Why "Ciri Witcher" is not a good ending in my view (spoilers)

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I see the Empress ending for Ciri as her growing up and accepting her responsibilities. Sure, we all want to live carefree lives of adventures and video games ect ect. But then reality hits and you just do what have to do. You don't avoid it because you don't want to grow up. If Ciri can help millions of people by becoming the Empress then it's her moral obligation and responsibility to do it. At least that's my point of view on the issue.
 
Ciri doesn't ever express a desire to be Empress. But many times she talks about how much she'd love to travel the world. As a Witcher she can do this, but as an Empress she is forced into a complicated political situation that she never wanted to be in the first place.

So to me, Ciri becoming a Witcher is the best ending. It's what she wants.

Yeah, she, as far as I know, never express a desire to become empress, but given an option with that choice she chooses it herself. That is an important aspect.
 
You ensured Emhyr's conquest of the North? - Why would you not let the North win if you wanted to keep Ciri from her, she doesn't want anything to do with him, Ciri wants to be with you, and to be a Witcher, so ensuring her safety means that leaving Emhyr's war between Radovid and Emhyr, and not being an assistant regicide is the right path to ensure that Ciri doesn't get hunted down by Emhyr, your Geralt caused it.

She would be very happy to see the consequences of Radovid's rule. Genocide of mages, alchemists and herbalists, mass pogroms on non-humans and who knows - maybe the witchers will be hunted down as well. No reason for Radovid to spare the freaks and mutants. If there is a happy ending it is certainly not the one with Radovid alive.

She didn't want to be Princess of Cintra, she definitely doesn't want to be the Empress of the empire that caused the death of her Grandmother and Eist, the fall of Cintra and thousands of deaths across the North, let Ciri pursue the life she wanted to lead since her and Geralt met.

She didn't want to be the princess of Cintra? She always wanted to become a wanderer, not a princess/empress since she met Geralt? She never had doubts about it? Oh, wait, have you read The Tower of the Swallow? Maybe you just forgot.

‘You don’t need to speak so reproachfully, don't need to scoff. Yes, I realize that it was stupid, I see that now. Even back then... in Kaer Morhen and the Temple of Melitele I had been wiser – I knew that my past could not return, that I was no longer the princess of Cintra, but someone completely different, that I had no inheritance, that it was lost and that I had to accept it. It had been explained to me wisely and calmly, and I had accepted it. Likewise calmly. Then suddenly it began to return. The first time someone tried to impress me with the title of Baroness Casadei... I had never cared about such things before, but I suddenly became furious, stretching my nose up high and screaming that I would have an even higher title, that I was of much nobler birth. And from then on I couldn't stop thinking about it. I could feel the anger growing in me. Do you understand, Vysogota?’
‘Yes.’
‘And Hotsporn's story was the last straw. I was almost boiling with rage... They had previously talked to me so much of predestination... And now someone else was enjoying this predestination, thanks to an ordinary hoax. Someone had posed as me, as Ciri of Cintra, and could do anything, could bathe in the luxury... No, I could think of nothing else... Suddenly I realized that I never had enough to eat, that I was freezing cold, that I slept under the open sky, that I had to wash the private parts in icy streams... I! I could have had a gold-plated tub! Water that smells of lavender and roses! Warmed towels! A clean bed! Do you understand Vysogota?’
‘Yes.’
‘All of the sudden, I was ready to ride to the next province, to the next fort, to those black Nilfgaardians I feared and hated so much... I was willing to say, ‘Hey Nilfgaardian idiots, I'm Ciri, I have not been taken by your stupid emperor for his wife, they have planted some brazen impostor with your emperor, and the idiot did not even notice the scam!' I was so keen that I would have done it, if an opportunity presented itself. Without hesitation. Do you understand Vysogota?’

Let's sum it up. She had to accept that she was no longer the princess of Cintra. It was not her unconditional wish to throw away the past. And part of her still wanted a comfortable life, luxury and most of all she was proud of being princess and potential future empress.

Now look at TW3. If you discourage her from seeing her father, she never learns what Emhyr would offer her. If you encourage her, he offers her to be his successor and she accepts it. Once again, if she can choose, her choice is clear - Empress.

Therefore the statement that Ciri prefers becoming a witcher to becoming an empress is not true. Yes, giving up her freedom might be painful, but in exchange she certainly receives a large portion of satisfaction, finally she will gain what was rightfully hers. And only as the Empress she will have enough power to make things better on a large scale.
 
