List of characters in The Witcher series

The fictional universe of The Witcher saga was created by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski in his[1] series of novels (The Witcher Saga). The following is a list of notable characters from the series of books.

Main characters
Geralt cosplay

Geralt of Rivia
See also: Geralt of Rivia

Geralt of Rivia (Polish: Geralt z Rivii), known also as Gwynnbleid (Old Speech: "White Wolf", given to him by the Dryads) or the "Butcher of Blaviken", is a witcher and the protagonist of the Witcher series and its adaptations. He has been described as a character embodying "the neo-liberal anti-politics" spirit of the Polish popular culture of the 1990s.[2]

He is linked to Ciri by destiny, this being the central plot of the saga.

Ciri of Cintra
Ciri cosplay

Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, known as Ciri, the Lady of Time and Space and princess of Cintra, is one of the main characters of the Witcher saga, around whom much of the plot is centered. She is the lion cub of Cintra, daughter of Pavetta and Duny (also known as the Urcheon of Erlenwald) and granddaughter of Queen Calanthe. She is also Geralt's destiny and adopted daughter. Ciri is a descendant of Lara Dorren and has the Elder blood which gives her access to powers that allow her to cross space and time.

Ciri was trained under the watchful eyes of Geralt, Coën, Vesemir, Lambert, Eskel, and Triss while at Kaer Morhen and became talented with a sword. Later, she trained as a sorceress while living with Yennefer at Ellander. After the Thanedd coup, Ciri became separated from Geralt, created an unstable portal, and going through it found herself in the Korath desert. After her time in the desert, she joined a gang called the Rats, but then got herself captured by a bounty hunter named Leo Bonhart and was forced to fight in an arena. She later escaped and fled to the world of Aen Elle. During her time with the Aen Elle, she was going to be forced to procreate with the King, although she was able to avoid this. She later escaped from that world and after traveling through time was reunited with Geralt and Yen. She travelled with them for a few months before their untimely deaths. Her sword named Zireael is a 200 year old gwyhyr, a very expensive and precious sword regarded as the best in the world, forged by the gnomes of Tir Tochair. It was given to her as a gift by Esterhazy, the armorer and swordsmith in the town of Fano.

At the end of the books, after Geralt and Yennefer's deaths, Ciri finds herself in the world of Camelot where she meets young Galahad, a King Arthur's knight, with whom she falls in love.

Yennefer of Vengerberg
Yennefer

Sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg (nicknamed Yen or Yenna) (Polish: Yennefer z Vengerbergu) first appeared in the collection of short stories, The Last Wish, featuring in both "The Last Wish" short story and "The Voice of Reason" frame story. She went on to appear in numerous other Witcher stories and is one of the main characters of the Witcher saga.[3]

Yennefer is described as possessive. She becomes one of Geralt's lovers although their relationship is difficult and full of drama. Both Geralt and Yennefer are sterile, which adds another level of tragedy to the mix. Yennefer has a hard time accepting the fact and tries various methods of restoring her fertility. Yennefer ends up becoming a mother to Ciri while teaching her and watching over her while she was at Ellander.

Yennefer was born on Belleteyn of the year 1173. She lived in the capital city of Aedirn, Vengerberg. She is one of the most powerful mages on the continent and is surpassed by only a handful. She is the youngest member of the Council of Sorcerers and later she became a member of the Lodge of Sorceresses. During the Battle of Sodden Hill she was blinded by Fringilla Vigo, a Nilfgaardian sorceress. Her sight was magically restored.

Yennefer was famous for her beauty, even though during the events of The Swallow's Tower, she was 94 years old. She always dressed in black and white clothing. She used lilac and gooseberry perfumes. She had violet eyes and raven black hair. Before becoming a sorceress, she was a hunchback, but had her deformities fixed by Tissaia de Vries while being an apprentice although Geralt is able to see the subtle clues that let him figure out the truth.

At the end of the books, Yennefer ends up dying while trying to heal Geralt, after losing all her energy.

