I wonder if this potion inadvertently helped Avallac'h survive the Trial of the Grasses too?
Possible.
Trial of the Grasses seems designed to attack the structure of the DNA itself - allowing the addition of the witcher mutations normally. In Uma's case, Yen used this "dissolving of the body from the inside" to extract that curse.
Which means that the curse acted by changing the DNA of Avallach, as well. Though there were clearly changes to the physical structure and to the neuronal connections involved too.
Then, there is the very interesting part about his Umafication: that he, Avallach, was still somewhat present during those "relaxed states of conciousness" while afflicted by the curse; which actually saved his life in the end, if you'd please to remember how the Trial ended: Uma clinically dead, Yen at a loss, Avallach whispering the words of the spell that could save him, Yen picking up the hint really fast and doing it.
His different reactions to the questions ("I need to find Ciri." -> "UMA UMA UMAAA!!"; "How can I help you" -> "... uma?."; "[complex philosophical question]" -> "umaumaumaumauma. uma. umauma.") also looked like there was still some cognitive functions active; he reacted with panic to the question about Ciri; with confusion about how to help him; and with a long monologue about the philosophical topic. Of course, his ability to articulate properly was totally nuked though. But: comprehension and Avallach-like (well,
somewhat Avallach-like...) reactions to these topics still existed.
That might have been a lingering effect of the potion, too.
Well. Or the potion really just kept him more or less in his normal shape and state until he had put Ciri into safety and the curse wasn't strong enough to totally destroy any traces of Avallach.
Hm. That latter actually seems more implausible, now that I think about it.
Boils somewhat down to:
- "How long lasting can potion effects be?"
- "How good is Keira at her job?"
I'd say... Keira is excellent at her job, given that she's the one who will come up with a cure for the catriona. And, assuming that she'll use magic and potions to do just that, instead of going to university and starting a medical education: that potion effects can be long-lasting enough to be a cure for a ravaging plague. (Nope, I do not think that she just developed antibiotics as the cure.
)
So... it's possible.
