Explaining Yennefer's behaviour in the game (with a canon Geralt as partner)

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An Evening off


Listen, everyone. All is in place. We may begin.
Lambert, prepare the apparatuses. Eskel, go---
Last I heard, my dear, I give the orders around here. Not you.
I believe we made an agreement. To seek to cure Uma my way.
I said we would help you. That’s it.
I don’t know what you want to do with him – you haven’t deigned to inform us. But it’s not safe, is it?
Just as I thought. Which is why I think we should first try another, less invasive method.
Can't argue with that, better to try the less invasive method first. However I can understand why Yennefer is in a rush, time is still running and the longer they wait, the higher the risk that they won't get to Ciri quick enough or remove the curse from her. At this point we still don't know, whether she is Uma, part of it or whatever.

She also contacted a specialist especially for this case, someone who heard the curse and that one adviced to do it the way she wants to do.

I think they wanted to show once again how desperate Yennefer is in the search for Ciri, a bit too much for my case, but nonetheless, I get it.

What’s this other method?
What's this method?
Derives from folk traditions. I've used it many times, in 1211, to lift the curse that held the Swan of Poviss, for instance.

Clock’s ticking…
Don’t take this the wrong way, Vesemir, but clock’s ticking.
I ask only one night’s delay. If nothing comes of it, we’ll do what Yennefer wants.
I would say Geralt would see it the same way that time is running, they already spent way too much time on other things, like Gwent :)

I’ll take Uma into the mountains.
What then? Will you howl at the moon together?
A bit of respect. You’re not talkin’ to Geralt.
No, we will not howl at the moon. I’ll lay him down on a grave stone. Come midnight, I’ll give him tea made of hemlock harvested from… But I don’t see that I need to explain this to you.
In my opinion—
I know your opinion. But I’m not asking anyone’s permission. I’m saying what will happen. I’ll be back at dawn. With Uma… or whoever hides inside him.
She is clearly no fan of non-scientific methods.

It's abit annoying how everyone is treating her here, especially if I compare what happened, when Triss scolded them in the books.

I can't stress enough that it is still possible that Uma might be Ciri at this point, we just don't know. However except Geralt nobody really is in a hurry to do something about that, on the contrary they delay the process. But as I said Vesemirs method makes sense.

Vesemir’s become a grumpy old man.
Vesemir’s gotten a bit grumpy in his old age.
That was nothing. Shoulda been here last winter when Lambert tried to convice him we oughta abandon Kaer Morhen for good.
What good’s this old ruin anyway? Moldy walls, leaky roof, and it’s one big fucking ice cube in the winter.
Vesemir didn’t say a word. Stood, grabbed his sword, and slammed the door on his way out. Didn’t come back for a month.

What now?
So… got the evening off. What do we do with it?

Wouldn’t mind a shot myself. Or two.
Nothing I can do – been outvoted. Let’s go.
Do as you will… But in a moment. Geralt and I must talk.
Oo, sounds serious. C’mon, Lambert… See you in a bit Geralt.
Simple. The moment she can't do anything anymore, she can rest for a minute. She is already ready to remove the curse, however she has to wait now and what do you want to do while waiting? Why not something for fun? Like playing Gwent? Drinking? Or having sex? :)

What’d I do now?
All right. What did I do this time?

Something wrong?
Something not quite right?
Sigh, sad that Geralt can automatically think that he did something wrong, even though everything he did so far was in favour of her and so she reaffirms that, that he didn't do anything wrong at all.

No, nothing. I just wanted to take you aside… without cluing the others into what we’re up to.
Mgm… And what’re we up to?
Sneaking upstairs to make love.
Wow, you don’t exactly mince words…
I’m too old to play the blushing bride… Unless you ask nicely.
Shall we go? You can rejoin them afterwards. In an hour… or two.

Sounds great.
Or three…
I’ll hold you to that.

Don’t get mad, but…
Yen… Don't get mad, but--
Stop.
Suddenly, I've an immense desire to drink.

Geralt never said no to sex.

You can also see that Yennefer doesn't like to ramble on and on, she likes to be direct.



Well, well… Lovebirds decided to join us. Enjoy yourselves?
You heard the answer to that question, Lambert… Besides, not our business.

Uh, Yen, we don’t have glasses. You all right drinkin’ from a mug?
I’d drink from an old boot tonight.
Urghgh… Perhaps instead of getting crocked in deep glum, we could do some catching up?
After that long odyssey both had to endure so far, I think it's safe to say that she is quite happy that it ended this way again, just like in the books.

Where’ve you been, Lambert?
What’ve you been up to, Lambert? Any interesting contracts before you set off in search of Karadin?
Uh, yeah. Contract in Lan Exeter. Not to boast, but a pretty lucrative one.
Yeah, Kovir’s where the gold’s to be made. Know how much they pay there for a drowner?
Shush, I’m talking now. So this giant was giving ‘em trouble. Attacking convoys, dragging folk off into the swamps…
…and relieving himself on the highway, rendering it dreadfully slippery. You’ve built enough suspense, get to the point.
Fine. Turned out it wasn’t a giant, just a fat forest troll. And a group of bandits were ambushing the convoys.
What did you do?
Killed the bandits to keep the roads safe. Then I killed the troll. Needed its, uh, head to collect the bounty.
Straight to the point, being straightforward as I said.

Pragmatic, as ever.
Pragmatic as ever…
You could stand to show some of Lambert's expediency, set ideals like justice for trolls aside, keep yourself out of poverty instead.
Knew the sorceress would see it my way.

Might’ve spared the troll.
Could've spared the troll…
Pff. To eat roots and sleep in roadside ditches? I needed the coin. And not a soul mourned that troll's passing.
Let's raise a mug to his memory - the least we can do.
Yeah, she probably would like that. Usually she has to pay for his checks without him noticing. Giving the people, who give Geralt jobs, more money, so Geralt gets more money. So she gives him indirectly money, so he can live more comfortable.

Eskel, fess up. How’d you get that katakana?
Eskel, that katakan we cut up together - tell us how you nabbed him.
A katakan?
Oh-ho-ho… Dangerous whoresons, those.
Finicky, too. Specimen in question only went for young women from the upper classes.
That's like me.
We've no interest in your fantasies, Lambert. Whereas the vampire… even I'm curious to know how you managed.
My client threw a masquerade ball for the city's notables - to lure the vampire out of hiding. I was there, too, disguised. Lemme tell you, never had so much success with the ladies as I did that night.

Get the vampire?
What about the vampire?
I'd made a deal with this young alchemist. She really loaded up - fisstech, vodka, magic mushrooms. Went out into the garden, vampire found her and drank his fill. Fight was an afterthought.
Hm… A fairy tale on gluttony for modern times.
Alchemist come out of it all right?
Fine. Lost a bit of blood, I suppose. Hangover was the worst part. She drank nothing but pickle juice for the next month.

Mixing business and pleasure? Bad idea.
Mixing work and romance? Bad idea. Vampire coulda caught you with your pants down.
Suppose so. But you look the way I do, you gotta grab every chance you can get.
Hahaha, maybe you should wear a mask permanently.
Huh! And maybe you should wear a gag.
Yeah, Geralt giving advices about not mixing business and please? Good joke.

Well, I
Eventful times for me, recently. Kings, dragons, conspiracies and, then, I found Yen.


:heart:

"You know, dead kings, dragons, world wide conspiracies, but then I found Yen."

That's music to my ears, it's like all what happened so far wasn't that important compared to finding her again and in a way that's how it always was. Geralt did never care for politics, kings or wars, his only interest were the ones he loved.

