage and bravery were not enough, however, to save him from the massacre of Kaer Trolde. |
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Hjalmar an Craite |
The saying “like father, like son” fits Crach and his first born son to a tittle. Young An extremely able, broad-shouldered swordsman, he had the makings of a superb warrior, and his charisma and tendency towards almost mad bravura meant he could stir the hearts of loot- and glory-craving youth from all All these traits made Hjalmar an obvious choice for the next king of Skellige. He thus did not hesitate to stake his claim when the time for this arrived and immediately set off for Undvik to prove his heroism by battling the legendary Hjalmar accomplished what he set out to do. Fighting side by side with the witcher he defeated the fierce colossus of Undvik. Though his sister was chosen to be ruler instead of him, Hjalmar did not bear a grudge and decided to lend her reign all his strength, an act that showed surprising political maturity. Young an Craite proved his valor when he and the witcher avenged the guests murdered during the infamous “Bloody Banquet” at Kaer Trolde. By this deed he also cleared his family name of all dishonor. All these feats convinced Skelligers that Hjalmar was fit to be king. Though it was clear it would take some time before the young ruler could step entirely out of his father’s shadow, most islanders were pleased and proud with their choice of ruler. When discussing Hjalmar’s heroic deeds it surely must be mentioned that he did not hesitate to support Geralt by answering his call and defending Ciri at Hjalmar’s hot temper turned out to be his doom in the end. Young an Craite died alongside his sister while leading one of the first attacks on the Nilfgaardian fleet. |
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Hjort |
It is my humble opinion that the most one can learn from staring at the innards of a gutted animal is whether the poor beast was infested with parasites. Nevertheless, Word was that he commanded a great deal of respect and esteem amongst his fellow practitioners, having more than once accurately prophesied the future and interpreted the meaning of obtuse dreams. This druid was devoted to Clan Hjort had tried to alleviate the suffering brought on by his jarl’s strange condition, but despite his efforts no progress was made in stopping the decline in Udalryk’s mental health. |
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Holger Blackhand |
The dour-faced jarl of Faroe owed his nickname to the dark coloring of his hand and forearm, left there by frostbite he suffered when his longship hit an underwater boulder during a freak autumn blizzard. Even judging by |
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Hubert Rejk |
The wave of religious and racially-motivated killings that swept through Novigrad in the spring of 1272 coincided with Because of this he was overworked and additionally had to bear the harassment of his dislikeable superior, Reverend Nathaniel. It is thus no surprise that he came across as unpleasant and sarcastic when Geralt and he first met. Furthermore, it was clear there was bad blood between him and It turned out that Hubert had once been Von Gratz’s teacher and mentor. Yet when Von Gratz’s involvement in the student movement led to bloodshed, Hubert felt he had no choice but to denounce his advisee in order to avoid an escalation of violence. Hubert proposed to help the witcher perform an autopsy on the serial killer’s latest victim, which revealed valuable new clues. Rejk might have succeeded in shifting the blame to another suspect if not for the witcher’s perspicacity. Geralt had already figured out Rejk was the true murderer, but was shocked to learn he was also a powerful vampire. Luckily Geralt had considerable experience and a honed skill set to draw on for fighting such a creature. He killed the beast and ended his twisted moral crusade. When it turned out Rejk had been behind the murders from the very start, Geralt could only curse his short-sightedness and stupidity. It was too late to repair his earlier mistakes. The crazed fanatic escaped justice and left to continue his sick moral crusade elsewhere. |
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Imlerith |
This powerful and brutal warrior had fought in the countless battles and campaigns for conquest waged by the Aen Elle in other worlds. He prized physical confrontation above all else, seeking out direct, bloody skirmishes where opponents pit their strength, agility and training against each other in a contest to the death. Imlerith attacked Regardless of race or birth, most warriors share common desires and delights. Imlerith was no exception. Geralt and Ciri thus decided to meet him there and engage him in a final confrontation. Geralt won this battle, killing Imlerith and thus avenging the death of his master, Vesemir. |
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Irina Renarde |
Her performance in such acclaimed plays as “Love in a Time of Contempt,” “The |
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Joachim von Gratz |