Supporting characters
Triss cosplay

Triss Merigold

Triss Merigold of Maribor, a sorceress and a friend of Geralt and Yennefer. She took care of Ciri for some time and is like an older sister to her. She was a member of the Lodge of Sorceresses. Triss is in love with Geralt.

The image of Triss Merigold from The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings appeared as cover girl in the Polish edition of Playboy in May 2011.[4] She also appeared in a live model calendar for the game in Russia.[5]

Dandelion (Jaskier)

Julian Alfred Pankratz, Viscount of Lettenhove, commonly known as Dandelion (Polish: Jaskier) is a poet, minstrel, bard, and Geralt's best friend. The Polish word jaskier actually refers to the Buttercup flower (Ranunculus). Some of his more famous ballads were about the relationship between Geralt and Yennefer. By the time of the saga he was already in his 40s though it was said that he looked like he was in his 30s and was often mistaken for an elf. He accompanies Geralt in many of the short stories and ends up joining his hansa while searching for Ciri but left it before the assault on Stygga and makes Geralt promise he would return with Ciri at Touissant where Dandelion lives. He would later rejoin Geralt and witness his and Yennefer's death at Rivia.

King Foltest

King Foltest is the king of Temeria, and involved in an incestuous affair with his sister that produced a daughter, although both the mother and child die in childbirth. They are buried in the family crypt beneath the family castle. However, 5 years later the situation and magic of the fantasy setting causes the daughter to become an undead beast called a Striga that kills villagers and forces the royal family of Temeria to abandon their castle and let it fall in to ruins. King Foltest forbids anyone to destroy the Striga and eventually hires Geralt to lift the curse of the daughter he dearly loves. Geralt is successful, and the girl returns to life as a 15 year old, but uneducated and must be taught to speak and behave as a person.

Milva

Maria Barring (known as Milva) is a talented female archer who was one of the few non dryads who was tolerated in Brokilon. After guiding the remains of the beaten Scoia'tael commandos during the second war she joined Geralt's quest to find Ciri. She would later reveal herself to be pregnant and would struggle between choosing an abortion or keeping the child. In the end she would later miscarry after being wounded during the Battle for the Bridge on the Yaruga. During the hansa's stay at Toussaint she struck up a relationship with a baron. She would later perish providing covering fire for the rest of the hansa during the assault on Stygga.

Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach

Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach (known as Cahir) was an intelligence officer in the Nilfgaardian army who would later join Geralt's hansa. Cahir was from Vicovaro and had five siblings and would end up falling in love with Ciri after he saved her during the attack on Cintra. However, Cahir was supposed to capture Ciri and bring her back to Emhyr, but she fled and he was forced to come back empty handed which lead to him being thrown into prison. He would have another chance to redeem himself during the coup at Thaned, but would once again fail. He would later end up joining the hansa as he wanted to protect and save Ciri. Due to him being a Nilfgaardian and more specifically the black knight who haunted Ciri's dreams, Geralt would have a hard time trusting him, but this would later change. Cahir ended up perishing in a duel against Leo Bonhart during the assault on Stygga in an attempt to buy some time for Ciri and Angoulême.

Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy

Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy (known as Regis) was a higher vampire and a member of Geralt's hansa and was well over 400 years old by the time of the books. Regis would later join the party after rescuing Geralt and Dandelion. However, due to him being a vampire, Geralt was reluctant to let him join; though the rest of the members had an easier time with it. Regis was often fond of telling others how wrong they were about their knowledge of vampires and would enjoy having intellectual conversations with the other members of the group. Unlike other vampires Regis did not drink blood due to his addiction to it when younger. During the hansa's stay at Toussaint he developed a relationship with a succubus. Regis was very resistant to both physical damage and temperature and could regenerate even if cut into pieces. Unfortunately for him, it did not help him during the fight with Vilgefortz who melted him into a column with a powerful spell.

