#so if we are going to see a scoia'tael leader it is more likely to be Isengrim before Iorveth

[endiness]

(the following contains book and show spoilers.)

i have to say, i think the main reason why radovid was aged up beyond the romance with jaskier was to provide redania with the stability it lacked in the books after vizimir was assassinated in order for the show to have a central pov for the north. because the show almost has that with philippa and dijkstra, but the one area that's really lacking — if the show stuck exactly to the books — is the war itself as redania was not in a place where it could fight until the end of the series. but aging radovid up old enough to be king should fix that issue by virtue of redania actually having a leader and therefore not falling into chaos. and even with that change, the show could still feature later issues redania runs into with the war just by having them run out of money by the end of the series and needing more and/or facing so many losses in their army that they need to hire more soldiers.

and within that whole idea, i can see the show using radovid as a substitute for other northern nobility and royalty. like, given the little that is known about radovid in the books and what philippa's plans in them are, the show could easily use radovid in tankred's role as both characters were almost betrothed to ciri in the books. (and i say this fully as a radskier shipper in radskier shipping mode, but i am still ✨ manifesting ✨ radovid being used as a daniel etcheverry replacement.) (also, like, insert speculation about radovid being jaskier's anna henrietta here.)

all of which is to say that i think it makes sense that the show would do something like that — having a central pov for the north and condensing things a bit — because it is a tv show, and one with only 8 episodes per season at that, and as such there's a limited amount of time to work with. the show's focus just with next season alone will already be split enough as it is between geralt, jaskier, and the hansa; ciri and the rats (and bonhart); yennefer and the lodge; francesca and the elves and the scoia'tael; and nilfgaard with emhyr (plus wherever vilgefortz may fall into.) philippa, dijkstra, and king!radovid round out a northern pov — the one pov that's missing — without having to split the focus even more if the rest of the northern nations were really featured. (just to say: i don't think that means the show will erase the rest of the nations, i just think that when it comes to having a central one to focus on, it'll likely be redania.)

(also just to add: i think radovid being aged up old enough to be king likely has to do with philippa, too, and her storyline — or lack thereof. because yennefer has largely taken her role in the lodge, so she kind of needs another storyline to focus on. at least initially, anyway, as i suspect yennefer will eventually leave the lodge to go to skellige and try to find ciri. but in the meantime, philippa still needs a plot and puppeting king radovid makes sense given everything that happened last season.)

but just to bring it back around to the radskier of it all... i think these reasons are why it does make sense that the show would make them love interests. jaskier is already connected to redania by virtue of being the sandpiper, so they have completely feasible reasons to know of each other, meet each other, and fall for each other — and all without taking up time introducing someone that would never have the same political impact and ramifications to the plot that radovid does by being older. (which i do still largely think was the point of aging him up.)

and then there's how their relationship will affect everything in the future — and we know per lauren that their relationship is going to have ripple effects in the future. i know there's been some speculation that losing jaskier on top of everything else will turn radovid ~evil, but i think that's speculation largely based off of the games — which the show has nothing to do with. i think what will happen is actually the opposite and that radovid will try and do his best to remain a good person and a good king — which imo also makes the most narrative sense, too, given that the place we last left off with them was radovid basically vowing to jaskier that he would prove himself to him. he can't exactly do that in person anymore, but he can still try to prove himself to jaskier even if he’s not with him.

plus i still think that the show hasn't based radovid solely off the stern, either, and that he'll end up being more of an amalgamation of all of the king radovids throughout redania's history. and as far as i know, no one on the show has ever confirmed which radovid he's supposed to be based off of and the only thing we do know is that lauren said he's a character that "continues to show up in the books." but that's a description that fits the stern, the bold, and the great. so i think it's entirely possible that through having met jaskier and falling for him, radovid will end up as the great rather than the stern. (also something something radovid, like the bold, going to kovir.)

and just as far as jaskier's side of things go... obviously there's speculation about radovid being jaskier's anna henrietta. which imo does have merit given radovid's status in society and how what we saw of their relationship in s3 fits the picture (and even the timeline, if only vaguely) of jaskier and anna henrietta's romance prior to the books. i don't know how the logistics of it would work exactly, but i think it's completely possible that when jaskier and geralt (+hansa) separate that jaskier somehow stays with radovid. because jaskier really does need to be put on a busTM to escape the fate of the rest of the hansa, and radovid fulfils the same role of jaskier's love interest that anna henrietta did.

and just for one last thing. but it includes season 4 spoilers. like, for real writer's room spoilers. so, y'know, beware of the following if you're trying to avoid those.

imo the leak that happened already kind of proves at least some of my speculation and theories, specifically about radovid and redania being used as a central pov for the north. because they say radovid will lead the troops out into battle when geralt and jaskier escape the northern army camp. but in the books, the forces at the northern army camp were from cintra and temeria. but in the show, the only forces we know for sure are there are from redania as radovid is the one leading them. so either redania has replaced both forces (i don’t see this as likely as the show could’ve just said ‘redanian army camp’ if it were only them, but it’s referred to as ‘the northern army camp’ which implies multiple northern forces), they're there in addition to both forces, or they've replaced one of the forces — likely temeria. either way, it probably means that radovid will either be there as a daniel etcheverry replacement or a vissegerd replacement.

[essskel]

Oh...then I guess I went too harsh on Cdpr. Also I can read eng without problems, is just writing in it is a bit hard. Now I can at least put some (just some) fate in them.

