#cirillach

[wraithofmorhogg]

Avallac'h: The Most Misunderstood Witcher Character A Character Study

I feel people have wrongly judged him for someone that we only get for ONE chapter and a small cameo from Geralt and one other prospective so I would like to speak on my prospective of Avallac'h as a character. Starting out it is interesting to me that whenever he speaks of Ciri having the promised child he seems to shut down. Right off the bat that sounds to me like dissociation. Not nefarious evil.

But notice that when Ciri insults Auberon this is the first time his face changes. Why? He says this is her 'only chance to be free' and his face goes back to that blank, stone look once he returns to the subject of a child. Only chance to be free? Hmm...

"You don't know what you mean." He says. And then he runs away from her. He says this more than once. "You don't know what you mean." "You don't know what you're talking about." Or in another translation "You don't know what you're risking." So, what does this all mean? Well as it turns out Auberon has the answer.

The King claims that Ciri is there selfishly so she doesn't have to experience Avallac'h's lab, but Avallac'h never once told her that his lab was an option. She doesn't even KNOW there is an alternative. "If it isn't me, it will be Avallac'h and his lab.""You cannot even imagine what it would mean for you to go there." And Avallac'h doesn't want to do that to her. He doesn't want to use his lab. So, in his own strange way Avallac'h is trying to protect or save Ciri from this horror. Again, back to this line.

"You don't know what you mean." "You don't know what you're talking about." Avallac'h does NOT want to use his lab on her. He is doing everything within his power to avoid it. Why? He must genuinely care about her in some way. We don't know the reasoning that he does. Does Ciri remind him of Lara? Or is he doing this out of duty to Lara to protect her child? Because no matter what anyone says Avallac'h clearly wholeheartedly loved Lara and Ciri as he states is a part of Lara. Whatever it maybe he does care about Ciri, or he would have taken her straight to his lab in the first place. I don't think Avallac'h actually wanted any of this for Ciri at all, but he thought that her sleeping with the King was the only way he could preserve her life.

This is after Ciri has pissed off Auberon and the alternative must be Ava's lab. The walls of the palace have ears. Avallac'h must know and he has mysteriously disappeared. So, what happens next?

The King is dead. Poisoned.

People claim Eredin, but Eredin was surprised. He had no idea. So, who else does that leave us with? Avallac'h who has been mysteriously missing when usually he is around to console Ciri after the King has been a prick to her. I think in the end he poisoned Auberon to protect Ciri. As Avallac'h told Geralt "Someone else will help her now." we know he meant himself. Avallac'h has clearly done just that if he hasn't been behind the scenes doing so all along.

Another interesting thing to note a lot of people use the "he strangled Ciri" to claim him as evil, but depending on the translation he didn't actually do that. It says he "COULD" choke her. Not that he did. He appears to just be holding her. Not pleasant sure but not choking either. She did just say something that must have been horribly painful to him. (and maybe just maybe he was a little tempted by her proposition of it being him instead of Auberon)

He was quite quick to forgive her, wasn't he? Perhaps because they both acted foolishly. Finally, I want to point out a couple of other things that someone who is evil just wouldn't bother to do.

I find it interesting that Avallac'h realized she was embarrassed and upset and he 'quickly' stopped to comfort her. To say it was fine in his own way.

Comforting her. Using her own language. Which in the elf world means he's probably lowing his status for her. When Ciri is upset about the king being a total prick to her. Again. Avallac'h patiently hears her out. Even if hearing those details of the woman that shares Lara's eyes doing things with another man must be awful. A "strange smile" indeed.

Bonus: Avallac'h helps Geralt

And at one-point other humans who if I recall correctly, he was guiding through a blizzard for some reason? Maybe it depends on the translation?

Does he really hate humans or is he just bitter he lost Lara to one? I suspect he doesn't really hate them as much as he says he does, or he wouldn't be helping them at all. "Bored she-elves"? Tsk tsk. This has nothing to do with bored elves. It is all about you and Lara. All in all, Avallac'h is not a bad guy. He is not evil. That does not mean he is 100% a good person, but nobody is. One thing we can get is that he does care about Ciri. What is Ciri to Avallac'h? We may never know. Maybe even he himself has no idea.

Thus ends my character study on Book! Avallac'h (for now) and I thank those that took the time to share open-mindedly (I hope) this little study with me.

