[BOOK SPOILERS] Lady of the Lake. Just finished reading.

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[BOOK SPOILERS] Lady of the Lake. Just finished reading.

I seriously think people misinterpret what happened at the end of Lady of the Lake. I just finished the book, I really liked it, but I read a few posts here and other places where people are saying stuff like "the ending was crushing."

Look, no question about it, Geralt died, but then he got revived. How? I don't know, magic, or some time traveling unicorn; that isn't the point. The point is, when he woke up with Yennefer, he was saying his side and stomach were still really sore, like you know, if maybe a weapon just impaled him there. If he was in some utopia afterlife world ala Frodo sailing to that place at the end of LOTR, then he would feel fine physically and there would be no aftereffects of feeling any pain from the wound. But he did have pain when he woke up.

This to me, is 100% proof he is actually alive at the end. And no, he isn't gone for good. He can come back, as can Yen. They have a freaking adopted child that has time traveling powers; they can easily come back to their normal time and place. This is why I consider the games cannon, which I couldn't say until I finally finished the books and read what happened at the end. Geralt's alive at the end of the books.

 

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I think you should read the first and last chapter of the book again.
 
@immessingaround
Even if they are alive, the lore of the books and its themes contradict what is in the games. Sapkowski tied the Arthurian legends into the ending of Lady of the Lake by having Yennefer and Geralt be transported to the Isles of Avalon. You can read about Geoffrey of Monmouth and how he introduced Avalon into Arthurian history in Historia Regum Britanniae (see also Le Morte d'Arthur). In those pieces of literature, Arthur is transported to Avalon on a barge/boat after being mortally wounded by Mordred. Similarly, Yennefer and Geralt are whisked away by Ciri with the help of Ihuarraquax. During the book, Nimue talks about the 'legend' and history of Yennefer, Geralt, and Ciri---by this time in the future they've all entered into mythological lore.


In relation to this, Ciri is a psuedo "Lady of the Lake"--Emhyr, Vilgefortz, Aen Elle, and the Lodge are all trying to capture her. Her interaction with Galahad is never mentioned in the games--another discontinuity.Her returning to the Witcher world would not make any sense--she's lost all her loved ones and even thinks of taking up witcher work in the Arthurian world.
 
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immessingaround;n8209540 said:
This to me, is 100% proof he is actually alive at the end. And no, he isn't gone for good. He can come back, as can Yen. They have a freaking adopted child that has time traveling powers; they can easily come back to their normal time and place. This is why I consider the games cannon, which I couldn't say until I finally finished the books and read what happened at the end. Geralt's alive at the end of the books.

IIRC that part of the story is told by Ciri to Galahad, it's not the description of Geralt&Yen's life after their death according to the author, like the rest of the novel. She's telling the "happily ever after" story to cope with the pain she feels (in fact she's crying).
I do believe, though, that Sapkowski chose to left the ending open to interpretation in order to get the chance to get back to the world of the Witcher if he ever decides to go on with Geralt's story in new books.


PS: there are some details that can make the reader believe that they are, in fact, dead, first of all the presence of their dead friends besides the boat.
However, it's not clear what Ihuarraquax exactly does when he, through Ciri as a "proxy", irradiates Geralt with some sort of light. As I said, it's all open to interpretation.
 
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I like this comment by AwakenMirror from Reddit:

...Geralt’s and Yen’s story is the embodiment of the classic love that was destined to happen. Sapkowski combines this idea with the element of the Arthurian Avalon. The destined relationship of Yen and Geralt ends in the mythological land of the undying. Thus it doesn’t really matter if they live or die, because in the end they are way past the point of the question of mortality. With Ciri transporting them to Avalon they became the living tale. At the same time myth and reality in the Witcher world.
That’s basically what the entire story of Nimue is about, who after all is also a figure of the Arthurian legend.
And that was basically a short summary of why I consider Sapkowski’s novel cycle to be so excellent. In it’s full purpose it is so much more than just another high fantasy story


In my opinnion this is a great explanation, Sapkowski even wrote in the book somewhere that poetry and legends NEVER dies... Geralt, Yen and Ciri became legends aka will never die and will continue to live in many songs and tales. It all makes sense. Think about what Villentretenmerth said to Geralt in The Bounds of Reason or if you think what Yen said about Elven legends in A Shard of Ice - how she was wondering if humans will have ever such beautiful legends about love not knowing that one day she will became one of the main protagonist of such legendary tale about love for the next generations...