We met I must admit I was so shaken I hardly remember our first meeting, save that he was a cool-headed doctor who seemed to know a great deal about the previous murders and offered his help investigating the matter. It seemed the surgeon was no stranger to violence, for he bore a formidable scar worthy of a veteran of the Battle of Brenna. Geralt also noted that Von Gratz seemed quite experienced at navigating the sewers and fighting the monsters dwelling within it. It was hard not to notice that Joachim von Gratz did not care much for the city coroner, It was hard not to notice that Joachim von Gratz did not care much for the city coroner, Hubert Rejk, who dropped in unexpectedly on Geralt and the doctor at the morgue. When asked why, von Gratz explained that, thirty years earlier, Hubert had denounced him to the authorities for his political activities. The coroner confirmed what his former student claimed, yet added an additional detail - he had made his denunciation only after von Gratz’s activities had resulted in several deaths. In the end von Gratz was eliminated as a suspect, but like Geralt he had to admit defeat in his attempts to outwit the psychopathic murderer. |
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Johnny |
When the children in the swamp clearing first told Geralt about Geralt thus suspected Johnny was the figment of childish imaginations, an imaginary friend for lonely orphans. Long years of experience, however, told him not to ignore any possible lead, so he decided to search the nearby swampland for any additional signs of Johnny. It turned out the orphans were not lying - Johnny really did exist. He was not a human child but a godling, one of a rare breed of creatures that can be found scattered about the Continent’s wildernesses. Unfortunately Johnny had lost his voice in circumstances he obviously could not explain, and so neither could he provide much in the way of answers to Geralt’s questions. Once Geralt had helped him regain his voice, however, he talked up a veritable storm, giving the lie to all the tales of these legendary beings’ supposed shyness. Johnny also agreed to convince I know from personal experience that a good heart, noble reflexes and the wrong word at the wrong time can get a fellow in all sorts of trouble. Johnny learned this as well when he tried to intercede on Gran’s behalf with the Geralt had thought his and Johnny’s paths would never cross again, but fate had other plans. When he and Ciri arrived at the Crones’ sabbath they ran into Johnny. He was with Sarah, another Godling Geralt knew from a previous adventure in Novigrad. The witchers learned both godlings had received an offer they couldn’t refuse from the Crones and, willing or not, would have to attend the sabbath. They had no intention of tarrying there long, however, and when the first opportunity arrived they seized it and left that filth-ridden place. Before they did, Johnny told Geralt and Ciri what to do to gain access to the peak of the mountain, where Geralt had thought his and Johnny’s paths would never cross again, but fate had other plans. When he and Ciri arrived at the Crones’ sabbath they ran into Johnny. It seemed the godling had received an offer he couldn’t refuse from the Crones and, willing or not, would have to attend the sabbath. He had no intention of tarrying there long, however, and when the first opportunity arrived he seized it and left that filth-ridden place. Before he did, Johnny told Geralt and Ciri what to do to gain access to the peak of the mountain, where Imlerith himself was celebrating the dark feast. |
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Keira Metz |
Geralt first met Geralt later learned the reason for this, and Keira’s fate gave him ample fodder for contemplating the cruel whimsies of the wheel of fortune. Once the esteemed advisor to the now late King Foltest, she had been chased out of Temeria when she lost that ruler’s trust. Later she joined the Lodge of Sorceresses, which earned her the hatred of Redania’s king and Nilfgaard’s emperor alike. Because of this, she had gone deep undercover, posing as a cunning woman, a village witch of sorts, deep in the Velen boondocks. It was not at all difficult to tell that she despised every minute of this. Keira quickly seized on the witcher as an impromptu assistant. In return for showing him where a certain mysterious elf dwelled, she asked Geralt to help her retrieve a magic lamp from the nearby elven ruins. lifting the curse from the tower on Keira had never stopped longing for the luster of life at a royal court. Thatch-roofed huts could hardly compare to elegant ballrooms and palace gardens. One day she decided to organize an interlude from Velen’s grim atmosphere by treating herself to a sumptuous meal. Acquiring the refined ingredients proved less trouble than finding an appropriate dinner partner - that is, until Geralt showed up. The witcher gladly accepted the sorceress’ invitation -and continued saying yes all evening. Keira had never stopped longing for the luster of life at a royal court. Thatch-roofed huts could hardly compare to elegant ballrooms and palace gardens. One day she decided to organize an interlude from Velen’s grim atmosphere by treating herself to a sumptuous meal. Acquiring the refined ingredients proved less trouble than finding an appropriate dinner partner - that is, until Geralt showed up. The witcher gladly accepted the sorceress’ invitation for dinner - but, showing unusual restraint, turned down her other, decidedly unambiguous propositions. Sadly, an evening that started out so nicely ended quite unfortunately for the witcher. Keira put him to sleep