Poisoned or bound in a false slumber?

[Blothulfur]

Poisoned or bound in a false slumber?

I'm going to say SPOILERS just in case you haven't got to the end of the game on Iorveth's path, if not then fly you fools.

Saskia has just been poisoned, Geralt, Iorveth and Cecil are waiting outside the doors of her home. Phillippa ceases her spellcasting and emerges, a close up shot of her face comes into view, and she looks neither tired from spellcasting or worried, in fact she almost seems to smirk.

This got me thinking, Phillippa states that she slowed Saskia's life signs to halt the spread of the poison, but is it possible that this is ALL she did. Bound the Virgin of Aedirn in false slumber, because her resilient Dragon blood was already dealing with the poison on it's own. After all Saesenthesis states that her kind heal quickly, moments after being impaled through the chest by a giant pine, that shames even Witcher vitality.

Could this be the moment that Eilhart found out what Saskia is, and enacted a desperate gambit to ensorcel the Dragon. A petal of the Rose of Rememberance is needed, and she just happens to have many Aen Seidhe of Iorveths scoiatael on hand, who probably have seen every such place it grows in their centuries of life. Concoct some pointless errands to keep the white wolf and the elven fox busy, as well as maybe endanger Stennis's life, over a few simple drops of blood. Hell she might even suspect that the local harpys are holding Saskia's dreams.

If this is true, I applaud the subtle plotting of Ms Eilhart and the writers, because something like this could be so easily missed. Then again i'm basing this on nothing more than a glance and a feeling, but Assassins of Kings knows how to weave a plot of surprising twists and unexpected depths.

So brothers and sisters, come at me with your finest logic, we must bend our minds to this task and seek the truth through hint and hunch.

 

[wichat]

If my memory doesn't fail, there's a moment in the dungeon, affordable according to the options dialog you choose, where Geralt ask her about Saskia, and Philippa admit in which moment she realized that Saskia were a dragon.

 

[Blothulfur]

Yes i've just gotten to this part and what she says does seem to corroborate my theory, she did find out Saskia's draconic nature at this point. This does raise my respect for the sorceress, this desperate gamble and manipulation of the situation was expertly orchestrated.

 

[Garrison72]

It could very well be. like Wichat points out, Phillipa doesn't know she's a dragon until the poisoning. And then we have Saskia's 'recovery'...

Phillipa: "What is your name?"

Saskia: "sa-sasenth.."

Phillipa: "What do they call you?"

Saskia: "Saskia.."

She was freshly under Phillipa's spell.


This illustrates that the lodge was making plans while Geralt was hot on their heals.

 

[Dona.794]

You are most likely correct Philippa says she'd been suspecting it for a while, but didn't get to examine Saskia until the poisoning. In that case, she likely figured to just keep her asleep until she gets the rose petal, which makes casting that particular spell much easier. As you already pointed out, there were plenty of Aen Seidhe around, and she knew Iorveth would get it to heal Saskia (as he offered in that conversation).

...and this is why I can't hate Philippa. Damn.

 

[Blothulfur]

She's magnificent, she uses and decieves but you're left with nothing but respect for her. Brilliantly concieved character.

 

[celebrindal]

Respect for what? Sure, Philippa is a brilliant and calculating character and I really enjoyed her scenes. But actually she used Geralt (and Iorveth) to ensorcel Saskia for her purposes. And at last I'm not sure whether she had a hand in the poisoning complot (maybe she needed a confirmation whether Saskia is a dragon or not and that poison was the right way for her).

 

[wichat]

Filippa always used EVERYBODY for her own benefits

 

[Blothulfur]

What I respect her for is daring, taking advantage of a situation in the heat of the moment and driving forward with her convictions. She's striving to forge a better north, under her rule of course, but that doesn't make her goals any the less noble.

Of course her methods are disgusting, that i'll acknowledge, but Saskia's wading through the gritty mire of politics, if she wants to stay free of shit she'd be better not rolling around in these mortals affairs.

