#the witcher analysis

[it-happened-once-in-a-meme]

I Hate the Way the Witcher Treated Suicide

Spoilers for The Witcher season 3/The Time of Contempt under the cut:

"Sometimes the best thing a flower can do for us is die." originally sounded cool to me. It referred to transforming its life into magic, and it wasn't a metaphor for animals or people, it was just about plants.

But when Tissaia quoted this line in the finale, it made me so sad and mad! Because no, absolutely not! You don't always have to contribute something, and if you're someone with as much knowledge as Tissaia has, there's obviously a lot you can do. Even if she didn't have any sorceress knowledge, she still meant a lot to a lot of people, and I hate that she wasn't at least killed off with the reason being guilt, but with a completely wrong interpretation of this saying.

Sometimes the best thing a flower can do for us is die. From the perspective of a sorceress, the best thing a flower could do is provide life that can be transformed into magic.

But from the perspective of a human without magic, from the perspective of us watchers, a flower is something you keep close even though it does practically nothing for you. Of course we can't equate humans with plants that are only supposed the look pretty, but the point still stands: a flower is something with little to no use that we still keep around and care for.

#*sad sigh* #tw suicide #tissaia de vries #the witcher season 3 #the witcher #the witcher suicide #sometimes the best thing a flower can do for us is die #tissaia de vries death #anti suicide #the witcher meta #the witcher analysis

[quickficss]

The Witcher Character Symbolism (Last updated Sept 13 2022)

Ok so I’m a sucker for symbolism, and as a writer I know the importance of it. It’s like little hidden clues throughout the story to notify observant viewers to what’s really happening. The symbolism within the Witcher is pretty obvious to me but may not be to others, thus I’m writing this. (I’m only going off what I’ve read so far in the books, not the games or Netflix series.) I’m also trying to find what these symbolisms mean to the slavic culture specifically because the language it was first written in is polish. If I’m wrong on anything feel free to correct me. I will be updating as I read through the books as I’ve only read the first three. I’m a slow reader but I want to memorize everything.

Geralt

Obviously Geralt is constantly referred to as a wolf or a white wolf. Wolves have been used for mythological and spiritual significance all around the world. They’re most commonly contributed to strength and loyalty. Some cultures make them the symbol of the warrior, and other cultures make them the symbol of the devil. In Slavic culture and Serbian poetry, the wolf is a symbol of fearlessness.

In Slavic mythology there is a God named Dažbog, whose earthly body is that of a white wolf. Dažbog is the God of the Sun, believed to be the ancestor of all Slavs. He was also considered the God of Nav, Slavic underworld of the dead. This could have nothing to do with Geralt and is just a coincidence, or it could be a nod to the fact some people see him as a good person and others see him as a blood hungry monster driven to kill. Idk I just thought it was cool.

Dandelion/Jaskier

Ok so we know at this point Jaskier is polish for buttercup, but is translated to Dandelion in the English translations for the book. I’ll look into both these flowers and the colour yellow, because both flowers are yellow and I think that may be important.

Dandelions symbolize growth, hope, spring, and transformation because they transform from yellow flowers to fluffy white puffs. They are also sometimes associated with wish-making and healing.

Buttercups symbolize joy, happiness and friendship.

Yellow symbolizes a ton of things, but mostly joy, hope, and the sun.

In the books, Geralt considers Jaskier to be a close friend he can rely on. They easily have friendly banter and get along fairly well, even when they argue or disagree on some topics. I think these flower symbolism’s show what Jaskier means to Geralt as well as what his destiny is. As a young man Jaskier had wanted to get away from his family and responsibilities to become a traveling bard, a wish he fulfilled. He helps Geralt heal and grow multiple times, and is known to bring happiness (mostly) wherever he goes.

Yennefer

In the books we are constantly reminded of the fact she smells of Gooseberries and Lilacs. She wears black and white and has purple eyes.

It was difficult for me to find anything on gooseberries because of a 1890 novel named “Gooseberries” but this is what I was able to find. Gooseberries typically allude to a happiness you don’t yet have, are trying to obtain, or you will never have.

(Purple) Lilacs symbolize first love, spirituality, beauty, pride, and infatuation. There are more but these are the most common ones. Again I think this alludes to what Yen means to Geralt and her character. She’s prideful and a powerful sorcerer. She’s ultimately forced to be drawn to Geralt because of the last wish he made, causing them to sorta forcefully fall in love. We know Yen isn’t Geralts first love, but she is the main love interest.

Black and white together often symbolize the balance of two opposites. Black typically means death, mystery, power, elegance and sophistication. White typically means cleanliness, goodness, serenity, and integrity. As someone who often wears black at white, I know it causes an eye catching contrast, making one stand out a bit.

At the end of “Blood of Elves” this conversation between Ciri and Yennifer takes place:

“What are you looking at like that?” “At that tree, That linden tree.” “And what’s so interesting about it?” “Nothing, I am simply feasting my eyes on it. I’m happy that... I can see it.”

A linden tree is symbolic for maternal love and fidelity. This illudes to the fact Yennifer now wishes to be in a motherly role for Ciri, and to be faithful to her in that role. Its very sweet.

Ciri

Ciri is represented by a sparrow. A sparrow symbolizes power, empowerment, vigilance, and community. They are mostly seen as symbols of hard work. They are known to be responsible and dependant on one another. Throughout history sparrows have been harbingers of both good and bad luck.

Triss

Triss Marigold has the flower Marigold right there as her last name. Marigolds symbolize despaired love, affection, and a drive to succeed. (as well as death in Mexican culture but I don’t think that applies here). In the book Blood of Elves, Triss is constantly trying to get in Geralts pants despite him continuing to politely turn her down. She states that she envy’s Yennefer, She mistakes his kindness for romance. Another character even points this out:

“Never make the same mistake, little Witcher-girl,” he(Yarpen) murmured, indicating the wagon with his eyes. “If someone shows you compassion, sympathy, and dedication, if they surprise you with integrity of character, value it but don’t mistake it for… something else.”

Despite all that, she still wants to succeed at winning Geralts affection.

This is the end of the post for now. I may be reading too much into it but I love doing it. I think it’s fun and others may enjoy it. This will be updated later so save this post or check in occasionally. Reblogs appreciated.

#the witcher geraskier #the witcher jaskier #the witcher geralt #the witcher yennefer #the witcher ciri #the Witcher Triss marigold #triss merigold #the witcher books #the Witcher analysis #the Witcher symbolism #the witcher

[orchideous-nox]

The Amazing Devil are underrated storytellers

Like I'm sure many people did, I discovered alt-folk band The Amazing Devil through Joey Batey as a fan of The Witcher. Someone on TikTok was talking about the song Fair and how the actor who plays Jaskier (or Dandelion, depending on preference of material) from The Witcher sang it.

Instantly, I knew I had to listen to this song and I sat with it on repeat for an hour, picking through references and laughing at how pure and simple the love conveyed in those words was. It's the kind of love you dream of, where your partner completes you and life without them seems impossible. A love that goes beyond you both, as if there was no choice but to fall for one another. It's not pretentious or impossible to understand. It's universal and I fell in love with it.

Months later, I found Battle Cries, a song of overlapping whimsies. It tells the tale of two lovers ending their relationship and trying to find pieces of calmness in the uproar of their breakup, comparing it to a war not just between each other but within themselves. There a metaphors deeply woven within the lyrics and each line is magic as Joey and Madeleine sing over each other, words occasionally syncing up, representing the way they struggle to feel in tune with each other at the end of their relationship.

Battle Cries lead me to Marbles, the story of a couple where one of them is suffering from memory loss, the trials and tribulations of watching the person you love forget who they are and who you are too. It is a beautifully told story that feels so genuine, making me wonder how close to home the inspiration was. This song is an absolute guarantee at tears while also making you laugh.

Ruin came to me next, as wells as Drinking Song for the Socially Anxious and The Horrors and The Wild, three songs with such incredibly different vibes that don't just need to be listened to but thoroughly devoured.

Finally, a song I can never praise enough, Inkpot Gods. This song brings together so many ideas and images I love. Again, it is heavy on its use of metaphors but contains one of my favourite references they have ever used. The song discusses the love you can hold for another person and the lengths you will go to so you can protect them. It talks of breaking generational expectations and being there for someone when they can't defend themselves.

The best part of Inkpot Gods, however, is the Lord of the Rings reference where Madeleine sings "you might not fear a man//but to a woman by the end you'll kneel and plead". This is popularly theorised to be about Eowyn in The Return of the King and the line "I am no man" she speaks as she ends her foe's life, a show of her strength not despite of her gender. Easily the best line of the trilogy to me, and hearing it in song form cements this, following it with "I'm more than what my mum told me", breaking this tradition what what a woman can or should be.

While Joey Batey was the draw to The Amazing Devil's music for me, Madeleine has kept me there, she has such a beautiful voice and her and Joey together have made some stunning music that I will always love. They tell these fantastic stories within a few minutes, creating characters worthy of epic tales and narratives so deep and complex it leaves you thinking for long after.