As I said on several occasions now, it's nice to have that Geralt back.

We're thrilled for you. But why don't you tell us about Uma instead?
Pff. Long story. I was on Ciri's trail - went to Velen, Skellige, Novigrad - where Dandelion needed saving again.
He get caught ploughing somebody he shouldn't 'ave been?
Right. Speaking of old friends, Novigrad and ploughing… How's Triss?

Fuck off.
Fuck off, Lambert.
Whoa! Hit a sore spot, I guess.

I was talking about Uma.
We were talking about Uma, weren't we?
The night is young. Got time to talk about everything.

Triss is managing.
Triss is… managing all right.
How're those scars she got at Sodden? Still there?
Wow and now Geralt can even stand up to himself and her? Nice.

Interesting to see how Yennefer look at Geralt at first and then down, it's probably still nagging her. Understandable after what happened in the books and then in the games.

Lambert. Not funny.
Fine. Conversation turned serious? Let's talk. Yen, what do you plan to do with Uma?
I said I'll tell you tomorrow.
So tell us now. It's after midnight.
I'll subject him to the Trial of Grasses. But only--
You'll fucking what?!

Mind your manners.
Mind your manners, Lambert.
Did you hear what--?
Not gonna ask you again.

[Don’t react]
Again standing up to her? Why isn't that more often an option?

Uh, sorry… looking to turn him into a witcher?
Of course not. As I was about to say, I'll only apply the first half of the Trial, because--
Because you wanna watch him suffer?
Stop interrupting, or I will watch you suffer.
To restore Uma's former appearance, we must first… Hmm… How do I explain it…
Imagine a lump of clay. In order to shape it, you must first moisten it or it will crumble. The Trial's initial part does just that. It opens the body to change, so to speak. Only then can the mutagens produce a witcher.
And now you also understand why she didn't want to say everything from the start, because she knew they would be against it, but it is the only method she found and as we will learn soon, it is also the only one, which will work.

It's really annoying that everybody is just mistrusting her, sure, she didn't really help to resolve it from the start, but they should know that she only has the best intention for Ciri. She wasn't slacking and doing other stuff like them, she was preparing everything from the start, right after she left the portal.

What're the chances Uma'll survive?
What are the chances Uma will survive?
Not great. But we've no choice.
Unless Vesemir can do the trick with his hemlock.
Might be surprised. Old man knows his stuff.

It'll be the first Trial in years.
It'll be the first Trial in years… decades.
I knew you'd be wary.
Wary? That's not the problem. Those secrets have been forgotten. And that's how they should stay.
I'd be the last to suggest you start producing hordes of witchers.
You hardly need to. See, till now we had a great excuse not to take in apprentices. Seems we'll need to talk it over.
Maybe later. Who's up for another round?
Oh, I am. But we're all outta stuff to chew on. Geralt, mind raiding the kitchen?
Not at all.
Gentlemen, pleasure drinking with you… Lambert especially. But the hour is late.


Don't stay up long. Tomorrow's an important day.

Yeah, that was expected after all, hoped to see a calmer talk, but I guess that was hopeless from the start. Too many characters just simply don't like her anymore except for Geralt, I wonder why it had to be this way..*shaking head*...

It's like if Geralt doesn't defend her, nobody does. Like everyone just dislike her, because everyone else does, even though they should know better *sigh*




So - this samovila?
So, what's this about a samovila?
Snared this peasant in her dance. Instead of bein' happy he escaped with his life, yokel fell head over heels in love.
Wanted me to trap her. Turned him down, so he tried it on his own, with a fishing net. Bet you they're still dancing a mazurka in some fallow field.
Great story. With a moral, too!
Really? What's that?
Stay away from dangerous women.

You guys ever gonna lay off Yen?
Will you ever lay off Yen?
Yeah. Soon as I trust her.
You'd brave a fire for her… Whereas she plays you like a cheap fiddle. Way it's always been.
Listen to you two goddam relationship experts. Neither of you's been with a sorceress…
For good reason…
Fine, leave pretty boy alone before he gets grumpy. Already has that pouty look on his face. Can't stand it.
Drink up, Geralt. To you and Yen - happily ever after!
Same as above...just compare this to the dialogue Geralt had at the end of The Lady of the Lake. Nobody was urging him to reconsider his doings, they just accepted what Geralt wanted, stop being a witcher and live with Yennefer and Ciri, and they didn't try to convince him from the opposite, they accepted their friends decision. But maybe Lambert is just a prick, Eskel on the other hand is at least a bit more friendly and understanding. Guess you can clearly see who is the annoying brother and who is the supportive brother :)


Sure brought a lot of crap… You'd think she was moving in…
Shh, you'll scare Geralt…
Yes! Perfect! Like it was made for you!
Sure… Soon as I let it out a bit in the waist…
Stop talking, get dressed. Not that one… Won't complement your complexion…
Well, in his dream from the start of the game, it wasn't that hard to believe and to desire :)

Especially considering that he always wanted that.



Hahahahaha!
Hahhahaha!
I trust you have an explanation for this. A very good one.
Go to bed. Now.

I guess everybodys girlfriend would react like that, when you and your friends wear her dresses, drunk :D
 
Wow! I just had to register to thank you for this thread. Now anytime I'll hear someone say that Yen is just a cold bitch I will send them here, you just made my life a lot easier xD!

All jokes aside, you've done an amazing work here! I just love Yennefer's character, in books and in game, and you managed to sum up all the reasons why.
I actually played the game first, and like a lot of gamers who haven't read the books I decided I would romance Triss before I even started my first playthrough to continue what I had started in the first two games and because I really liked Triss in TW2 (and then who was that Yennefer character we barely even heard about in the first two games anyway). I still went with this decision even though I regretted it the second Yennefer appeared in White Orchard (so yes it is possible to fall in love with this character the second you see her even when you haven't read the books). On my first playthrough I had to choose all the "wrong" dialog options when it came to Yen because I knew it was the only way I would manage not to romance her. When I played the Last Wish I just hated that I had to break up with her at the very moment when she was finally showing her vulnerable side (finally because as I said I had picked all the "wrong" options and she wasn't really pleased with me before that moment). She was so hesitant and yet so confident that Geralt would still love her, and the whole thing just broke my heart. I played this once, never again. Anyway I finished the game with my Triss romance. And then I read the books and it was a revelation. Now I have absolutely no doubt which sorceress should be Geralt romance and I immediately started a new playthrough to play the game "right".

I must say I was really surprised when I saw the amount of people who had read the books and were saying that Yen was out of character in the game. I actually think that CPDR did, if not a great job, at least a pretty decent one. First of all because Yen is not an easy character to write. Sapkowski did an amazing job creating an incredibly complex character with so many layers. So of course CPDR made some mistakes, the biggest of all being the lack of interactions between Yen and Ciri. But they still handled her pretty well. Yes, she may be a little "bitchier" in the game than she is in the books, but all the other sides of her, the funny one, the softer one, the "I'm a mother and I won't let anything hurt my daughter" one, they are all here as well.

This thread does a great job showing how when you pick the canon Geralt dialog options you get more of the soft side of the character, while when you pick the "wrong" options you get more of the tougher side of Yen as well as an explanation about who she truly is and why you should have answered the other way. This is done in a way that makes the character difficult to understand for newcomers. But that's ok. I think that's the way it's supposed to be. Yen was never an easy character to comprehend, to fully appreciate her and to like her you have to take a chance with her, you have to trust her even though it doesn't seem like the best idea at first, you have to think in order to understand why she acts the way she does. That may be one of the reasons I love this character so much and well if it means that not everybody will get her, then so be it.

