Wow, lots of answers since I logged out before. Thanks, guys!
What about his policies towards the elfs? I know that he controls Dol Blathanna and that Francesca Findabair is his pawn, but are elves well treated in Nilfgaard?
Every Nilfgaardian, I mean the people that are natives of Nilfgaard, not natives of the Provinces, more or less think that they are descendants of Elves. Their language resembles the elven language a lot, but I can not tell you if their belief has any truth in it. Some parts might be, but others are exaggerated as it often happens.
In the books, there is no description about the state of non-humans in the Empire. I do not think there are many dwarves there, and if they are they would be merchants. And merchants enjoyed high respect in Nilfgaard. Nilfgaardians often reffered to the Nordlings as barbarian racists, so I would guess that racism in Nilfgaard was not as it was in the North. I doubt that Nilfgaard would allow elves to be butchered on the streets. So I would guess the elves were treated much better in Nilfgaard than in the North. I also have a feeling that there are not many elves in Nilfgaard. It is too far south, and the only elven settlement that is in Nilfgaards domain is Assengard, which is very close to the North, in Nazair. So the elves wouldn't need to send Scoia'tael units in Nilfgaard. Keep in mind that most elves fled to Dol Blathana to live their lives, some even further east to the Blue Mountains. Some elves live in towns and villages of the North, and much more are in Scoia'tael units. My guess is, if there are any elves in the Nilfgaardian Empire, they would mostly be brigands and thiefs, for example Spark and Shirru (half-elf), since it is described that Elves are very attached to their homeland, and their homeland as I said was mainly on the North.
Now the Northern Provinces of the Empire, that is another issue. There are definitely dwarves there, mostly miners, and are pretty much treated as they would be in the North. The Northern Empires had yet to completely submit to Nilfgaardian law and order.
@new&improved_vivaxardas and
@LordCrash
It is said by Emhyr himself, that the prophecy is very important to him. He believes in it deeply, he "knows" it is true. Emhyr was guided by a hope of saving the world. It is not super powers that he wanted, it was to "save" the world from the White Frost, and bring order and law everywhere. And make his family name the most well known name that ever existed. Not that he didn't succeed in that matter.
His action of leaving Geralt Yennefer and his daughter Ciri live their lives, was unexpected and honorable to say the least. Some said that he is a man of his word, and I very much enjoyed the thought that he did it because Geralt made him promise that he would never hurt Ciri, but I do not think it was that. It is because he
could not hurt her, not by the boundaries set by his word.
So that clears him of any suspicion that he is utterly ruthless. That decision makes him human.
He is definitely not the best human that ever walked the Earth though.
Edit :
@new&improved_vivaxardas
An exaggerated "quote", but you get what I'm trying to say I believe.