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Genocide of mages, alchemists and herbalists, mass pogroms on non-human

That's what Kovir and ol' Tankred are for - The evacuation saves thousands and may snowball into the Non-Human pogrom's but on that topic Radovid isn't a sole advocate of non-human hate.. The whole damn North is - none of the other pogroms were in Redania with them happening in Temeria, Brugge, Kaedwin and Rivia making it perfectly clear that its a universal thing seeing as Foltest, Henselt and Meve had progroms committed in their respective countries and territories... Also were the North to rebel and kick Nilfgaard out of the North, who would all the subsequent hate a murder be directed at? Also as if the people of the North will wait for that - They'll kill non-humans regardless, just because you got the Disney 'and then Temeria lived happily ever after' ending it doesn't mean that all will go back to being peaceful... That ending is incredibly silly and needs to be reworked so that the entire Northern populace doesn't have a collective bout of amnesia and forget that Nilfgaard is the invader and carts everyone - men, women and children off to work the mines outside of 'liberated' Temeria - You let Temeria survive as a slave while also dooming the people of the North to 3rd class citizenship....


maybe the witchers will be hunted down as well.

From how guardsmen deal with monsters I doubt it... They provide a valuable service to the populace, while the mages formed secret societies and groups of conspirators and plotted to kill kings to make the North weak... The ones he actually wants deserve what they get for Regicide *Cough Cough* Philippa, Fran and Ida. Any other mage with a brain will go to Kovir...


Now look at TW3. If you discourage her from seeing her father, she never learns what Emhyr would offer her. If you encourage her, he offers her to be his successor and she accepts it. Once again, if she can choose, her choice is clear - Empress.

She despises Emhyr... He is the man accountable for the loss of everything she had once loved prior to her meeting with Geralt.. Also seeing as Voorhis is the canon next Emperor of Nilfgaard...

You keep to your Nilfgaardian, Disney, happily ever after ending, I want an imperfect world where the North is still the North, not just Northern Nilfgaard.
 
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From how guardsmen deal with monsters I doubt it... They provide a valuable service to the populace, while the mages formed secret societies and groups of conspirators and plotted to kill kings to make the North weak... The ones he actually wants deserve what they get for Regicide *Cough Cough* Philippa, Fran and Ida. Any other mage with a brain will go to Kovir...

That's what Kovir and ol' Tankred are for - The evacuation saves thousands and may snowball into the Non-Human pogrom's but on that topic Radovid isn't a sole advocate of non-human hate...

I am not gonna react to your anti-Nilfgaardian stuff. Firstly, I am quite sure it would be a waste of time. Your opinions are really extreme and I am even more confused when I look at the thread you started only one month ago where your opinion was entirely different. Sorry, but I have no intent to convince you that the Nilfgaardian ending is the best if you change your opinions so drastically in such a short period of time. Secondly, in the post above I claimed: "If there is a happy ending it is certainly not the one with Radovid alive." As you may have noticed there is also Dijsktra ending. If you are a fan of the North and the mages, you can choose this one.

I am not sure whether Radovid cares about witchers' service to the populace. He is a bit crazy, you know? Alchemists, herbalists and healers might have been useful as well, they were all innocent, but they ended up like real mages, so why not witchers?

And how many mages will reach Kovir? You say that any other mage with brain will go there. I just wonder why so many Jews stayed in Nazi Germany when they became the second-class citizens. Any idea? Maybe it is not so easy as it seems to be. Maybe some less powerful mage still believes that the Conclave guarantees his safety. Maybe the pellar does not have enough money to get to Kovir. Maybe the alchemist who spends most of his time in his laboratory heard only some rumors about "powerful sorceresses and their conspiracy", but he does not expect that some witch hunters may burn him at stake because of Philippa Eilhart's sins. Maybe the herbalist cannot abandon all the sick and injured people who need her help.

</sarcasm> Now I imagine herbalist Tomira from White Orchard. One days she says to herself: "Redanians are approaching and they will soon liberate this village. I am very well informed about everything what happens in the witcher universe, therefore I know that the witch hunts in Novigrad were Radovid's doing. I have to flee right now so let's sell this hut and get on the nearest ship to Kovir, because I know that king Tancred offered asylum to all the mages, alchemists, pellars, herbalists and healers from the North." </sarcasm>

Finally you say that the mages formed secret societies and groups of conspirators and plotted to kill kings to make the North weak? I believe that only few sorceresses did so. But yes, collective guilt is applied in this case. Because Radovid.