with a secretly-cast spell. Clearly, she wanted to hide something from him… It turned out that Keira had played the witcher like a well-tuned harp, strumming all the right chords to keep him occupied while she stole the mage Though her planned move was as stupid as it was risky, Keira was deaf to all Geralt’s arguments. In the end he had to admit he had no right to stop her, and so Keira left, taking Alexander’s notes with her. In the end Geralt succeeded in squelching Keira’s mad plan to bargain with a man whose favorite negotiating tools were red-hot pincers and burning pyres. Keira changed her destination from Oxenfurt to the decidedly safer confines of Keira was determined to get her way, but Geralt could not allow her to carry out her plans. Both refused to budge, leading to a fight in which Keira Metz lost her life. During the battle for Kaer Morhen Keira fought bravely against Later it turned out that fighting side by side had forged a bond between Keira and Lambert and they decided to continue developing it after the battle was over. This confirmed my theory that witchers and sorceresses clearly share some mystical mutual attraction. Sadly the sorceress’ desperate plans fell apart in the face of Radovid’s cruel madness. Keira Metz shared the unhappy fate of so many of her fellow mages and was executed on Radovid’s orders. Geralt never found out why Keira had cast that spell, nor why she had expressed such an interest in Fyke Isle. Her execution, however, gave indisputable proof that her plan, whatever it was, ended in failure. |
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Lambert |
The youngest among the witchers of Yet he had also developed a reputation for arrogance and sardonic humor, and his gruff and at times excessively blunt manner could irritate even his fellow witchers of the School of the If destiny truly chooses which boys become witchers, then in Lambert’s case it had made a twisted, cruel choice. After hearing his story, Geralt had to admit that Lambert had every reason to be unenthused about the lot fate had granted him. A chance encounter of two witchers hunting the same ekimmara turned into a tale of old friendship, murder and vengeance. The moral of the story? Don’t mess with Lambert. Though Lambert made no secret of his hatred for Kaer Morhen, when the time came to stand in its defense, he did so without a second thought. Sadly, during the battle Lambert found himself overwhelmed by enemy forces. Relief came too late and he was cut down by the Wild Hunt’s warriors. During this battle he came within a hair’s breadth of losing his life. Luckily, Geralt arrived in the nick of time and together they held back his attackers. During this battle, he came within a hair’s breadth of losing his life. Luckily Keira arrived in the nick of time and together they held back his attackers. It just might be that Lambert and Keira’s later (and somewhat unexpected) relationship came about as a result of that moment, when they fought for survival at each other’s side. It is also possible it was a simple matter of two attractive people taking a liking to each other. At any rate, only time could tell what would become of the couple. |
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Letho |
Some friends you see after many years apart and you immediately develop a headache. Not out of antipathy, but as a somatic premonition of the hangover sure to follow your drunken reunion. Seeing others, however, gives you an itching pain in your back and a desire to reach for your blade. For Geralt, It thus came as quite a shock when he happened across Letho in a barn loft somewhere in the war-ravaged Temerian borderlands. It turned out Letho’s former employer was less than satisfied with his performance and had set a variety of blood hounds on his trail. In these circumstances, the presence of another witcher to guard his back was more than welcome. Geralt, however, could not shake the bad taste left in his mouth by their prior interactions and went his own way, leaving Letho to clean up his own mess. It turned out Letho’s former employer was less than satisfied with his performance and had set a variety of blood hounds on his trail. In these circumstances, the presence of another witcher to guard his back was more than welcome. Geralt remembered the care Letho had given Yennefer and, in a show of solidarity, decided to help his former companion deal with his pursuers. In order to shake the hounds off his trail, Letho had decided on a risky maneuver – faking his own death. His plan would have worked perfectly, too, had Geralt’s hero reflexes not been a tad overstrung, causing him to butcher any and all witnesses who might have spread the news. In order to shake the hounds off his trail, Letho had decided on a risky maneuver – faking his own death. Although Geralt had no forewarning of this, he improvised with aplomb and sent Letho’s pursuers off convinced they had rid the world of a kingslayer. After that, there was nothing more for Letho to do but disappear. He and Geralt shared a brief farewell and then went their separate ways once more. After that, there was nothing more for Letho to do but disappear. Geralt proposed he hide out at Though some of Geralt’s companions did not extend Letho a very warm welcome, the decision to invite him to Kaer Morhen proved wiser than Geralt could have known. During the battle against the Wild Hunt Letho proved his courage and valor while contributing to the victory over the Red Riders. |