Then the witcher and the sorceress were married at a glorious wedding. They stayed for a long time and ate honey and drank wine. They lived happily ever after, but very briefly. He died of a heart attack. She died soon after, of what the story does not mention. They say that it was with regret and longing, but who would believe in such fairy tales.
From “Fairytales and Stories” written by Flourens Delannoy.
Two hundred years later the stories of Ciri, Geralt and Yennefer were considered legends.

P.S.

Games aren't really continuation of the story as Mr. Sapkowski said it: Geralt's story ended in Lady of The Lake. CDPR's games are more like separate "what if" story inspired by books.
 
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Gilthoniel;n8263580 said:
Then the witcher and the sorceress were married at a glorious wedding. They stayed for a long time and ate honey and drank wine. They lived happily ever after, but very briefly. He died of a heart attack. She died soon after, of what the story does not mention. They say that it was with regret and longing, but who would believe in such fairy tales.[/I]
From “Fairytales and Stories” written by Flourens Delannoy.

Do multiple versions of the book exist? Why does mine say something else? "Then the sorceress and the witcher were married and held a grand wedding party. I too was there, I drank mead and wine. And then they lived happily ever after, but for a very short time. He died ordinarily, of a heart attack. She died soon after him, but of what the tale does not say. They say of sorrow and longing, but who would lend credence to fairy tales?"

From what my book says, I believe Ciri is talking to Galahad after a few years had passed since the wedding. Geralt and Yennefer were married but soon after Geralt died of a heart attack and Yennefer died of sorrow. That may be why at the end of the book, Ciri gets emotional.

Or just like Avallac'h told Geralt in that cave. He would eventually meet Ciri, just to lose her forever. Ciri might have shed a tear at the ending because she knew they would never meet again. Maybe after Geralt and Yen were off to Avalon, Ciri or the Lodge might have spread the word that they were both dead.

But I strongly feel that they weren't gone for forever. They, after all, got married. So they might have gone to Avalon and then came back to be married. Then Geralt and Yen really might be dead. That is if they did decide not to go back to Avalon and stay there.

Anyway, Geralt's story is over, whether he is alive or not. I'm satisfied with the ending.
 
Terminus73;n9856871 said:
Do multiple versions of the book exist? Why does mine say something else?

The quote in the other post is from the fan translation, which also has a reworked version and is available on the forum here.

From what my book says, I believe Ciri is talking to Galahad after a few years had passed since the wedding. Geralt and Yennefer were married but soon after Geralt died of a heart attack and Yennefer died of sorrow. That may be why at the end of the book, Ciri gets emotional.

As far as I understand it, the wedding is not an actual part of the story, it is, as noted, from a collection of fairy tales by Flourens Delannoy. To the rest of the witcher world, Geralt and Yennefer disappeared, they became legends, the wedding and the heart attack is how their fate is imagined in the tales. But the book does not give a real answer to what happens to them or if they do not just die in the pogrom.
 
Terminus73;n9856871 said:
From what my book says, I believe Ciri is talking to Galahad after a few years had passed since the wedding. Geralt and Yennefer were married but soon after Geralt died of a heart attack and Yennefer died of sorrow. That may be why at the end of the book, Ciri gets emotional.

You did not read books, did you? Сiri washed her clothes of blood on the lake when Galahad saw her, which she dirty, when she helped to transport and bandage the wounded Geralt. Which means that these events occurred not in a few years, but in a few days or even hours after the end of the book.

Terminus73;n9856871 said:
But I strongly feel that they weren't gone for foreve

They really did not disappear forever. The Wild Hunt came. And after, Geralt left for Kovir with Triss, and they lived happily ever after
 
The games will never be considered canon, because of all the stuff they contradict. In the books two decades later Geralt and Yennefer are still dead, Triss is also dead, Ciri never came back and White Frost is inevitable
 
Triss_One_Love;n9862121 said:
In the "Season od storms" Nimue met Geralt, which means he survived and the games became a canon.

I wouldn't take an easter egg in a prequel story seriously. It could've been Nimue's dream, vision, another "push" for her to get obssessed with the Witcher legend, so she could fulfill her Destiny by sending Ciri into the Stygga castle. Or It could simply be Sapkowski's joke. And even If Geralt survived, it doesn't make the games canon. The facts speak for themselves: a decade later there's no mention of Geralt and Yennefer's miracolous ressurection or Ciri's return and Triss is dead.
 
Games are not canon to the books, this was said by the author himself. Characters can have different fates in the games than in the books, but as far as I know, there are no real "facts" about what happened to the four mentioned above, they may or may not be alive, it is open to interpretation. Games of course assume that everyone survived.
 