[xuelingxu]

Happy New Year☺️

[anv6ro]

Hi! I want to show you my analysis of Cirillach moments in Witcher 3. The video language is polish, but if you want to see translate of this video, click the sublites and choose "polish" (I don't know why, but they had been saved as "polish". But don't worry - despite the name of translate, it's in english) I hope you like it. :)

[frenziedflame6]

"Belleteyn wilderness" doodle for those who cannot fall asleep.

[raivenreine]

Blond and black, good and evil

Ciri, Avallac’h, and Eredin: a tangled web of who liked whom and whose destiny belonged to whom.

Let’s unpack this drama step by step. What follows is a rough translation of my short essay in Russian, which wouldn’t have been possible without the tireless efforts of my dear friend Livingonmyown. Her mastery of Polish and saintly patience helped us dive into the Aen Elle chapters together, meticulously comparing the original text to the Russian translation. And let me tell you, the Russian version took more creative liberties than an amateur bard after a few pints.

In this version, I’ll focus on the English translation, which, surprisingly, seems to have done a little less butchering than its Russian counterpart. Progress!

Let’s kick things off from the beginning. Avallac’h genuinely believed he was Ciri’s destiny—just like Geralt once did. Except Ava seemed to think he was even destinier. (Yes, that’s totally a word now.) How else can we explain his borderline giddy reaction, practically leaping for joy, when he said this?

No one could ever convince me that our dear sage meant anyone other than his all-knowing, ever-scheming self.

Could he have meant Auberon? Not a chance. Ava worked far too hard to bring Ciri to the world of the Aen Elle for it to be about anyone else. He even moonlighted as a tour guide for dh’oine visitors, proudly leading them to the Tower of the Swallow. And why? So some Buyvid fellow could scribble together a manual for Ciri, just so she’d read about the Tower and march straight to it.

And what was supposed to happen next? Naturally, the legendary elven guide Avallac’h would materialize before her eyes like some glowing vision from destiny itself.

But alas, Ciri didn’t even remember Ava’s name from the manual. Ouch. Ava must have been crushed—so crushed, in fact, that he vanished for a full eight days after finally meeting her. A dramatic exit, if ever there was one.

Another important thing that we know about Ava is that he really saw the future.

Avallac’h was right—Ciri escaped the Aen Elle and found her way back to Geralt. Not for long, mind you, but still, a win’s a win. Interestingly, it seems Ava knew from the very start that Ciri would bolt. Which, if you think about it, means he probably also knew his grand plan with Auberon was doomed from the get-go. But hey, I’m getting ahead of myself.

After Lara’s death, Ava had plenty of time to prepare for Ciri’s arrival. Decades, really. He could have planned every tiny detail down to the last ceremonial ribbon. The Aen Elle could have been running dress rehearsals weekly: parades, songs, inspirational speeches—you name it. Picture the scene: the entire Aen Elle court, decked out and joyous, gathering to welcome the Elder Blood’s triumphant return. And at the center of it all, Ava emerges—an elf from the legends, flute in hand, practically radiating destiny itself.

Except... reality had other plans. Ava did emerge, yes, but he forgot to introduce himself. And then, in peak Ava fashion, he vanished for eight entire days. Way to make an impression.

(Admiration, mind you ;)

That was a bizarre move on Ava's part. If he’d been planning to dazzle Ciri with his legendary charm and make a great first impression, well... epic fail. Disappearing for eight days? Lame, Ava. Super lame.

So, what was he doing during all that time? Plotting? Pouting? Perfecting his flute skills? Who knows. But don’t worry, I’ll try to dig into that mystery a bit later. For now, let’s keep plowing through the text and unraveling this saga.

Ava isn’t in any rush. Why would he be? He’s the very picture of elven patience. But not everyone shares his laid-back attitude. Enter Eredin, who clearly can’t wait.

Now, let me remind you: after eight whole days in the Aen Elle world, Ciri still has no clue what these elves actually want from her.

They meet Eredin on their way to Tir na lia.

The second impatient elf is waiting back at the palace, but we’ll get to him in just a moment.

Now, onto my favorite part: the infamous flower scene—the very cornerstone of the Ciredin ship. Let’s dive back into it and take a closer look, shall we? Specifically, let’s focus on Ciri’s body language. Because, as we all know, our bodies have a way of betraying our emotions. Fear, excitement, arousal—whatever it is, the signs come fast. Blushing, sweating, turning pale—it’s all there, happening in a split second.