#the amazing devil #joey batey #madeleine hyland #the witcher #jaskier #music #music analysis #eowyn #lord of the rings #return of the king

[hanzajesthanza]

a lot of the “haha geralt is so annoyed by his friends!!” talk reduces the relationship of geralt & co. to the events of baptism of fire—baptism of fire geralt is very enjoyable to read, but lady of the lake geralt is the final evolution of a beautiful development of character. we really ought to talk more often about how his relationship with his company developed over the next two books and how by the end of it, he felt entirely responsible for their fates.

it can’t really be said that the hanza didn’t mean a lot to geralt and he would have chosen ciri & yen over them no problem. by the end of it he really valued their friendship and company. he literally identified himself as their leader, embraced his role as their leader. only with their company, he was finally able to fully ascended to what he is at heart and who he was meant to be, what his character was created to be: a hero.

he never liked to play sacrificial games. the entire reason he shunned (the majority of) the company (sorry cahir, he took extra issue with you) was that it was too dangerous of an undertaking, and he did not want to risk the lives of anyone else for his personal matters, sticking their necks out for him. it wasn’t just because he’s an old grump and sourpuss—he literally tells this to dandelion and milva multiple times, that he doesn’t want them dying because of him.

he decided against anything that would have put milva in danger when she was pregnant, refusing to risk her life or her unborn child’s life—remaining adamant that he would not sacrifice her child’s life for his own. and similarly when codringher presented him the hypothetical of pawning a decoy girl off on emhyr, he was disgusted at the thought of trampling the life of some innocent girl for the safety of his own.

virtuous to a fault, geralt abhors stepping on another to lift himself up. he won’t even kill innocent creatures to make a quick buck—they have to be real dangers—which, of course, makes him not only poorer and hungrier, but fighting, you guessed it, more dangers. this makes geralt unlike many of the other characters we’re presented with, who, even though they may not want to, agree to make sacrifices for their personal interests or the greater good (though, what’s the difference—the lodge and emhyr called their personal interests the greater good. that’s a big point of how the decisions of those in power is deconstructed in the saga).

i don’t think geralt would have sacrificed his company, given a choice.

but he did choose, of course, despite not being given a choice. it was a necessary sacrifice, though geralt, being the man he is, would never have made such a choice given the option (like the trolley problem—he’s impossible, he would continue to insist that neither of these choices are good and he doesn’t want to choose). i don’t want to kill either shrike or stregobor, i don’t want to take a side in the war, i don’t want to ride to cintra and claim my destiny. the whole saga is about how no matter if you decide to choose or not to choose, destiny still makes you choose. even if you think you can deny and avoid the choice. and after such denial, it stops asking you nicely. death dogs his footsteps, but death couldn’t catch up with him (for a while, at least), so it had to settle for others… the hanza are another, perhaps a final, manifestation of this lesson—calanthe and cintra being the first victims.

he and cahir dragged milva’s dead and bleeding body to safety, risking their own lives in the hail of arrows which rose again once she had fallen. his noble and virtuous heart still looked for cahir and angoulême in the corridor after the fighting had ceased, waiting for them to come out of the empty hall, before ciri shook her head to tell him no one would be coming down it. his scream rung in the air with regis’ as regis was being torn apart. and he, in pain and exhausted, remembered him, to yennefer when she asked, as a friend, and managed to utter some beautifully kind words in his memory.

i don’t think someone like geralt (feeling responsible for deaths of innocents whether they’re even his fault or not) would ever truly get over the loss of his company. after having, with ciri, buried them, by the foot of stygga castle, having to drag the bodies out one by one, close their glassy eyes, mound the wet and cold earth over them. and regretfully glance back at the melted stone column he cannot bury. he was woefully dreary after stygga, and kept returning to their memory as they retraced their steps into the sansretour valley. reminding himself about the sword of destiny with two edges… and again at rivia mourning them with the dwarven company.

we can at least sigh with relief that destiny allowed him to keep dandelion. it had to, because he is just, after all “like a burr on a dog’s tail”—destiny did not quite manage to slip its noose around his neck, for he did not touch destiny, but instead tagged alongside it. (plus, the cameraman never dies). if dandelion died, it would have broken geralt well and truly. it was the longest and deepest connection he ever had. the same goes for the reverse, of course 😬

#the witcher books #the elbow-high diaries #c: geralt #f: a hansa’s a hansa #kind of a stream of consciousness thing 🫠 not really coherent but just some thoughts #analysis #book: lady of the lake

[minne-cerbinna]

Sometimes I am reminded of the fact that Iorveth just like canonically has very pretty eyes (or very pretty eye 😔).

In TW2, none of the men have eyelashes while the women do. As examples for the men, we have Geralt himself, Letho, Dandelion, and Roche:

And as examples for the women, Triss, Saskia, Sheala/Síle, Philippa, and Mottle.

However, Iorveth does have eyelashes on his in-game model:

This is unique to him, not an elven trait, because as we can see on Cedric, Ciaran, and Ele'yas, they don't have eyelashes like Iorveth does:

And it's not a fluke or graphical glitch on Iorveth, either, he consistently has them throughout the game:

He's just really pretty like that.

#rambles #the witcher #the witcher games #iorveth #catch me looking at insignificant details because i spend too long staring at elves #yaevinn pencils his brows and iorveth has really nice lashes #and like on a character analysis level that is very interesting #not only was his eye something vital to him #he's an archer #he needs his vision #he would have had to relearn how to shoot with this impairment to his depth perception #but not only for it to be a practical thing #it's also like #something about him that is markedly beautiful #only to be bespoiled by the dh'oine #everything elven and beautiful must be tarnished by human hands #and so they took his eye #not that i think iorveth is particularly vain #but he is still proud in his own way #and it must sting to lose a point of pride #his marksmanship and his beauty both marred by the dh'oine #he's still very striking and he can still shoot a bow so it cannot be said that these things were 'ruined' #but it's just kind of adding insult to injury #as it were

[littlestsnicket]

radovid is an insane person. he’s spent his whole sad, princely existence struggling to entertain himself enough to keep his brain from cannibalizing itself out of boredom, and the only avenues he’s had at his disposal are people watching and being a weird little shit.

manipulating jaskier and philippa telling him he has surprisingly good instincts is the biggest serotonin spike he’s ever had. from his perspective, manipulating jaskier is a fun harmless game that is in no way incompatible with developing real feelings for him. his actions have literally never once in his entire life had meaningful consequences.

and then suddenly the queen is dead directly because of what he said to dijkstra.

radovid has to totally re-evaluate everything. he is, morally and ethically, in so far over his head that it’s not even funny. and he always has been, but now he realizes he cares. and he is terrified. and jaskier is the only person he can turn to for help.

#the witcher #witcher season 3 #radovid #witcher character analysis #radskier #twn

[kingthunder]

Analysis of Jaskier's songs from s1—

—and how they reflect the narrative events and Jaskier's character arc through the show. I'm trying to keep this as canon as possible and not look at it through shipping goggles, but there is textual stuff about Jaskier's relationship with and love for Geralt that's impossible to ignore.

Toss a Coin to Your Witcher: Jaskier’s first big break, the famous and famously annoying Toss a Coin. He wrote this when he was around eighteen and it definitely feels immature. He’s cracking bad jokes like “elf on a shelf” (god I hate that one, it grates me every time) and substituting “bleat” for “beat.” He’s taking enormous creative liberties with facts. And he’s being a little thoughtless; in his enthusiasm to hero-wash Geralt, he’s throwing elves under the bus, calling them devils and pests while he’s talking about Geralt as a friend to “humanity.” (more about this when we get into some of his later songs and his time as the Sandpiper)

This is an upbeat, catchy (and kind of shallow) song that I mentally classify as one of his “narrative” songs. It tells a story. It feels optimistic, much like Jaskier himself at this point in his life. After all, this is the kid who saw a big scary witcher brooding in a corner and decided that nothing could go wrong by following him around. He’s got a head full of heroics and heartbreak and nothing is going to dissuade him, not even being nearly killed. This song is a perfect time capsule of the beginning of Jaskier’s career and also the beginning of his long-running relationship with Geralt.

The Fishmonger’s Daughter: Jaskier plays this at Calanthe’s court when she orders him to play “a jig.” It seems like a pretty typical bawdy tavern song, the kind where you try to drum up audience participation. Most of the court seems to know it and sing along with it. No idea if Jaskier wrote this himself. He probably didn’t. It seems like one of those songs that everyone just knows.

Her Sweet Kiss: This song makes me feel deranged. This is definitely a Jaskier original. We see him writing and noodling with it at the beginning of The Mountain (tm) and asking other people if his lyrics are scanning well. He’s been traveling with Geralt on and off for about twenty years now, so he’s forty years old or close to it. He’s seen some shit, and part of the shit he’s seen has been Geralt and Yennefer’s relationship. He is not a fan. He is so deeply not a fan that he’s writing a whole song about it. But also? He’s putting himself in the song too, and he’s putting his heart on his sleeve, the same way that he tries to do when he talks to Geralt about going to the coast. The lyrics of this song are about three people—a man (Geralt), a woman (Yennefer), and the singer (Jaskier). It’s about how the woman is bad for the man, and how much the singer loves the man.

Whether you see Jaskier’s feelings for Geralt as romantic or not, these are the facts:

He doesn’t like Yennefer or think that she’s good for Geralt, and says so, repeatedly, both in casual conversation and in his music. In the song, he writes, “She’s always bad news, it’s always lose-lose” and that, “She’ll destroy with her sweet kiss.” 

In the song, Jaskier calls Geralt “my love” and says, “I’m weak, my love, and I am wanting.”

He asks Geralt to go to the coast with him, so they can “work out what pleases” them. He wants them to stay together and not go their separate ways like they often do.

Immediately after this plea, Geralt goes straight to Yennefer and (just in case anyone was doubting that Her Sweet Kiss was about the three of them) Geralt and Yennefer fuck while an instrumental version of Her Sweet Kiss plays over the sex. I still can’t believe the showrunners did that. That was A Damn Choice. (deranged, I am deranged about everything about this)

The kicker is that the song wasn’t even finished when Geralt flipped his lid and shouted Jaskier off The Mountain (tm) and out of his life. Which means that Jaskier, alone and heartbroken (his own words from s2), finished this song and published it afterwards, even knowing that the entire situation had gone tits up and that he might not even see Geralt or Yennefer again. Maybe it gave him some catharsis to sing it, who knows.

