Is 'priestess' Nenneke a mage?

[Merism]

Is 'priestess' Nenneke a mage?

I've always kind of wondered if she was a mage based off two events in The Last Wish: First during the conversation Geralt is having with her about Yennifer visiting the temple before he did to find a 'cure.' This goes on to be about curing her infertility, which Nenneke says is impossible. Geralt remarks something about there being exceptions to the rule, and from Nenneke's reaction I'm pretty sure he meant her.

Fast forward to Iola's fun seizure when she makes physical contact with Geralt as he's leaving. Nobody is able to do anything to help her until at the peak of the panic Nenneke "Face red with effort" shouts something which immediately causes Iola to stop moving. Whether or not this was some catechism or chant that could produce results like that is beyond me, but at the same time Geralt's medallion goes haywire so clearly something magical was happening.

Between these two incidents, along with the fact she's a priestess of the 'god of fertility (and other things)' I really want to say she's got some sort of magic going on for her.

I wondered if anyone else had insight on this, as I have seen statements attesting to both yes and no. I originally posted this in reply to one of those statements in another thread, then realized the thread had nothing to do with this :< :<

 

[GuyNwah]

There are different kinds of magic practioners in the Witcher universe; lumping them all as mages is not enough. Some are healers, priestesses, or even hedgewitches. Their knowledge and practice of magic is not the less for being some kind of inferior to academy-trained, forcibly sterilized scholarly mages.

That said, Nenneke is a priestess who commands magic suited to her calling.

"Magic, witcher, is the heart beating fast or the smell of wet, rotting wood. It upsets the underbelly and makes you weep and cry... It's the scythe that misses a field mouse nest, it's people coupling under the new moon until it hurts, it's blood spilled and sweet milk flowing." (Anezka)

 

[Merism]

That's a good way to look at it. I guess I always wondered if she in particular served a higher purpose in regards to 'the art.' I suppose this would mean druids, dryads, higher vampires and other humanoids practice some form of magic, but I couldn't help but recall Geralt's medallion going nuts the way it did in the novel in response to whatever Nenneke did.

Suffice to say the fact that she is described as short and rather plump, she doesn't utilize whatever 'power' she has the way say, Yennifer did to go from wall-eyed hunchback to curvy brunette beauty the way arguably all of her ilk goes for. Maybe I'm just wishing for further explanation since I unconsciously know there never will be one

 

[OptoNick]

Geralt remarks something about there being exceptions to the rule, and from Nenneke's reaction I'm pretty sure he meant her.

I think he talked about Visenna, though

Nenneke "Face red with effort" shouts something which immediately causes Iola to stop moving. Whether or not this was some catechism or chant that could produce results like that is beyond me, but at the same time Geralt's medallion goes haywire so clearly something magical was happening.

Good finding, I forgot about it And I agree with @GuyNwah classification

There's also another priestess in the books, Sigrdrifa (Tower of the Swallow), and Yen has an opinion about nature of her magical power:

Spoiler

At least if there were any songs, any petitions, any mysteries... some mystical folklore... it would be less boring, sleep would not impose itself in this way. But they just kneel there and put their heads down. Motionless, Silent.

But yes, they can use the Power if they want to, sometimes no worse than we sorceresses. It is still a mystery how they do it. No preparation, no training, no studies... Only prayer and meditation. Divination? A kind of self-hypnosis? That's what Tissaia de Vries claimed... They unconsciously enter a trance and gain energy and the ability to manipulate it, much like we do with our spells. They convert that energy and see this as a gift and the grace of God. That belief gives them strength.

Why are we sorceresses never successful in the same way?

Should I try it? Make use of the atmosphere and the aura of this place? I might even be put in a trance... I needed only to look at that diamond... the Brisingamen... To concentrate on how brilliantly it would play its part in my megascope...

 

[GuyNwah]

That's a good way to look at it. I guess I always wondered if she in particular served a higher purpose in regards to 'the art.' I suppose this would mean druids, dryads, higher vampires and other humanoids practice some form of magic, but I couldn't help but recall Geralt's medallion going nuts the way it did in the novel in response to whatever Nenneke did.

Suffice to say the fact that she is described as short and rather plump, she doesn't utilize whatever 'power' she has the way say, Yennifer did to go from wall-eyed hunchback to curvy brunette beauty the way arguably all of her ilk goes for. Maybe I'm just wishing for further explanation since I unconsciously know there never will be one

Yeah, most of her use of magic is for her calling as a priestess, such as protecting Iola, but she can also brew up pretty effective aphrodisiacs for her patron Lady Ermelia. Maybe that is actually a suitable task for a priestess of the local goddess of Love.

 

[Tooters]

Spoiler

I've always kind of wondered if she was a mage based off two events in The Last Wish: First during the conversation Geralt is having with her about Yennifer visiting the temple before he did to find a 'cure.' This goes on to be about curing her infertility, which Nenneke says is impossible. Geralt remarks something about there being exceptions to the rule, and from Nenneke's reaction I'm pretty sure he meant her.

Fast forward to Iola's fun seizure when she makes physical contact with Geralt as he's leaving. Nobody is able to do anything to help her until at the peak of the panic Nenneke "Face red with effort" shouts something which immediately causes Iola to stop moving. Whether or not this was some catechism or chant that could produce results like that is beyond me, but at the same time Geralt's medallion goes haywire so clearly something magical was happening.

Between these two incidents, along with the fact she's a priestess of the 'god of fertility (and other things)' I really want to say she's got some sort of magic going on for her.

I wondered if anyone else had insight on this, as I have seen statements attesting to both yes and no. I originally posted this in reply to one of those statements in another thread, then realized the thread had nothing to do with this :< :<

She's an alchemist and healer I can't recall her using magic ala-Yennefer, but I'd assume she has what she needs to be an effective healer.