Sorry I got a bit carried away, anyway thanks again for this wonderful thread!
 
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Cold-hearted? In some ways, yes, but there is a softness to her. Still, not enough to me to make up for her manipulations, derision, and condescension. Frankly, were the Geralt I role-played to be with the in-game Yennefer, he'd have to possess a serious bitchy mom complex and have very little if any self-esteem. No self-respecting person would put up with the amount of shit she throws his way. Nope, in my eyes there's just no excusing how she treats him like a child.

My in-game Geralt, he has more pride than that. You know, being an adult, one who has traveled the world and survived his own share of trials, he would want a relationship that was based on equal footing. Hence, why he chose Triss.
 

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Cold-hearted? In some ways, yes, but there is a softness to her. Still, not enough to me to make up for her manipulations, derision, and condescension. Frankly, were the Geralt I role-played to be with the in-game Yennefer, he'd have to possess a serious bitchy mom complex and have very little if any self-esteem. No self-respecting person would put up with the amount of shit she throws his way. Nope, in my eyes there's just no excusing how she treats him like a child.

My in-game Geralt, he has more pride than that. You know, being an adult, one who has traveled the world and survived his own share of trials, he would want a relationship that was based on equal footing. Hence, why he chose Triss.

 
Cold-hearted? In some ways, yes, but there is a softness to her. Still, not enough to me to make up for her manipulations, derision, and condescension. Frankly, were the Geralt I role-played to be with the in-game Yennefer, he'd have to possess a serious bitchy mom complex and have very little if any self-esteem. No self-respecting person would put up with the amount of shit she throws his way. Nope, in my eyes there's just no excusing how she treats him like a child.

My in-game Geralt, he has more pride than that. You know, being an adult, one who has traveled the world and survived his own share of trials, he would want a relationship that was based on equal footing. Hence, why he chose Triss.

Well I understand where you're coming from, I really do. And the way you put things I don't think I can make you change your mind so I won't write a long post about it, just 2 things :

1) Have you actually tried the romance with Yen? Because when you are nice to her, she really shows a different side of her and I've never felt like she wasn't respecting Geralt, not once.

2) I have to disagree actually. I think Geralt and Yennefer really work as equals, far more than Triss and Geralt in fact. Remember when Triss was mad at Geralt for helping Ciri with Imlerith? Or when she was like "no Geralt don't do this, don't go to the emperor boat all by yourself". Yen's reaction to these situations? Oh well "I trust you Geralt". And at the end of the game, before the tower when Geralt said he would come back with Ciri, once again the answer, a simple "I know". She trusts him, entirely and she respects him. So, nope, can't agree with you on that.
 
Well I understand where you're coming from, I really do. And the way you put things I don't think I can make you change your mind so I won't write a long post about it, just 2 things :

1) Have you actually tried the romance with Yen? Because when you are nice to her, she really shows a different side of her and I've never felt like she wasn't respecting Geralt, not once.

2) I have to disagree actually. I think Geralt and Yennefer really work as equals, far more than Triss and Geralt in fact. Remember when Triss was mad at Geralt for helping Ciri with Imlerith? Or when she was like "no Geralt don't do this, don't go to the emperor boat all by yourself". Yen's reaction to these situations? Oh well "I trust you Geralt". And at the end of the game, before the tower when Geralt said he would come back with Ciri, once again the answer, a simple "I know". She trusts him, entirely and she respects him. So, nope, can't agree with you on that.

I weighed pursuing the relationship with Yen until shortly after she showed up. Any possibilities towards that end died with her explanation of why she never contacted Geralt to at least say, "Hey, I'm alive." and due to her deriding/dismissive behavior towards him even at that early stage. Subsequent conversations and actions by her only confirmed (the garden scene for instance) that there was not as much beauty inside as out.

As for Triss, no, she's not perfect. No one is, but with her, Geralt never has to question her selflessness, devotion, and love. At one time I believed her character to be too sunny for Geralt, but the brief time we get to spend with her in Novigrad shows an interesting character development. She's learned to survive on the streets and has developed just enough of a dark side to complement Geralt while also maintaining enough light to better balance him.
 
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Cold-hearted? In some ways, yes, but there is a softness to her. Still, not enough to me to make up for her manipulations, derision, and condescension. Frankly, were the Geralt I role-played to be with the in-game Yennefer, he'd have to possess a serious bitchy mom complex and have very little if any self-esteem. No self-respecting person would put up with the amount of shit she throws his way. Nope, in my eyes there's just no excusing how she treats him like a child.

It may be better not to bring more attention to these kinds of "evangelization" threads (there is no better source to base one's opinions on than the actual games and books), although I am just doing it myself right now. Will not happen again, though. :)

1) Have you actually tried the romance with Yen? Because when you are nice to her, she really shows a different side of her and I've never felt like she wasn't respecting Geralt, not once.

"Fortunately", romancing Yennefer or not has little effect on the interaction with her or anyone else, I do not think missing a sex scene and a few lines of conversation changing here and there makes enough difference to really affect one's opinion on Yennefer's character (not to mention, the reactions when you are not nice are also a part of her character, and they are not to be just ignored).

2) I have to disagree actually. I think Geralt and Yennefer really work as equals, far more than Triss and Geralt in fact. Remember when Triss was mad at Geralt for helping Ciri with Imlerith? Or when she was like "no Geralt don't do this, don't go to the emperor boat all by yourself".

There is no such quote in the game the way you worded, and worrying about someone does not exclude equality.
 
I weighed pursuing the relationship with Yen until shortly after she showed up. Any possibilities towards that end died with her explanation of why she never contacted Geralt to at least say, "Hey, I'm alive." and due to her deriding/dismissive behavior towards him even at that early stage. Subsequent conversations and actions by her only confirmed (the garden scene for instance) that there was not as much beauty inside as out.

As for Triss, no, she's not perfect. No one is, but with her, Geralt never has to question her selflessness, devotion, and love. At one time I believed her character to be too sunny for Geralt, but the brief time we get to spend with her in Novigrad shows an interesting character development. She's learned to survive on the streets and has developed just enough of a dark side to complement Geralt while also maintaining enough light to better balance him.

To be fair to the character, I think the explanation as to why she never contacted Geralt is more an explanation as to why the developers didn't include her in the first two games, not really Yennefer's doing. Her dismissive behavior.... Well the man she love just spent years with an other woman, having totally forgotten her, sure in her shoes I would have jumped right into his arms... Regarding what happened in the garden, well Yennefer definitely has a dark side, can't argue with that. Have you read the books? If someone could come here with a quote of Blood of Elves, when Ciri was afraid that her draining energy from the woods would damage them and Yennefer was sooooo proud she was thinking this way. Knowing that, well you just have to think and ask yourself why she did this. It doesn't make it better, but it does give you an understanding of the character.

sv3672 : Yes I know she doesn't say it like this but it's the idea anyway. And well, "evangelization post". I think most of the Yennefer fans love her dark side as much as her bright side so...
 
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Triss is sunny and all that jazz until you realize that you are never given the in-game possibility of tackling some of the heavier subjects with her. You can never discuss the creepy amnesia relationship, you can never truly go deeper into the Lodge business or her political plans and ambitions. You're just meant to accept the fact that it's OK because that was in the past and who cares about the past, or to simply trust that Triss would never do anything at odds with Geralt and Ciri's desires and beliefs (despite her said past).