She despises Emhyr... He is the man accountable for the loss of everything she had once loved prior to her meeting with Geralt.. Also seeing as Voorhis is the canon next Emperor of Nilfgaard...

Maybe she despises him, maybe not. But my statement was clear - if Geralt encourages Ciri to at least hear her father out, she decides to become the Empress. It is her choice regardless of whether she hates her father or not. So why are you telling me? Because you like to bad-mouth him? Is it something like Cato's Delenda est Carthago phrase? Do as you wish, he is not a good person and I am not apologizing him, but it's a bit ridiculous.
 
I am not gonna react to your anti-Nilfgaardian stuff.

There isn't anything to react to, they are the invader and killed thousands, lost two wars and if you don't get involved they lose a third not such a great empire..


Your opinions are really extreme

So are yours, leaving the people of the North to be hounded off and used as a labor force...


I look at the thread you started only one month ago where your opinion was entirely different.

At this point I was confused myself, as the Disney ending seemed too happy to me and didn't believe that the game was an open - shut, as you still seem to think, facts are that ending is entirely bodged as they don't even touch on any country other than Temeria where people would be suffering forever until a Northern rebellion started up.

I also didn't have a 100% grasp on all that happened in the rest of the series as I was still going through the books.

At that point I also didn't have a Witcher 1 completed save, since then I have replayed the entire series with a Geralt I believe to be in character rather than severely out of character - I also saved Adda in TW1 which mean't that Radovid's victory united Redania and Temeria in a strong bond, seeing as all the Temerian lords either sold out to Nilfgaard or were hung from trees.

You can go for the 'Happily ever after Temeria ending' if you like - I'd rather take the one where the whole of the North is liberated but at least there is some drawback for that, that is actually addressed and not just hidden away off to the side so you don't notice how bad it is for the people of Redania, Lyria, Rivia, Aedirn and Kaewin, all those countries you doomed to servitude.


there is also Dijsktra ending.

Djikstra is not trustworthy nor does his cartoony villain scheme appeal.

I am not sure whether Radovid cares about witchers' service to the populace. He is a bit crazy, you know? Alchemists, herbalists and healers might have been useful as well, they were all innocent, but they ended up like real mages, so why not witchers?

Because if he kills the Witcher's there'll be an influx in Monster related death and he won't be able to stop it so he'll have revolts on his hands in no time, Radovid isn't stupid...

As for healers and alchemists I cannot defend this, but I assume that Radovid isn't ordering the deaths of individual peasant Herbalists himself... It's simply down to the fact that mages became increasing hard to find... Wrong, yes, but much less death than Nilfgaard hanging and burning entire villages and then carting off the survivors off their land to work as a labor force... Those manufactures don't fuel themselves - They are built on the suffering of the common folk ala-the industrial revolution...

Eternal slavery or a 4 year Witch Hunt.


I just wonder why so many Jews stayed in Nazi Germany

I find this is in incredibly bad taste, and personal... My family came to the UK from Italy to escape persecution, I'd prefer you didn't draw parallels likes these, as simple minded as they are to draw they are entirely different... Jews were reassured up until the last that it would cease to happen soon, and that it wasn't going to go any further, but a Witch Hunt isn't so deceptive... Draw parallels to the 1500-1700's Witch Hunts sure, they're more relevant and less senseless.

And how many mages will reach Kovir? You say that any other mage with brain will go there.

Lots... The richest country in the known world is funding their evacuation and bringing them in to the new council under Triss Merigold... Mages are extremely valuable people, Tankred understands this and that is why the Witch Hunts last such a short time.


I believe that only few sorceresses did so. But yes, collective guilt is applied in this case. Because Radovid. They continued..

Had it ended with Thanedd I would be inclined to agree.. But as time went on more and more plots were drawn ending in the lovely Loc Muinne summit after which the Lodge was forced to keep quiet, but they had already opened the door for Nilfgaard so it doesn't matter what they were planning and who was stabbing who in the back in the end.

Collective guilt isn't right, but who can say who is planning he next coup when the mages seem to have a new one every time they meet?

Ciri to at least hear her father out, she decides to become the Empress.