But that still doesn't disprove my point with the whole 'The oppressed minority's are just as bad as their oppressors' thing. Because they did said: 'We were trying to make everything grey' and that's the problem. This is why I don't think they were trying to show how the military propaganda can affect traumatized soldiers, or how the children of fascist's can be subjected to hateful believes. If you take the oppressors's side, you (Geralt) are not trying to change their hateful believes, there's not even an opinion to do it. The game is trying very hard to justify their actions/motivation. Their whole narrative is 'the dude who does racist things is not racist, he has reasons' and not 'the dude who does racist things is not racist and he can furthermore realize how wrong he is'. Roche and Ves are not affected by propaganda because there is no propaganda. The Scoia'tael are terrorists, they actually do terrible things, and they do pose a threat to Roche and Ves's country. I guess saying there's no propaganda at all is a stretch, but the point still stands. What Roche accuses the Scoia'tael of doing - is true and you can see it for yourself. That's why I cited the example with the elves previously.

You can make an argument that in tw1 there was some sort off metaphorical narrative and how through religion you can propagate hateful believes. And Siegfried is the example. You do actually change his mind and go against fascists. But I don't think that's the case in the second game. Could be wrong ofc.

Maybe I'm taking it at face value lmao but that's how it looks like, to me at least. And I'm not trying to argue with you btw! Just clarifying what I failed to explain. But thank you for this discussion, it was very insightful for me! Now I can at least shit less on Cdpr. And sorry again for bothering you...I always try to explain myself in less than 10000 words but always fail and write even more just to get my point across properly.

Ah I see what you're saying about the 'greyness' that CDPR relies so heavily on. The devs go on and on about how no choice is simple and such, but a lot of the time - and especially in the case of TW2 and their Scoia'tael, this just means an overuse of the "Well-Intentioned Extremist" trope (which I'm so tired of):

A villain who has an overall goal which the heroes can appreciate in principle, but whose methods of pursuing said goal (such as mass murder) are problematic; despite any sympathy they may have with their cause, the heroes have no choice but to stop them. (TV tropes)

Perhaps unrelated, but I feel like there are huge parallels to be drawn with the flat writing in Disney's Falcon and the Winter Soldier:

[The villians] have valid goals— they want a world without borders in which newly-declared refugees can easily find homes, / But following [their leaders] bombing of innocent people / [they] appear to be beyond redemption despite [their] initial good intentions. (Source)

Making a group of oppressed people guilty of horrific crimes related to their search for freedom makes violent retaliation against them much more viable in the world of the story, but it's still bad writing, and it's a loophole that will always favor the comfort of the most privileged viewers.

So yes, within the game, the Blue Stripes are fighting terrorists when they face the scoia'tael. But - !!! I think this is only really true if you take Roche's path.

On Roche's path, the Scoia'tael fade to the background by the second half of the game, their (Iorveth's) long-term motivations/internal operations are never truly uncovered, and Roche's role in non-human oppression is not interrogated, not questioned in the way it should be.

However, Iorveth's path does break this down, albeit briefly if you want to get specific about Roche. Once you commit to Iorveth's path, the game takes on a far more sympathetic lens to the Scoia'tael, and when the 'free pontar' project is juxtaposed to the Blue Stripes 'beat nonhumans into submission' operations, things start to feel a lot...idk?? Less Grey? Black and white? I'm thinking of this conversation in particular:

Iorveth (to Geralt on the topic of the Blue Stripes) : These units recruit only those who have nothing left to lose. They're persuaded it's all for a greater good and are spoon-fed dreams of revenge for the death of their loved ones. (Youtube link, jump to 6:08)

Iorveth says outright that the Blue Stripes are violent maniacs committing war crimes based on lies told to them by kings (aka propaganda, but I've overused that word). You have to be pretty deep into his path to get here, it's an optional line, and there's no way of telling if Geralt really agrees with this, but I'm holding onto it because it's evidence that at least one writer was reading Roche the way I do.

So yeah, I agree with you that CDPR was pushing, or at least making a lot of room for a grey or even positive take on the Blue Stripes (which I find reductive even as a concept), but the 'blind tool of the state' narrative that I like to go with is still in there somewhere - but my god do you have to squint.

[bamf-jaskier]

About Iorveth...

I know people have fallen in love w/ a lot of game characters like Iorweth which like !!! yeah his path and quests in TW2 is pretty fun and I know people like the Iorveth/Roche vibes but I feel like I gotta let people know that even though Iorweth is technically a member of the Scoia’tael in the books he’s only ever mentioned in Baptism of Fire and even then he’s a mention-only character.

In fact, here’s all the times he is mentioned:

“Only one of the elves, a Scoia’tael from Iorweth’s defeated commando, recently severely tortured in the Wash House, retained his composure and dignity and was busy carving the words ‘Freedom Or Death’ on a post.”

“Traighlethan,’ the elf from Iorweth’s commando corrected him softly. He looked at the carved slogan once more and struggled to his feet.”

“The elf from Iorweth’s commando shook the warders’ hands off, stepped onto the block without hesitation and allowed the noose to be placed around his neck.”