Angoulême

Angoulême was a fair hair girl who resembled Ciri. She was from a rich Cintran family but would later renounce her family and join a gang called the Nightingales. She would later end up joining Geralt's hansa after getting captured and becoming a crown witness in the investigation of the Nightingales. Geralt would later demand her release if he was to kill the Nightingales and because of this she would end up joining his hansa in return for what he did for her. Angoulême was quite fond of swearing and dreamed of opening up a bordello. Angoulême would later perish during the assault on Stygga. She died from blood loss from a wound she received while protecting Ciri.

Philippa Eilhart

Philippa Eilhart was King Vizimir's advisor and remained in Redania's court after his assassination which was something that she herself arranged. Philippa was a very powerful sorceress and was one of the few to have the ability to polymorph. She was a close ally to Dijkstra and would occasional sleep with him even though she was a bisexual. She was a member of the Chapter on the Conclave and was the leader of the Thanedd coup and the founder of the Lodge of Sorceresses. Philippa would arrange the coup in an attempt to get rid of the pro Nilfgaardian mages and strike first; however, her plans would backfire as the conclave would end up collapsing leaving the North weakened. Philippa along with the rest of the Lodge (besides Yennefer) attempted to use Ciri as a political tool in an attempt to create a state run by mages, however, in the end her plans failed. After the events at Rivia, Philippa would end up faking her death and escaping during a witch hunt and would later end up becoming known as Saint Philippa.

Dijkstra

Dijkstra was the spymaster in Vizimir's court. He considered himself to be close friends with Philippa and was in love with her. Dijkstra would later help Philippa in the coup at Thanedd but became crippled after Geralt would snap his leg. Dijkstra was considered to be a tall man and didn't look like a typical spymaster. He would later end up becoming one of the key reasons why the North won the second war against Nilfgaard as he managed to secure aid from Kovir which allowed him to get mercenaries and supplies for the Northern armies, however, due to being a commoner and not a noble the leaders of the North would look down upon him. At the end of the novels he was forced to flee Redania and the North after Philippa tried to have him killed when she thought that he was getting close to finding out what happen to Vizimir.

Vilgefortz

Vilgefortz was a member of the Chapter of the Conclave and was a very powerful sorcerer. Along with being one of the most powerful mages in the world of the Witcher, he also happened to be one of the greatest fighters and displayed his skills when he beat and crippled Geralt in a duel at Thanedd. Vilgefortz was not a typical mage as he didn't decide to become one until he was already well into an adulthood and was already an experienced mercenary. Also unlike the majority of sorcerers who tended to freeze their ages when they were older so they look distinguished he happened to look like a man in his 30s and was quite handsome. He also happen to be one of the rare offspring of a mage as most of them are sterile. During the first war with Nilfgaard Vilgefortz proved to be crucial for the North winning as he led the mages during the battle of Sodden hill. He along with his fellow mages were considered heroes in the North, but he would later end up switching sides and working with Emhyr in an attempt to get his hands on Ciri so he could have the elder blood from the child he planned to put in her. Vilgefortz was later killed during the assault on Stygga at the hands of Geralt though it was no easy task as he seriously wounded Yen and Geralt and (literally) melted Regis.

Leo Bonhart

Leo was one of the most famous bounty hunters on the continent during the events of the books. He was nearly seven feet tall though he was described as being ghoulish and had fish like eyes. He was an incredibly dangerous sword fighter and he easily defeated the gang of Rats and also claimed to have killed three Witchers and had their medallions as proof, though Yennefer questioned if he actually defeated them in a sword duel or if he killed them through other means. Leo was hired by Steffan Skellan to kill Ciri though he ended up capturing her and would use her as a pit fighter. Ciri would later escape him and he would unsuccessfully give chase. He joined an alliance with Vilgefortz and Steffan Skellan and would later end up killing Cahir during the assault on Stygga, but he himself was later killed in a duel against Ciri.

Eredin (King of the Wild Hunt)

Eredin is a figure that leads a horde of ghastly riders across the sky. In The Swallow's Tower, he and Avallac'h lure Ciri to the tower, which led to her imprisonment in the world belonging to Aen Elle. There, the duo tried to force her to beget a child with the king of the Aen Elle elves to harness her powers. Eredin ruined the plan by killing the king. Ciri managed to escape with the help of unicorns, but not before learning that elves have massacred humans on the Aen Elle world.