Doesn't matter regardless, you're just shipping off Ciri to become Voorhis' wife as within 20 years of TW3 he is the Emperor of Nilfgaard either way.. I'd rather Ciri keep her freedom than be used as Emhyr's retirement and unstabbed back plan.

All you do by letting Ciri become Empress is give her the illusion of power until Voorhis' death where she'll just become Calanthe II and rule over an Empire governed entirely by merchants who own all the manufactories, and therefore, all the money.

Continue to do so if you wish, I am not trying to dissuade you, just pointing out that it's silly.
 
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All I'm gonna say is...

After the empress ending and when the storyboards started, the sad music played, same for the Ciri dead ending

In the witcheress ending that happy horse racing music played during the storyboards.

:)
 
There isn't anything to react to, they are the invader and killed thousands, lost two wars and if you don't get involved they lose a third not such a great empire..

The North was an invader as well. Their largest cities are of elven origin. And the massacres like those in Loc Muinne and Est Haemlet must have been pretty horrible - and it was your beloved Redania who did it. And I don't know why you are telling me how many times Nilfgaardians lost - it does not make them better and it does not make them worse.

You can go for the 'Happily ever after Temeria ending' if you like - I'd rather take the one where the whole of the North is liberated but at least there is some drawback for that, that is actually addressed and not just hidden away off to the side so you don't notice how bad it is for the people of Redania, Lyria, Rivia, Aedirn and Kaewin, all those countries you doomed to servitude.

Wrong, yes, but much less death than Nilfgaard hanging and burning entire villages and then carting off the survivors off their land to work as a labor force... Those manufactures don't fuel themselves - They are built on the suffering of the common folk ala-the industrial revolution...

Eternal slavery or a 4 year Witch Hunt.

Firstly, Nilfgaardians changed their priorities in TW3. They think they are prepared to control the North, therefore burning it is not their aim. If they kill someone/burn something, it is a punishment for helping the enemies of Nilfgaard. Once the war is over, there will be no reason to continue with it.

Eternal slavery is just a propaganda myth you cannot prove. And Nilfgaard tries to integrate its vassals and provinces into the Empire. Only those who oppose them and rebel are punished - ruthlessly, that's true.


Djikstra is not trustworthy nor does his cartoony villain scheme appeal.

And Radovid is trustworthy? There is no ruler who is trustworthy right now. But he is the best choice if you like mages, the North and you are ok with being OOC Geralt. I prefer Nilfgaard as I cannot let Dijkstra kill Roche.

Because if he kills the Witcher's there'll be an influx in Monster related death and he won't be able to stop it so he'll have revolts on his hands in no time, Radovid isn't stupid...

Once the war is over there will be less monsters. Witchers are too few and would die out anyway. Radovid is not stupid, but he is crazy.

Lots... The richest country in the known world is funding their evacuation and bringing them in to the new council under Triss Merigold... Mages are extremely valuable people, Tankred understands this and that is why the Witch Hunts last such a short time.

Who says this? He might welcome everyone who reaches Kovir, but how can he help someone in Redania? There was Triss in Novigrad, without her, all the mages would be doomed.

I find this is in incredibly bad taste, and personal... My family came to the UK from Italy to escape persecution, I'd prefer you didn't draw parallels likes these, as simple minded as they are to draw they are entirely different... Jews were reassured up until the last that it would cease to happen soon, and that it wasn't going to go any further, but a Witch Hunt isn't so deceptive... Draw parallels to the 1500-1700's Witch Hunts sure, they're more relevant and less senseless.

And I find it to be a very good comparison, better than the real witch hunts (maybe because witches were not in fact witches but normal people). TW witch hunt is deceptive, because (by default - saving Triss in TW2) firstly only the Lodge is found guilty and the Conclave guarantees safety for others. Then witch hunt in Novigrad starts, but not in Redania. And finally the witch hunt is completed in the countries under Radovid's rule. I assume mages in TW felt reassured that it is gonna end when the Lodge is caught. And honestly, your sentence "any other mage with a brain will go to Kovir" shocked me.

Maybe it would be better to end this discussion, it is a waste of time.
 
The North was an invader as well.

Not of any relevance other than that the Elves are still fighting a losing war and perpetuating the hate alongside humanity - the events of 700 odd years prior are of no concern.

your beloved Redania

I do not 'love' Redania, I just acknowledge that a Northern North is better than a subjugated one - It just so happens that the only two monarchs of any worth are Radovid and Meve... And she is oddly absent from the games unfortunately.