This isn’t a shallow catchy tune like Toss a Coin or even Fishmonger’s Daughter. It’s deeply personal and a tonal shift from his previous music.

(and it makes me deranged)

Stay tuned for my season 2 thoughts!

#witcher #jaskier #jaskier meta #julian alfred pankratz #toss a coin to your witcher #the fishmonger's daughter #her sweet kiss #come for the music stay for the author losing their shit over every single choice the showrunners made about her sweet kiss #song analysis series #geralt #yennefer #witcher meta #jaskier's songs

[tigerlyla-of-metinna]

Geralt's Dream

I read about an old post (either from Tumblr or other socmed sites) that the face inside the training dummy is possibly Cahir.

And, after analyzing the scenes through several playthroughs and reading the books.... I agree.

The dream scene is a collection of Geralt's memories: The apple juice, Geralt telling Yennefer that he only thinks of her despite being with other women, little Ciri training (the blindfold, backflip landing), Vesemir teaching Ciri about alghouls.

All in the books.

But the scene where she makes the nilfgaardian helmet fly and the revelation of a face? This was Ciri's memory of her fight with Cahir (Ciri told Geralt about the winged figure that haunted her dreams): she smashed his helmet, revealing his blue eye and unruly black hair, also that blood flowing down his face. Seeing a human face behind the black winged helmet, Cahir ceased to be a nightmare.

So yeah, that is Cahir, in my opinion!

If you wish to expound, offer a counter-argument or a different interpretation, feel free to do so in the comments.

Pics from my Switch gameplay with PS enhancements.

#witcher geralt #geralt of rivia #cirilla #cirilla fiona elen riannon #nilfgaard #cahir #the witcher 3 #witcher 3 wild hunt #photoshop #nintendo switch #virtual photography #TLylaedits/arts #my analysis

[yellowspiralbound]

The Witcher & why fanon and canon are not as separate as they are in other medias

Okay so I just answered and reblogged this poll about what parts of the Witcher you interact with (fanon vs canon) and it made me realize that a lot of fans might not be aware of the fact that fanon and canon are not neatly seperated when it comes to the Witcher. It’s kind of a clusterfuck actually. So allow me to attempt to explain it. Before the post, let me make sure everyone understands that I am referencing the translations of the books. I have not read them in the original Polish. If anyone has and some of what I say is inaccurate, please let me know. Extremely long post ahead. 

First, we have to accept the fact that we are working with not one but three different canons. The books are, of course, the original canon. It is what everything else stems from. The games are often considered a follow up but are not necessarily canon to the books and were not intended to be. The original Witcher game was never intended to be a sequel to the books - that’s why Yennefer and Ciri are basically never mentioned. However, as the second and third game developed, the creators shifted gears and focused on creating a cohesive story set after the events of the books, Now, many if not most fans forget this. Then there is the show canon, which draws from the books but is largely it’s own thing. 

So what is the “real” canon? For some, the answer is anything written by Sapkowski...but there are stories set on the Continent and written by Sapkowski that are, by and large, considered superfluous to canon such as the Something Ends, Something Begins short story which Sapkowski wrote as a wedding gift for some friends. Beyond that, there is debate as to whether Sapkowski’s final depiction of Geralt is well...Geralt. While many book fans tend to believe that the Geralt met by Nimue at the end of Season if Storms is an illusion, I have spoken with many who believe it to be the real Geralt. So which is it? Sapkowski certainly hasn’t said as far as I am aware, so good luck figuring it out. And if Sapkowski’s work is the be all end all of canon...what are the games? 

Are they a form of fanon that Sapkowski has given his blessing to? Nope. Sapkoski hates video games. Like there are decisions he made in Season of Storms (published after the first two Witcher games) that I’m fairly certain he made specifically to fuck with the game producers (like Dandelion being a blonde for example). Everything I’ve ever learned about the man suggests he would do this. And yet Season of Storms also hands the game producers their golden goose: a Sapkowski-written ending where Geralt doesn’t die, where he continues to travel and hunt monsters. Which is exactly what Geralt did in the games. And after that Sapkowksi actually met with some of the producers for the third game, something I don’t believe he did for the first two (feel free to correct me if he did). So did Sapkowski take inspiration from the games for this ending? It’s possible. I personally don’t think it likely but we know it’s possible because of a certain character in Season of Storms: Brehen. 

Brehen, for those of you who may not remember/know, is a Cat witcher that Geralt meets at the very end of Season of Storms. Now this is important, Geralt’s meeting with Brehen is the first time ever that Sapkowski insinuates there are different schools of Witchers. And you might be thinking “What about the medallions of different animals that Bonhart had?” It isn’t ever really implied they’re from different schools. Coen, who has a griffon, is shown with the wolves all the same during Blood of Elves. Of course, the game producers had already decided to take the different medallions as representations of schools but It is only when Brehen begins to use the word “us” that there is a confirmed implication of schools by Sapkowski. Is this proof that Sapkowski used the games as inspiration for Season of Storms? Not at all. What it is, is solid evidence that both the game producers and Sapkowski had been influenced by a third party: the pre-CDPR comic run. 

Now, this is where things get interesting. The pre-CDPR comic run is not that well known outside of Poland (and perhaps even in Poland, I am not sure). I discovered their existence on the Witcher subreddit and promptly read the fan translations of them that you can find online. Only one of the six comics released between 1993 and 1995 is an original story. This comic, Zdrada or Betrayal, is where the story of the Cat and Wolf tournament often is from. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go read basically any fanfiction with Aiden in it. It will more than likely be brought up. This comic is the first instance of a school system like the one we have now. Now, this comic was based on an idea by Sapkowski. He gave the author of the comic run, Maciej Parowski, a basic idea and Parowski expanded upon it. To what extent Parowski expanded the idea isn’t really known. The schools could be entirely his own invention, but it is more likely that Sapkowski suggested them. It is extremely likely, however, that Parowski’s characterization of the Cats as a school influenced Sapkowski - especially considering the 18 year gap between the publication of Zdrada and the publication of Season of Storms. So when did Parowski’s fanon interpretation of Sapkowski’s outline become canon? Did it become canon? I personally consider it canon but not everyone does. 

Essentially what it boils down to is that there is a high chance that Parowski’s fanon directly influenced both Season of Storms and the Witcher games. And yes you can argue that Parowski’s work isn’t fanon because it was based on an idea by Sapkowksi but...that’s what all fanworks are - stories based on the original ideas of the author. The same can be argued about the show. Large parts of the show are Lauren Hissrich’s fanon interpretation of Sapkowski’s work yet it is a canon in its own right. 

In conclusion, Sapkowski never avoided fanwork like say, Neil Gaiman. In fact, he actively encouraged it in the case of Parowski and Hissrich. Whether or not he ever encouraged the game producers in any capacity is...highly debatable. There’s some serious tension there guys. I personally think that he did with his choice in how to end Season of Storms but that’s just me. From what I know of Sapkowski, the man is, quite frankly, far too proud to ever admit to being wrong about video games and the producers so draw your own conclusions on that one. 

But yeah, fanon has had a serious influence on canon in the case of the Witcher and there are so many different canons that separating the two entirely is more or less impossible. And I haven’t even talked about the pre-CDPR TTRPG, the CDPR TTRPG, the mobile gwent game, or the CDPR comic run, all of which fall into the liminal space of “not fanon but not canon either.” 

Please feel free to correct me if any of this is wrong or if you have read the original Polish copies of the books and some stuff I’ve talked about is translation error. Also if anyone has a translation of the pre-CDPR TTRPG stuff please contact me. I would do unreasonable things for a translation of them and would be eternally in your debt. 

#the witcher #the witcher books #the witcher games #the witcher comics #the witcher ttrpg #canon vs fanon #and the way those two intertwine when it comes to the witcher #i could probably talk about this for a lot longer #but i am tired #spiral's thoughts #media analysis #the witcher spoilers #the witcher book spoilers

[sapphiresdumpsterfire]

meta analysis of Extraordinary Things because I have no life

Keep your words on ice

Your gaze lights the fire.

Pretty straight forward, Geralt’s cold attitude and words combined with his gold, “fiery” eyes.

They say keep on playing nice

But I have no desire

This I feel like is a reference to his bisexuality, being told to conform to the typical standards of relationships, or perhaps to accept his nobility as it reflects on his romantic affairs. Play nice and keep in line. But that’s not who he is as a person and he has no desire to pretend like he’ll ever fit that mold.

Why waste our words

When lips were made

For extraordinary things

Fairly straightforward as well, he’s tired of the fancy wordplay and the double entendres of noble life. He doesn’t want to dance around the way he feels or conceal his emotions. Why waste time with talking around how you feel when you can simply accept it. Which is very fitting as he is very open with his romantic life.

It’s not a want, it’s a need

It is paying no heed

To what others say to sing

Another reference to his orientation, however I also feel like this might be a small reference to the line in Her Sweet Kiss “I’m weak my love, and I am wanting” which could be an indicator of his feelings for Geralt adapting and evolving over time. They’ve deepened into a need to simply be around Geralt, even if his role in Geralt’s life isn’t quite was he desires. Geralt matters just that much to him.

The greatest songs are made up

Of unspoken words of love

Okay this line I feel like is the most damning, but possibly not for the reasons people might think. There’s a lot of focus on the “unspoken words of love” section of this line, but I was more focused onto this reference of his music. He’s saying that of the songs he has written, he has embedded his love for Geralt in every line. In particular, the his romantic ballads. He keeps his love songs inconspicuous, switching around pronouns and never revealing a name. Those are expressions of his “unspoken works of love”.