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Louisa la Valette |
Baroness Maria This caused quite the scandal and prompted several notable families to take up arms in revolt, only to be bloodily crushed by the king’s forces, who took La Valette Castle during a hard-fought siege. Sadly, this siege led to the death of the baroness’ eldest son. Sword in hand he had fought to defend his mother’s honor but fell to No one could blame Louisa la Valette for harboring a deep-seated hatred for the witcher, a hatred which became quite apparent the next time they crossed paths. To the baroness’ good fortune Geralt of Rivia was with King Foltest at the time and saved her son Aryan from the fate that otherwise would have been his for having participated in the revolt. Louisa la Valette thus had every reason to think quite highly of the witcher and her esteem became quite apparent the next time they crossed paths. |
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Madman Lugos |
Though Yet Lugos’ biggest rival was Seeing his own son die and Crach an Craite’s child take the throne of Skellige proved too much for Lugos to bear. Enraged and embittered, he refused to listen to reason and attacked the witcher, thus picking a fight that could only end one way. |
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Margarita Laux-Antille |
The full list of Quite unusually for one of her profession, Margarita showed no interest in politics - it was only care for the good of her school that led her to join the Lodge of Sorceresses. Finally, her beauty deserves mention as well. It was said that not even the marble likenesses of goddesses and nymphs chiseled out by the greatest sculptors could rival this sorceress’ figure. Yet with all her astuteness Laux-Antille still could not escape the same fate that so many of her fellows met. She had been arrested some time before our tale begins and was staying in the Oxenfurt prison, awaiting a summary and pre-determined trial. Only Geralt and Yennefer’s daring jailbreak saved Margarita from certain execution. |
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Morvran Voorhis |
At the time of their first meeting Geralt had no idea what an important person had been assigned the task of “asking him a few routine questions.” Knowing the witcher, however, knowledge of Morvran’s rank and status would not have made much of a difference. The witcher encountered Voorhis again some time later in Novigrad. There the Nilfgaardian general was taking advantage of the city’s neutral status to enjoy the company of Baroness Those in the know claimed Voorhis’ rank and experience made him a shoo-in to succeed the emperor in the event Emhyr decided to hang up his crown. |
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Nathaniel Pastodi |
Reverend Nathaniel, supervisor of the city morgue and cleric of the Church of the Eternal Fire, was a man with a vile character - and a stormy past. Before donning the frock he had served for years as the city torturer. One would be hard pressed to find a more inferior candidate for a pastor than a former hangman - but, as the saying goes, in Novigrad anything is possible. To say that Geralt caught Nathaniel red-handed would be an ill-considered pun. Nevertheless, the situation in which Geralt found him clearly indicated this was the man behind the recent wave of killings and so the witcher struck him down in a swift act of justice. Afterwards, however, a new victim’s body was found and Nathaniel’s name was cleared - well, of the killings, that is, for nothing could absolve this priest of his countless other sins. Before leaving, though, he made sure the degenerate would not hurt poor Nettie any more. Nevertheless, Geralt still felt Nathaniel deserved death. At times I have thought Geralt too eager to play judge, jury and executioner - but this time, I took no issue with his actions. |
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Otrygg an Hindar |
Otrygg never got to live out those dreams, however. During the tragic feast that came to be known as the “Bloody Banquet” he lost is life when a furious bear tore his flesh to small pieces. |
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Philippa Eilhart |
There could be no denying her talent, yet neither could one claim she did not also at times demonstrate sickly ambition. Very trustworthy reports indicated she had had a hand in King Vizimir II’s death, and, as a member of the Lodge, was implicated in the murder of two other monarchs as well - Demavend of Aedirn and Foltest of Temeria. For this reason the one-time “Jewel of the Court at Tretogor” was now a wanted woman, the quarry of special forces from the North and Nilfgaard alike. Vizimir’s son and successor, Radovid V, was particularly eager to capture her. During their last encounter in Loc Muinne he had had Philippa’s eyes gouged out, yet she had fled and he wanted nothing more than to stick the head of “Tretegor’s Jewel” on a spike above the city gates. Thanks to her mastery of the difficult art of polymorphy, Philippa had been able to evade her pursuers by transforming into an owl. Then she had holed up in a hideout outside Novigrad to wait out the worst. Everything seemed to indicate that Philippa had not only been investigating magic cures to her lost vision, but