It's as if someone in the development team was afraid that by dealing with her troubling side/actions she would somehow become less appealing. They have succeded in making her likeable (on a surface level at least) but they have also made her less interesting, nuanced, and believable. I'm not sold on this type of character building.

PS: this was meant as a reply to @calasade. In case this comment appears to be coming out of nowhere.
 
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Triss is sunny and all that jazz until you realize that you are never given the in-game possibility of tackling some of the heavier subjects with her. You can never discuss the creepy amnesia relationship, you can never truly go deeper into the Lodge business or her political plans and ambitions. You're just meant to accept the fact that it's OK because that was in the past and who cares about the past, or to simply trust that Triss would never do anything at odds with Geralt and Ciri's desires and beliefs (despite her said past).

It's as if someone in the development team was afraid that by dealing with her troubling side/actions she would somehow become less appealing. They have succeded in making her likeable (on a surface level at least) but they have also made her less interesting, nuanced, and believable. I'm not sold on this type of character building.

PS: this was meant as a reply to @calasade. In case this comment appears to be coming out of nowhere.

Would have been awesome had they dived deeper in the relationship between Triss and Geralt and Geralt and Yen as well as the friendship between Yen and Triss, but CDRP did not, so we unfortunately have to work with what little CDPR gave us. Surface stuff. :(

In the games, we're never exposed to the fact that Triss used Geralt's amnesia as a way of getting him. We don't see a hint of it until TW 3. I myself keep the games and the books (which I love) separate and try to approach the games from the mindset of someone who's never read the books, because (when you get down to it) the canon for the books and the games deviate, so the characters are not the same. They share origin, but that's about it.

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To be fair to the character, I think the explanation as to why she never contacted Geralt is more an explanation as to why the developers didn't include her in the first two games, not really Yennefer's doing. Her dismissive behavior.... Well the man she love just spent years with an other woman, having totally forgotten her, sure in her shoes I would have jumped right into his arms... Regarding what happened in the garden, well Yennefer definitely has a dark side, can't argue with that. Have you read the books? If someone could come here with a quote of Blood of Elves, when Ciri was afraid that her draining energy from the woods would damage them and Yennefer was sooooo proud she was thinking this way. Knowing that, well you just have to think and ask yourself why she did this. It doesn't make it better, but it does give you an understanding of the character.

sv3672 : Yes I know she doesn't say it like this but it's the idea anyway. And well, "evangelization post". I think most of the Yennefer fans love her dark side as much as her bright side so...

See my reply to @StandardEpiphany above re different book and game canon. As for Yen's reasoning, she knew what Geralt had gone through with the Hunt. Amnesia. Pretty good reason for bedding someone else. Mature thing would be, "What you did hurt me, but I love you, so let's try and start over." The garden was just one example of Yen putting her own desires ahead of what others care about. I don't want to irritate the mods by repeating them here since they already called me out for that. Needless to say, Yen is not the woman the Geralt I role-played loves.

Was nice to see some humanity from her in the Trial of the Grasses, though.
 
Would have been awesome had they dived deeper in the relationship between Triss and Geralt and Geralt and Yen as well as the friendship between Yen and Triss, but CDRP did not, so we unfortunately have to work with what little CDPR gave us. Surface stuff. :(

In the games, we're never exposed to the fact that Triss used Geralt's amnesia as a way of getting him. We don't see a hint of it until TW 3. I myself keep the games and the books (which I love) separate and try to approach the games from the mindset of someone who's never read the books, because (when you get down to it) the canon for the books and the games deviate, so the characters are not the same. They share origin, but that's about it.

---------- Updated at 12:27 PM ----------



See my reply to @StandardEpiphany above re different book and game canon. As for Yen's reasoning, she knew what Geralt had gone through with the Hunt. Amnesia. Pretty good reason for bedding someone else. Mature thing would be, "What you did hurt me, but I love you, so let's try and start over." The garden was just one example of Yen putting her own desires ahead of what others care about. I don't want to irritate the mods by repeating them here since they already called me out for that. Needless to say, Yen is not the woman the Geralt I role-played loves.

Was nice to see some humanity from her in the Trial of the Grasses, though.

Well, If you did read the books and you chose willingly to consider that the books and the games are two different things with no connection, then I understand a bit better your opinions and I respect that. I for once could never do that, I could never see the games in another light than the one given by the books. Plus, in my opinion, is canon what Sapkowski says is canon. And well I didn't say Yen's reaction to the amnesia was the best one (though in my opinion she reacts pretty well). Triss is not perfect, well neither is Yen.
Anyway I think neither of us will change their mind here. Once again I respect the way you see the games, I think you can also understand the way I see them. Thus there is no need for this debate here I think.
 
Would have been awesome had they dived deeper in the relationship between Triss and Geralt and Geralt and Yen as well as the friendship between Yen and Triss, but CDRP did not, so we unfortunately have to work with what little CDPR gave us. Surface stuff. :(

In the games, we're never exposed to the fact that Triss used Geralt's amnesia as a way of getting him. We don't see a hint of it until TW 3. I myself keep the games and the books (which I love) separate and try to approach the games from the mindset of someone who's never read the books, because (when you get down to it) the canon for the books and the games deviate, so the characters are not the same. They share origin, but that's about it.

Yes, I understand the argument and I even agree up to a point. The games are choose-your-own-witcher-adventure romps, which is fine. I am in full support of the RPG elements and I believe all in-game choices, regardless of nature, are valid, which is why I find the idea of a "canon" Geralt as a strange thing to advertise.

I also believe that divorcing the game characters of their previously established selves (if one is privy to it) does nothing but deprive them of depth. You can, of course, enjoy the characters without any knowledge of the literary content that spawned them, but I can't honestly think of one character in the series that is more interesting without his/her book baggage.
 
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Yes, I understand the argument and I even agree up to a point. The games are choose-your-own-witcher-adventure romps, which is fine. I am in full support of the RPG elements and I believe all in-game choices, regardless of nature, are valid, which is why I find the idea of a "canon" Geralt as a strange thing to advertise.

I also believe that divorcing the game characters of their previously established selves (if one is privy to it) does nothing but deprive them of depth. You can, of course, enjoy the characters without any knowledge of the literary content that spawned them, but I can't honestly think of one character in the series that is more interesting without his/her book baggage.

You are right. Without the book baggage the characters are less interesting and I likely misspoke before. Or at least was being dishonest with myself. Having read the books, realistically I can't help but take into consideration some elements of character history, but I try to let just enough of that in to better entertain myself. It provides depth without boxing in the characters. Thus, the PC and NPCs are not so predefined that they never get redefined. In my mind, the events of the games reforge the characters into something different than Sapkowski's writings. This is especially true of Geralt because there I have input as to the person he becomes based on the person he was and the choices he makes in 1, 2, and now 3. To play him as never-changing (as some have argued) strikes me as boring and unrealistic. We are all reshaped by the decisions we make based on the information we have at any given moment and the experiences we undergo. I see a role-playing fictional character no differently.
 
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Soo, I was busy :D

probably spent more time in the editor than in the game, still not 100% happy with it, but I am also no graphic designer :p

But good news I actually finished recording all videos (though I still have to render most of them and that takes longer than uploading them afterwards...) and did most of the boring work already, meaning getting the texts done, looking at how the dialogues changes and if it is important and so on. Since the most important dialogues concerning her/to understand her are up until Kaer Morhen (either you like her at this point or hate her...), so I already covered that, but there is still maybe the most important dialogue missing, the dialogue at the Nilfgaard Camp, but I will come to that later.

A lot of the following videos and scenes don't have much substantial information for this thread, however I included them for the necessity of completeness, but I won't go into details concerning them, not like I did with the previous ones.