Of them I’ve had enough

With you I have enough

With you I am enough

I am enough

This is where we get angsty. His tone gets defeated and exhausted singing this line. He’s tired of being so desperately in love with someone who will never be able to share that love in the same capacity. He’s had enough of feeling like he’ll never be enough. Radovid has made him feel like he can be enough for someone, but that’s not quite what he needs either (with unintentional foreshadowing to Radovid’s manipulation). He wants to be enough for himself, in his own right, without relying on other people’s perception of him.

Drop the sweet disguise

Your heart’s beating too loud

The fairytale’s and little lies

Can’t drown out all the sound

So I’ve seen this be translated as foreshadowing for him and Radovid’s relationship, but considering that he would have only known Radovid for a couple of days at best, I feel like this interpretation is a little too loose and abstract. We know he writes his ballads about events he’s experienced in his own life, and he doesn’t tend to write about abstract concepts or future events. I feel it’s more likely that this is a reflection of the fact that Jaskier very much knows that Geralt is aware of his feelings. We know that Geralt can canonly hear heartbeats. Jaskier knows that no matter how many pretty ballads he sings and excuses he gives, he can’t hide his feelings, and Geralt will never address them, whether to protect Jaskier’s emotions or their friendship. It’s a feeling of defeat and almost a bit of self-flagellation. Like he’s shaming himself for daring to have these feelings, using a slightly mocking tone while singing these lines.

So take this heart

And break this heart

For extraordinary things

In this, Jaskier is tossing aside these feelings. He’s willing to let his heart be broken and his hopes be dashed to be by Geralt’s side because he sees that Geralt has a destiny and a purpose. He’s willing to go through the pain of never having Geralt in the way he needs because he knows that Geralt has a greater purpose, and he’s devoting himself to seeing this purpose play out.

It’s not a want, it’s a need

It is paying no heed to what

Others say to sing

The greatest songs are made up

Of unspoken words of love

Of them I’ve had enough

With you I have enough

With you I am enough

I am

I am enough…

In short, I feel like this song is very clearly an expression of Jaskier’s feelings of hopelessness towards his relationship with Geralt. He’s desperately in love with a man who he knows in his heart that he will never be enough for, whether due to orientation or feeling like Geralt has a far greater purpose than Jaskier could ever hope to understand or fulfill. He wants desperately to be enough for someone, and to feel like anybody could be enough to fill the hole that Geralt has left inside him. Enter Radovid, who sees this weakness and immediately exploits it to his advantage. But my rant on the cinematography of the scene indicating Radovid’s calculated manipulation and Jaskier’s emotional vulnerability will come another day.

Thank you Joey Batey for another total masterpiece of a performance and a song that will haunt me till I die. 🥹💕

#geralt of rivia #the witcher #gerskier #text #meta analysis #analysis #geralt x jaskier #jaskier #dandelion #dandelion Witcher #witcher season 3 #extraordinary things #extraordinary things Witcher #geraskier #joey batey

[mysteriouslybluepirate]

Why Characters Matter- Witcher S3 (Vol. 1)

Full spoilers for our four lead character arcs in S3 of The Witcher are below. I am going fully off of memory. I swear, I only have good things to say. (Especially my favorite idiot, he made me cry)

To me, character drives the heart of shows and I finally feel like Witcher has gained some of its heart back.

My biggest problem with Witcher Seasons 1-2 is that I felt like we had no reason to believe our core 4. They had almost no reason to hang out.

Why should I care about Geralt and Jaskier's friendship? Geralt fucking hates him! Jaskier has spent most of his life hated, disliked, or ignored. Hell, in season 2 Jaskier had better chemistry with Yen than Geralt did.

Why should I care about Yennifer/Geralt? I know it's going to happen, and honestly, they spend all of their on-screen time fucking! They never hang out as friends, or people trying to get to get to know each other?

This show took my every criticism and said 'Okay, bet'. It made me fall in love with these characters again. This is a really solid season of television with heart, better cinematography and writing.

NOW: For background. I've seen all of the show and played a bit of the game. I also went through a 'lore of Witcher' phase on YouTube analyzing the books. Add onto all that a full 2 years of my life reading fanfic (Geralt/Jaskier, Jaskier/Yen, Geralt/Yen, or all of them in a poly relationship). I am no expert in the series, but where the show failed me, I went to other forms of the story.

So when I say I care about these characters, I am not talking out of my ass. I am going to go character by character and explain why this season helped me care again.

Ciri: Season 2 she was just kind of there? Yeah, she was learning, but she was a plot device. Yen wanted her, the Witchers wanted her, etc. In Season 3 I finally see a girl desperate for connection and safety. She asks all three adults what she should be in life for advice because shes scared. ('I see a powerful ruler regardless of what you do', 'in the future, if you are queen you're life will be shit'. and 'I like who you are now, focus on that and what makes you happy')

She is also SO SMART. I love she tries to impress Geralt with her monster knowledge. That she is really giving it her all with Yen and magic. But she knows that she just can't fit in with the Sorceress, and feels that she's wasting her gifts with Geralt. I know how her story ends and it hurts me to know that her optimism might just get crushed. SHE'S A CHILD!!!!

Yennifer: I AM SO SORRY I DOUBTED YOU! She is the boss ass bitch, I love her, and I fully forgive her for her self-sabotaging in Season 2. She genuinely wants to try to repair shit with Geralt. GENUINELY APOLOGIZING. Starting slow, showing Geralt that she's not just trying to be friendly for a cheap fuck. They spend time together. She is at war trying to balance her circles of influence AND take care of a kid. When she talks to her old friends, I SEE that being vague and secretive is hurting her. BUT SHE HAS TO for her family.

This is the first time I looked at Yen and thought 'She loves him'. All the 'magic kiss slowmo' bullshit didn't work for me. But when she wrote out 'your friend Yennifer' I BELIEVED HER. She's also so funny? Her struggle wearing masks is so relatable, and her teaching Ciri is heartbreaking.

GERALT: I LOVE THIS FUCKING HIMBO. He's trying to balance opening up, running away from authorities, and being a decent role model for his kid.

HE APOLOGIZED! MULTIPLE TIMES! For all his shitty actions! He does it so casually and earnestly! To Jaskier, Yen and Ciri. I don't know where this development happened, but GOD, I love it. He opens up!!!! He smiles, he get's soft, and he gets scary when he needs to!

He went from 'uncaring baddass' to 'oh god, he's a socially awkward nerd'. I finally see a Geralt I recognize. He's smart, and skilled but still struggles with socializing and doing what is right.

EPISODE 5 OH MY GOD. I am so happy they split this series up so we can stew in the cliffhanger!!!

I was on the edge of my seat. Geralt and Yen trust each other so implicitly they're able to make plans on the fly!

Jaskier: He's my favorite. Always has been. (I can write a paper on him this season I swear)

I went into this season expecting him to be in maybe a few scenes, but NO. My man was relevant to the plot.

1.) PLEASE GO TO THE OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK AND LISTEN TO THE JASKIER ORCHESTRAL STUFF. It's so fucking fun! All plucky, and it sounds like you're going on an adventure and falling in love. 'Lessons in Smiling', 'He's a Spoon'.

2.) I FUCKING LOVED WHAT THEY DID WITH VALDO MARX. I was in no way spoiled, I didn't even know he'd show up. So I literally had to pause I squealed so loud. I wanted Jaskier to be treated well, and I wanted CANON Valdo Marx! I GOT BOTH! Also, All is Not As It Seems is a banger, but maybe overplayed. As Valdo deserves! You get the sense that Valdo is chasing trends and Jaskier fucking despises this man.

3.) THE ROMANTIC ARC. Now. I was spoiled that he'd get a love interest that was 'evil'. I fully expected a 'Douchebag convinces innocent protag they love them, only to double cross them'. This is how it starts. Jaskier catches on really quickly that he's probably going to get double-crossed.

Jaskier knows this is going to be a whole ordeal, so he tries to be as careful as possible. Seeming interested while keeping a distance. We can see Jaskier holding himself behind a mask, keeping the fun energy but watching Radovid in most scenes.

BUT. Jaskier is a romantic.

He knows this prince is bad news, he knows that. But something is keeping him stuck there. He sees his prince as someone to be suspicious of. A man who is willing to fake being drunk to hit on him. A prince who tries to be coy, and get Jaskier alone to talk. Who is usually there when Jaskier talks to his spy contacts. But...Well, we the audience has never seen how Jaskier acts around someone who genuinely likes him and who isn't afraid to show it.

Jaskier will follow a man who hates him for a good chunk of his life, writing songs about nature, love and heartbreak.

But in all this time he NEVER had someone to seriously listen to him. To see through his music, and lyrics, and look at the person he was.

So when this blonde prince sneaks away from an important party and admits that he's scared. And sings Jaskier one of his songs? Not a story written about adventure, or inuendo, or Geralt. No!

A song about how soft and kind love was because it let you be yourself with someone. How a person craves intimacy, even how music is written with untold words of love and kindness. How Jaskier finally feels complete in life! How Jaskier craves to be with someone, to be seen, even if it ends in heartbreak.

This prince finally SEES him...so.

Jaskier falls in love with Radovid of Redania.

Even if it's just for a night, even if it's just a crush. Jaskier can't help himself. He's the one to close the gap. To initiate the kiss. It's so GOOD.

Now. This is a man with bad intentions who is going to hurt Jaskier. I suspect that Jaskier fucking Radovid gave the 'enemy' enough time to kidnap Ciri. So.