Zyvik;n9863361 said:
I wouldn't take an easter egg in a prequel story seriously. It could've been Nimue's dream, vision, another "push" for her to get obssessed with the Witcher legend, so she could fulfill her Destiny by sending Ciri into the Stygga castle. Or It could simply be Sapkowski's joke. And even If Geralt survived, it doesn't make the games canon. The facts speak for themselves: a decade later there's no mention of Geralt and Yennefer's miracolous ressurection or Ciri's return and Triss is dead.

I dont think this is an easter egg, and it wasnt her dream or imagination. Nimue told the story of Geralt in accordance with the chronology of the events, she could simply not have time to talk about future events, or maybe she could not even know about them, since Dandelion could simply not release his last books and keep Geralt's life in a secret. For example, Nimue claims that no one knows what Ciri looks like, although she saw her with her own eyes. And I do not remember saying that Triss died.
 
Triss_One_Love;n9863551 said:
I dont think this is an easter egg, and it wasnt her dream or imagination. Nimue told the story of Geralt in accordance with the chronology of the events, she could simply not have time to talk about future events, or maybe she could not even know about them, since Dandelion could simply not release his last books and keep Geralt's life in a secret.

In the games Geralt and Ciri were involved in the world changing events. The history books would mention them for sure.

For example, Nimue claims that no one knows what Ciri looks like, although she saw her with her own eyes.

And? How does that dissaprove what she says? No one knows what Ciri looks like except for Nimue.

. And I do not remember saying that Triss died.

Two decades later nobody knows how she and the other members of the Lodge looked like, except for Sheala and Rita whose portraits survived.
 
Zyvik;n9863641 said:
In the games Geralt and Ciri were involved in the world changing events. The history books would mention them for sure.

They werent. No one knew that they existed at all and what they were doing.

Zyvik;n9863641 said:
And? How does that dissaprove what she says? No one knows what Ciri looks like except for Nimue.

She was silent about many things, she left much for later.

Zyvik;n9863641 said:
Two decades later nobody knows how she and the other members of the Lodge looked like, except for Sheala and Rita whose portraits survived.

When the Battle for the Hill ended, no one could identify what Triss looked like, why everyone should have known her in person?
 
Triss_One_Love;n9863721 said:
They werent. No one knew that they existed at all and what they were doing.

lol thanks for making me laugh.

.When the Battle for the Hill ended, no one could identify what Triss looked like, why everyone should have known her in person?

Because members of the Lodge are worshipped as Saints by the future generations of mages? There were lots of paintings depecting them, but they're all (except for Margarita's portrait in Aretuza and Sheala's portrait in Kovir) just propoganda. No one knows what they really looked like, because none of them is alive a century later.
 
Zyvik;n9863771 said:
lol thanks for making me laugh.

Common people had no idea what they were doing. or that they even alive.

Zyvik;n9863771 said:
Because members of the Lodge are worshipped as Saints by the future generations of mages? There were lots of paintings depecting them, but they're all (except for Margarita's portrait in Aretuza and Sheala's portrait in Kovir) just propoganda. No one knows what they really looked like, because none of them is alive a century later.

So what? At the beginning of 1260 not everyone knew what Triss looked like, why everyone should know. how she looks in 1360? Triss was bored with court life and she and Geralt drove to a remote village where she began to work as a healer, so no one knew anything about her.

 
Triss_One_Love;n9863841 said:
Common people had no idea what they were doing. or that they even alive.

What do common people have to do with this? I'm talking about scholars and historians who would for sure notice that legendery Cirilla bacame a famous Witcher/Empress.

So what? At the beginning of 1260 not everyone knew what Triss looked like, why everyone should know. how she looks in 1360?

Because in 1260 she was practically a nobody in the magical community. In 1360 she's a legendery historic figure, depicted on several propogandic paintings.

Triss was bored with court life and she and Geralt drove to a remote village where she began to work as a healer, so no one knew anything about her.

Oh, so now we're talking about your own fanfiction. In the game canon If you choose Triss, she becomes Tancred's advisor and the head of the Brotherhood. What happens later is just your own fantasy.
 