Now, if people want an elven leader character from the books that is likely to show up in the Netflix series, I would definitely look into Isengrim Faoiltiarna! He’s a big player in the elven world and is very similar in personality and vibes to Iorweth (a lot of Iorveth is based on Isengrim the same way Sylvia Anna is tied to Renfri)

In fact, compare Isengrim’s descriptions Baptism of Fire to the Journal Entry about Iorveth from TW2:

Baptism of Fire (about Isengrim):

“When the tall Scoia’tael leant over him Struycken, who was bound to a pole, blinked in fear. It was said there was no such thing as an ugly elf, that every single one of them was comely, that they were born beautiful. And perhaps the legendary commander of the Squirrels had been born beautiful.

But now that his face was gashed by a hideous diagonal scar deforming his forehead, eyebrow, nose and cheek, nothing remained of his elven good looks.”

Journal Entry (about Iorveth):

“They say all elves are beautiful, that they are born thus. In Iorveth's case someone set out to change this, marking his face with an ugly scar that the elf partially hid beneath a crimson headscarf. Iorveth was a living legend, the elusive leader of a Scoia'tael unit whose members gave no thought to laying down their arms and continued their war against humans.

This is basically the same physical description. CDPR took Isengrim’s character and gave it to Iorveth.

What this means is that if you are a game fan, specifically a TW2 fan, and you like Iorveth, be on the lookout for Isengrim as he is going to be similar in appearance and personality to your fav.

(Also if people are confused about the naming Iorveth and Iorweth are used interchangeably)

[contemplativepancakes]

Following the Thread Transcript

AKA all the "canon" there is of Aiden. Google doc to save for easy reference is here. Providing this is entirely selfish of me, please use it and write some lambden <3

EXT. SUPERVISOR’S BUILDING

GERALT approaches a GUARD standing outside of a door.

GUARD: Don’t like folk wandering around here.

GERALT: Oh yeah? Well, got a beast you need someone to get rid of? I’m here about the notice.

GUARD: Ah, supervisor Lund posted it. Yeah, a beast haunts the outskirts, murdering folk. Got ‘em scared to leave their homes after dark.

GERALT: I’d like to talk to this supervisor.

GUARD: Too bad he don’t receive petitioners.

GERALT: So what’s he do, exactly?

GUARD: Delivery relief on behalf of the city council—flour and groats for the paupers. Meaning, he don’t do it personally. He’s got men for that. He, himself, he, uh. (GESTURES BROADLY)

GERALT: Supervises.

GUARD: Exactly!

GERALT: I aim to hunt down this monster.

GUARD: Best hurry, then. Some other bloke’s already after it.

GERALT: Who took the contract?

GUARD: Didn’t see the man. Was just told some brave fool’d turned up.

GERALT: When’d you find the last victim?

GUARD: Just last night. Hubert, a beggar, but a decent man. I’d let him sleep in the shed from time to time—that one, on the right. Eustace hasn’t come for the corpse yet. It’s lying in there, where I found it.

GERALT: Any eyewitnesses to these attacks?

GUARD: No, just the bodies. Beast appears only at night, chooses isolated victims.

GERALT: Thanks. So long.

Geralt goes to the shed and examines it, finding a puddle of blood that’s not human, and Hubert’s body, which is drained of blood. There’s ekimmara tracks in the shed that Geralt follows along the river’s edge, until they disappear at a dock. Geralt swims across the river and finds the tracks again, leading him to another building. Geralt notes that’s there’s rat corpses outside that have been drained of blood.

INT. DARK HOUSE

There’s the sounds of combat upstairs, blade clashing, an ekimmara screeching, and a whoosh from aard. Geralt rushes up the stairs to see LAMBERT fighting the monster. They kill it together.

GERALT: Greetings, Lambert.

LAMBERT: Damn, it’s good to see you, Wolf.

GERALT: Decide to do some hunting in Novigrad? Far as I remember, you never liked this city.

LAMBERT: Still don’t. Thing is, got a certain matter to take care of.

GERALT: What have you been up to? Any luck on the path?

LAMBERT: A lot, in fact. Quite the takings in Lan Exeter. Was asked to hunt down a giant, who turned out to be a forest troll and some bandits.

GERALT: Bandits?

LAMBERT: (SHRUGS) Came as a package with the troll.

GERALT: The matter you mentioned, anything I can help with?

LAMBERT: Hmm. Maybe. But we’ll talk about that later. Got our reward to collect. I’m kinda in a hurry. Let’s say you’ve earned half, what the hell.

EXT. SUPERVISOR’S BUILDING

Geralt and Lambert approach the guard from earlier.

GUARD: So?

LAMBERT: What do you think? We did what we had to do. Time to pay up.

GUARD: Wait here, I’ll go see the supervisor, get your reward.

LAMBERT: Do that ourselves. No reason you should leave your post.

Geralt gives Lambert a sideways glance.

GUARD: Hmm, can’t argue with that logic. Go on in.

EXT SUPERVISOR’S BUILDING, COURTYARD

Lambert and Geralt approach SUPERVISOR LUND in an outdoor space. There’s three guards milling around.

LAMBERT: We dealt with the monster at the docks. Here for our reward.

LUND: Witchers? Since when do you travel in pairs?

LAMBERT: Lots of dangers for a lone witcher. Bandits, for example.

LUND: I’d advise you to change your tone.

LAMBERT: Where’s Jad Karadin? Talk!

GERALT: Who?

LAMBERT: Trust me, Geralt. This is important. There’s something I gotta know.

LUND: I do not know any Karadin. Take your coin for the before and bugger off before I lose my temper!