Jaskier has always craved being seen by anyone who would listen. To be liked. To be loved. Here, on this one night, that craving was fully taken advantage of, (maybe)with a goal to hurt a person Jaskier cares about(Ciri, by leaving her alone). Even if it turns out that Radovid isn't involved, that he didn't mean for this, it would break Jaskier. Jaskier would close himself up, much like S1 Geralt, his heart wouldn't be safe with anyone. He will smile again. Dance and sing for adoring fans. But he'll never let someone dangerous in again.

I have always shipped Geralt/Jaskier, I really love reading it. I love angst/unrequited love. Hell, give it a week, and I'll read S3 fic. But this season I saw a Jaskier that didn't need Geralt anymore. Who had moved onto someone who at least seemed interested. Jaskier was simply a happy man doing what he loved. He was a weird Uncle teaching Ciri how to be human. I ADORE the scene where Geralt and Yen are talking and Ciri and Jaskier are secretly watching them. I finally feel like Jaskier is an accepted member of this family.

4.) Just seeing someone finally be comfortable in their own skin was so nice in this show. He's a funny, awkward, and sometimes charming guy. He's anxious ass all he'll, and scared and trying to rationalize the shit that's happened to him. He runs around doing stupid shit because he cares about his friends. He's not attached to Geralt's hip, and the audience gets a sense Jaskier has a life! I fucking love this man, and how he tries to seem brave around literal superhumans.

This season treated Jaskier, like how fandom on AO3 treated Jaskier, with respect, joy, and a plan to break his heart!

#the witcher netflix #the witcher season 3 #the witcher spoilers #cirilla of cintra #ciri #witcher cirilla #yennefer #geralt of rivia #witcher #jaskier #jaskier the bard #witcher season 3 #character analysis #the witcher s3

[fangirleaconmigo]

Hey! I'm not sure if this is technically a fanon or canon ask, but a question that's been nagging me for ages is does Aiden show up in the books? I'm wondering if he's mostly made up of a few lines of dialogue we heard about him or if he actually shows up somewhere in a canon

Thanks and hope you have a good one!

Hi Nonny, Thank you for the ask!

I have been asked about Aiden before, so I’m going to take the liberty of expanding on your ask and doing a full character breakdown. I hope that’s ok.

Witcher Aiden Character Breakdown

I’ll answer the following questions (roughly)

Who is Aiden?

Is Aiden in the books?

What part of Aiden is canon and what is fanon?

Why does the fandom love him?

How do fic writers write him?

Why is Lambert x Aiden so popular?

Will Aiden be in the Netflix show?

Who is Aiden?

Aiden (deceased) was a cat witcher and a friend of Lambert’s. We learn about Aiden in a TW3 supporting quest called Following the Thread, where Lambert asks Geralt to help him avenge Aiden’s death.

Does Aiden appear in the books?

No.

When I google his name, there is a website that has a notation of ‘the witcher books’ next to Aiden’s name. However, I’ve read all the books twice and the Kaer Morhen chapters of Blood of Elves like ten times, and I have never seen any references to him. Until someone actually gives me a page number and quotation, I’m sticking with my answer.

So who created Aiden?

Aiden is technically a CDPR creation, meaning he is created by the games. However, he does not actually physically appear in the games, since he is already dead when the story begins.

So, any visual character design you see in fandom, is a fanartist creation. Any personality/characterization you read in a fic, is a fic writer creation.

Aiden occupies this liminal space between canon and fanon. Canon, but not completely. Fanon, but not strictly.

So then where the hell are people getting their characterizations of Aiden in fics?

I’m glad you asked. They are reverse engineering him.

How the fuck do you do that?

(I will now let you inside the twisted mind of a fic writer. But please please keep in mind that this is all 🚨 SUPER SUPER INDIVIDUAL AND PERSONAL AND SUBJECTIVE🚨 Other people who write Aiden might be like...fuck. That isn’t why I connect with him at all. Or WHAT THE FUCK I DO NOT DO THAT AT ALL. So I do not consider myself the expert here. This is just me sharing my own thing.)

Ok that being said, reverse engineering a character is so fucking fun.

You start with what you know, identify anything intriguing about it, and invent your own explanation for it.

For example, with Aiden, we know that Aiden is a cat witcher. According to book canon, (Season of Storms) cat witchers murder people and act as assassins. We learn that they are not allowed to winter in Kaer Morhen, and when Brehen (the cat witcher we meet in the books) complains about that, Geralt is like...you fucking know why that is.

Dandelion explains to a third party that cat witchers' mutations are “failed” , that they are “psychopaths and sadists”, and “aggressive, cruel, unpredictable, and impulsive.”

So, we know that they pass their winters hard, cold, and hungry, and that Geralt, who is no pacifist, and is perfectly willing to kill people in defense of self and others (and frankly, can be pretty flexible about that) thinks their methods are evil. They are notorious.

CDPR, the comics, and other games (rpg, gwent) have added to that canon, but I am no expert on those, so I’ll stick to what I know.

What we know already creates an intriguing picture. Keep this cat witcher stuff in mind when I say that in TW3, Lambert says that Aiden was the best man he ever knew. I would like to remind the dear readers that Lambert knows Geralt and Eskel, two of the best men on the continent! That’s a high bar, folks. A cat witcher is the best man Lambert has ever known. When Geralt mentions that cats take human contracts, Lambert says that Aiden did not take human contracts and did not murder humans.

So, as fic writers, we ask ourselves questions about Aiden and explain them ourselves. For me what I ask is:

What kind of person is raised by dog-eat-dog people who teaches him that it’s cool to kill both humans and other witchers for financial gain, and yet grows up to be a person who refuses to kill humans or other witchers?

What kind of person experiences a failed mutation, then lives in constant hardship against the elements, facing chronic cold and hunger, and instead of resenting the Kaer Morhen wolves for the warmth of their castle and the family support they enjoy, literally attaches himself to the grumpiest one and loves him for life? (The romance may be fanon, but the friendship is canon, and friendship is love. People like to forget that.) By comparison, Brehen fucking hates and resents the Kaer Morhen wolves. He calls them hypocrites and blames his suffering on their refusal to let him stay there. But Aiden clearly did not.

What kind of person grows up around people like Brehen, who were obviously at least somewhat willing to kill Aiden for a contract (Brehen attempts to kill Geralt for a contract in Season of Storms), always having to look out for himself, yet manage to turn out so good?

And

How would a person turn out if they had to buck their community, the only survival options offered to them, and every last one of the ‘values’ they were taught, just to be true to themselves?

I think even the little bit we have so far points to a person with a deep well of compassion and kindness but also a whole lot of grit and spine. Like, he had to rebel to be a decent human being.

Fic writers fucking love that shit. A little structure, but a lot of room for creativity. Best writing prompt ever.

But let me be clear THERE ARE NO RULES EVER!!! WRITE HIM HOWEVER YOU WANT!!!!

Why do they love him then, if they mostly made him up?

You just answered your own question. It’s the freedom to craft your own lovingly wrought narrative about not belonging in the community where life has placed you, about struggling to break out of it, and about being true to yourself. I mean go back and read that sentence again and tell me that shit isn’t RIFE for queer narratives. RIFE I tell you. It is not a surprise to me that this is very popular with queer writers. (Ie, most fic writers, tbh)

Yes, but a lot of people just write him as a pairing for Lambert. They aren’t writing long character studies.

Yes, but even a PWP has character work, even a PWP has personalities and I’d argue with Aiden they all do by necessity since we don’t have his personality in canon. And JUST having him interact with Lambert tells us a whole lot about his character.

So when we write Lambert x Aiden we ask ourselves...

What kind of person can get past Lambert’s spikiness? His defenses?

What kind of person can get a famously loyal Lambert to invite tension between himself and Geralt or Eskel, who have past traumas with cat witchers?

What kind of person can inspire that kind of trust in a slow-to-trust Lambert?

What kind of person can impress the not-easily-impressed Lambert?

Basically this cat motherfucker strolled up to the hardest case, the most sarcastic, defensive, pissy wolf witcher, and won his literal undying devotion.

Who can do that???? And how??

It’s fun to imagine. It compels me. I’m compelled. And we all know that the spikiest character is the mushiest inside, and that’s exactly what fic writers love. We wanna crack open that egg and study the yolk.

It also creates the beginning of a personality all on its own.

For example, (again this will be different for everyone, this is just what I came up with) it would be difficult to write a spiky Aiden. Lambert is already spiky. Two spiky closed off people are difficult to get together because SOMEONE has to reach out first.

It would be difficult to write an Aiden who is easily intimidated or cowed. You have to be strong to deal with Lambert.

It would also be difficult to write an Aiden who is quick to anger. Lambert is sarcastic, so if you put him with someone who had thin skin or got pissed off easily, then you’re just writing them fighting all the time. I mean, you can! But most people want to get to the good stuff.

So you often end up with an Aiden who is not intimidated by Lambert AT ALL. There is often confidence there. Comfort in his own skin.(he’s had to develop that to break away from his community as it is, so that fits well anyway). You usually have an Aiden who is perceptive. Who swaggers up to Lambert and immediately sees how soft he is inside, then instinctively has the patience and flexibility to stick around long enough to prove himself.

You usually end up with an Aiden who is easy going and affectionate but also stubborn as fuck with a spine of steel.

You end up with something like that. At least I do. And a lot of other fic writers do.

So again, you’re reverse engineering. It is the most fun writing exercise ever.

So, why is this ship (Lambert and Aiden) so popular? Why would a character who is essentially an OC, be such a popular pairing with Lambert?

Well, ok. Three things.