So, as we re-read this passage, pay close attention to the timing of her reactions. It’s all in the details. Now, here’s the scene:

Now, close your eyes and imagine you’re Ciri. Suppose you fancy Eredin. He picks up a flower and hands it to you. Maybe your fingers brush—just for a moment—you feel the warmth of his hand, maybe even his breath. And if you do like him, this is the moment when you’d blush. It’s instinctive. You’d probably lift the flower to your face—not just to smell it but also to hide how flustered you are. Classic move, right?

Then Eredin leaves, and you turn to Avallac’h with the question: “Is it him? Is Eredin supposed to be the father of my child?” And Ava, in his ever-dramatic wisdom, says, “Nope.” If you were into Eredin, you’d probably feel disappointment. Frustration, even. Totally normal human reactions. At least, that’s how I imagine it.

But now, let’s revisit the actual text. When Eredin gives Ciri the flower, there’s no mention of her immediate reaction. None. Zilch. Nada. Instead, her feelings show up after Eredin leaves. Specifically, she feels a surge of excitement—not when she’s holding the flower, not when Eredin is standing right there, but when Ava tells her she’s not going to sleep with Eredin.

So, what’s sparking Ciri’s excitement and fascination? The answer lies a few passages earlier, when Eredin makes a certain comment about Ciri’s eyes.

Ciri’s no fool. By now, she must have pieced together that Avallac’h was very close to Lara. Because honestly, who else besides a parent or a lover would need to gaze that deeply into someone’s eyes?

So, now Ciri knows that Ava wasn’t just some casual acquaintance of Lara’s—he was someone truly significant. And definitely not a brother—because let’s be real, why would he blush then?

When Ava tells her that Eredin isn’t their lucky candidate, what’s Ciri supposed to think? 😉 The dots are connecting themselves.

After Eredin leaves, Ciri finally works up the courage to ask the burning question: who’s meant to be the father of her child? All eyes on Ava now.

Notice how Avallac’h holds back, waiting to hear Ciri’s answer before revealing who’s supposed to be the father of her child. And why is that?

I’ll tell you why: it’s fear. Plain and simple.

Picture the situation: Ava’s about to drop the bomb that the father will be Auberon—their leader, the crème de la crème, the most elite of the elite, the noblest of the noble. This should be his shining moment, a perfect setup for an epic sales pitch. So why the hesitation? Why the silence? It’s almost as if... he can’t bring himself to say it.

The Fox knows exactly who Ciri is destined for—or at least, he thinks he does. Otherwise, why would he flaunt his tail so confidently in front of Geralt? But this all-knowing sage is suddenly terrified. Why? Because he’s been here before. Cast aside in favor of a human, mocked behind his back by the whole of Tir na Lia. Oh, they don’t do it openly—no one dares, or Ava might jinx them—but the laughter lingers in whispers.

And now, after all these years, history threatens to repeat itself. Another dh’oine enters the picture, and this time, she’s destined for him. What a scandal. If a child is born, Ava becomes the father of a half-blood. The mockery will only intensify: first Lara "took the wrong path," and now Avallac’h, an elite Aen Saevherne, follows in her footsteps.

The fragile ego of the Fox can’t handle such a trial. So, he does the only thing he can think of: pass the responsibility to someone "safe." Enter Auberon, an elf of advanced age and familial ties, who’s unlikely to get... overly interested. It’s a classic case of “grandpa’s old, he doesn’t care.”

As for those eight days of absence? Ava was stalling, wrestling with himself over who would ultimately carry the burden. In the end, it was Auberon who got the short straw. Ava had to choose someone to take the heat—and it wasn’t going to be him.

Now, let’s move to the palace scene and the second impatient elf who couldn’t wait to meet Cirilla.

So, Auberon couldn’t wait either. Not because he had any unsavory intentions toward Ciri, of course, but... well, probably out of a mix of family feelings and sheer curiosity.

As for Avallac’h, he didn’t seem to care one bit that Ciri showed up before Auberon looking tired and dirty. Why? Maybe he figured it wouldn’t make a difference. Or perhaps he just thought Ciri was attractive enough to pull it off regardless. Who knows? Ava’s mind was elsewhere. He couldn’t care less about Auberon’s impatience or Eredin’s schemes to claim the Spiral.

So, what was Ava thinking? Likely this: how to outwit Destiny and save his own precious reputation. That’s my theory, at least—I could be wrong. But knowing Ava, it fits.