LAMBERT: (YELLING) Where’s Jad Karadin? Asking you for the last time!

LUND: Guards, to the dungeon with them!

Lund runs out of the courtyard, and Lambert chases after him, leaving Geralt to fight the three guards.

INT. SUPERVISOR’S BUILDING

Geralt walks inside to find Lund cowering from Lambert.

LAMBERT: This guy’s more trouble than the ekimmara.

LUND: Karadin’s disappeared. I swear! The others, too! I only know of Vienne.

LAMBERT: What about Vienne?

LUND: She drinks at the Seven Cats. There day and night.

LAMBERT: See? You can be helpful.

Lambert unsheathes his sword and stabs Lund in the gut while Geralt watches. Lund collapses to the floor. Lambert turns to look at Geralt in challenge.

GERALT: That was murder. Was that really necessary?

LAMBERT: Yes.

Geralt shakes his head.

LAMBERT (cont.): More guardsmen’ll show soon. Let’s go. Meet me at the Seven Cats. Tell you everything there.

GERALT: The tavern Vienne frequents?

LAMBERT: Yeah. See you later.

EXT. SEVEN CATS INN

Lambert is leaning against a rock when Geralt approaches him.

GERALT: All right. High time you explained some things. Why’d you kill Lund? What’s this all about?

LAMBERT: Want the short version or the long one?

GERALT: Lemme hear the whole thing.

LAMBERT: Had a friend. Aiden was his name.

GERALT: You? Had a friend?

LAMBERT: Oh, hi-fuckin’-larious. I met him soon after I'd accepted a contract to lift the curse from the Ogre of Ellander. Aiden had been hired to kill it. He was a witcher from the school of the cat.

GERALT: Far as I remember, the ogre was killed in the end.

LAMBERT: Yeah, after it gutted my employer, we really didn’t have a choice. I cut a deal with Aiden. We joined forces, split the reward for killing the ogre between us. After that, we worked together a lot. Hands down the best man I’d ever met. I mean, I like you, you know that. Still, no comparison.

GERALT: What happened to him?

LAMBERT: Some time ago, Aiden took on a contract to lift a curse off a duke’s daughter. It was a political mess from the start. Then there was the hatred for the school of the cat to deal with.

GERALT: They worked hard to deserve that hate. Basically hired assassins.

LAMBERT: (SNAPS) Aiden wasn’t like that. (PAUSES, LOOKS AWAY) Anyway, some of the duke’s courtier’s had designs. Weren’t all keen on the curse being lifted from the duke’s first born. So, a band of trained assassins ambushed Aiden, murdered him. Our dear supervisor was one of them.

GERALT: And Jad Karadin?

LAMBERT: The assassins’ leader. And the one to deal the mortal blow.

GERALT: Sorry about your friend.

LAMBERT: Don’t need your sympathy, just your help. (PUSHES OFF ROCK HE WAS LEANING ON TO STRAIGHTEN) We have to talk to Vienne. Must’ve had enough to drink by now. Let’s go.

INT. SEVEN CATS INN

Geralt and Lambert approach VIENNE, a lithe elvish woman wearing a deep cut purple blouse with her dark hair in a braid. She has a drinking glass in front of her where she sits alone at a table.

GERALT: Vienne?

VIENNE: What do you want?

LAMBERT: We wanna see Jad Karadin.

VIENNE: (LAUGHS) Now why would I help you?

GERALT: It’s really important to my friend here.

VIENNE: And what will I get out of it?

LAMBERT: Pay for your beer, for starters. Then we’ll see how valuable your information is.

VIENNE: (CONSIDERS, TAKES DRINK) I was part of Karadin’s band, but… When was that? I don’t know where to find him; I’ve fallen out with the lot.

Geralt sits at her table.

VIENNE (cont.): Besides, he’s no longer chummy with his old mates. Word around town is he’s changed.

Lambert sits down, also, now.

GERALT: Karadin’s changed? What do you mean?

VIENNE: He’s dropped all his old connections, stopped taking on petty killings. He’s hidden himself away in some hole. Must be planning something big.

GERALT: Who else was in Karadin’s band?

VIENNE: Aside from me? Selyse, Hammond, and Lund. But they’ve scattered all over the world. Selyse went to Tretogor, Hammond to Skellige, and Lund—

LAMBERT: Lund’s dead.

VIENNE: (CACKLES) Finally met his match. Well, you’ve only Hammond or Selyse to talk to, then.

GERALT: What about you? What’s your story?

VIENNE: Scoia'tael was decimated, so I joined Karadin. They never treated me as an equal. No. I could hit a sparrow from a hundred paces, but I was never good enough for Karadin. He always preferred that cunt Selyse…

LAMBERT: You have a hand in the murder of the witcher Aiden?

VIENNE: Perhaps. I don’t remember.

GERALT: We need information about Hammond.

VIENNE: Karadin’s right hand man, once. When the band broke up, he went back to Faroe whence he had come. He’s a pirate, now. Even the jarls treat him with respect.

GERALT: This Selyse, where can we find her?

VIENNE: She’s done well for herself. Runs a brothel in tretogor, the kind rich men frequent. Whores suck information out of them, then she sells it.

LAMBERT: Name of this brothel?

VIENNE: The Black Lily. Selyse always did have horrible taste.

GERALT: (TO LAMBERT) Satisfied?

Geralt and Lambert both stand.

LAMBERT: She doesn’t know anything. We need to talk to Hammond and Selyse.