And I don't know why you are telling me how many times Nilfgaardians lost

It proves their inability to beat the Northern commanders and also that their money and manpower are worthless as they are a weak force who had to use assassination and Mage's plots to get anywhere in defeating the Northern realms.

Eternal slavery is just a propaganda myth you cannot prove.

Every country that Nilfgaard captures has its aristocracy swapped out entirely with a Nilfgaardian one, the people of the conquered lands are forced to leave ala-Cintra or hunted down to become slaves ala-Aedirn where Nilfgaardians hunted down groups of refugee's to put them to work as cheap labor, as stated very clearly in 'Time of Contempt' so not a myth at all.

Where else would Nilfgaard get the labor force for its mines and factories?

And Radovid is trustworthy

Radovid is no more trustworthy than any other King, Foltest and Henselt took Nilfgaardian ultimatums instead of fighting them straight away according to the North treaties in the second war, Henselt tried to kill Geralt after he helped him in his conquest of upper Aedirn etc.. etc.

But he is the only hope the North has to keep it's identity.

Djikstra is an odd choice, his Soviet North is similar very much to pre-revolution Imperial Russia, if you ask me, where mass industrialisation caused the suffering of many people of the lower classes, its pretty much the same as the Nilfgaard ending, just with a spy in charge instead of an Emperor.

Once the war is over there will be less monsters.

'Where there is war, there is profit' - Lambert. So they'll be needed especially both during and for a while after the war for certain also there is no sudden lack of monsters... So no, plain false.

No King has ever ordered the death of Witchers in any other pogrom or during the Mage Hunt - So there is no proof they would turn on Witchers at all.

Who says this?
It's stated by Triss at the fountain during 'Blindingly Obvious' that Tankred is putting lots of funds into the evacuation, but sadly like with the suffering of the North in the Disney Ending the good that Tankred and Triss do for the mages is absent from the Radovid ending.

Missing the bad from the Disney ending and the good from the Radovid, see why it catches people out now?

Not even going to touch the spoiler stuff, its entirely fictitious and I find it very hurtful.

The only part I will comment on is that Radovid's Coup was entirely grounded in reality, he didn't make it up, the Lodge had already put it's plan into action and he was there to stop it, and after the Thanedd Coup he didn't rightly know how many splinter groups of plotters there were and which Mages were acting as spies - take from it what you wish.

But yes, let's end it here. I've nothing more to say -Thank you for the debate, it was interesting.
 
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Not of any relevance other than that the Elves are still fighting a losing war and perpetuating the hate alongside humanity - the events of 700 odd years prior are of no concern.

Just for the sake of accuracy, it started less than 500 years ago and the war is somehow still going on.

It proves their inability to beat the Northern commanders and also that their money and manpower are worthless as they are a weak force who had to use assassination and Mage's plots to get anywhere in defeating the Northern realms.

But it does not prove their moral superiority/inferiority.

Anyway, the citation above is very disrespectful to Nilfgaard. It is like saying that Napoleon is a loser, because in the end he lost. You completely neglect what happened before (or after) Brenna - Dol Angra incident, the conquest of Rivia, Lyria, Aedirn and half Temeria, the economic victory and all the valuables Nilfgaardians (under the command of Evertsen) have stolen acquired.

I believe we are trying to seriously discuss the consequences of the Redanian/Nilfgaardian victory for the inhabitants of the Northern realms. Instead of using propaganda phrases you can focus more on slavery, censorship and Nilfgaardian arrogance/feeling of superiority.

Every country that Nilfgaard captures has its aristocracy swapped out entirely with a Nilfgaardian one, the people of the conquered lands are forced to leave ala-Cintra or hunted down to become slaves ala-Aedirn where Nilfgaardians hunted down groups of refugee's to put them to work as cheap labor, as stated very clearly in 'Time of Contempt' so not a myth at all.

Where else would Nilfgaard get the labor force for its mines and factories?

The aristocracy is not swapped out entirely - but mainly those who revolt against the Empire. When fake Ciri was in Nilfgaard volunteers from Cintra fought for Nilfgaard (they were not forced to do it) so I suppose that people from Cintra returned home. Slavery - yes, they did it, but the TW3 conquest is meant to be permanent. It would make sense that only rebels end up in slavery.