All I have to do now is rewatching it and write my 2 cents to it, can't be that hard anymore :p

I must say I was really surprised when I saw the amount of people who had read the books and were saying that Yen was out of character in the game. I actually think that CPDR did, if not a great job, at least a pretty decent one. First of all because Yen is not an easy character to write. Sapkowski did an amazing job creating an incredibly complex character with so many layers. So of course CPDR made some mistakes, the biggest of all being the lack of interactions between Yen and Ciri. But they still handled her pretty well. Yes, she may be a little "bitchier" in the game than she is in the books, but all the other sides of her, the funny one, the softer one, the "I'm a mother and I won't let anything hurt my daughter" one, they are all here as well.

Yeah, I also think that she did her mostly justice, which isn't so easy at all (even though the part about Freya's garden was a bit strange), but what I don't like is everything else concerning her. For instance not a single character in the whole game says something positive about her despite what she did in the past, not even Dandelion said a single word about her in this regard. Not even Ciri said something until that stupid patch.

Sometimes it seems like Geralt is the only one, who is actually pro-Yennefer and doesn't give a fuck about what others say, at least that's how I tried to play him, because that's how he acted in the books.

Sometimes it feels like everyone except Geralt and Ciri isn't fond of her, but without any good reason. But I wouldn't have mind that so much, if at least Geralt and Ciri were supporting her. You can try to play Geralt like that, but Ciri? Sigh, she was willing to die for Geralt or Yennefer in the books, so were they for Ciri, but the game doesn't really show that affection ._.


Sorry I got a bit carried away, anyway thanks again for this wonderful thread!

Thanks :D



Removing the Curse + Cooking Time

[video=youtube;-8jZuPyVHpA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8jZuPyVHpA[/video]

Damn… What a dream.
See everyone's up and at 'em.

Mhm. And reeking of booze.
That hat was a memento, Lambert.
Relax, old man. It'll come out in the wash.

You can give the boys a rap on their knuckles later. Let's get to work.
No time to waste.

Method didn't work, Vesemir?
Guess your gravestone and hemlock method didn't work…
Not entirely. But I did learn something.

Vesemir, you learn anything?
Vesemir, learn anything?

While you were out hunting forktails and playing with the megascope, I examined Uma. Noticed one thing - at moments of, what's the term… relaxed consciousness, he behaves differently.
While falling asleep, he'd pause awake for an instant. Something different about his movements, his gaze, then. But only for a moment.
So I induced a trance, hypnotized him, essentially. No effect at first, but as he dropped into deep lethargy, I heard something… a sigh or a moan. And it wasn't Uma's voice.
All right. I just don't get how that helps us.
Then keep silent. Thank you, Vesemir… And… I apologize for what I said earlier. Have the boys told you what we plan to do?
Yes. Don't like it one bit. But I suppose I have to trust you.
Hey, Yennefer is actually thankful AND apologizing, yeah, she is and you know why? Because she was at fault and she realized that, however nobody is apologizing to her despite knowing that her method is the only one left and actually will work, so much to that...

Thought that table was long gone.
Thought we got rid of that table ages ago.
Huh. Must be fifty years since I last saw Sad Albert.
Couldn't bear to part with it. Thought we might find a use for it one day. You know how old people are.
Sure. Every grandpa out there's got an attic full of torture devices.

What now?
Right, so what now?
We can begin. We need only brew the potions.
Wait. Why couldn't we--
Do it earlier? Because the preparatory potions for the Trial are strongly reactive. They must be administered immediately after they're brewed. Satisfied?
Geralt, make the potions. Here are the formulae. Eskel, take a bottle of spirit…
Oh no. After last night, I--
…and disinfect the tools. Well? Chop-chop!




You don't know who's trapped in Uma's body. How did you figure the proportions?
Performed a series of complex calculations… Extrapolated some data… Ran simulations…
Meaning you guessed?
Mhm.
heh
Potions ready.
Tools, too.
Good. Vesemir…
Hookweed extract to deaden the pain. I know. Done this before.
Eskel, make the incisions in his veins, insert the tubes. Geralt, place the potion vials in the feeders.
Umauma!
Ready.
Open the valves. It doesn't matter in which order.

Aaaach… Aaaaaach!
Aaaa…. Aaaa…. Ummmmmmamamamaaaaa…
The hookweed work?
If it hadn't, the pain would've sent him into shock, killed him.
So, everything's going smoothly.
No… But it's within known norms.
Administer the next potion.

Aaaa… Aaaaach! Aaaaaaa!!!
Ummmmmmamama… UUUuuu… Umamama….
I had hoped… I'd hoped I would never have to watch this again.
Why'd you keep the table, then?
Geralt. Next potion.
Yyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaa!!!
Ummmmamamamama… AAaaaaaa….. AAAAaaaach!
Oesi, caefyn!
What now?
Now we wait for the potions to do their work. Might take a day. Might take more.
You need only wait, true. But I must maintain the stabilizing spell. Uma's body is not nearly as resilient as a young candidate witcher's. Without this he'd--
Bueeeeergh…
Eskel, I'm sorry… Would you mind…?
Getting some rags? On it.


Stop. This is a bad idea.
Listen… We should stop this.
Then Uma dies. Very painfully.
Yennefer's right.
Open the next valve.
Didn't chose that option, because I also think this is the only way, but hey, someone said "Yennefer's right.", kudos to that.

Ugh. I can't believe we're doing this.
Wiping vomit off the floor?
No. The Trial.
If that's Ciri in there… she could come outta this crippled, wrong in the head, just emotionless. Thought about that?

Yen knows what she's doing.
I trust Yen. She knows what she's doing.
Don't doubt that. But do we know what she's doing? She tell you how likely this is to work?
Gentlemen, the floor's as clean as it'll ever be, and I need to be wiped down as well.

Don't have a choice.
Course I have. Thing is, we don't have a choice.
Not any more, we don't. But… we rushed it. Should've started by--
Yay, Geralt can actually stand up for her, the game took its time for that...

No offense, but I'd rather Geralt did it.
Understood. I'd prefer that, too.

Ummmma…
That normal?
Yes. Uma's body is disintegrating from the inside. Once that's complete, we'll need to reform it… or he'll die.
You witchers were given mutagens. We will use spells.
Brought some food.
Good, I'm famished… Geralt… I cannot leave his side… Would you prepare me something?
Well and here we have a quest, which isn't doable without a trick. You need to have the debug console and add the following fact to have this quest:
"addfact(q401_cooking_enabled)"
without the "" ofcourse.

Apparently the quest is completely finished, but they removed it in the end, as it doesn't fit in at this point of the story, however barely 30minutes ago you were wearing Yennefer's clothes, being drunk and trying to contact sorceresses for some sexy time, that was just fine, hmm.

Anyway I think this quest doesn't water down the circumstances at all, but actually adds something to it. Yennefer is standing there for hours and well, of course she gets hungry. It's actually a nice touch to their relationship, especially since it even has references to the books again, how lousy Geralt is with food. This is even one of the aspects I really like how CDPR showed us their relationship, it isn't a typical games romance, no, they actually show us a relationship over the span of this game and this is just a part of it, the relationship and not just a romance.

I'm lousy with food…
I'm not great with food…
I know that all too well. When we lived in Aedd Gynvael, you tried to make soft-boiled eggs once. Forgot to add water.
Got lost in thought…
More like distracted. By me.
Mhm… Still got that nightdress?
Geralt… We've drifted off the topic at hand. I'm hungry. So hungry I don't care how badly you cook.