And then, of course, we all remember what happened next.

I mean, let’s be real—Ciri probably wouldn’t have thrown herself at a guy she found completely repulsive. What if he’d said yes? Then what? “Oh, sorry, Ava, that was just my emotionally frazzled state talking?” Awkward. But that’s beside the point. Ava, of course, got all grumpy about it, like, “What if I sleep with you and forget about Lara? Boo-hoo, sob-sob.”

But maybe it wasn’t just about Lara. He knew exactly who was meant for whom and who was supposed to do what with whom. And yet, he still lost his cool. She’d offered him exactly what he’d been running away from—just handed it to him, no strings, no overthinking. Bullseye. Right on the sore spot.

It wasn’t just about Lara. It was about someone chickening out. After all these years! Ignoring his own prophetic gift, no less. Knowing full well that his grand plan with Auberon was utter trash.

Crashed and burned, yep. Just like Geralt’s grand plan once upon a time—when he tried to weasel out of his destiny and hand Ciri off to someone else. Spoiler alert: it didn’t end well for him. Or for Ava, for that matter. Destiny, as it turns out, has a twisted sense of humor.

[angivarrrre]

He didn’t even deign to reply. He passed her by unceremoniously and walked off along the avenue of statues.

‘Or you, perhaps?’ she yelled. ‘If you want I’ll give myself to you! Well?

Won’t you sacrifice yourself? I mean, they say I’ve got Lara’s eyes!’

He was in front of her in two paces. His hands shot towards her neck like snakes and squeezed like steel pincers. She understood that if he’d wanted to, he could have throttled her like a fledgling.

He let her go. He leaned over and looked into her eyes from close up.

[cirimanga]

[mysteriouself]

[livingonmyown]

Happy Birthday my dearest @ysangre-fa !!! 🥳🥳🥳 Sending you love and hugs!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[thesleepy1]

Omg I love how Ciri's bonding with Yennefer and Geralt. I think that's so sweet. My heart can't.

[wraithofmorhogg]

Incorrect Witcher Quotes

Eredin: I sleep with a blade under my pillow. Ge'els: Weak, I sleep with a bow under mine. Avallac'h: You’re both pathetic. Eredin: Yeah? What deadly weapon do you sleep with then, tough guy? Avallac'h: Ciri.

[xuelingxu]

Chaos

[anv6ro]

Hi! Today I present to you my Cirillac'h fanart. :)

[anv6ro]

i love it! thanks for posting it! i think the rejected version of plot is more interesting than the current one. it's sad we didn't see more cirillac'h moments (so i'm still waiting to see it in TW4!). despite everything i'm glad of the creators they decided to make Avallac'h a character with good intentions who gives up the fight. I admire the direction in which they took the character of Avallac'h in TW3, what you can see at the diagram: *1. (in books)* Avallac'h's cold, politician relation with Ciri He can't give her a choice Obssesed with Lara Dorren He only sees Lara in Ciri ⬇️ *2. (in games: start)* Mystery elf, who helps Ciri, he built close relation with her He is giving her a choice, even it her decision depends on the fate of the world Obssesed with Lara Dorren and Ciri He tries to revive Lara, contact with her He is not seeing Lara in Ciri anymore (he spend with Zirael too much time to see his ex in her) He has clear intentions: protect Ciri because of her Elder Blood (pff, everyone know he is not doing this only for heritage. he's totally into her! but he's never will say it loud...) ⬇️ *3. (in game: end)* Avallac'h still has close relation with Ciri He is still giving Ciri a choice, even if it affects the fate of the world Now he is only obssesed in Ciri He doesn't see Lara in Zirael He reconciled with Lara's death He has clear intentions from the begging to the end. even at the final of TW3 he is throws his sword because he wouldn't to kill Geralt despite everything (isn't it a sufficient evidence to his innocence and good intentions?) I love internal transformation of Avallac'h. I don't see at him as like an antagonist. for me - like i said - he has clear intentions. (and his actions about protecting the Elder Blood are rushed by hidden feelings to cirilla, so we have not only the a transformation consisting in breaking away from old obsessions, but we have his changing the approach to ciri) and coming back to talk about creator's decision toresign with kill Avallac'h in fight - for me it is like a sign what says: "Crevan have to live. we need him in the next part of game" (I take them at their word - i wanna see Avallac'h in TW4)

The Witcher 3's Original Ending - Story Leaks (special ed)

I missed Sunday, so here’s tea for Monday.