They may hire the (cheap) labor force. I doubt that slavery is a future of Nilfgaard.


Radovid is no more trustworthy than any other King, Foltest and Henselt took Nilfgaardian ultimatums instead of fighting them straight away according to the North treaties in the second war, Henselt tried to kill Geralt after he helped him in his conquest of upper Aedirn etc.. etc.

But he is the only hope the North has to keep it's identity.

Djikstra is an odd choice, his Soviet North is similar very much to pre-revolution Imperial Russia, if you ask me, where mass industrialisation caused the suffering of many people of the lower classes, its pretty much the same as the Nilfgaard ending, just with a spy in charge instead of an Emperor.

Exactly, as I said all the rulers are untrustworthy. But Radovid is the most dangerous one as he is completely mad unpredictable. Foltest is just not-so-good-ruler-as-he-seems-to-be. Henselt did what he had to do (Lormark), he is untrustworthy, because he did not want to return it to Demawend.

He is not the only hope, there is Dijsktra, the true Redanian patriot who is willing to do everything for his country. He is much better choice if you want the North to survive as he will have a strong ally - Kovir. The mass industrialization might be painful, but it is still better than witch hunts and mass pogroms organized by Radovid. And I believe that the North will be economically stronger in the future under Dijkstra's rule, Radovid has basically no plan, he just massacres all the opposition, all the minorities and all the elites. Short run strategy...

It's stated by Triss at the fountain during 'Blindingly Obvious' that Tankred is putting lots of funds into the evacuation, but sadly like with the suffering of the North in the Disney Ending the good that Tankred and Triss do for the mages is absent from the Radovid ending.

Missing the bad from the Disney ending and the good from the Radovid, see why it catches people out now?

...into the evacuation from Novigrad. It was very difficult, they almost failed and there was Triss present. How are they supposed to help mages from Ard Carraigh? Ban Ard? Maribor? Novigrad was still pretty accessible and it was not Redanian territory. If they reach Kovir, they will be received well. But most of them will not get there on their own.

Nilfgaardian ending has still some disadvantages, Nordlings will have to integrate into the Empire and deal with the Nilfgaardian superiority - and they might not like it (meaning if they revolt they end up as slaves or dead bodies). Radovid ending has practically no advantages, it is how CDP designed it. In TW2 Radovid was a scum, but he was mentally healthy and all the other rulers were scum too. Ending just shows the consequence of poor treatment of his character in TW3.

I would prefer if he was only a pathologically ambitious king who does anything to save the North - but in the long run. More like in TW2.
 
Anyway, the citation above is very disrespectful to Nilfgaard. It is like saying that Napoleon is a loser.

Not in the slightest.. Napoleon's France won its battles as a country that had just come out of a bloody revolution, had a relatively small but well trained army against large armies of almost entirely conscripts ala-Austria and Russia who's armies were made up mainly of convicts - He won through tactical genious, I don't remember him having the Archduke or Tsar assassinated to win Austerlitz for example? - Using Georgian history was not a good example as its political atmosphere was nothing similar to the Northern wars.

The aristocracy is not swapped out entirely

Really? I didn't see a single Temerian noble in the throne room in Vizima.. They killed the lord in White Orchard, they made a low ranking officer from the Temerian army the Baron of Velen, they butchered the Cintrian aristocracy and monarchy in one go... So yes, they are.

Slavery - yes, they did it, but the TW3 conquest is meant to be permanent. It would make sense that only rebels end up in slavery.

Rebels are killed, troublemakers hung, who else is left to work the factories and mines?

Once Nilfgaardian factories pop up in the North people will be put to work in horrid conditions to feed a hungry empire.. They're heavily based on Roman ideology.. expand, kill, take over the land and use the occupants as a labor force or drawn in as levies for the army to expand more - a lovely existence for the people of the North.

But Radovid is the most dangerous one as he is completely unpredictable.

And Emhyr and Djikstra are not?
- Emhyr: made deals with the Northern Kings, sent envoys, played 'the peaceful Empire next door' and then butchered his way through the North while all the assembled leaders were far away from their respective countries and Temerian lords were fighting to decide who should succeed Foltest.
-Djikstra: played Roche, Thaler and Geralt as fools to kill Radovid and then tried to take the North as his own....
-Radovid: win war, find the traitors Philippa and Djikstra who commited Regicide, find the Lodge who allowed the North to be invaded, get the traitorous spy mages who plotted against kings and stifle the non-human wars in a brutal but clearly put policy of no quarter - Bring the North back to how it was before the Northern wars.

which ones are the ones hiding behind plots here?