What would you like?
All right. Anything in particular strike your fancy?
Something light. Scrambled eggs, perhaps? Or an omelet if you wish to spoil me. With onions, mushrooms and peppers.
Thanks.



Oh, decided to put in the effort… Thank you.
I get a gratuity for that?
Later, perhaps…
Umm…. Umma… Umma…
What's wrong with him?
A fever. I'll break it with a spell.
A cold compress should do the trick. I'll take care of it. You eat.
Thanks. Geralt…? I'm waiting.

Living the life…
Everyone's at your beck and call. Got me cooking for you, turned Vesemir into your errand boy…
I'd gladly trade places with any of you. If you think--
Relax. I was kidding.
Geralt… I'm exhausted, hungry and upset. In other words, please let's leave the laughter for later.

I'm supposed to feed you?
So, uh… do I… spoon-feed you?
Would you prefer to watch me eat without my hands? You could find it amusing, I suppose.
Right… One for papa Vesemir…
It was really nice to see them interacting with each other in a normal conversation. Romantical dialogues are fine, but conversations like these are the ones I really liked much more, as it shows the deeper connection between them and another one will follow.

Hey… Yen… You're dozing off.
No. Just… resting my eyes.
Yeah, it's called sleeping.
Then do something to keep me awake.
Pinching's apparently effective.
Mh. Later perhaps. For now, talk to me. Tell me a story.

Heard about my time ice skating with Ciri?
Heard about the time Ciri and I went ice skating?
No… Not that I recall.
The winter she trained here. Couple months in, she started complaining I was too harsh a teacher. Brushed it off at first.
Then she asked me to go skating with her. Didn't really want to, I'd never been before… But she insisted.
Soon as we hit the ice, she started skating circles around me, hollering "No, not like that! Footwork! One, then the other!" "Crossover! No! Wrong!" "Brake with the heel of your skate!, not the toes!" Needless to say, from then on--

Ever tell you about Dandelion buying me a sword?
Ever tell you about the time Dandelion bought me a sword?
Was that in Kerack? Just after we'd…
Decided to take a break. Yeah. My swords had… disappeared, doesn't matter how. And Dandelion insisted I had to be armed. Decided he'd buy me a weapon.
Came to me, beaming. "The truest Viroledan steel! Good price, too, so good it felt like I was stealing!"
Naturally, blade shattered first parry I threw.
The one with Dandelion is actually a reference to the latest book of Sapkowski, in the meanwhile the fan translation of it is complete.

Uuuuma…?
He's awake. It's time… time to lift the curse. Prepare the phylactery.



Nevid, cyvir!
Caniatad… Nevid… Cyvir…
Coalle… Ariva… Aendir…
No… no, I won't let you!
Geralt! Yellow flask! In my satchel!

Quiet. Listen.
Coalle… Coalle… Caniatad…
Nevid, cyvir! Coalle, coalle caniatad!
Nevid! Ariva! Aendir!
Geralt! The phylactery! Open it!
Caniatad! Taron Anede! Dis!
Well, once again you can see that she is desperate to find Ciri, she won't allow him to die, not before she knows where Ciri is.

Avallac'h…?
You know him?
Yes. An elf, Aen Elle. A Sage…
Where is Ciri?
Hidden… the Isle of Mists… But… it's not… she's not safe… The Hunt…

What does the Hunt want from her?
The Hunt - what's it want from Ciri?
Her blood… Elder Blood… to open the gate.
We cannot… we cannot allow this.

The Isle of Mists - where's that?
Isle of Mists - where is it?
Everywhere… and nowhere…
Listen, Sage. We didn't lift that curse to play riddles with you.
Praevein, arwein, cyrraen…
In Skellige… Follow it… Into the mists. Hurry… Hurry!
I tried to protect her… But the curse…
The Hunt has not found the Isle… As yet… 'Tis a matter of time. But if she leaves… They will detect her… At once…
Enough, Geralt. He's not yet free of death's grip.

Will he recover?
Is he gonna make it?
I can't… know. You saw. Not all went as planned. I lifted the curse, but…
The Trial has wrought havoc in his body.
Violently twitching fingers, pupils that don't react to the light… Seen it many times before. Too many.
Toxins have permanently damaged his nervous system. Even if he does pull through… Do you understand?

I'm going after Ciri.
I'm going to get Ciri.
Hold up. Don't you think you owe us some answers? How do you know this Avallac'h? What's Ciri been doing with him?
Yennefer can tell you, just keep an eye on him. He's not a friend.
Perhaps not, but Ciri apparently trusted him. We should at least take his words seriously.
You heard what he said - take Ciri from that Isle of Mists and the Hunt'll pick up her trail immediately. What then?

We'll be waiting.
We'll be waiting for them. Swords in hand.
Yes…

Time we the hunted became the hunters. Geralt will find Ciri and bring her here… and the Hunt will follow.
They'll expect to catch us by surprise - and they'll be sorely disappointed.
We plan to fight them? We five? In a crumbling castle?
Do we have a choice? Besides delaying the inevitable?
Pretty boy could try to round up a few others who know how to swing a sword…
… or wield magic.

I'll gather allies.
Fine. I'll get Ciri, and recruit some allies. Bring everyone here. Got a few favors I can call in.
Any good looking women in that batch?
Mhm. Exclusively.

What'll you do?
And you? What do you plan to do?
I've Avallac'h to care for. He's certain to die without gentle, gradual magic treatment. There's hope if I help him. Not much, but better than naught.
The boys and I'll consider how we should greet our uninvited guests.

All right. Time I was on my way.
Good luck, Wolf. And give Cirilla our love.
Come back quickly, Geralt.

Wished Yennefer would have gone with him to get Ciri ._.

Sadly this occurs few times that the game excludes Yennefer from Geralt and Ciri ._.

Of course this is because the game focus on Geralt, but would it have been so hard to include Yennefer in all of this? Just like in the books? sigh

Of course helping Avallac'h is the poor excuse for Yennefer to stay at Kaer Morhen, but the whole game CDPR showed us how far she would go for Ciri and then, when Ciri is finally within reach, they don't let her go after her with Geralt? Sigh.

No, the real Yennefer would have gone with Geralt, no matter what. This is once again to put the focus on Geralt, the player, understandable from a gamers perspective, but from the story view of point not so much. This isn't something I realized in my first playthrough, because I play Geralt and therefore see his perspective, but if you take a step back, you kinda realize how she was omitted from all of this, but I already talked a lot about that here...


So depending on how fast someone else posts something, I can write the next part, otherwise I have to wait a couple of hours with posting it, since the forum will try to merge my posts and then I will probably exceed the character limit and I won't be able to post it.

---------- Updated at 03:15 PM ----------

The Isle of Mist - Part 14

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwyM0Qy-q94

Since Yennefer isn’t involved in this, but is mentioned I will just briefly talk about it.

It is nice to see that Ciri is actually concerned about Geralt AND Yennefer, however why is she more concerned about Avallac’h than her?
Really disappointing about her behaviour and attitude, but since this is about Yennefer and not about Ciri, I won’t elaborate on this more than necessary here, though she is still part of this relationship I added this scene to the playlist for completeness.

Geralt: So why'd you return?
Cirilla: I thought the Hunt had lost my scent for good. I thought I was safe.
Cirilla: Besides, I… I wanted to find you, you and Yennefer.
Geralt: You were looking for us, we were looking for you… Times I thought you were just a step away. Other times, felt like I was going around in circles…
Cirilla: I'm not surprised. There were times I fled pell-mell head first and forward.