had also taken concrete steps towards the reactivation of the Lodge of Sorceresses. Her current location, however, remained unknown. Imagine our surprise when we learned Philippa had been right under our noses the whole time! During her flight from her pursuers she had sought shelter with an old lover and fellow mage. He must’ve still born a grudge, however, for he tricked her and imprisoned her in her owl form. After the witch hunters carted him off, his house was plundered and the owl wound up in the hands of… our dear friend Zoltan. Sadly Triss discovered this right after Zoltan had lost the owl in a game of cards - meaning our search had to continue. Philippa’s new “owner”? Luckily for Philippa, Geralt got things under control and saved her from whatever delights Dijkstra was planning. Though the Lodge’s prior actions were highly controversial, Philippa stubbornly worked towards its reconstitution, offering Ciri the chance to join it as a full and equal member. One can call historical justice the fact that Philippa Eilhart, Radovid’s old tutor, ended the crazed monarch’s life. In doing so she also exacted revenge for her blinding and the death and persecution of her fellow mages, so many of whom had died in agony on Radovid’s orders. |
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Priscilla |
As a poet and a romantic, I have immortalized in flowery verse the charms both corporeal and spiritual of many women. Yet when I open my mouth to sing the praises of Priscilla (or Callonetta, the stage name under which she gained artistic renown) was, around the time of our story’s beginning, enjoying the last stop on a triumphal tour of concerts that had taken her from the sumptuous courts of Lan Exeter and Pont Vanis, through Tretogor and Caelf, finally bringing her to the glorious city of Novigrad. Once he had found my Callonetta, Geralt had an opportunity to witness first-hand her beauty and numerous talents - for it was her fertile mind that birthed the play which then ingeniously lured out our elusive doppler friend, Dudu. News that Priscilla had fallen victim to a brutal attack hit me like a landslide of avalanches. Why someone would possibly want to harm such an innocent creature was a complete mystery to me. Priscilla had been horribly wounded and her life hung by a thread. Whoever had done this to her did not deserve to live on this earth a moment longer. In a miracle of skill and learning, the brilliant surgeon I have faith that, with the proper medical attention, she will one day regain every beautiful texture to her voice and her song will once more ring out from the Yaruga to the Blue Mountains. Furthermore, having felt my heart tremble at the very thought of losing her, I have realized that she is the true love of my life, the one with whom I wish to spend the rest of my days. |
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Reinald |
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Síle de Tansarville |
Geralt and I both knew Thus Geralt’s prior meetings with the sorceress were stormy at best. On at least one occasion it could be said that Geralt saved Sile’s life, but this did not mean he felt very warmly about her. Be that as it may, the sight of the tortured and maimed sorceress in King Radovid’s dungeon made the witcher’s cold heart swell with sorrow and sympathy. Yet Síle’s wounds were serious - her life could not be saved. Time was running short, and so Geralt had to leave the dying sorceress to the fate that awaited her. |
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Skjall |
his honor. Accused of cowardice, he was forced to perform a heroic deed to clear his name. Sadly, he failed. Mortally wounded by a beast in an abandoned garden, he suffered a slow, painful and lonely death. Ciri could not restore |
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Svanrige an Tuirseach |
A hard life awaits the child who cannot escape his parents’ shadow. Following the death of his father, the beloved Yet this quiet and mild-mannered young man seemed firmly tied to the apron strings of his mother, Svanrige’s election as ruler of Skellige was a rather unexpected turn of events. It was widely thought to have been the result of backroom maneuvering by Birna, who used the chaos in the aftermath of the other claimants’ deaths and the shame that fell on the an Craites to achieve her ambition of placing a puppet in her control on the Skellige throne. It thus came as a great shock for her when young Svanrige showed his claws and tore up the humiliating treaty with Nilfgaard she wanted him to sign - and then washed the shame of this near-submission from the isles with the blood of their eternal enemy. This blood simultaneously wiped away any doubts whether the new king was worthy of the crown. |
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Tamara Strenger |