One, you answered part of your own question. People who love Lambert get to lovingly craft the exact person they want to inflict upon him.

BUT

ALSO

Two. The revenge quest for a lost love just begs for fic to be written. It gets down on its knees and begs.

The quest Following the Thread, even though it is about a friendship, contains multiples INCREDIBLY popular romance tropes.

Two people from opposing sides of a conflict falling in love. Think sharks and jets. Think Capulets and Montagues. No, I’m not kidding. Yes, there are inherent tension and unjust external forces pulling them apart, creating space for a love so strong, they both go against their respective communities to be together. Half of the Lambert/Aiden fics are “Aiden goes to Kaer Morhen and challenges the other wolf witchers ideas about cats (also triggering their trauma and bringing up their bad memories of being betrayed by cats)”.

Tragic death/fixing a tragic death. This is a HUGELY popular romance trope. The other half of Lambert x Aiden fics are about Lambert either grieving Aiden’s death, or overcoming it somehow. (Ghost Aiden, curse lifted Aiden, crawls back from hell Aiden)

Avenging a lost love. This is very very romantic. Aiden is already dead in TW3. He can’t be touched or impressed by the fact that Lambert is avenging him. Lambert just loves him so much he NEEDS to in order to go on with his life. A quest to avenge a lost love is a super popular trope.

And three, it just fits perfectly for Lambert to have a fellow witcher as a love interest, who understands instinctively what he’s gone through, so it doesn’t require him to be super expressive of his pain, but NOT a wolf witcher, who may be connected to his own trauma.

Though it doesn’t always have to be about Lambert’s issues. The one I’ve written kind of centers around Aiden’s trauma with breaking away from his community and calls a bit more for Lambert to nurture him. And of course I’m not the only one who has approached it that way.

I did do a rec thread once for medium-rare witcher pairs and I have some Lambert x Aiden recs on there.

But let me tell you some of the absolute best writers in the fandom write them. So, just go in the tag and mosey around.

Will Aiden appear in The Witcher Netflix series?

It is highly unlikely, though technically not impossible.

So, whenever you adapt an existing property, you have to pay the original creator of that property. Like with Star Wars, the movies came first. SW was created by the filmmaker Lucas. So if you want to do anything Star Wars, you run him his money.

The witcher universe was created by the witcher book author. They began as short stories. So, the author owns the IP. He sells permission (usually limited by time, region, language etc) for the witcher universe to be adapted into other formats. He sold CDPR the rights to adapt it into a video game. He sold Netflix exclusive rights to make it into a show.

So Netflix has already paid the author.

So, say they want to use something that CDPR created new for the games.

They have to pay them too.

But, wait, you say. The show already includes game elements!

Yes, but they are VERY VAGUE elements so that they do not get a letter from CDPR’s attorneys with an invoice. CDPR does not own jokes about trolls. They do not own witchers sitting in bathtubs. They do not own handlebar mustaches on witcher mentors. (I used these examples in another post, but I can’t think of new ones lol)

So, they could have a character named Aiden. CDPR doesn’t own the name Aiden. But the more things they added to that character (cat witcher, Lambert friend) the more likely they are to get that letter from CDPR.

I can think of zero reasons they would do that for a character they don’t need. Kaer Morhen only appears in one book. If the show follows the book saga plot, it will never return there. So Lambert (unless they drastically change the books) will not appear anymore except via flashbacks or memories. Nothing bad has happened to him, the plot just leaves Kaer Morhen behind.

So they don’t need to pay to use a CDPR character that will have zero bearing on the plot.

Now, if they just pull a whole different plot out of their asses and want to have Lambert there and then want to give Lambert a friend, then hey. Maybe. I just don’t see why they would.

Ok, I think that’s all I have to say about Aiden!! If you’ve read to the end, hey, *Points at you* you’re a nerd too.

Feel free to flail with me about Lambert or Aiden. Or anything else! Add to it! Share why you love him and tell people I got it all wrong 😆 whatever.

#the witcher #witcher aiden #lambert #lambert x aiden #Aiden #lambden #laiden #meta #character analysis

[mrabubu]

Does Syanna deserves redemption, and why she doesn't?

Ok, so by this moment some of you might know that I'm a huge fan of The Witcher 3, and for some time "Blood and Wine" DLC and it's endings been a huge dilemma for me. When I played it the first time about 3-4 years ago, I didn't really though much about my own choice, and went for "the best ending", because everyone considered it to be the best, but after all this time I started to think, is it really the best, and does Syanna really deserves redemption and to be forgiven? So, to finally summarise, I've decided to make this post, with my own analysis, facts and lines from the game itself... Because I just need to get it out of my system, so yeah... Let's start.

So my main problem in all this is Syanna herself, her motives, past and all... Yeah, ok, she was traumatized, treated awfully by her family, but after some analysis, I don't feel any sympathy towards her.

People use her childhood as an argument to her actions, but has anyone though about if she even tried to act differently? From what we learn from the game, and from Anarietta herself, Syanna never even tried to change. Syanna had many chances to stop this all or to start over, but she didn't care, because she didn't want to change. She admits herself that even if she had a chance (and she did had) to start over, she wouldn't change anything, and if people see her as a monster, she will be one.

Even Anarietts herself admits and never hides that Syanna was cruel, selfish and possessive.

Not to mention unquestionably terrible things she did and didn't feel any remorse or even laughed at, like the story with Cedric and his brother whom he killed because of Syanna's "prank". Torturing fairy tale creatures in the land of a thousand fables to the point when they feel terrified when she approaches. Or even that story which led to her exile: why didn't Syanna stop Anarietts from setting those balloons on fire which they then threw at that envoy? I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure this didn't went without any consequences for him.

After some thinking, I can't even be sure that Anarietta is to blame. Anarietta was the youngest in the family, and as most youngest, she looked up to her older sibling. In some way, Syanna was the one who raised Anarietta to be the way she was and to be like her older sister. Even Syanna admits so, by saying that Anarietta wanted to impress her. Syanna had to take responsibility for her actions, or at least understand that when time will come to find a culprit, she will be the one to blame. I will also remind that Syanna spent most of her life as a bandit, even became a leader of the gang, which means she probably did a lot of more terrible things, stealing, blackmailng, hurting or even killing people for her own gain. I'm pretty sure she wasn't a female version of Robin Hood.

Syanna's "motivation" lies in resentment toward a child, and even after decades, Syanna never understood that her 12-13 year old sister couldn't do much to change what was coming. Even Geralt understood all this after knowing her for a couple of days.

She never wanted to try and contact Anarietta, talk to her about all that happened then. A grown up, probably about 30-40 years old woman, holding a grudge towards a child, whom Anarietta was back then. She was fine to just kill her younger sister without even trying to solve this peacefully, just ask "why?", even though Anarietta herself tried to find Syanna, but she "didn't wish to be found", to which Syanna never argued, meaning she willingly avoided any chances to talk this out, while Anarietta was the only one who actually held love towards her sibling throughout all these years and tried to do something.

And Syanna saying that she's angry with Anarietta not because she didn't stood up for her, but because "she forgot", I'm sorry, sounds like total b u l l s h i t, because we know and she knows this isn't true. After all this I'm not even sure Syanna really loved Anarietta, if she so easily convinced herself that her little sister is a traitor, forgot about all that they been through, and after at least two decades the only way for her to solve this is to just get rid of Anarietta by somebody else's hands and make an entire scene of this like it was a perfomance. Irony of all this is that Syanna accused Anarietta that she didn't stood up for her because she wanted to take the throne to herself, but a lot of things points to that it is Syanna who just uses her "trauma" and knight's "dishonesty" as an excuse to kill her sister and take the throne. After all this, this was her point at the "court".

The difference between Syanna and Dettlaff is that Dettlaf doesn't kill for fun or joy, while Syanna does. Make Cedric kill his brother was a joke to her. Setting a person on fire made her laugh, "Never laughed so hard in my life", as she said.

Using and blackmailing a person who loved her meant nothing to her and never made her feel guilty or shame, even to the point of blaming him for being too trusting.

Even Geralt was used by her, which she admits at some point by telling she was nice to him only to "get him to sleep with her", which makes this whole thing even more disgusting for me as in all this situation one of the few thing Syanna could think of was s e x. People to her is nothing but toys or tools, even those who love her and saw in her more than she is.

Another difference between those two is that Dettlaff actually tried for many years, if not decades, to live peacefully among humans, helping them, and that is a fact backed up by words or others, and not only by Regis's words, while the only person who tried to defend Syanna was Anarietta, only because they were siblings and Anarietta felt guilty.

And another only person who could tell something about Syanna was her another simple victim she used and manipulated for her own gain.

Even her decision to help to stop Dettlaff doesn't feel like something she decided to do willingly, but something she did under pressure, because she had no choice. She admitted herself that she would prefer just to run away rather than face Dettlaff, but I guess it's hard to do so when another higher vampire and a witcher standing in front of you.

And do you remember that moment when we first got to the land of a thousand fables, and Syanna asks us what are we doing here, and if we choose the sarcastic line, she genuinely doesn't understand why are we ended up here, meaning she either forgot about Dettlaff's threat and her "promise" to help, or just didn't care from the start.

And, honestly, right after Dettlaff fled and Syanna met Anarietta, why didn't she try to stop Anarietta from taking her away? Didn't she just told us that Dettlaff means no joke and meeting with him is "the least she could do"? Why didn't she try to argue, saying that Bauclair is in danger now, and that Syanna has to go and meet Dettlaff. From what we got, it more looked like Syanna wanted to be taken away to sneak out later and just run away.