Short run strategy...

Extreme in the short term, but 4 years of Witch Hunts, or an eternity as part of an oppressive Empire?

It was very difficult, they almost failed and there was Triss present.

This one was also not funded by Tankred which is why Djikstra was needed.

Nilfgaardian ending has still some disadvantages, Nordlings will have to integrate into the Empire and deal with the Nilfgaardian superiority

Understatement alert - Servitude or death.

Ending just shows the consequence of poor treatment of his character in TW3.

Exactly, they don't show how a liberated North is better than one puppet state and eternal servitude for everyone else.

Radovid may be a little loopy, but his hate for mages and non-humans is warrented to the degree as factions from both groups plotted to hand the North over to Nilfgaard so that the people of the North would hand all the land back to the Elves and so that 'magic endures', weh - Yenna, Triss, Margarita, Fringilla and Keira saw through Philippa's lies - That's why they remained neutral and didn't influence wars or politics too heavily/at all.
 
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Radovid may be a little loopy, but his hate for mages and non-humans is warrented to the degree as factions from both groups plotted to hand the North over to Nilfgaard so that the people of the North would hand all the land back to the Elves and so that 'magic endures', weh - Yenna, Triss, Margarita, Fringilla and Keira saw through Philippa's lies - That's why they remained neutral and didn't influence wars or politics too heavily/at all.

Just give Radovid Philippa and he might regain his sanity or just visit a psychiatrist. :)

He eventually does as the witch hunt stopped in 1276.
 
Not in the slightest..

Both Napoleon and Emhyr made smart moves to achieve their goals. Take into considerations that Emhyr wants to conquer (and maintain control over) several kingdoms at the same time, which is not an easy task. I consider him to be well prepared, his schemes and plans usually work.

Northern realms won, because they always had some decisive factors on their side. Nevertheless Emhyr retained Cintra after both the 1st war and 2nd war and successfully robbed some of the Northern kingdoms of their valuables (mainly Lyria and Aedirn). Not only he survived two military disasters and eliminated his opposition, but the Northern realms that won the war were weakened more than Nilfgaard. To sum it up, Emhyr is no commander, he is an experienced ruler and schemer.

And Nlfgaardian soldiers? Julia Abatemarco showed them respect so I assume they are not weaklings...

‘Neither side,’ she lisped, ‘could gain an advantage. We were in the middle and surrounded. They attacked us from all sides. We simply killed. They, us and we them... khe-khe-khh... They us and we them...’
The old woman controlled her coughing with effort. The listeners who were closest saw her wipe away a tear that was making its way through her maze of wrinkles and old scars.
‘They were as brave as us,’ she muttered. ‘Khe-khe... And we were just as strong and stubborn and fierce as they. Us and them...’
She paused. For a long time. The listeners urged her, watching her smile at the memories, with its glory. Smiling at the blurred faces of those who survived through the fog of forgetfulness. Those that could not been killed by liquor, narcotics or tuberculosis.
‘We were equally brave,’ end Julia Abatemarco. ‘Neither side was strong enough to be braver. But we... We remained braver one minute more than they.’

Really? I didn't see a single Temerian noble in the throne room in Vizima.. They killed the lord in White Orchard, they made a low ranking officer from the Temerian army the Baron of Velen, they butchered the Cintrian aristocracy and monarchy in one go... So yes, they are.

I suppose that Count Maravel would be the ideal example of such a noble, but he is probably dead in the default setting or not present. Another example is Baronness La Valette. Temeria is still in war so it makes sense that many nobles are hiding/fighting Nilfgaard. But those who join Nilfgaard/accept their rule...

Cintra - special case as Emhyr needed Calanthe dead and the nobles loved her and would not surrender anyway, later the leader of a rebellion Windhalm of Attre was executed...but what should they do with rebels once they conquer the kingdom?

Rebels are killed, troublemakers hung, who else is left to work the factories and mines?

Once Nilfgaardian factories pop up in the North people will be put to work in horrid conditions to feed a hungry empire.. They're heavily based on Roman ideology.. expand, kill, take over the land and use the occupants as a labor force or drawn in as levies for the army to expand more - a lovely existence for the people of the North.