VIENNE: Don’t go looking for Karadin. If he senses you nipping at his heels, he’ll kill you without batting an eye.

LAMBERT: We’ll see. As for you…

OPTION ONE

GERALT: No, Lambert.

LAMBERT: Right, better to leave her like this.

VIENNE: What about my coin?

Geralt and Lambert exit the inn.

VIENNE (cont.): Arseholes.

OPTION TWO

GERALT: Do whatever you think is right, Lambert. Not here to preach morals.

VIENNE: (LAUGHS) “Do what you think is right?” Only one thing worse than cold blooded murder—hypocrisy. Informers, racists, snitches!

VAREN: Vienne, bloody hell. What is it?

VIENNE: They’ve come for me, Varen! I told you someone would, sooner or later!

VAREN: (IN ELDER) Don’t be afraid.

GERALT: Shit.

A fight breaks out in the inn and ends with Vienne dead.

EXT. SEVEN CATS INN—NIGHT

LAMBERT: You’ve gotta help me, Geralt. Best thing will be to split up. You sail to Skellige, try to squeeze something out of Hammond. I’ll go to Tretegor and try to get something out of Selyse.

GERALT: Lambert, let’s talk about this.

LAMBERT: Let’s not. This is one of those situations, serious situations, where you don’t ask unnecessary questions and just help your friend.

GERALT: Where’ll we meet once I’m back?

LAMBERT: At the Nowhere Inn.

GERALT: All right, I’m off. Good luck.

They both nod to each other, and the scene fades to black as Lambert walks away.

EXT. PIRATE’S SETTLEMENT, SKELLIGE

Geralt approaches two men standing guard outside of the settlement he’d been pointed to in order to find Hammond.

GUARD: Whaddya want?

GERALT: I’m looking for Hammond.

GUARD: What for?

GERALT: Business.

GUARD: He prays at the chapel on the hill this time of day. If it’s slaves you’re looking to buy, you’ll have to wait ‘til he’s done.

GERALT: He’s praying? Wouldn’t have thought him a god fearing man.

GUARD: Hmm. Yet it’s not something that would surprise any man who knows him.

GUARD TWO: Another snoop! You know the drill!

A fight breaks out with all of the pirates. After Geralt defeats them, he travels across the island.

EXT. HAMMOND’S SHRINE

Geralt walks into the shrine, and it’s an outdoor space with wide, curved beams driven into the ground that create a circle. Hammond is in the middle of the area in front of a pile of weaponry and shields. Hammond is shirtless and wearing a green tartan kilt with a wide leather belt. His hair is in a ponytail, and a leather strap encircles his left bicep. There’s a brown arm guard on the same arm, and there’s a gold band wrapped around his right bicep. There’s a large war hammer strapped to his back.

HAMMOND: Gods of the sea, I’ve never begrudge ye no gifts. Grant me another victory, so I can make an offering of me loot. (STANDS AND NOTICES GERALT) Fuck, what now?

GERALT: Heard you were in Karadin’s band.

HAMMOND: Fuckin’ say what you want. C’mon, spit it out, you arse lickin’ bastard!

GERALT: I’m looking for Jad Karadin.

HAMMOND: And just who the hell’re you?

GERALT: A friend of a friend. I’m looking for Karasin, thought maybe we could make some sort of deal.

HAMMOND: What, our business rubbing some Novigrad pricks the wrong way? Ploughin’ guild! (TO HIS GUARDS) Come on, what are you waiting for? Kill the fucker!

A fight breaks out and Geralt kills Hammond and his three guards. After, Geralt searches Hammond’s body and retrieves a letter on elegant stationary.

Hammond,

Thought I made it clear during our last face to face talk. I don’t want to keep in touch and I especially don’t want to do any business with you. I’ve no doubt the enterprise you proposed would be profitable. Nevertheless, to speak colloquially, count me out.

There are plenty of other potential buyers in Novigrad: goldsmiths, jewelers, and merchants dealing in luxury goods, for starters.

I don’t want to get involved.

Whatever you decide, I will wish you well in it. Treat this letter as our final farewell.

Karadin

INT. NOWHERE INN

Geralt approaches Lambert. Lambert is sitting at a table scattered with gwent cards and with a tankard in front of him.

LAMBERT: What the hell took you?

GERALT: Pretty likely Karadin lives in Novigrad. And he never severed ties with Hammond. They’re actually in business together.

LAMBERT: Mm. Learned something, too. He trades in, uh, live goods on the sly. Owns a ship called the Pearl of the Coast. Runs between here and Skellige. Changed his name, too, to Roland Treugger, who officially is a respected Novigrad trader and philanthropist. Has a residence in Gildorf.

GERALT: Anything on Selyse?

LAMBERT: Hmm. Well, didn’t have you there to stand up for her.

GERALT: All right, let’s pay Karadin a visit.

EXT. KARADIN’S HOUSE

Lambert and Geralt stand in a stone alleyway, looking at several guards.

LAMBERT: Think I know how to get in. Got a plan.

GERALT: If your plan doesn’t include dealing with an escort of guardsmen, best revise it.

The guards approach Lambert and Geralt.

GERALT (cont.): Calm, now. Let them start it.

GUARD: You’re expected. Come in.

Lambert and Geralt share a glance, and the scene fades to black.