If we would've gotten a scene where we see that Syanna had a chance to run away but in the end decided to keep her word, that would've been one thing, but all that we see is that she either goes willingly, or Geralt and Regis will probably drag her to Tesham Mutna with broken legs.

But you know what could actually fix this whole situation for me? If in the game we were told that Syanna actually tried to change. If in this accident, that led to her exile, it would've been established that Syanna tried to stop Anarietta, and when she tried to explain what actually happened no one believed her, and Anarietta didn't tell the truth, all this would've actually worked. But no.

And after all this, in the end, she never admits her fault. Everyone, in her opinion, was to blame, while she's the one and only saint and innocent, who did nothing wrong. She never apologises for what she was doing to people, never thinks that maybe some part of her life was the cause of her own actions and not wanting to at least try and not provoke others. We have, as an example, second DLC, Hearts of stone, where we have Olgierd, who was also a terrible man, but the main difference between Syanna and him, that he admits he himself caused what he got, that he caused so much pain to those he loved,

and in the ending where he survives, we at least see him wanting to start a new life, even tho he lost everything he had and loved.

We don't see anything remotely like this from Syanna. While Olgierd regects his past and decides to start a new life, "take faith in his own hands", Syanna keeps blaming the world for everything wrong in her life, her parents, her sister, the knights, never considering that maybe she also did something wrong.

And in this "best ending" everyone just forgave her and forgot about all these sick things she did across her life, while our/Geralt's best friend, who we know for a long time, if you consider books, helped Geralt many times, once already died fighting for us in the battle agains Vilgefortz, basically tortured himself to find out why Dtttlaff is doing what he's doing, in this ending became "anathema", is chased by his own kind, and had to kill a person who saved his life and was the one who actually tried to change.

And so, in the end we have a sadistic, self-centered psychopath, who used, hurt, manipulated and lied to those who trusted her, never expressed any kind of remorse towards those she hurt, never reflected on her life and never even tried to change to prove that she's a better person from who people though she was.

If to choose, I would choose to safe Dettlaff, because unlike Syanna, he tried to change, and I do believe that this character could be redeemed and never wanted any of this from the start, and the fact is a fact that if not for Syanna, nothing of this would've happened. After learning more about Vampire's lore, talking to Regis about how hard it is for them to live among humans, I actually feel sorry for him and Dettlaff. Yes, Dettlaff did terrible thing, he's impulsive and because of that many people died, but that's why the game give us an option to kill him too. I, myself, would never choose to save Syanna and give her a happy ending after all she did and whi she is. For me, she's unquestionably unredeemable.

#dettlaff van der eretein #dettlaff #syanna #regis #the witcher #the witcher 3 #witcher 3 #blood and wine #the witcher 3 blood and wine #witcher #geralt of rivia #Geralt #thoughts #analysis

[revoevokukil]

there is a lot of talk about the relationship ciri and ava and laramore and the relationship with the laboratory elf did he use her as a consolation or a kind of medicine for the pain he suffered because of lara? and what does she feel for him is it just because he is a wise man or does she have feelings did she feel Ciri as a threat? please i want your opinion on this relationship

A courtesan or a lover (prospective, new, old, or otherwise)? Or a psychologist? The former frequently function as the latter. Certainly though, a woman who very much wanted to be in that boat instead of Ciri that afternoon.

We met the "laboratory elf" in Lady of the Lake.

She found Avallac’h on the terrace by the river just as he was boarding a boat in the company of a gorgeous elf-woman with straw-coloured hair. The elf-woman was wearing lipstick the colour of pistachios and flecks of golden glitter on her eyelids and temples. … Ciri was about to turn around and walk away when Avallac’h stopped her with a gesture. And invited her into the boat with another. Ciri hesitated. She didn’t want to talk in front of witnesses. Avallac’h said something quickly to the elf-woman and blew her a kiss. The elf-woman shrugged and went away. She only turned around once, to show Ciri with her eyes what she thought of her. ‘If you could, refrain from comment,’ said Avallac’h when she sat down on the bench nearest the bow.

Ironically, TW3 gives her a name: Isilira. In short, Lira. Not a huge jump from Lira to Lara, and that already says plenty. I am only half joking. (She is also implicated as a spy; present on Naglfar in a cut quest. But it's unknown if the Child of the Elder Blood quest was at the game in that iteration of the game or not.) TW3 reinforces the idea of her as of Avallac'h's paramour and I don't think it's misguided. Based on what the game shows, Isilira seems up for indulging Avallac'h's desires, or maybe shares some of them in a complementary manner (perhaps they're using each other in a mutually enjoyable way; wouldn't that be lovely). On display in the laboratory though are both Isilira's and Ciri's jealousy and preconceived notions about Avallac'h: Isilira hopes he is not serious about Ciri and Ciri hopes exactly the opposite, that there is something more serious Avallac'h feels toward her.

Why was the elf woman at TnL that day? What made her special enough to earn a private rendezvous with one of the most powerful elves in the realm? Gorgeous, prepared. She clearly expected to be favoured over Ciri, but was restrained & distant enough not to make her displeasure known to Crevan upon being set aside for a dh'oine. (No, correct that: closely avoiding a three-way date. Crevan's oblivious at first, inviting Ciri to him immediately.) If theirs is an established relationship then boundaries might already be set (lover or professional courtesan, I think there would be a minefield to learn by heart with Avallac'h just the same). If she is new, well, then her contempt for Ciri is all the more understandable (an object of desire or a potentially useful client preferring some mongrel over you, I mean…). How serious could it possibly be, though? How much does the elf woman know about the gossip circling about Ciri, who bears the eyes of Lara? Does the "don't take away my memories of Lara" not apply to anyone but Ciri? Evidently.

Rewind.

I find the fact that this scene with the elf-woman is included in LotL incredibly interesting.

The man who has ever only wanted the love of one Woman, who cheated on him and did not want him in the end, is himself wanted by other women. Crevan's love for Lara seems to have been painfully genuine; earnest, despite his inherent pragmatism. It is always interesting to see what happens to people like him upon being disappointed in an ideal they have allowed themselves to fall for.

I think Avallac'h's vanity is a surprisingly underappreciated aspect of his persona. He is an elite of the elite - The Guy - and he knows it. He has an ego. Appropriately bruised by The Woman. But The Woman is dead and a few others at TnL may have sighed in relief when it happened; there's free real estate now. Joke's on them, of course, but has that ever stopped anyone persistent in the short term? I guess it takes a particular type.

Speaking of types: Avallac'h seems to be all about the Halo effect nowadays. To be seen as romantically linked with an attractive partner puts a seal of approval on a man's desirability in the eyes of other women. You don't know the guy personally and might infer he has qualities women desire in mates. Interesting insofar as the scene's included for Ciri's POV. You can halo-effect yourself too, of course; most who have ever been left or betrayed or hurt have questioned their self-worth. And that's yet another aspect that makes Avallac'h a really complicated character. You wouldn't know this implied mass murderer's heart and ego have been chewed up, mangled, and spat out by The Woman he loved unless her ghost was summoned: but simultaneously, when you learn it, you also learn that while Crevan is genuinely forlorn he is also absolutely resentful. Underneath, he is still angry. He hasn't dealt with it. Perhaps he is trying to deal with it.

(And I can hear a fic calling at me with a plot of him going to the she-elf as to a bed shrink; a witch he spends almost as much, if not more, time talking to while they are bathing as he does fucking her. I imagine Ciri features heavily in those conversations, as this is where it all gets really deliciously messed up. And I imagine Isilira is - on a professional level - amused, even while personally her heart is finding new degrees of stone to turn into. There, a WIP was born. Thanks, anon!)

And as concerns his vanity, who is to say Crevan didn't think he was the best thing since sliced bread right from the get go; when he was courting Lara? Being genuinely in love with someone makes you adjust your personality a lot, sure, but given how in-your-face Avallac'h's self-love is I don't think it's ruled out he took it as self-evident he was the best-suited for Lara. A wonderful loop: Destiny confirming self-importance and self-importance confirming Destiny. (But also - love; do we not all think along these lines when we are in love? Which came first? What feeds what?) Now, I don't know much about being the top 0.01% and how that affects what you're looking for in your partner - someone who understands your exceptionality & embraces what others see as vices must have been reassuring & relaxing on some level for Lara - but I can see smugness causing an allergic reaction even if the person loves me very-very much. Moreover, I think it's ironic how emotionally unavailable Avallac'h post-Lara does to those who desire him what Lara ended up doing to him. Circles of hurt everywhere; unintentional or not.

#asks #avallac'h #isilira #lady of the lake #lara dorren #ciri #the witcher #wiedźmin #the witcher 3 #character analysis #headcanons #aen elle #the witcher books #and that he is an aev saevherne who cannot allow his own ego to overshadow things but is still capable of selfishness is just a delight #quoting gimilzor: avallac'h you chucklefuck

[hanzajesthanza]

“what does geralt get from that friendship…”

another post examining the weight of geralt and dandelion’s friendship… because i don’t think people recognize how painful and debilitating loneliness can become.

the witcher as a deconstruction of the genre takes fantasy tropes to their most logical ends—it asks us to consider what The Lone Swordsman feels, looks into the humanity in a Cold-Blooded Killer. and it turns out he’s not cold-blooded at all.

that despite some superhuman abilities, he laments and worries and curses himself, just like any other worker of any other profession. just as the farmer is scorched by the sun, the washerwoman’s back aches, and the scholar goes half-blind studying, a witcher deals with all of the pains and annoyances and dangers of his job in a mundanely human way.

but the farmer, the washerwoman, and the scholar have something the witcher does not have—they’ll always be seen as human and part of their society. at the end of the day after enduring all of their labor, they have their wife to caress, festivities to attend, and taverns to frequent. but for a witcher? after the killing is over, what does he have? no one and nothing. not even a thank you. he is met with fear and hatred everywhere he goes, baseless bigotry and dislike.

