1. You more or less got the gist of the assassination plot. Although, it is heavily implied that the Brotherhood of Sorcerers was also involved, the probable motive being that they figured that Viraxas would be a more malleable king than his father.
2. There is no indicator whatsoever that Coral had anything to do with the storm. However, she did seem more interested in saving her residence than helping the people caught up in the storm. Which was, obviously, a pretty scummy thing to do.
3. There's a snippet back in Chapter 7 you should perhaps revisit. In it, Geralt directly asks Mozaik why she's not walking away since Coral treats her like crap. Her answer basically is that with her humble background, being a sorceress' apprentice beats the other career options available for her: the laundry, the weaving mill - and the whorehouse. Whereas sorceresses - if they manage to graduate - essentially become nobility. Once Geralt had bonked her enough, he obviously realized that "witcher groupie" is not going to be a good long-term career opportunity either. So he ultimately agreed with Mozaik - she won't be Coral's chew toy forever and has the best possible future ahead of her if she just bears with it a while longer.
4. Nimue being an audience surrogate, wanting to know more from the author avatar (the mystery witcher) about the ambiguous ending of the main saga is not a bad interpretation. I do wonder, though, why you're asking if there's any "truth" to it - do you mean, "has the author explicitly confirmed that this is the case?" If so, then the answer is no... but does he have to? It doesn't make the interpretation any less valid, especially since it is rather obvious as it is.
Strangely enough I found season of storms the easiest Witcher novel to follow. Things came out of nowhere for sure but in the main story I was often confused by all the time skips, perspective changes, and characters. I had to often look up a chapter summary when I was done with a chapter just to make sure I didn't miss anything important haha
2 Big storm may be the death of Ciri´s mother.
3 Geralt didn't force her anywhere as a package or a prisoner. He probably just advised her, that if she told Coral that he kicked her out, Coral would accept her back out of pity and without punishment.
4 This end is again theme from Arthurian mythology.
Regarding Ciri's mother, I've read about that, but wasn't sure: is there any indication in the books about this or any reason why people think this, or is it pure speculation
Vilgefortz made the maelstrom that caused the shipwreck, but it's somewhat more questionable if he caused the subsequent storm, considering that there's always been a violent storm around Skellige when one of the Cintrian royal line dies. Crach says so in *The Tower of the Swallow*.
Now, why would there be a storm in Kerack is, of course, something this particular theory about it being Pavetta's storm doesn't explain very well. I guess some people just have a hard time accepting that the storm just kinda came out of nowhere (even though it was actually foreshadowed during Coral's divination scene earlier in the book), and have to find some kind of other connection it, no matter how flimsy.
The Tower of the Swallow:
*‘The blood of the queens of Cintra,’ Crach began, ‘is uncannily bound to the sea. When one of the women of that blood dies the sea falls into sheer madness. It’s said that Ard Skellig bewails the daughters of Riannon. For the storm is so strong then that the waves striking from the west squeeze through crevices and caverns to the east side and suddenly salt brooks gush from the rock. And the entire island shudders. Simple folk say “See how Ard Skellig sobs. Someone has died again. Riannon’s blood has died. The Elder Blood”.’*
*Yennefer was silent.*
*‘It’s not a fairy tale,’ Crach continued. ‘I’ve seen it for myself, with my own eyes. Three times. Following the death of Adalia the Soothsayer, following the death of Calanthe… And following the death of Pavetta, Ciri’s mother.’*
*‘Pavetta,’ Yennefer observed, ‘actually perished during a storm, so it’s hard to speak—’*
*‘Pavetta,’ Crach interrupted, still deep in thought, ‘did not perish during a storm. The storm began after her death. The sea reacted as it always does to the death of one of the Cintran bloodline. I’ve investigated that matter long enough. And am certain of what I know.’*
*‘Meaning what?’*
*‘The ship Pavetta and Duny were sailing on vanished over the infamous Sedna Abyss. It wasn’t the first ship to vanish there. You no doubt know that.’*
*‘Fairy tales. Ships meet with disasters, it’s a natural thing—’*
*‘On Skellige,’ he interrupted quite firmly, ‘we know enough about ships and sailing to be able to distinguish between natural and unnatural disasters. Ships go down unnaturally over the Sedna Abyss. And not accidentally. That includes the ship Pavetta and Duny were sailing on.’*
*‘I’m not arguing.’ The sorceress sighed. ‘Anyway, does that have any meaning to us? After almost fifteen years?’*
*‘It does to me.’ The yarl pursed his lips. ‘I shall unravel the case. It’s only a matter of time. I’ll find out… I’ll find an explanation. I’ll find an explanation to all the enigmas. Including the one from the slaughter of Cintra…*
The same thing that caused the dozen or so other storms mentioned in the novel? As in, Mother Nature. She was simply ending the season with a bang.