EXT. KARADIN’S BACKYARD

There’s a child in a blue smock, who points at Lambert and Geralt and runs to Karadin. Karadin has yellow slitted eyes, dressed nicely, and there’s a sword at his hip.

KARADIN: Make yourselves at home.

GERALT: (TO LAMBERT) He’s a witcher.

KARADIN: Very true. Let me introduce my wife, Laetitia, and my two little tots. (GESTURES TO A WOMAN AND TWO CHILDREN SITTING IN THE GRASS) You know who I am, and I’ve heard of you. You’ve been asking questions about me. That always draws my attention.

GERALT: What school’d you come out of?

KARADIN: That of the cat. So few of us left.

Lambert sneers.

GERALT: Witchers can’t have children.

KARADIN: But they can have wards. Or take in a woman along with her children, embrace them as their own.

GERALT: I could understand a witcher becoming a hired assassin, but a merchant?

KARADIN: Why ever not? Not one among us doesn’t dream of changing our life. I simply did not stop at dreaming. They say no witcher has ever died in his bed. I aim to be the first.

LAMBERT: Remains to be seen.

GERALT: My friend needs to talk to you.

KARADIN: (TO GUARDS) Lads, take the children and Laetitia and leave us. Our guests wish to speak with me.

His family leaves.

KARADIN (cont.): I’m all ears.

LAMBERT: Talk to him, Geralt. If I do, first word he says to me, I’ll lose it and throttle the fucker.

GERALT: Nice place you got.

KARADIN: As it turned out, I’ve a flair for enterprise. Now I’ve coin enough to provide my family with the finer things in life.

LAMBERT: With some left over for philanthropy.

KARADIN: Miss Marabella’s institute does not scorn small donations. Neither does the city's Widow and Orphan Relief Fund, amongst others.

GERALT: Your wife know who you were?

KARADIN: We are thoroughly honest with each other, harbor no secrets. She prays for me each day. You know what? I think it’s working.

LAMBERT: Fucking hell.

GERALT: Relax, Lambert.

KARADIN: I confessed all just before we pledged to marry one another. Began a new life that day, with a clean slate.

GERALT: Remember Aiden? A witcher. Murdered in Ellander. Guessing the killers were paid well.

KARADIN: I remember him as I remember all the others—with the deepest regret. Yet Aiden was different, in a way. Contrary to rumor, we did not set out to kill him. We were forcced to, when he attacked us.

GERALT: What’s your version of this story?

KARADIN: Aiden had accepted a contract to lift a curse from the duke’s daughter. He took the coin, bungled the job, then left once the girl passed on.

LAMBERT: You lie!

KARADIN: We were not to kill him. We were debt collectors. He’d spent the coin already, so we demanded his swords. When he refused, tempers flared. Vienne, positioned as sniper, lost her nerve, hit Aiden square in the eye.

Lambert looks down. Geralt glances over at him.

KARADIN (cont.): Later, she devised her own version of the story. To silence her guilt, I expect.

GERALT: I’ve heard enough.

KARADIN: What now?

OPTION ONE

GERALT: You’ve changed. You have.

KARADIN: Forgiveness. It’s my sole aim now.

LAMBERT: You’re buying this bullshit? Bastard’s lying his ass off!

OPTION TWO

GERALT: You know what, Karadin? Your remorse—it’s feigned. Completely dishonest. You put on a good show, but I just don’t believe you.

LAMBERT: Don’t even know why we bothered with this chat. We came here to kill you.

OPTION THREE

GERALT: Maybe you’ve changed, maybe not. To me and Lambert, it doesn’t matter.

LAMBERT: You killed Aiden. Fuck your new life. I don’t believe in giving second chances.

OPTION ONE

GERALT: Do what you want, Lambert. Your friend, your vengeance.

LAMBERT: Been waiting a long time for this.

KARADIN: (UNSHEATHES SWORD) And I don’t aim to die.

A fight breaks out, ending in Karadin dead.

LAMBERT: Thanks for your help, Geralt.

GERALT: You’re welcome.

LAMBERT: Wanna talk about it?

GERALT: No.

LAMBERT: See you later. Some day.

GERALT: So long, Lambert.

OPTION TWO

GERALT: Leave him. Let’s go.

LAMBERT: What? Are you fuckin’ nuts?

GERALT: Lambert, this is one of those situations where you have to realize you’re pissed as hell, rein it in, and trust your cool headed friend. Let’s go.

LAMBERT: For fuck’s sake, Geralt. Don’t know that I’ll be able to forgive you.

GERALT: I said let’s go. You can always come back.

Lambert storms off.

KARADIN: Thank you.

Geralt sighs and walks away.

EXT. KARADIN’S HOUSE

LAMBERT: Explain yourself.

GERALT: Don’t intend to. Just felt Karadin didn’t deserve to be murdered in cold blood. If you feel otherwise, you can always go back. Without me.

LAMBERT: I feel like beating the shit out of you. See you later. Some day.

GERALT: So long, Lambert.

[bloede-squirrels]

Forest Fires

Chapter 3! TW: panic/anxiety attacks. You can read this on AO3 here!

Chapter 3: Scars

Pain wracked his body. It wasn’t the first time the commander had been tortured, of course, but that didn’t make it any easier. His nose was probably broken, and he’d bit his tongue. His head throbbed and his ribs felt like they were broken. His arms screamed for circulation beneath his shackles. Just as he was about to black out, his captors shook him awake.