Slaves are the cheapest workforce, but the Black Ones enslave only those outside the Empire. In ToC you can read about the operations of the Nilfgaardian army, they spared the villages that were supposed to become part of the Empire and burnt everything and tried to enslave anyrybody behind the supposed future frontier. Therefore based on the books I assume that the whole North will be spared. And their lifes? The Northern kingdoms we are speaking about (meaning without Kovir) are probably the poorest part of the civilised world, their lifes suck anyway. Just look at Velen, better Nilfgaardians than the Crones.

And Emhyr and Djikstra are not?
...

He is ready to have Geralt killed just because he irritates him...that's what I mean as unpredictable, it just makes no sense. If he knew Geralt is gonna betray him or that he would benefit from it, I would fully understand it. But this?

Anyway, we agreed that all the rulers are untrustworthy, let's keep it that way.

Extreme in the short term, but 4 years of Witch Hunts, or an eternity as part of an oppressive Empire?

Understatement alert - Servitude or death.

Exactly, they don't show how a liberated North is better than one puppet state and eternal servitude for everyone else.

You repeat "eternal servitude" but you cannot prove it. Look into the books, Imperial provinces are not ideal, but they are not worse than the Northern kingdoms. Again, once you are a part of the Empire and follow the rules, you are ok.


This one was also not funded by Tankred which is why Djikstra was needed.

"Tancred's been suportive of the mages from the start. The evacuation was only possible with his help!" says Triss, it is clear that she means only Novigrad as you can avoid the Loc Muinne witch hunt if you save Triss in TW2 and therefore the witch hunt in Redania has not started yet. But initially you said that:

Lots... The richest country in the known world is funding their evacuation and bringing them in to the new council under Triss Merigold... Mages are extremely valuable people, Tankred understands this and that is why the Witch Hunts last such a short time.

It's stated by Triss at the fountain during 'Blindingly Obvious' that Tankred is putting lots of funds into the evacuation, but sadly like with the suffering of the North in the Disney Ending the good that Tankred and Triss do for the mages is absent from the Radovid ending.

Tancred offered the mages asylum, but he cannot evacuate them from another country where witch hunts become the official policy. Even the offer of asylum and the establishment of his own Conclave (with the member of the Lodge as a leader) is a spit in Radovid's face.

Radovid may be a little loopy, but his hate for mages and non-humans is warrented to the degree as factions from both groups plotted to hand the North over to Nilfgaard so that the people of the North would hand all the land back to the Elves and so that 'magic endures', weh - Yenna, Triss, Margarita, Fringilla and Keira saw through Philippa's lies - That's why they remained neutral and didn't influence wars or politics too heavily/at all.

Dwarves were generally loyal despite being highly taxed and persecuted. During the 2nd war Mahakam ordered all the dwarves to withdraw from Scoia'tael units and the dwarven regiment fought very well at Brenna. And what happened? The Northern kings gave them less loot and refused to supplement their rations.

And now they suffer from witch hunts? The same holds for all innocent "mages" who are not real mages.
 
I mentioned that on an edit later cause the page crashed for a sec and my post was incomplete. But yeah, it's a bit optimistic, our view but is defenetly the most lore-friendly I think. Nice to see you again Mr Paprikamann!
 
I mentioned that on an edit later cause the page crashed for a sec and my post was incomplete. But yeah, it's a bit optimistic, our view but is defenetly the most lore-friendly I think. Nice to see you again Mr Paprikamann!

"Again"? I was here all the time ...? :D
 
Jajajajajaja (thats how we spell laughter in my country) not the first time you answer one of my posts. Remmember the one about Regis?

I do, but that was just a few days ago. Where did you expect me to be/go? :p

I hope, it's not gonna be the last one. ;)
 
I found the Witcher ending the best personally . I found Geralt giving Ciri her new sword the congratulations you passed the test . If you also listen to the narrative it doesn't say she died . She got fame does this mean then later in life she could use her fame to become Empress this ending leaves that possibility open if you look beyond the narrative . It say no where how long she is a Witcher so there is plenty of room to stretch your imagination .
 
All I'm gonna say is...

After the empress ending and when the storyboards started, the sad music played, same for the Ciri dead ending

In the witcheress ending that happy horse racing music played during the storyboards.

:)


And I thought I was the only one who noticed that.


The only problem i have with the witcher ending is, that its so short compared to the empress ending.
whining at a high level i know ^^
 

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