Mousesack

Mousesack (Myszowór in Polish, Ermion in The Witcher 3 video game) is a druid from Skellige Islands and a good friend of Geralt. He helps raise Ciri before the Slaughter of Cintra.

Queen Calanthe

Calanthe is the queen of Cintra and a grandmother of Ciri. She dies during the Slaughter of Cintra.

Adaptations cast
List indicator(s)
  • A dark grey cell indicates that the character did not appear or that the character's presence has yet to be announced.
  • A Y indicates a role as a younger version of character portrayed by another actor.
  • A U indicates an uncredited role.
  • A P indicates a photographic role.
  • A C indicates a cameo role.
  • A V indicates a voice-only role.
  • An A indicates an appearance through archival footage or stills.
  • An M indicates the actor was part of the main cast for the season.
Character Film Television series Video games
The Hexer The Hexer The Witcher The Witcher The Witcher 2:
Assassins of Kings		 The Witcher III: Wild Hunt
Season 1 Season 2
2001 2002 2019 2021 2007 2011 2015
Geralt of Rivia
The Witcher		 Michał ŻebrowskiM[6] Henry CavillM[7] Henry CavillM Jacek Rozenek[8]
Maciej ŁagodzińskiY[9] Tristan RuggeriY
Ciri of Cintra
Lady of Time and Space		 Marta Bitner[9] Freya AllanM[10] Jo Wyatt Anna Cieślak
Jagoda SkretowskaY
Yennefer of Vengerberg Grażyna Wolszczak[9] Anya ChalotraM[10] Denise Gough
Beata Jewiarz
Jaskier Dandelion
Julian Alfred Pankratz		 Zbigniew Zamachowski[11] Zbigniew ZamachowskiM Joey BateyM[12] Tim Beckmann John Schwab
Jacek Kopczyński
Vesemir Jerzy Nowak[9] Stand-in Kim Bodnia[13] William Roberts William Roberts
Duny
Emperor Emhyr var Emreis		 Dariusz Jakubowski[14] Bart Edwards Charles Dance[15]
Mousesack Ermion Aleksander Bednarz[14] Adam Levy[10] Patrick Drury
Queen Calanthe Ewa Wiśniewska[14] Jodhi May[10]
Pavetta Agata Buzek[14] Gaia Mondadori
Stregobor Olgierd Łukaszewicz Lars Mikkelsen[12]
Renfri of Creyden Kinga Ilgner[14] Kinga Ilgner Emma Appleton
Weronika PelczyńskaY
Téa Małgorzata Zasztowt[11] Adele Oni
Alvéaenerle "Véa" Julita Famulska[11] Colette Dalal Tchantcho
Falwick Maciej Kozłowski[9] Maciej KozłowskiM
Nenneke Anna Dymna[16]
Iola Maria Peszek[16]
Yarpen Zigrin Jarosław Boberek[16] Jeremy Crawford
Crach an Craite Michał Milowicz[16] Blair Kincaid
Setnik Ryszard Kotys[16]
Boholt Marian Glinka[16] Steve Wall
King Foltest of Temeria Edward Żentara[17] Shaun Dooley Shaun Dooley[18] Adam Bauman
Uncredited ActorY Philip Hurd-WoodU Antony Byrne
Adda the White Magdalena Górska Jade Croot Colleen PrendergastU
Korin Waldemar Kownacki Martin Berencsy
Triss Merigold of Maribor Anna ShafferM[12] Jaimi Barbakoff
Agnieszka Kunikowska
Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach Eamon FarrenM[12]
Tissaia de Vries MyAnna BuringM[10]
Istredd Bronisław Wrocławski Royce PierresonM[12]
Fringilla Vigo Mimi NdiweniM[10]
Dara[upper-alpha 1] Wilson Radjou-PujalteM[12]
Vilgefortz of Roggeveen Mahesh JaduM
Francesca Findabair
Enid an Gleanna		 Mecia Simson
Zoltan Chivay Peter Marinker Alexander Morton
Vernon Roche Mark Healy
Krzysztof Banaszyk
Ves Barbara Kałużna
Laura Rogers
Síle de Tansarville Anna Ulas
Philippa Eilhart Pandora Colin
Elżbieta Jędrzejewska
Nohorn Wiesław Chmielinski Packy Lee
Tailles Rafał Mohr
Nimir Wladysław Baranski
Vyr Mariusz Jakus
Civril Grzegorz Emanuel
Tavik Janusz Rymkiewicz
Eldar de Casteberg Henryk Talar
Eithné Dorota Kamińska Josette Simon
Ivo "Cykada" Mirce Dariusz Biskupski
Clovis Arkadiusz Janiczek
Gascaden Jarosław Nowikowski
King Herewald Mariusz Leszczyński
Baron Herm Andrzej Hudziak
Haxo Andrzej Musiał
Vissegerd Jerzy Schejbal
Bard Drogodar Dariusz Siastacz
Niszczuka Andrzej Bryg
Yurga Jarosław Gruda Francis Magee
Eist Tuirseach Jerzy Piwowarczyk Björn Hlynur Haraldsson
Zlotolitka[upper-alpha 2] Angelika Brykczyńska Anna-Louise Plowman
King Niedamir Rafał Królikowski