The Witcher 3 has a slapdash III Act. Battle with the Wild Hunt was supposed to take place in Novigrad. Avallac’h, instead of Eredin, was the “final boss.” Let’s talk about that.

This is a follow-up to my earlier post on TW3 Story Leaks. I asked for more details on the final twist, and I got them. I’ll include the 2014 leaks for correlation and comparison. Keep an eye on witcher reddits for an early 2025 compilation of TW3’s story changes (I guess).

---

Apropos of nothing, did you know that Eredin’s face is a case of model re-use (copied from Avallac’h)? Talk about adding insult to injury (7 lines in total, cut voicelines and character development during Geralt’s dream sequences). By comparison, at least Avallac’h got represented, right? Right!? Weeelll…

The infamous double bottom that was to be at the end of The Witcher 3 is more complicated than it sounds, because Avallac’h’s character was supposed to have a good case for the “betrayal.” The player got to know his motives and relationship with Ciri much more thoroughly. Before the last minute re-writes, that is.

To begin with, UMA was going to be disenchanted much earlier in the I Act (q108): during Forefather’s Eve. The curse, namely, had two parts: one affecting the body, the other affecting the soul. (The (idea of) curses got reused in Hearts of Stone for the toad prince.) Consequently, during Forefather’s Eve, the player entered Avallac’h’s mind and witnessed his memories.

The memories included Auberon’s funeral, unicorns, Tir na Lia’s politics, Avallac’h’s life, struggles, and his relationship with Ciri. In other words, we lost the much needed backstory for CDPR’s interpretation and development of Avallac’h’s character and his relationship with Ciri. Much to the book readers’ chagrin in particular, as Lady of the Lake does not leave off on the brightest of notes regarding the mora bottom line of this elf. Consequently to more material on Avallac’h—and the Aen Elle in general—the final “betrayal” would have been a difficult choice for the player.

Here is a reference to the “noble betrayal” in the storyboard section (2014 leaks):

And here is what the person told me when I first inquired about the supposed double bottom at the end of The Witcher 3 that never was.

For the record, here is the reference to the “ritual” in the 2014 leaks, so what he is saying does check out:

Ritual? One that requires a DOUBLE SACRIFICE!? :hypereyes: :hypereyes: One that requires self-sacrifice from Avallac’h? So. Many. Thoughts!

First, what is the “ritual” for, and what does it entail?

Is the White Frost as in the published TW3, or is the endgame something totally different? Are we still in the save all worlds from eventual freezing scenario (a book retcon), or not?

If the “ritual” is played straight then CDPR gave Avallac’h’s character a “noble” but fatalistic interpretation from start to finish.

If the “ritual” is a ruse, a cover for something unknown (a sequel?) then this would dovetail with the “Ciri missing” ending in both the published TW and in Andrzej Sapkowski’s books:

Perhaps death is not an inevitability; but abduction and/or permanent/temporary departure from Sapkowski’s Neverland is?

In the published TW3, there are background voicelines of Ciri’s mumblings abroad the ship on Skellige: “What if tomorrow I will disappear for good? Maybe then no one close to me will have to die anymore.” Aside exposing us to Ciri’s state of mind, it could be the voicelines are remnants of an earlier draft & indicate toward one possible ending to the game; with Avallac’h helping Ciri disappear forever.

Secondly, it really hammers home the narrative of Geralt & Avallac’h competing over whose influence and philosophy on Ciri wins out. The Greater Good or “if this is what it take to save the world, better let it die.” It also underscores what Avallac’h expressed in The Tower of the Swallow, “…someone else will help her now. you cannot be so arrogant to think that the girl’s destiny is exclusively bound to you.”

Thirdly, the self-sacrifice wrapped in the double-sacrifice.

Dying together with the last soul anchoring you to your memories of perhaps the happiest (and saddest time) of your life, while saving the sentient life of the universe, sounds pretty tragic or tragi-romantic: after everything, to end it (and the Elder Blood line with it); for the greater good.

Somewhat twistedly mirroring Lara with Cregennan (died in the name of peace between races; if that was true).

Moreover, Ciri—who, as we will learn in a moment, is there willingly actually—AGREES to Avallac’h’s intentions by default. Her idealism, but also her unwillingness to let others suffer and die in her place when she could do something about it might play a role.