The baron’s daughter, Tamara, had disappeared with her mother some time before Geralt arrived at Yet it seemed Tamara had finally had enough of the way the baron treated her mother and decided to flee along with her. Geralt found his way to a hut belonging to a fisherman who had helped Tamara and her mother in their flight. There he learned that a horrible beast had captured Anna and dragged her into the swamp. Tamara was able to escape with her life, and had found shelter with a relative of the fisherman in Oxenfurt. Tamara had indeed made it to Oxenfurt safe and sound and would not even consider returning to her father. Determined to save her mother from the clutches of the creatures that had imprisoned her in the bog, Tamara had joined the ranks of the witch hunters, hoping their support would allow her to survive a trek into Crookback Bog. Tamara and her escort of witch hunters made it to the swamp clearing, but what she found there was no cause for joy, to say the least. The Tamara’s father, the Tamara and her escort of witch hunters made it to the swamp clearing and there, to her great astonishment, was her father, who had also set out to free Anna. This family reunion was not, however, to be a moment of celebration - though Anna regained human form and a sound mind for a brief moment, she had only enough strength to bid farewell to her loved ones before passing on. Tamara and her escort of witch hunters made it to the swamp clearing and there, to her great astonishment, was her father, who had also set out to free Anna. This family reunion was not, however, to be a moment of celebration. Tamara became the unwilling witness to the her mother’s grim death, and the harsh words she directed at Geralt and her father left no particular hope that she would soon be over the grief of this loss. |
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Tavar Eggebracht |
The Nilfgaardian That last fate was met by Tavar’s cousin, Colonel He performed his duties as quartermaster diligently, with the good of his soldiers his top priority. |
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Thaler |
Geralt was not expecting to meet Bernard Ducat, former head of Temerian intelligence, in such circumstances. Their relationship went back a long ways, to the time when Ducat was leading an espionage operation in the Vizima Temple District disguised as a fence named Much had changed since those days, but Clogs the cobbler (as Ducat now called himself) was as rude and vulgar as Thaler had ever been. His exact role in the attack on Radovid was not clear, but considering his experience and professionalism, one could hardly expect him to share that information, not even with an old friend. Spycraft leaves no margin for error, sentiment or dropping one’s guard. Thaler died in a violent bout of political maneuvering when it turned out his plans conflicted with the greater good of Redania. Spycraft leaves no margin for error, sentiment or dropping one’s guard. Thaler should have known this, but instead he left himself exposed and only escaped death thanks to Geralt’s intervention, his life saved by the witcher’s departure from his usual neutrality. |
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The Ghost in the Tree |
The spirit begged Geralt to lift her curse and free her from her torment. In exchange, she promised to rescue the orphans from the swamp clearing, who would otherwise face a cruel death at the hands of the Crones. These whispered words convinced Geralt and, following the spirit’s instructions, he lifted the curse, transferring the druid’s ghost into the body of a black mare. And so the spirit was set free, and the dark powers afflicting the Whispering Hillock were dispersed. Yet too much innocent blood had been spilt on the Whispering Hillock. Geralt did not believe the spirit’s explanation and destroyed its cursed heart. In doing so he expulsed it from this world for good. |
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The Mad Castaway of Undvik |
Geralt’s encounter with the crazed man building an enormous ship while conversing with the cut-off heads of his former crew was, to say the least, an unusual experience. Though this strange shipbuilder was forced into his labors by the ice giant and his bloodthirsty sirens, it seemed his work had become a kind of escape for his beleaguered mind. Surely that was why this unfortunate man showed such dedication to his dubiously worthy cause. In the end Geralt learned the true identity of the mad shipbuilder of Undvik. He was in fact Harald Houndsnout, a jarl who was thought to have been killed by the giant along with his crew. Though rumors about his death were clearly exaggerated, it was hard to say whether surviving had not proved the worse fate. News of the Giant’s death clearly delighted the madman - but he rejected the witcher’s offer to take him back to Ard Skellig. For some reason he felt he could not rest until he finished building the ship. News of the Giant’s death clearly delighted the madman - but he rejected the witcher’s offer to take him back to Ard Skellig. He could not live with the knowledge that he had failed as leader of his clan, and thus was determined to build a ship to serve as his funeral pyre. |
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The Pellar |