Oh well…


All the more the following scene is so good:


Whoa, now. There, there, it's a--
What the--?
Welcome back, child…
Ah! Ciri! Haha…
My, you've grown beautiful.
No point standing around. Come on, time to greet the others.
You've not changed a bit. Any of you… All just like I remembered.
What?
Little sis!

They're all here, everyone you asked for help. Avallac'h's resting in the tower - still in pretty bad shape.
No reason to do it out here. Come inside.

Hunt'll be here soon.
I-- Maybe I'll give you two a moment.
Triss, please…
No, no. You must've missed each other terribly, A minute's delay won't hurt anyone.

Fine. A minute, then we go.
Fine. So a minute, then we go, all right?
Hm. This is just a little awkward…
Forty-five seconds.
Huh?
We've forty-five seconds left. Well, thirty, now. And then we throw the gauntlet at the Wild Hunt. So I beg you, use these seconds well.
Yen, I adore you.
Hm. No points for creativity. But for your candor…
Time to go.

Yen, you know the Wild Hunt better than anyone else. Tell us about the magic they use.
Their navigators open portals, rifts that we might counter with dimeritium or our own magic.
They also summon the frost that occupies the voids through which they travel.
There's just not enough of us. It'll be a hard fight.

Compared to what happens in the books Yennefer almost seem out of character, but can you blame her for reacting like that? I don't.

It's actually the only scene in which we can see Yennefer and Ciri being together, looking like mother and daughter. Apparently in the polish version Ciri says even "mother", but not so in any other version ._.

Enjoy as it lasts, because it will be the only one for like forever ._.



We have scenes like those:


but never a scene like this:


which is a shame :/


Anyway it's good to see the hug happened at last and I don't want it different than like this now.


The Battle of Kaer Morhen - Part 16

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPpY8oQRKVo

So the Battle of Kaer Morhen, there is not much to say about it, except that Yennefer clearly takes in a leading role, which she fits, especially considering what she did in the past. Being on battlefields in the past she already got some experience about that. Aside from that it is again just for the completeness in.


Aftermath and a Funeral - Part 17


Zireael can harness immense amounts of the Power. Why has no one taught her to control this?
Actually, some did teach her.
Clearly to no effect.
I'll gladly argue with you about this - some other time.

Haven't had a chance to talk. Thanks for your help. And for looking after Ciri.
You will thank me later. Now, we must take Zireael from here, hide her. And then gather a greater force.
Anyone, everyone we could count on came here to Kaer Morhen.
Which is why we must seek the help of enemies. Magic is our best defense against the Hunt. We need sorceresses. Archmistresses of magic.
You mean the Lodge?

The Lodge is in shambles.
Many of the Lodge's members are dead, the rest are in hiding.
Philippa Eilhart, Margarita Laux-Antille and Fringilla Vigo are likely still alive.
And Francesca and Ida? Think they'd agree?
I think they'll take convincing. Would you rather speak to Keira alone?
That would probably be best.

I don't wanna involve the Lodge.
I don't want the Lodge anywhere near Ciri. Just don't trust those women.
What would you have us do instead? Fight alone, and die a beautiful but pointless death?
No, Geralt. By some miracle we survived that fight, eking out a measly victory at enormous cost. No more guerilla warfare - time to face the enemy in open battle.

I've made an agreement with the emperor. In exchange for its help, the Lodge will be granted amnesty and find asylum in Nilfgaard. That will be our bargaining chip.
Triss, I wish to leave today to find the sorceresses. Will you help me?
Of course. Even got an idea where you could start.
Dammit!
Again you plan without even asking what I think! I've had enough of this!
I won't be taken somewhere like a… bundle! I will not sit and twiddle my thumbs! I'm sick of waiting, sick of hiding!

You're right.
You're right. Proved today you can take care of yourself.
Easier to pat someone on the back and hope things will work out than it is to face the truth.
Zireael possesses a great power she cannot control. She is a danger - to herself, to others. Until she learns to control it, she should remain isolated.
First of all - bollocks. Second - if you're going to speak of courage, at least address me directly, and not through Geralt.
I'm gone.

Let her go.
Ciri needs time.
True. But she also needs training. She must learn to control her abilities.
This training really necessary?
You saw what happened. She could be a greater threat than the Hunt.
Fine. We'll stay here a while longer. Then join you and Triss in Novigrad. Meet at Dandelion's inn.
Come on, Yen. The sooner we leave, the better.
See you.

So this is were it becomes interesting, because we learn more about Yennefer and her involvement with Nilfgaard, however we won't get as much information as we would like to. There are also some deleted dialogues, which would go deeper into details, but thank goodness they removed them and scrapped the idea behind what they had in mind for her...

But first things first.

We see a glimpse of what was in the past, that Yennefer did try to teach Ciri how to handle her powers, she also had this "dubious" plan for her to enlist her at Aretuze, so she can learn much more, but Sapkowski didn't like that idea apparently.

Yennefer doesn't like the idea either to contact the lodge, she dispise them for what they had (and still have) in hand for Ciri, but she sees the necessity in it. She also hold a huge grudge about that towards Triss, but apparently CDPR didn't thought that was important for the story or her character....anyway they have to contact the lodge, but they need something as a bribe and therefore Yennefer tries to convince Emhyr to grant them amnesty, if they help Ciri in exchange, sounds good to me and much better than what the deleted dialogues hinted at...


Yennefer also know how dangerous Ciri could be, that's why she wanted her to learn proper magic in the first place.

Cheering up Ciri and getting Revenge on Imlerith - Part 18

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br03i9guS2U

Another video without her, sadly ._.

However this is where the game starts to split the endings. I decided to not go to Emhyr, so Ciri can be who she wants, a witcher, but, a big BUT, I don't think this is what Yennefer wanted for her. If you tell her to visit Emhyr, she will say that Yennefer mentioned that, implying she is in favor of that or telling Ciri that she should at least hear what Emhyr has to say.

Gotta visit the emperor first.
Geralt: Wait, something I gotta tell you before we go.
Geralt: You know the emperor really wanted you found?
Ciri: Yennefer… mentioned something.
Geralt: Wanted you to visit him.
Ciri: Why would you tell me now?
Geralt: Cause this could be your last chance to see your… father.
Ciri: Think I should go?

Yennefer was never fond of the life Geralt was living, risking his life every day for mere orens, she wanted him to live a less dangerous life, with her, and I think this is exactly what Yennefer wanted for Ciri. Living like a witcher is probably the worst case scenario for a mother like her, but living as the emperess? That would be just great. As a mother, knowing your daughter is safe in a castle, far far away from monsters, well, except the human ones of course.

Still I went the witcher-route, because that's what Ciri wanted and since I am Geralt, I am the player, I am deciding this and not her parents together ._.

You know, a nice scene about the family, would have been nice to see Geralt and Yennefer argueing what is better for Ciri and then Ciri goes rampage and does whatever she wants in the end anyway :p

And yeah, that last scene in the video... it's nice to see Geralt thinking of Yennefer at this point, worrying about it, but why isn't she here?


I think if they had asked Yennefer to come along, she would have gone with them, just like they did in the books, but once again the focus is on the player/Geralt.

Back to Novigrad and questioning an ex-prisoner - Part 19


Buy you a drink?
I'm afraid the dishwater's as good as it gets in this establishment.
Imlerith - was that your idea or Ciri's?
Ciri's.
As I thought. I'm glad you went with her.