And while Elder Blood may be needed for special feats (tho Avallac’h also carries Elder Blood), I would like to think—in case this “ritual” is played straight—that there may be an element of “in the end, you don’t have to be alone when you go.” Oddly befitting, too, for an elf associated with the Afterlife.

A lot to think about. But it gets better!

I have taken the liberty of adding who says what as I understand this, since the Polish text is in the impersonal voice.

323576|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) Greets the witcher grimly, he hoped the witcher would not follow them. 323578|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Tells him to free Ciri. 323580|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) Replies that Ciri is here of her own free will. 323582|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Ciri) Confirms Avallach's words. (Ciri) Explains to Geralt that they fled Novigrad surreptitiously knowing that Geralt would never agree to Avallach's plan. 323584|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Ciri or Avallac’h explaining) Tells Geralt what his plan is all about. He (Avallac’h) doesn't care about power, he just wants to stop the cataclysm that is the white cold. 323586|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Asks what this ritual is about. 323588|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) Says that he must sacrifice his life and Ciri's. Only the elder blood can close the passages between worlds. Geralt’s CHOICE: 323590|00000000|| [DEBUG] Convince Ciri to give up her plan. 323592|00000000|| [DEBUG] Allow the ritual to be completed. Convincing Ciri: 323594|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Convinces Ciri that the plan is madness. It's unclear if Avallach is right, and even if he is, the cataclysm could be hundreds of years away. There must be another, better solution. 323596|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Ciri) Allows himself to be convinced by Geralt, apologises to Avallach. 323598|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) States with sadness in his voice that he cannot let them do this. The cause is too important and too much depends on it to squander it in the name of selfish motives. Moving on to the fight. Agreeing to the Ritual: 323600|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Agrees sadly that the cause is noble and Ciri has the right to decide her fate. 323602|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) Thanks the witcher. States that he has taught him a great deal about the human race and that he has judged people too hastily in the past. He bids farewell to the witcher. 323604|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Ciri) Bids farewell to Geralt. Combat Dialogue (?): 323607|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) States that he doesn't want to hurt the witcher but will if he has to. 323609|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Replies that he could say the same. 323612|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Declares that it is not too late to stop this madness. 323614|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Replies that in that case Avallach should let them go. 323616|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) States irritably that the witcher is stubborn as all dhoine. 323619|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) Exclaims to the witcher that enough is enough. If the witcher does not come to his senses, Avallach will have to kill him.

What do we learn?

For one, the ritual is still for the retconned White Frost, and it necessitates the closing of passages between worlds. Elder Blood is used to close the passages, implying, perhaps, that the “special individuals” who were able to move freely in the multiverse (e.g. Ciri, the Sages, unicorns) may have invited CDPR’s rendition of the cosmic White Frost in the first place. Further, we don’t know whether Avallac’h would play the “ritual” straight: if all else remains equal (Geralt has witnessed a frozen world in TW1 and will witness it again in TW3, and TnL is still in danger (?)) then the threat remains legitimate, but I do not yet know if that was true for the pre-rewrite script. There is still a cause to theorize that if Ciri remains missing/presumed dead, then she is not “actually” dead and some other shenanigans go down off-screen. Finally, the unused ending is wholly about Geralt vs Avallac’h, and their philosophies. The bet boils down to Geralt’s trust or distrust in the sincerity of Avallac’h’s intentions, and to how the player has read the story: is the tale about saving the (impersonal) world/universe, or is it about saving (our) beloveds. Which is more important? How broad (in time and space) is your decision scope?

Notably, Ciri’s own choice in this unused ending is entirely subject to the decisions, intuitions, and wants of another (ultimately Geralt, the player). If Geralt objects, Ciri changes her mind and aligns with Geralt. If Geralt agrees, Ciri remains in Avallac’h’s sphere of influence (and we can argue about whether this is also her own default position or not but the point is that functionally Ciri’s fate is being wielded; in contrast to the published TW3 where she enters the Tower no matter what). By default, Ciri and Avallac’h leave Novigrad together and Ciri is prepared for self-sacrifice in the tower. She is not on Undvik against her will. It’s her non-compromising idealism, amply showcased in the books, that the elf is relying on. Avallac’h expresses as much in the published TW3 too, clashing with Geralt over how well either of them reads Ciri (Geralt says Ciri gets her “fire” from her father, but Avallac’h objects: Emhyr is a pragmatist, Ciri an idealist).