Is the lack of accurate portraits referring to this?
Nimue had already spent a long time contemplating a picture that appeared in a subtle
chiaroscuro of ten women sitting around a table.
“Too bad we do not know that they really looked like.” She said at last.
“The great teachers?” Condwiramurs snorted. “There are dozens of portraits! Only
in Aretuza itself…”
“I said: really.” Interrupted Nimue. “I did not mean embellished imaginations based
on other embellished imaginations. Do not forget, there was a time of destruction of the
images of sorceresses. And the same of sorceresses. Then came the era of propaganda,
the teachers had to build up the appearance of respect, admiration and reverent fear.
Then from the reunion of the Lodge came oaths and convents, pictures and paintings
recording those present at the table were of ten wonderful and alluring women.
But there
are no authentic portraits. Except for two. The portrait of Margarita Laux-Antille which
hangs in Aretuza, on the island of Thanedd and was by a miracle saved from fire. And a
picture of Sile de Tancarville in Ensenada in the palace of Lan Exeter.”
“And what of Francesca Findabair’s image by an unknown elvish painter, hanging in
the gallery in Vengerberg?”
“A fake. When the Gate opened and the elves left, they took with them or destroyed
all their works of art and left not a single image. We do not know if the Daisy of the Valley
was really as beautiful as they say. We do not know the appearance of Ida Emean. And the
images of the Sorceresses of Nilfgaard were destroyed thoroughly and systematically, we
have no idea of the true appearance of Assire car Anahid or Fringilla Vigo.”
“Let us assume,” sighed Condwiramurs, “that they looked as they were later portrayed.
Dignified, noble, good, wise, honest and generous. And beautiful, dazzlingly beautiful…
Let us assume that. Then it is somehow easier to live.”
I do not think it is clear from the quote that all members of the Lodge are dead, from the bolded part it sounds like after the witch hunts there was a reunion of the Lodge (which suggests some survived), but they did not let anyone know what they really look like, for the purpose of propaganda. Also, was this not 100 years later, rather than 20 or 10? Philippa is obviously dead, that is confirmed elsewhere, but the others are uncertain until it is shown when, where and how they died. Maybe some just hid from the world in a village somewhere. :) Of course, in game continuity it can also all be different because of game Geralt's actions (e.g. Keira is saved from the witch hunts by Geralt sending her to Kaer Morhen).
 
sv3672;n9863971 said:
Is the lack of accurate portraits referring to this?
Nimue had already spent a long time contemplating a picture that appeared in a subtle
chiaroscuro of ten women sitting around a table.
“Too bad we do not know that they really looked like.” She said at last.
“The great teachers?” Condwiramurs snorted. “There are dozens of portraits! Only
in Aretuza itself…”
“I said: really.” Interrupted Nimue. “I did not mean embellished imaginations based
on other embellished imaginations. Do not forget, there was a time of destruction of the
images of sorceresses. And the same of sorceresses. Then came the era of propaganda,
the teachers had to build up the appearance of respect, admiration and reverent fear.
Then from the reunion of the Lodge came oaths and convents, pictures and paintings
recording those present at the table were of ten wonderful and alluring women.
But there
are no authentic portraits. Except for two. The portrait of Margarita Laux-Antille which
hangs in Aretuza, on the island of Thanedd and was by a miracle saved from fire. And a
picture of Sile de Tancarville in Ensenada in the palace of Lan Exeter.”
“And what of Francesca Findabair’s image by an unknown elvish painter, hanging in
the gallery in Vengerberg?”
“A fake. When the Gate opened and the elves left, they took with them or destroyed
all their works of art and left not a single image. We do not know if the Daisy of the Valley
was really as beautiful as they say. We do not know the appearance of Ida Emean. And the
images of the Sorceresses of Nilfgaard were destroyed thoroughly and systematically, we
have no idea of the true appearance of Assire car Anahid or Fringilla Vigo.”
“Let us assume,” sighed Condwiramurs, “that they looked as they were later portrayed.
Dignified, noble, good, wise, honest and generous. And beautiful, dazzlingly beautiful…
Let us assume that. Then it is somehow easier to live.”
I do not think it is clear from the quote that all members of the Lodge are dead, from the bolded part it sounds like after the witch hunts there was a reunion of the Lodge (which suggests some survived), but they did not let anyone know what they really look like, for the purpose of propaganda. Also, was this not 100 years later, rather than 20 or 10? Philippa is obviously dead, that is confirmed elsewhere, but the others are uncertain until it is shown when, where and how they died. Maybe some just hid from the world in a village somewhere. :) Of course, in game continuity it can also all be different because of game Geralt's actions (e.g. Keira is saved from the witch hunts by Geralt sending her to Kaer Morhen).

Oh, I'm not saying they all died during the witch hunts. There's a reason why Nimue reffers to Philippa and Assire as "Saints", while Triss is called "Venerable Triss". Francesca and Ida left with the elves and the others probably died later during another war. But it's pretty clear that none of them is around in Nimue's time period. There's no reason for them to hide when they're pretty much worshipped and respected more than ever.
 
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