 

[celebrindal]

I just don't trust the sorcerers, they aren't loyal to their country but just take the advantages to gain more power for themselves. So I don't think they care much about the people they overrule. Philippa neither. She wants a strong north, yes probably but surely not because she is worried about the population. Sorcerers in Nilfgaard have to say less than in the North and if I remember correctly from the books, Emhyr is barely fond of mages.


Francesca Findabair is a good example for the shadiness of mages. Firstly she protested against the repressions of the Nonhumans. She wanted to found a free state for the Elves, indeed very noble at first view. But she cooperated with Nilfgaard to reach this goal and made the Scoia'tael fight and die for her and the Emperor. And after all Findabair betrayed them, doesn't let them live in Dol Blathanna because she doesn't want to provoke her neighboring states and Nilfgaard and possible risk her power to rule.

Personally I think, Philippa would rule in a similar way. A good offer and some guarantees by the Emperor and the "bulwark" Upper-Aedern would open its gates.

But you're right. I'm not sure whether Saskia can persist on her own. She will need allies (maybe Mahakam isn't that far away), need advisors (skilled representatives of the different groups in her state). I hope she'll learn from the poisoning and won't trust the people around her too easily.

 

[Blothulfur]

I don't really mind about the Sorceresses lack of loyalty to their countries, the northern kingdoms are barbaric and backwards and a strong unified rule may serve to better them. In a lot of ways i'd say that the lodge is fairly equivalent to the northern monarchs, and thus I would not stand in their way (or aid them,) they are playing the game of thrones and thus they'll reap what they sow.

Enid's situation is unique I think, her people are facing extinction and thus she must look to preserving them with rather draconian means, if she harboured Scoiatael she would have been giving Demavend and White Rayla legitimate cause to invade and destroy the valley of flowers. After all Emhyr's protection can only stretch so far when she is surrounded by enemy nations.

Plus we do not know the thinking or schemes of the old elf, she may believe that these warlike and dirty apes may destroy themselves before too long. Or she is waiting for the Ard Gaeth to be flung wide so she can leave this doomed world. It may be that she is the custodian of what remains of Hen Ichaer, and the hunt are bringing her those bloodlines that are useful to her research. She remembers a warmer world free of humanity, so her thinking may be somewhat skewed compared to a mortals.

I wouldn't judge anyone whose races future lay in their every decision, too hard a position to stand in judgement over it.

 

[celebrindal]

You're so reasonably thinking and rational, i hardly can disagree with your words Maybe I judge too biased in Enids case. She rules over a nation, which is dying out because the youth is banished. So her decision doesn't really improve the situation of the elves but maybe it's better to die out in something like peace.

I agree, sorcerers and kings are quite similar, but they might have the same weakness as well: they can't trust each other. I would say even Sheala and Philippa don't trust each other. So it's suspenseful to see/speculate whether there will be a strong north under the sorcerer's rule

By the way, I didn't get why Philippa wanted Dethmolds death (because of war crime, Iorveths Path). He absolutely worked against Nilfgaard as well. What actually did he so cruelly, just fighting for the wrong side in the battle? Or just to get a free place for Sheala next to a king?

 

[Blothulfur]

Dethmold's clever and dangerous, he knows Saskias secret most importantly, and as you say the lodge wants to insinuate itself into every court.

I agree with you about the monarchs and sorceresses being birds of a feather, thus I don't really see a difference between their rules. However in terms of individuals, I think Philippa would make a far more effective ruler than Stennis, Henselt or John Natalis. But even more impressively she is seeking to stand as the power behind the throne of a righteous cause, with a sainted leader as her mouthpiece. That's a very wise position, especially when you have total control over that mouthpiece.

The low birth rate in the valley of flowers does not really matter, it evens out the extreme longevity of the race, they don't need many births when they are not dying.

Of course a lodge ruled north is now just a dream thanks to Radovid and Nilfgaards manipulations, the sorceresses will find no safe harbour anywhere within the northern kingdoms. And to ensure their continued good health the conclave (if it still exists) must condemn the lodge in word and deed. However I don't think Philippa will be easily brought down, so it all promises some great twists and turns before the bitter end.