I did my job. I quickly learned how. I’d ride up to village enclosures or town pickets and wait. If they spat, cursed and threw stones, I rode away. If someone came out to give me a commission, I’d carry it out.

so he faces not just loneliness, but being deliberately ostracized and cast out from society. geralt can’t even find a polite word in most settlements, much less a friend.

‘(…) Tell me, where should I go? And for what? At least here some people have gathered with whom I have something to talk about. People who don’t break off their conversations when I approach. People who, though they may not like me, say it to my face, and don’t throw stones from behind a fence. (…)’

this kind of loneliness is not a mere inconvenience. it’s completely altering to your self-perception and ability to see the positive in the world.

each day is not lived, but endured.

day in, and day out—forced to the most difficult and lowest labor in order to survive, and knowing that were you to die, no one would search for your body, few would miss you, hell, they might even spit “good riddance”.

in this situation, to find a friend, is not only friendship, but a rescue.

without dandelion, geralt may have drowned—drowned in solitude, amidst a sea of strangeness.

‘(…) And I’m alone, completely alone, endlessly alone among the strange and hostile elements. Solitude amid a sea of strangeness. Don’t you dream of that?’

No, I don’t, he thought. I have it every day.

because dandelion is not only a bright soul, characteristic rippling laughter and the strum of a lute, but someone who will intently listen to geralt, someone who mutually enjoys his company.

‘(…) you almost jumped out of your pants with joy to have a companion. Until then, you only had your horse for company.’

someone who doesn’t see him as strange and at the fringes of society at all, but as an utterly normal man.

and doesn’t impose demeaning, sappy sympathy onto him, but sobering and realistic “quit your bullshit” which ridicules the very thought that he should internalize societal hatred.

Do you know what your problem is, Geralt? You think you’re different. (…) [You don’t understand that] for people who think clear-headedly you’re the most normal man under the sun, and they all wish that everybody was so normal. What of it that you have quicker reflexes than most and vertical pupils in sunlight? That you can see in the dark like a cat? That you know a few spells? Big deal.

dandelion isn’t “willing” to accept geralt for himself—he already has accepted him. and to him, it’s no difficulty, it’s nothing worth discussing, because he sees no abnormality and no strangeness in him.

while others “prefer the company of lepers to witchers,” dandelion has already offered geralt to share his room and board. not out of sympathetic pity, not out of fetishizing curiosity. because… they’re friends.

and what else does this friendship save him from?

not only from others, but from himself.

worse than enduring others’ apathy and hatred is one’s own thoughts—the darkness and negativity which builds from witnessing and experiencing such behavior.

dandelion’s ability to counter and dispel geralt’s pessimism and self-flagellating tendencies—again, not out of pity, but out of friendship—is undeniably invaluable. someone to rescue you from your darkest thoughts, when you begin to spiral.

and in this darkness, all you can do is cry. you cry, beg for someone to help you, please—

Help! Why doesn't anyone help me? Alone, weak, helpless – I can't move, can't force a sound from my constricted throat. Why does no one come to help me? I'm terrified!

to be alone, the saga reminds us, is worse than a death sentence. to be alone is to “perish; stabbed, beaten or kicked to death, defiled, like a toy passed from hand to hand.” to be alone is to suffer, and to be with someone is to save them from that suffering.

'(…) I wouldn't like anything bad to happen to you. I like you too much, owe you too much-'

'You've said that already. What do you owe me, Yennefer?'

The sorceress turned her head away, did not say anything for a while.

'You travelled with him,' she said finally. 'Thanks to you he was not alone. You were a friend to him. You were with him.'

it is true that geralt has saved dandelion countless times, helped him, gotten him out of some scrape… but to ask what did geralt get in return? are you kidding me?

did you ever consider that it is dandelion who saved geralt?

by being with him. by being by his side. by being his friend.

indeed, dandelion has rescued geralt, countless times, from the yawning jaws of endless loneliness. he’s helped him, chased away the danger of geralt’s own rumination. and he’s gotten him out of scrapes, his own insecurities and bitter helplessness.

so what does dandelion give geralt? what does geralt get from their friendship?

an amusing question. what one gets from friendship is the friendship itself. and that is more than enough.

#the witcher books #gerlion #geralt of rivia #dandelion #jaskier #the parallels with ciri’s story makes me so emotional like… #ciri is just geralt but younger and alone. and thus she suffers so immensely #i included ciri’s nightmare because i think that’s how it feels to be alone #you just cry out ‘help! why won’t someone help me?’ and no one answers #and the funny bit is that everyone is like ‘ugh you cannot get RID of dandelion’ like #i think that’s the most comforting and relieving thing about him. he will never leave and abandon geralt. #there is nothing geralt *would* or *could* do to ever push him away #the kind of friendship where you never worry about being too ‘weird’ for them because they straight up dont care if youre weird #honestly idk how more people dont see them like this because i feel like loneliness is so pervasive right now #does everyone else just have this kind of best friend and for that reason take dandelion’s presence for granted #s: i want to be by your side #c: geralt #c: dandelion #excerpt #analysis #like. this is how it is: #the entire world: ‘you’re nothing you’re worthless and you’re inhuman’ #dandelion is NOT like ‘omgggg of course you are something 🥺🥺 pwease don’t think badly like that’ #no. he’s like ‘the hell? that’s the stupidest thing ive ever heard. why the hell are you even listening to that’ #dandelion has a kind of masculine energy that the fandom does not like lmao

[minne-cerbinna]

I think quite often of the optional little dialogue tree that one can get about Yaevinn in TW2 with an imported save if one sides with Iorveth, and particularly of just how Iorveth describes Yaevinn

The dialogue prompt "I once knew another Scoia'tael - Yaevinn." will lead to the following exchange:

GERALT: I once met another Scoia'tael leader.

IORVETH: Yaevinn. I knew him. He had beautiful dreams and desperately wanted me to share them. Asked the same of you, I heard.

GERALT: You know a lot about me.

IORVETH: I try to know as much as I can - about everyone.

They'll elaborate a little further in this dialogue about how they both agree with Yaevinn's reasons and the fact that Yaevinn "saw combat and killing as poetry" which Iorveth deems unrealistic because "war is prose, with no place for beauty" (how poetic).

But the interesting part to me is the statement that Yaevinn had "beautiful dreams" and how he was this grand idealist, because this seems to be in contradiction with Yaevinn's characterisation. In his novel appearance, he argues against Toruviel's idealism as he proposes shooting the unarmed messenger. In TW1, Geralt refers to him in his journal as being "disillusioned", as well as being "a cynic and a pragmatist", neither of which seem to hold with Iorveth's account. While this can be credited to the fact that it's possible that Iorveth's past-tense statement of "I knew him" means that he hasn't seen Yaevinn in some time rather than, or at least in addition to, the implied death. He has perhaps not seen him since the Second Northern War, where they were both in the Vrihedd brigade, and Yaevinn could have grown more cynical since the Scoia'tael were betrayed by Dol Blathanna, his earliest characterisation is that of the novel canon, and he does not present a particular idealism that would reflect the notion that he is a dreamer.

It can be taken as a choice of characterisation, because for all that Yaevinn is disillusioned, he does have his hopes and desires for the future and his plans at Vizima, just as Iorveth has his hopes for Saskia and Vergen. He has these dreams, even if he tenders them close to his chest and puts the practical aspects first before he allows himself to have this hope. And I think that is a really interesting interpretation, to have this juxtaposition, that he can be both disillusioned and a dreamer, and that he chose a scant few, Iorveth, and then Geralt, to share in those precious dreams.

The notion of Yaevinn having these "beautiful dreams" is also very pertinent to his TW1 characterisation, I think, because there are optional dialogues in which Yaevinn tells the accounts of how he once lived among humans and believed in assimilation, that the humans would accept the elves if given enough time, only to be persecuted and harassed at length until he finally accepted that there was no place for him there, that there could be no assimilation, only annihilation. And even though he knows it is a hopeless fight, he still proceeds onward. He knows his people are dying, and he knows that if they do not act quickly, they will be well and truly doomed to extinction, but he is still trying to fight. That is, in and of itself, an expression of a dream for a better future, even if he thinks it hopeless, or, as Iorveth criticises, unrealistic.

Serious character analysis aside, I think that the absolute funniest interpretation of this dialogue is that it is not to be taken literally about Yaevinn's idealism or lack thereof, but rather as a euphemism -- taking "beautiful dreams" as a euphemism for queer romantic interest; hence "he had beautiful dreams and desperately wanted me to share them" is something like "he likes men and asked me to be his lover", "I hear he asked the same of you" thenceforth meaning something like "were you also his lover/do you also like men" (and the response "you know a lot about me" therefore indicating that he is correct in his judgement). There's like a whole rebellion going on but Iorveth is just checking out his options, y'know.

#rambles #the witcher #the witcher games #yaevinn #iorveth #geralt of rivia #funnily enough this is the real reason i made this blog #to post rambling long-form content #and give my poor long-suffering partner a break from listening to me #i love them to bits they deserve some respite #so now the whole of the internet gets the dubious honour of seeing this i guess #i am posting this instead of working on my latest drawing tbh #yaevinn my beloved #i have many thoughts about him #some of it is serious character analysis and whatnot #some of it is just silly #but he is on my mind very often #i like this style of verbose euphemisms #both the historical precedent and joking things like this #'he has beautiful dreams' could be right up there with 'he's friends with lambert'