As is often the case with charmers, diviners, healers and other such cunning folk of the countryside, the pellar of All of these rumors aroused the fear and respect of the backwater peasants of Velen, and the pellar most likely did little to discourage them. Yet even the most cunning of men make the occasional professional error - had Geralt not intervened, who knows what might have become of the old seer at the hands of the Baron’s enraged men. The pellar turned out to be more skilled at soothsaying than curing indigestion. Though what he divined for Geralt was murky at best, the witcher managed to put the pieces together into a somewhat logical whole. Sometime after that the old pellar asked Geralt to help him hold Sometime after that the old pellar asked Geralt to help him hold Forefathers’ Eve. Yet when witch hunters arrived and broke up the ritual, Geralt did nothing to stop them, greatly upsetting the soothsayer. Many people have proverbial skeletons in their closet that they would be aghast to have exposed to the public eye. One can thus imagine the pellar’s horror when his darkest secret literally emerged from the grave during Forefathers’ Eve in the form of his murdered father’s ghost. To the unfortunate shaman’s further horror, old man Ambros was clearly out for revenge. Yet Geralt intervened and the pellar was saved from otherworldly vengeance. The circumstances of the murder were explained, and the pellar, though still guilty of murder, was revealed to be a victim in his own right. By helping the pellar do battle with the demons of his past, Geralt earned himself the old man’s undying gratitude. |
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Udalryk |
Jarl Geralt could not help but notice that Udalryk did seem to be acting strangely, muttering to himself often and showing signs of suppressed panic, as if he lived in constant fear of something - or someone. Geralt’s private talk with the jarl confirmed the rumors. Udalryk was convinced the gods spoke to him, sending him prophetic dreams and demanding he make sacrifices. The tale of the strife between Udalryk and his brother Aki over the family sword threw new light on the jarl’s mysterious problems. That the voices he heard demanded he injure himself suggested a vengeful spirit was involved. Udalryk’s madness deepened ever more, finally prompting him to pluck out his own eye as payment for unspecified sins. In the end Geralt’s determination and skilled use of his witcher blade saved the day by freeing the jarl from the wraith that was tormenting him. With this, Udalryk could finally know peace. In the end |
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Vernon Roche |
As commander of Temerian Special Forces - an elite squadron known also as the “Blue Stripes” - At the start of our story, however, he had lost his king, his men and his homeland, and so had resorted to waging a guerilla war against the overwhelming occupying forces. In his war of assassinations, ambushes and night raids, Roche depended on Redanian help, though it was clear he took no pleasure from working with Radovid. Some time later it was revealed that Roche had took part in a conspiracy to assassinate Radovid. He had realized that once the war was over this mad king would offer no prospect of a free Temeria, making Roche himself a liability and potential foe. Roche took part in the assassination personally. The king of Redania’s death was to be a guarantee of Temerian independence. In order to achieve this, Roche was not afraid to strike a deal with the Nilfgaardians. This move played right into Geralt, refusing to get involved in their conflict, left them to work it out for themselves. As a result, Roche died on Dijkstra’s orders. Roche took part in the assassination personally. The king of Redania’s death was to be a guarantee of Temerian independence. In order to achieve this, Roche was not afraid to strike a deal with the Nilfgaardians. This move played right into Dijkstra’s hand. Fortunately, Geralt intervened and Roche escaped from the co-conspirators’ meeting-turned-bloodbath. When asked to help defend |
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Ves |
Energetic and tough, Ves had always impressed with her skill with crossbow and sword alike, outshooting and outswinging all the men in her unit to a laughable degree. Though usually well-disciplined, Ves refused to heed Vernon’s command and set off alone to face enemy forces. Sadly, help came too late and the fierce warrior paid for her hot-headedness with her life. Ves’ rash move landed her in a horrible pot of trouble that only Geralt’s sword could dish her out of. Even had Ves not owed Geralt her life, she would have come to the defense of she fell at her commander’s side. |
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Vigi the Loon |
Even for Skelligers, who value courage above all else, Vigi’s fearlessness went far beyond the pale of bravery, deep into the realm of suicidal madness. This Clan Tordarroch warrior had strived to earn the right to be called Vigi the Unfearing. Instead, his actions earned him the nickname It was Vigi who, craving glory and wanting to save his home isle from the Sadly, that cage became his tomb and sepulcher. When awakened the giant crushed it with one blow, putting an abrupt end to Vigi’s lunacy. The second Geralt freed Vigi from his cage, the Skelliger lived up to his moniker and awoke the sleeping giant with a hearty kick. To be fair, afterwards he fought bravely and effectively against the monster, proving he had the makings of a mighty warrior behind his madness. Vigi the Unfearing. |
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Vimme Vivaldi |
The dwarves have been in the banking business since the legendary King Desmond of Temeria was just a snot-nosed brat in short trousers asking for more “yam” with his “bwed.” Since then, the prominent dwarven banking families - the Giancardis, the Vivaldis and the Cianfanellis - have only expanded their services, establishing branches in all the larger cities of the North.