“Care to explain this ?” the man said, shoving something in front of his face. Through his blurred vision, Iorveth made out the blue-grey shape. A spearhead. He grinned nastily, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

“A souvenir,” he slurred, “It’s quite precious to me, so I’d appreciate it if you took care of it.” Iorveth wouldn’t have said that if he knew what would have come next. His captor grabbed a fistful of the elf’s hair and yanked his head back.

“More precious than your pretty eyes?” he spat. Iorveth didn’t have time to think before he felt the searing hot pain of the spearhead being shoved into his right eye. He screamed and thrashed desperately beneath his bindings as his torturer dragged the spearhead down his face. The more he thrashed, the deeper he pushed the spear into his skin, the louder--

He screamed, shooting upright. He ripped the bandana off of his head and pressed the heel of his palm into his right eye socket. He didn’t notice that he was hyperventilating, or that he was desperately whimpering slurs of nonopleasenoithurtsplease under his breath. He didn’t notice the witcher wake from his meditation and place a hand on his back.

“Iorveth,” Geralt said. He gently grabbed the elf’s wrists and tried to pry them from his face. The elf thrashed, desperately trying to move away, panic seeping from his body.

“Iorveth, it’s just me--” Geralt tried, but it wasn’t enough to stop the elf from throwing his bedroll from himself and attempting to run into the forest. Geralt swiftly stopped him, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the ground. He signed axii, and told Iorveth to be calm. It half worked, as the elf still hyperventilated and held his ruined face.

“You’re safe here,” Geralt assured, “talk to me.” Iorveth tried to steady his breaths, looking around. Geralt noticed his shoulders relax a little as he realized his surroundings, but his heart still thundered in his chest. His green eyes met Geralt’s yellow ones, and he paused. He searched the witcher’s eyes in the dim firelight. He didn’t know what he was looking for, he just wanted anything to soothe the panic raking over his body.

“Are you okay? Does your face hurt?” Geralt asked gently, sitting in front of Iorveth and touching his knee. The rumble of Geralt’s voice in his ears, the concern on his features, those bloede vatt’ghern eyes that could see everything. He wanted to be brave, tell him that he was fine, that everything was okay but in truth, nothing was okay. His scar throbbed painfully, he was panicking, and he felt like weeping. And the witcher could probably tell, so he’d look like a fool if he said he was fine.

Instead of speaking, Iorveth just shook his head, refusing to take his hand from his burning face.

“How can I help you, Iorveth? Talk to me,” Geralt pleaded, placing a hand on the elf’s shoulder.

Iorveth tried to speak, but a lump grew painfully in his throat. Something stung behind his good eye, something he hadn’t felt in a century. Iorveth bit his lip to try and stop it from quivering, and his lungs drew short, stuttering breaths. The scraps of control that Iorveth clung to slipped from him. He sobbed, slumping over, digging his fingernails into his scalp. The hand on his shoulder moved to his face, and a calloused thumb gently wiped the moisture from his cheek. Iorveth was stunned that he was crying. Frustration swelled in him. Here he was, crying after having a bad dream like a child. He was a commander. He wasn’t supposed to cry. If his warriors saw him like this, they’d humiliate him and everything he fought for would be lost. And a witcher, the ploughing white wolf of them all, was babying him in his arms. He shoved the hand on his face away, looking at the ground in front of him.

“Iorveth, what’s going on? I want to help you. Tell me, please,” Geralt begged, and it was the first time that the elf could remember the witcher saying “please” to him. Iorveth laughed through his sobs despite himself. He took a breath to try and steady his voice, but his lungs betrayed him.

“The only other p-person in the world to s-see me cry in centuries is d-dead now,” he hiccuped, “and you w-will be too if you t-tell a soul about it.” Iorveth knew how stupid his threat sounded when he sniveled like a child, but he was sure the witcher understood.

“You had a bad dream and you started panicking,” Geralt said. Of course witchers can sense panic attacks, and of course Iorveth had to have his first one in decades in front of one. Iorveth scoffed and smiled sadly.

“Does your scar hurt? I have a mixture that might be able to soothe it,” Geralt offered. Iorveth didn’t move besides the hiccups shaking his body. He gnawed angrily on the inside of his cheek. The witcher sighed and reached for his pack, deftly pulling out several herbs and a rag. The elf could be so stubborn, so damn proud even when he obviously and desperately needs help. He sighed, placing the herbs in a canister of water and setting it over the fire, signing igni to quickly heat the mixture. The water began to steam almost immediately, and Geralt carefully pulled it from the flames. He wrapped the wet herbs in a rag, and moved back towards Iorveth.

“Here, “ he said, “hold this to the scar. A salve would work better, but it takes too long to brew.” Iorveth snatched the sachet away, a little more aggressively than he intended, and held it to his face. The warm water soothed his skin, and the herbs numbed his burning scar tissue. He sighed, slumping over and resting his elbows on his knees, trying to steady his breaths. Truthfully, he was thankful for the witcher. If he had to pick anyone in the world to have a panic attack in front of, it would be Geralt--though he’d never admit that. He laughed and shook his head, too embarrassed to speak.