It’s only after Geralt—through his bond with Ciri—tries convincing Ciri to abandon the idea that the “betrayal” comes into play: Avallac’h cannot take this no at this moment for an answer. Geralt interferes with what Ciri has already decided (as Geralt notes in case he agrees to the “ritual”). A fate, a Plan, that Avallac’h has worked painstakingly to bring into fruition is to be foiled by a mortal mutant (another echo of Cregennan?). It’s at this stage that Avallac’h is no longer willing to give Ciri a choice. Believing, probably, that Geralt—like Cregennan—is interfering out of pure selfishness; that Geralt’s kind of love, in the grand scheme of things, is selfish.

It’s really interesting how this unused ending can echo the entire Crevan-Lara-Cregennan configuration. The notion of “selfish” and “unselfish” love, for example. In what scale, you might want to ask? Geralt is not wont to believe in prophecies or the ability of individuals to alter the course of history for “its own good”; he will not believe Ciri—a girl who has suffered tremendously and has been the object of everyone else’s desires for power—should have to sacrifice her life (ultimately) for those others. Cregennan probably had, or benefitted from, a similar “follow your heart” mindset. It depends on how you look at it: individual freedom and hope that things will work out anyway, or duty and hope that things will not go badly despite of it. Essentially, the clash is a clash of philosophies for how to deal with prophecies and problems that are bigger than the individual. Who decides? Why them? Are we sure?

Geralt’s viewpoint, among these three characters, is the “normal one.” Avallac’h’s is that of a mystic; he sees time totally. In CDPR’s interpretation, he is also a character who selflessly (?) seeks the Greater Good; his dialogue reflects sadness, reluctance, and even newly-found respect for Geralt and humanity (true, the latter only when Geralt acquiesces). Ciri’s point of view is also that of a mystic and a legend, given both her visions and powers; in this respect, she relates to Avallac’h in a way that Geralt can never understand. But Geralt’s and Ciri’s bond is also something that Avallac’h cannot replicate. And Geralt, who loves Ciri for her own sake alone, somehow loves her selfishly? Well, from Avallac’h’s point of view, yes; in interrupting, Geralt refuses to take a stance on what Avallac’h sees as ultimate Evil. Ciri, famously, always wants to stand against Evil. That’s the Fox’s hook, and it may well be an unintentional one. If the prescient powers of the Aen Saevherne are real then they are unable to close their eyes to things that Geralt can close his eyes to. Consult your Frank Herbert. Therefore Geralt’s love for Ciri, by which all he wishes for her is peace and happiness at last, is blind; blind in how only a parent’s love can be. It reckons with the universe’s unknowns and says, I don’t know, and it reaches for his experiences with men and power and says, I don’t trust them, and so Geralt finds that there must always be another, kinder solution toward the beloved individual. By contrast, if the future can be known and the lives of millions, born and unborn, are set above all, then individual, temporal love pales; no matter how it can hurt or no matter what joy it can bring. A loving act in that case can merely alleviate rather than put a stop to the pain that is seen as inevitable, lest there be even greater pain.

How great a moral duty can even be set on an individual?

I don’t think Avallac’h was ever intended to be a clear-cut “villain” at the end of The Witcher 3. It does not follow from the way he was written in either the books or the game.

The dialogue is laced with sadness and regret. Not to say that before the III Act, the player was meant to get much more insight into Avallac’h’s reasoning, life, and motives. The Witcher 3’s script before 2014, reputedly, was more mature, complex, and less generic in its script overall. The choice at the end, during this “noble betrayal”, was supposed to be intentionally difficult for the Geralt (the player). Presumably, Avallac’h’s philosophy should have received a number of supporting narrative threads in the overall script, so the player would engage with multiple angles.

I will say, however, that I like The Witcher 3’s published ending more on account of Ciri’s decision over entering the tower remaining wholly her own. Again, we can argue about the nature of Avallac’h’s influence on her, but if so, then it seems The Witcher 3 currently gives the answer as to what Ciri would decide for: to help. To fight and not run away.

Geralt’s success then, as a father, is in giving reason for Ciri to return home.

[frenziedflame6]

Happy (belated) New Year to my dear friends! ✨♥️✨

This is the first ever full illustration I've done. I have learnt a lot and there is still a loooot to learn.

I am kind of unsatisfied with this drawing, but I've been sitting on it since the end of December.

Imperfect is better than never finished in my book.

[raivenreine]

Avallac'h and Ciri by AI

For the lovely images thanx to Drackia