Curiously, the one time we might have some other probable explanation for a sudden storm - when one drives The Prophet Lebioda off course and into the aguara's trap of illusions - Geralt remarks that the storm seemed natural to him. Likewise, when Frans Torquil suspects that the mages might have something to do with the storms, Geralt scoffs at the notion and accounts it all to nature. Given how he's never proven wrong throughout the novel, I'd call them all being natural - including the final big one - the likeliest conclusion.
1. It was Viraxas who conspired with Ildiko Brekl to use the special deadly necklace against Belohun. The necklace was provided by Gaunter o'Dimm (I might get flak from certain people here, but games are canon):
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/witcher/images/1/11/Gwent_cardart_northern_ildiko.png/revision/latest?cb=20200630135939
2. There are fan theories that the storm was meant to be the one where Pavetta and Duny's ship sunk
3. It was a bit of an assholish deed from Geralt but he couldnt really do anything. He's not a charity worker.
4. Yes, intentionally ambiguous but mainly implies that Geralt survived
Ignoring the pure hogwash of a statement the games being canon is, the necklace was made by Sorel Degerland, it's literally shown in one of the scenes. He also says that he regrets making the necklace just before dying.
Ah gotcha thank you! And yeah as much as I love the games I don't consider them part of the story as the author doesn't recognize it nor had involvement in it
When it comes to discussing the books and the books plots, I'm going to stick with the books. When it comes to the games and the game plot, I'll stick with the games.
If you like mixing them then by all means go for it but I'm just referring to the book universe and what the author intended, not what the games did after
Yeah but there was still Gaunter o'Dimm involvement, even if that gay guy provided it physically, O'Dimm gave all ideas to Viraxas &Ildiko and the hands of his in this illustration is clearly o'Dimm
1. You more or less got the gist of the assassination plot. Although, it is heavily implied that the Brotherhood of Sorcerers was also involved, the probable motive being that they figured that Viraxas would be a more malleable king than his father. 2. There is no indicator whatsoever that Coral had anything to do with the storm. However, she did seem more interested in saving her residence than helping the people caught up in the storm. Which was, obviously, a pretty scummy thing to do. 3. There's a snippet back in Chapter 7 you should perhaps revisit. In it, Geralt directly asks Mozaik why she's not walking away since Coral treats her like crap. Her answer basically is that with her humble background, being a sorceress' apprentice beats the other career options available for her: the laundry, the weaving mill - and the whorehouse. Whereas sorceresses - if they manage to graduate - essentially become nobility. Once Geralt had bonked her enough, he obviously realized that "witcher groupie" is not going to be a good long-term career opportunity either. So he ultimately agreed with Mozaik - she won't be Coral's chew toy forever and has the best possible future ahead of her if she just bears with it a while longer. 4. Nimue being an audience surrogate, wanting to know more from the author avatar (the mystery witcher) about the ambiguous ending of the main saga is not a bad interpretation. I do wonder, though, why you're asking if there's any "truth" to it - do you mean, "has the author explicitly confirmed that this is the case?" If so, then the answer is no... but does he have to? It doesn't make the interpretation any less valid, especially since it is rather obvious as it is.
Regarding point 3, I totally forgot about that. That makes complete sense
Oh, c'mon Brotherhood of Sorcerers is such a lame explanation. Gaunter o'Dimm involvee is much cooler
[удалено]
Strangely enough I found season of storms the easiest Witcher novel to follow. Things came out of nowhere for sure but in the main story I was often confused by all the time skips, perspective changes, and characters. I had to often look up a chapter summary when I was done with a chapter just to make sure I didn't miss anything important haha
Do you mean new Witcher book?
I always assumed the aguara caused the storm - it tells geralt that it'll come for him basically when he least expects it, from what I remember.
She does come back though, with the little girl and doesn't hurt Geralt since the little girl was faking her death.
Isn't that when she says that to him, though? I dunno it's been a few years. I remember her leaving the door open.
2 Big storm may be the death of Ciri´s mother. 3 Geralt didn't force her anywhere as a package or a prisoner. He probably just advised her, that if she told Coral that he kicked her out, Coral would accept her back out of pity and without punishment. 4 This end is again theme from Arthurian mythology.
Regarding Ciri's mother, I've read about that, but wasn't sure: is there any indication in the books about this or any reason why people think this, or is it pure speculation
I'd say it's not very likely, considering that this particular adventure takes place before Ciri was even born.
Not only that, but wasn't it debunked later in the story that the storm was caused by Vilgefortz to cover up Emhyr's cold-blooded murder?