Notes
  1. Dara is an original character from the 2019 Netflix television series universe
  2. In the Netflix adaptation the character is named Zola
gollark: ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
gollark: ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
gollark: ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
gollark: ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
gollark: ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌

References
  1. Ewa Mazierska (2007). Polish postcommunist cinema: from pavement level. Peter Lang. p. 17. ISBN 978-3-03910-529-8. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  2. Péter Apor (2008). Past for the eyes: East European representations of communism in cinema and museums after 1989. Central European University Press. p. 198. ISBN 978-963-9776-05-0. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  3. Yennefer Archived 2012-04-29 at the Wayback Machine info on Fantasy Fan Archived 2009-01-31 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "The Witcher 2 – Triss Merigold: Polish Playboy May 2011". Unfinished Man. Archived from the original on January 14, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  5. "Russian Witcher 2 Calendar Bares All in the Name of Marketing". Kotaku. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  6. Copeland, Wesley (4 September 2018). "There Was a Witcher Movie and Series in 2001". IGN. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  7. Whitbrook, James (September 4, 2018). "Henry Cavill Will Lead Netflix's Witcher Series as Geralt of Rivia". io9. Archived from the original on September 5, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  8. LAGC, KM World News Live (18 February 2019). "Doug Cockle The voice of Geralt of Rivia Most asked questions The Witcher". YouTube. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  9. Nugent, Baz (10 December 2019). "It's in Forrin: The Hexer". Geek Ireland. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  10. Petski, Denise (October 10, 2018). "'The Witcher': Netflix Fantasy Drama Series Casts Its Females Leads Ciri & Yennefer". Deadline. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  11. Macgregor, Jody (24 December 2019). "The serious comparison you've been waiting for: Netflix's Witcher vs the 2002 Polish TV show". PC Gamer. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  12. Petski, Denise (October 31, 2018). "'The Witcher': First Look At Henry Cavill As Geralt Of Rivia; Netflix Rounds Out Cast As Production Begins". Deadline. Archived from the original on November 1, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  13. Shanley, Patrick (February 28, 2020). "'The Witcher' Casts 'Killing Eve' Alum in Key Role". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  14. CTC, CTC (9 January 2020). "The Witcher (Netflix): What does the Polish version look like?". Allociné (in French). Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  15. Matulef, Jeffrey (14 August 2013). "Game of Thrones actor joins The Witcher 3". Euro Gamer. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  16. Elley, Derek (31 December 2002). "The Hexer: Review". Variety. Retrieved 31 December 2002.
  17. https://film.wp.pl/edward-zentara-popelnil-samobojstwo-6025274301441153g/9
  18. Pérez, Cristina M (7 May 2019). "'The Witcher': Shaun Dooley to be the Foltest King of Temeria". Vandal Random (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 May 2019.

Further reading
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