“It happens to me too, sometimes,” Geralt explained after a long silence. The elf lifted his gaze to the witcher, his face lit by the fire, “I have dreams that give me panic attacks too. Most times I’m fighting one monster or another, and I’m too slow to save the people that I love from it. I don’t remember how I got most of my scars, but when I wake up, they hurt. I think the monsters that I fight in my dreams are the ones that gave me the scars that ache when I wake up.” Iorveth didn’t know what to say, so he kept staring at the witcher instead. The panic that swirled through his body moments ago was replaced with...something. Iorveth didn’t know what, but he was glad it wasn’t panic. It made him want to reach out and tuck the stray strand of white hair behind the witcher’s ear. Instead, he turned towards the fire and took a deep breath.

As he watched the elf, Geralt wondered how long it’d been since the Scoia'tael leader had cried. Probably near a century. The witcher then wondered the last time he’d cried. If he had to guess, it would have been long before he lost his memory. He wanted to say something reassuring, something poetic and beautiful to the elf in front of him, but as he searched that green eye, nothing came to mind. He almost wished Dandelion was here to say it for him.

The witcher smiled as something warm filled his chest. He hadn’t felt it in a long time, but he couldn’t figure out where he’d felt it before.

“What are you smiling at?” Iorveth spat, fake venom in his voice. Geralt hadn’t realized he was smiling, but the answer to the question was right in front of him.

“You,” Geralt said. Iorveth rolled his eye and took the sachet of herbs from his face.

“Thank you, Gwynbleidd ,” Iorveth said, still savoring the warmth of the sachet with his hands. Geralt hummed, nodding his head.

“You should try and get some more sleep, we have a long day tomorrow,” Geralt offered. “I won’t be able to,” Iorveth accepted, stretching his arms over his head. He wrapped his blanket around his shoulders and scooted closer to the fire. Geralt stole one last look at the elf before he closed his eyes and began to meditate.

---

Geralt had been meditating for nearly an hour before he felt something bump into him. He opened his eyes and looked to his right. Iorveth was asleep, his head resting on the witcher’s shoulder. Geralt was sure that the angle his neck was at would pain him in the morning, but he was glad that the elf was sleeping. Geralt smiled, that warm thing pouring into his chest again when he saw the elf still clutching the sachet of herbs.

[l-i-n-u-s-k-a]

I’ve been tagged in many tag things recently and every time that happened I told myself “Gneh, I’ll do it tomorrow” and the next day I had lost the post I had been tagged in ( °H°)

That why I’m doing this tag @ilonavic​ done NOW and also I’ve been tagged both as this blog and as @incorrect-the-witcher-quotes​ thing that made me think that I’m becoming someone in this fandom and holy shit, slow down with this, we’re going too far

Here’s a fun tag for my fellow Witchers, I’d love to know who and why you’d choose given the ultimatum, and not so ultimatum. 

1. Who would you rather be stuck on a deserted island with?

Geralt: Iorveth: Dandelion: Maybe Iorveth would be better at survive ability but I… wouldn’t choose him, while I’d choose Dandelion in every situation, no matter what

2. Who would you hire as your mentor in magic?

Yennefer: I see Yennefer as the best teacher and mentor, I just couldn’t with Philippa and Avallac’h is just no Avallac’h: Philippa:

3. Who would you run to rescue, if you could only choose one?

Shani: Regis: Triss: Cahir:here we start with the difficult choices! I’m sure Triss will be fine, she would kick everyone’s ass with no effort all by herself

4. Who’s army would you join?

The Scoia'tael, Iorveth: The Aen Elle, Eredin: The Skelligers, Clan an Craite: FOR SKELLIGE’S GLORY! Seriously, did you just used the Gwent factions for this question?  The Blue Stripes, Roche: The Nilfgaardians, Emhyr: 

5. Who’s “sasshole-club” would you join?

Lol, this will be easy, like, did you notice who you are talki… *reads Milva’s name* … oh shiet…

Dethmold:This was super difficult to choose, I hate you! Milva is not a sass-hole, why did you have to put her here?!  Ge’els: Iorveth: Milva:  Avallac’h:

Some freestyle questions for you to answer, without any ultimatums.

6. Who would you have the most fun with and why?

Answer: Geralt. This may sound weird but I guessed: who has my same kind of humour, the one I could pass a night talking and joking, and… Yeah, basically who has my same kind of humour.

7. Who would you marry and why?

Answer: ~~Dandelion~~ because I love him, I love him with my entire soul, he’s my husband and I love him more than myself

8. Who would you want as your best friend and why?

Answer: Milva or Dettlaff. With Milva, we would be the couple of mate gals that hate everyone, are salty about everything and constantly curse. A. K. A: she would be the only one to tolerate me. With Dettlaff, we would be that couple of friends that just support each other during the worst moments because both understand all the shit we are going through, and always find the right way to cheer the other up

9. Who would you disagree the most with and why?

Answer: this the moment when 1) I can’t nominate every elf ever appeared in saga, and 2) I can’t nominate all the sorceress of the lodge. But I’ll take as representative Iorveth and Philippa. Iorveth because leader of the Scoia'tael, but absolute against the idea to demonstrate the true ideals of the Scoia'tael; and Philippa, leader of the circle intented to exercise total power over all the world’s greatest political forces

10. Who would you mourn the most, if you ever lost them and why?

Answer: I hope you understand I cried just looking at Milva’s animated card, I cried for two hours after had finished Lady of the Lake, and staid in mourning for three weeks after that

I’m finally finished and it’s the time to tag people! If they haven’t been tagged yet, @lunedin @gwynedds and @mola-mola-fish, only if you want to ( u-u)/ (me offering reverence) Good night awake people (9-9 )