The latter he gave further proof of during the time in which our story takes place, for his bank remained profitable even in the face of growing nonhuman oppression. |
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Vserad |
News of the Nilfgaardian army’s approach led nobles of all ranks and orders to pack up their silver and flee posthaste to safer harbors, abandoning all thoughts of defending their patrimony and leaving their lands at the invaders’ mercy. Lord The safety he sought there was not, however, to be found, and the massacre in which he was slaughtered became the source of a great many ghastly rumors and legends. According to one of them, Vserad, unmoved by human suffering, had his mage poison starving peasants who had come to him to beg for food. A hideous tale, yet one that sadly seemed plausible given the desperate conditions in the land. Yet the truth turned out, as is its wont, to be much simpler. Vserad was murdered by his traitorous former subjects, who were driven by greed, jealousy and the base jackassery that is all too widespread among the human race. |
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Weavess |
Though the youngest of the three The fight on |
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Whispess |
The Of the three ghastly sisters, the Yet no magic, however old, could save her from |
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Whoreson Junior |
Cyprian Wiley the younger was one of Novigrad’s most dangerous criminals. He had inherited his father’s casinos, fighting ring and brothels – as well as the old man’s sadistic tendencies, ruthlessness and lack of scruples. These traits had made the moniker “Whoreson” something of a family heirloom for his powerful criminal clan. Cyprian also took after his father in terms of ambition. He broke the unwritten armistice between Novigrad’s various criminal groups and tried to murder the other three leading underworld bosses. Whoreson’s audacity had a very specific cause - King Radovid, who had commissioned the gangster’s actions. As it turned out, Radovid’s plan was for Whoreson to start a gang war in Novigrad. In the resulting chaos, Radovid would take control of the city with ease. While searching Cyprian’s home den of iniquity, Geralt discovered the nickname “Whoreson” was in fact an understatement - something much stronger was needed to describe a man who delighted in murdering captive women. In addition to blackmail, extortion, murder and torture, the list of Whoreson’s crimes also included trying to harm Ciri. Geralt took this very personally and made the bandit pay for this last sin with his life. Though few would have mourned his passing, Geralt decided not to kill Whoreson. As soon as Radovid withdrew his protection and his old enemies were free to exact revenge, Whoreson’s career was doomed to an inglorious end. Whoreson’s fate truly did seem worse than death. Abandoned by his protector as well as his subordinates, he had lost all his coin as well as any respect he once commanded, having fallen to the lowest depths of the Novigrad underworld. |
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Zoltan Chivay |
A dwarf, a soldier of fortune, a veteran of the Battle of Brenna, an unassailable optimist, a committed altruist, a lover of rough drinks and rougher songs, a master gwent player and, above all, a dear and loyal friend to me and Geralt - ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present It proved our fate to cross paths many times after, and we eventually became inseparable companions, sticking together through good and ill. At our tale’s beginning Zoltan and I had gone into business together running a Novigrad tavern called the Rosemary and Thyme. By saving me from the transport taking me to my doom Zoltan proved yet again he would never abandon a friend in need. In return, Zoltan soon found himself on the receiving end of an act of friendship. Suffering some financial difficulties, he had taken out a loan from one of the Novigrad mob bosses, and as a result had made many unfortunate enemies. He planned to repay his debt by gathering a prize collection of gwent cards - a risky endeavor, given the cutthroat nature of Novigrad gwent circles at the time, and one that would have never worked without Geralt’s help. In another adventure that took place during this time, Geralt asked Zoltan to distract the guards at Zoltan naturally would never have sat out the defense of |
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