Not mad?
I thought you'd be angry.
Angry? Why? Because you supported Ciri in her decision? Or because you fought by her side and won?
What if we'd lost?
We wouldn't be having this conversation. And the female part of the Continent's population would be drowning in tears.
You won. No point bothering with "what ifs."
Yeah, why would she? You helped Ciri just like Yennefer would have done and as I said, if you could ask her to come along, she would have say yes, I am 100% sure about that.

About the Lodge…
How'd it go with the Lodge? Anyone agree to help?
I'm afraid the situation looks grim.

But it's neither the time nor place for this discussion. Triss will tell you more.

What're you doing here?
Hm. Charming place. Why're you here?
I was able to establish Margarita's whereabouts - the prison in Oxenfurt.
I also learned the identity of a man who escaped from there. He should arrive shortly.

Who is this guy?
What do you know about this fugitive?
I know he's the only one ever to escape from Deireadh. Every guardsman in the city now seeks him.
Sure he can be trusted?
We'll soon find out. He just walked in.

Abbé Faria?
Who's asking?
We'd like to talk.
Damn…
Ugh. Best run and get him.

Dammit, scaled the ladder. Guess I'm in for a roof walk…

Take off the kid gloves, Geralt.
Help!
Stop screaming, or I'll harm you.
I said I'd found him, not that I'd spoken to him.
What do you want from me?! Let me be!
Calm down. We just wanna chat.
Uh-huh, and then stick a shiv between my ribs, leave me in the gutter.
Look at us. Do we look like bandits to you?
Hm… No… Not really.
I'm glad you agree. Besides, you'd be worthless to us dead.
So… you shan't hurt me?
No. You're gonna tell us your story, then be on your way.
Hm… so be it. But we really ought to go back to Kate's. It's, uh, unwise to linger in the street.
Didn't know this could happen at first, because it is quite easy to catch him, but it shows that she acts, when necessary, even if it means she has to use magic within a city full of mage hunters.

Drink up, it'll help.
Thanks… What do you want?
To get into Deireadh.
Find a hunter, tell him you practice magic. They'll lock you up lickety-split.
We need to get in without anyone noticing. Tell us how you escaped, then get on with your life.

Heard no one gets out of Deireadh alive.
They say no one gets outta Deireadh alive…
Aye, so they say… My thought - why not try it dead?
But they burn the corpses.
They didn't start burning them until they learned an old fellow like myself had escaped. Before, they'd drop the stiffs into a great pit.
The pit's connected to the sewers, and the sewers empty into the river. And once you reach the river, you're as free as a fish.

How'd you fake your death?
So you played dead… No one caught on?
As a youth I'd apprenticed with an apothecary in Silverton. Learned a thing or two about herbs.
Sleeping mushrooms grew on the walls of my cell. And I found belladonna in the prison yard.
Just had to mash them together and eat the pulp an hour before evening rounds…
You might have lost your life.
I preferred to die on my own terms were that to be my fate.

Can we get in through the sewers?
So theoretically we could get in the way you got out.
Assuming we don't mind the company of decomposing corpses.
And assuming you can squeeze through the grate. They barred the outlet to the river after I escaped.
Huh. Explosives could take care of that.
For half the city to hear us? I've a better plan. Oxenfurt was built on elven ruins…
Which have to connect to the sewers somewhere. If we can find a way into the ruins…
We'll get into the prison.

What about the guard?
They say Deireadh's better guarded than the keep at Vicovaro.
They choose the guards from among witch hunters - the worst dregs, rabid fanatics! if you only knew what they do to folk…
Torture everyday - the wheel, the rack… We only knew peace on holidays, when they'd drink themselves blind.
They're allowed to drink on duty?
No-not officially but… you know how it is.

Thanks for the help.
See? Wasn't so hard.
One last bit of advice - find a new tavern. Everyone here knows you.
Thank you. Whatever your plans, I hope they work out.
So do we. So long.

What now?
What now?
What our friend said about the guards was interesting…
Drinking on duty? Zoltan could make sure they have plenty of hooch.
Good idea. I'll search for the entrance to the ruins.
Let's meet on the Oxenfurt Bridge.

Infiltrating a prison - Part 20

Margarita!
Margarita: Who… Who's that?
Margarita: Geralt? Gods, I'm hallucinating…
Getting you outta here.
Margarita: No chance. We'll both die in here.
Síle?
Margarita: They captured her first. Her condition's critical.

Margarita: It's pointless… You'll never open it without the key…
Margarita: The warden keeps them with him at all times. His room is upstairs.
Be right back.



Margarita: What are you doing?
Yen insisted on coming.

Rita! Síle?!
When I get my hands on the sons of bitches…
Sile: Yenna… I shan't make it…
Hold on, you must hold on.
Sile: Aaaargh!
Sile: I'm dying, Yenna. I'm a sorceress, let me die with dignity.

Let's go.
Yen, we should go. Nothing we can do to save her.
No. But we can help her die the way she wants to.
I won't do it.
I will.
Come. We must hurry, or we'll lose Rita, too.

I can't pass through the portal with you both. You'll need to get out on your own.
Don't like portals anyway. Go.

In my playthrough I did it, but I thought showing that Yennefer is capable of doing the last request of her dear friend is more important here.

Yes, she despises the lodge for what she wanted to do with Ciri, but they are still her friends in a way and releasing her from her pain is taking quite a lot from her as you can see. I still think they could have tried to rescue her, but just like Sile said, let me die with dignity and Yennefer granted her that wish.
 
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Yennefer was never fond of the life Geralt was living, risking his life every day for mere orens, she wanted him to live a less dangerous life, with her, and I think this is exactly what Yennefer wanted for Ciri. Living like a witcher is probably the worst case scenario for a mother like her, but living as the emperess? That would be just great. As a mother, knowing your daughter is safe in a castle, far far away from monsters, well, except the human ones of course.

I also don't think that Yennefer would like Ciri to be a witcher but ehh... no matter how rational she might be I doubt that she would have wanted her daughter to have anything in common with a man who killed her real mother, her grandmother and burnt her homeland.

Yes, she despises the lodge for what she wanted to do with Ciri, but they are still her friends in a way and releasing her from her pain is taking quite a lot from her as you can see. I still think they could have tried to rescue her, but just like Sile said, let me die with dignity and Yennefer granted her that wish.
Agree that Yennefer would have granted Sile wish but when I saw that scene I had impression that CDPR presented it the way could get an impression that Yen and Sile were best friends or something like that. Anyway not a problem in my playthrough, I had a perverse pleasure watching Sile exploding in W2 :D


Thanks for the whole work you had to put in preparing posts like this :respect:
 
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Good to have you back @Kallelinski!

In the books it seems like there was some bad blood between Yen and Sheala outside of her involment with the Lodge. Even though I loathe that horrible Sheala cameo, I do like the fact that Yennefer shows mercy to someone whom she dislikes. So yeah, good moment for Yen, bad moment for Sheala.



 
The whole prison escape moment was meant, I guess, to make Yennefer a bit more likeable on a surface level. Look, look, she cares sometimes!

I do think it was a bit exaggerated, her crumbling to the floor and mewling over Sheala, but whatever. I guess I just don't buy into anything that presents these women as Yennefer's friends. And I don't think Yennefer, never the most soft-hearted in general, would have any sympathy for them, given how they acted in the past and how they only have themselves to blame for their respective predicaments.
 
The whole prison escape moment was meant, I guess, to make Yennefer a bit more likeable on a surface level. Look, look, she cares sometimes!

Making her care for one of the main antagonists of TW2 is a weird way to make her more likable though. Some people can misinterpret it this way: "she cares for an evil person then she must be evil herself."
 
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