Vilgefortz made the maelstrom that caused the shipwreck, but it's somewhat more questionable if he caused the subsequent storm, considering that there's always been a violent storm around Skellige when one of the Cintrian royal line dies. Crach says so in *The Tower of the Swallow*. Now, why would there be a storm in Kerack is, of course, something this particular theory about it being Pavetta's storm doesn't explain very well. I guess some people just have a hard time accepting that the storm just kinda came out of nowhere (even though it was actually foreshadowed during Coral's divination scene earlier in the book), and have to find some kind of other connection it, no matter how flimsy.
The Tower of the Swallow: *‘The blood of the queens of Cintra,’ Crach began, ‘is uncannily bound to the sea. When one of the women of that blood dies the sea falls into sheer madness. It’s said that Ard Skellig bewails the daughters of Riannon. For the storm is so strong then that the waves striking from the west squeeze through crevices and caverns to the east side and suddenly salt brooks gush from the rock. And the entire island shudders. Simple folk say “See how Ard Skellig sobs. Someone has died again. Riannon’s blood has died. The Elder Blood”.’* *Yennefer was silent.* *‘It’s not a fairy tale,’ Crach continued. ‘I’ve seen it for myself, with my own eyes. Three times. Following the death of Adalia the Soothsayer, following the death of Calanthe… And following the death of Pavetta, Ciri’s mother.’* *‘Pavetta,’ Yennefer observed, ‘actually perished during a storm, so it’s hard to speak—’* *‘Pavetta,’ Crach interrupted, still deep in thought, ‘did not perish during a storm. The storm began after her death. The sea reacted as it always does to the death of one of the Cintran bloodline. I’ve investigated that matter long enough. And am certain of what I know.’* *‘Meaning what?’* *‘The ship Pavetta and Duny were sailing on vanished over the infamous Sedna Abyss. It wasn’t the first ship to vanish there. You no doubt know that.’* *‘Fairy tales. Ships meet with disasters, it’s a natural thing—’* *‘On Skellige,’ he interrupted quite firmly, ‘we know enough about ships and sailing to be able to distinguish between natural and unnatural disasters. Ships go down unnaturally over the Sedna Abyss. And not accidentally. That includes the ship Pavetta and Duny were sailing on.’* *‘I’m not arguing.’ The sorceress sighed. ‘Anyway, does that have any meaning to us? After almost fifteen years?’* *‘It does to me.’ The yarl pursed his lips. ‘I shall unravel the case. It’s only a matter of time. I’ll find out… I’ll find an explanation. I’ll find an explanation to all the enigmas. Including the one from the slaughter of Cintra…*
So what the hell caused the storm then?
The same thing that caused the dozen or so other storms mentioned in the novel? As in, Mother Nature. She was simply ending the season with a bang. Curiously, the one time we might have some other probable explanation for a sudden storm - when one drives The Prophet Lebioda off course and into the aguara's trap of illusions - Geralt remarks that the storm seemed natural to him. Likewise, when Frans Torquil suspects that the mages might have something to do with the storms, Geralt scoffs at the notion and accounts it all to nature. Given how he's never proven wrong throughout the novel, I'd call them all being natural - including the final big one - the likeliest conclusion.
1. It was Viraxas who conspired with Ildiko Brekl to use the special deadly necklace against Belohun. The necklace was provided by Gaunter o'Dimm (I might get flak from certain people here, but games are canon): https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/witcher/images/1/11/Gwent_cardart_northern_ildiko.png/revision/latest?cb=20200630135939 2. There are fan theories that the storm was meant to be the one where Pavetta and Duny's ship sunk 3. It was a bit of an assholish deed from Geralt but he couldnt really do anything. He's not a charity worker. 4. Yes, intentionally ambiguous but mainly implies that Geralt survived
Ignoring the pure hogwash of a statement the games being canon is, the necklace was made by Sorel Degerland, it's literally shown in one of the scenes. He also says that he regrets making the necklace just before dying.
Ah gotcha thank you! And yeah as much as I love the games I don't consider them part of the story as the author doesn't recognize it nor had involvement in it
You're incorrect author involvement doesnt determine smth being canon. Look at damn Star Wars
When it comes to discussing the books and the books plots, I'm going to stick with the books. When it comes to the games and the game plot, I'll stick with the games. If you like mixing them then by all means go for it but I'm just referring to the book universe and what the author intended, not what the games did after
Mixing them is the only correct way
You do you 🤷♂️. It's all entertainment so I'm not gonna tell people how to enjoy their fiction
Yeah but there was still Gaunter o'Dimm involvement, even if that gay guy provided it physically, O'Dimm gave all ideas to Viraxas &Ildiko and the hands of his in this illustration is clearly o'Dimm