An Impromptu Witcher Lets Play - now with the Witcher 2!

[The Madman]

**cricket chirping**

Hello? Is anyone still here? Other than DVS, I mean (and I only know he's still here because of PMs).

Sure, I still read your updates when I get the chance. And then there's Mr. Advertiser above me, I'm sure he's enthralled by the Witcher's narrative with the way he then advertises something with absolutely nothing to do with it.

And honestly no idea about the extra missions. I tried one out... Price of Neutrality I think was its name? And I remember enjoying myself, but also really not much else about it at all.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Sure, I still read your updates when I get the chance. And then there's Mr. Advertiser above me, I'm sure he's enthralled by the Witcher's narrative with the way he then advertises something with absolutely nothing to do with it.

And honestly no idea about the extra missions. I tried one out... Price of Neutrality I think was its name? And I remember enjoying myself, but also really not much else about it at all.

I'm currently playing Price of Neutrality. Good so far. It appears to be about a strange combination of Renfri and Ciri. Will post a quick review thingy when I finish.

As to Mr. Advertiser... meh. He referenced something I said on the previous page, so at least he read some of the thread. Also, he bumped my thread. Normally I would click the Report button on an add, but for the Bump and reading, I'll let it slide.

Edit: Also because I had no idea he'd posted until you mentioned it.... ^^;;

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Rose Reviews: Times of Contempt, Part 1

Okay, I don't have time to do this properly right now, because it's late and I should be in bed. However, here's a sneak preview of Times of Contempt the second novel of the Witcher series.

Picking up where the last novel left, Ciri and Yennifer are fleeing to some Mage conference. Writing that now, considering that I just finished the book, feels really, really strange.

In the first book, I commented that nothing much happened - that I felt like I had just read the beginning of a novel, not a full novel? Well, this book left me feeling like I'd just read two. Note - I read this one twice as fast as the previous one. I took time that I was supposed to be playing the next adventure pack (which I've started) and finished the damn book.

So, overall, spoiler free: FUCK YEAH! Oh my gods, this book was amazing. I read the fan translation (with its awful grammar - egads) not the official translation (which won't be released until this August. Pro Tip: PREORDER IT. I know I am. If I did numerical ratings, I'd give this one a 9 out of 10. Fan-fucking-tastic.

Although, Pro Tip 2: Have the Wiki handy. This book name-drops characters once and expects you to remember them 100 pages later with no other mentions or appearances. The afore-mentioned mage conference particularly gets thick with a Who's Who of characters, only a few of whom appear in the game. Speaking of which - I've met Dethmold. He seemed... fine. Apparently Andrzej Sapkowski writes gay men better than the game writers.

Speaking of gay characters - Phillipa. I really, really liked Phillipa in this novel. Subtle, interesting, and deep.

While I'm on the topic of gay, lesbian, and bisexual characters....

The Rats. I am very interested in seeing more of the Rats in book 3. Very, very interested.

Mr. Sapkowski is occasionally so subtle that I'm not sure exactly what went down. He did this intentionally in "The Last Wish" to create ambiguity about what Geralt wished for. He does it again in a scene near the end that left me puzzled. A part of me is tempted to keep reading tonight just to find out the answer to that question - a question that I will likely have to figure out via context since I doubt it will be addressed directly.

I like subtle writing. Usually. Sometimes, though, it can be an excuse to basically say "eh, whatever" at your audience. I really hope that doesn't happen here, because I feel this is something important to the character and I want to understand what I read. Hopefully I won't be disappointed.

Anyway, this got a little bigger than I intended. Also, it serves nicely as a "spoiler free" review. So what I think I'll do is leave this part as is (and call it part 1) and then post a quick summary of the novel tomorrow, in spoiler tags so no one gets their panties in a twist about a book that will officially be released this August. In America, I mean - it's been out for ages elsewhere else.

Edit: Minor correction - it has been out for ages in languages other than English. The British Isles are getting the first official English translation in June. America has to wait until August.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Rose Reviews: Times of Contempt, Part 2

Okay, time for the spoiler version.

Spoiler: Spoilers for Times of Contempt

Okay, so the novel begins from the very strange POV of a message rider. The rider bumps into Yen and Ciri heading to the mage conference and later bumps into Geralt killing a Manticore. I guess it's supposed to show how close they came to meeting up without doing so, but is mostly just feels like a waste since I don't care about this messenger. We stick with him through several more deliveries too, carrying messages from one king to another, until finally he gets shot by Squirrels - Toruviel specifically. It is her only appearance in the novels so far and comes off as sort of random.

Geralt, meanwhile, takes his Manticore pay to some shady character - an information broker. From said broker, Geralt learns much of the background plot of the first book - that both Nilfguard and the Northern Kings are looking for Ciri so they can get a claim to Cintra (of which Ciri is the Princess, in case you forgot). Nilfguard wants Ciri alive at all costs so that the Emperor can legitimize his claim, while the Northern kings want her dead or alive - if alive, they'd like to use her as a figurehead for an invasion, but they'd rather have her dead that in Nilfguard's hands. Furthermore, Geralt learns that Ciri has elven blood - and not just any elven blood, but from a specific line - that of Lara. Apparently that's where Ciri's magical potential comes from. Also, she is apparently a descendant of Falka, who apparently was a ruthless dictator of Redania long ago. Falka has been mentioned before, but there isn't much detail on what she actually did (even on the Wiki) so I'm not sure WHY this is such a bad thing. It does, technically, mean that she's not only the heir to Cintra, but also carries the royal blood of Redania.

Geralt asks the info brokers to look into that further. The info brokers, meanwhile, have another suggestion - it turns out there's this girl who looks just like Ciri. If Nilfguard (or whomever) were to find her instead of the real Ciri, then the heat would be off Ciri and they could all return to Kaer Morhen to continue her training in peace. Geralt rejects this idea and insists that they continue their research on that Elder Blood thing.

Oh, Geralt learns one more thing. There are some thugs on Yen's trail. Guess where Geralt heads next?

Meanwhile, Yen and Ciri have arrived at that coastal town they were heading to. Yen heads to a bank to arrange for a transfer from her account at Vivaldi's (she can't access it directly due to politics). While Yen is busy, Ciri gets to run around town. While doing so, she comes across a circus attraction - a "Basilisk" that turns out to be a Wyvern. Having played the game, it seems like an honest mistake to me, but whatever. The critter gets loose and Ciri (grabbing a squire's sword) goes all Witcher on it and kills it.

Remember me commenting on Ciri's badass points last book? Well they're nothing to this book. Wyverns are MEAN motherfuckers, in mythology, in the books, and in the game. And Ciri wrecks this one. Holy shit - you go girl.

This, however, does draw some attention. Ciri passes it off as the squire's doing, and activates a magical do-hicky that Yen gave her for this sort of situation. Which attracts the attention of several Sorceresses in the area who grab her. They take her back to the bank where Yen sorts it out.

Turns out, the Sorceresses are faculty at the Sorceress academy that Yen is currently enrolling Ciri in. They thought she was an escaped student, since they've had to move students out of the main dorms to make room for that mage conference. They all have a good laugh over this (except Ciri) and head to a Bath House for an anime-style hot springs episode, complete with random nudity for the lulz.

Tissaia de Vries, of the extract, is the OCD Sorceress from the last book. She attempts to act civilized while Margarita Laux-Antille and Yen pose for maximum nudity in an attempt to embarrass a knight who needs to speak to them. I only bring this up because said knight is Rayla. THE Rayla, the angry Flaming Rose woman who gets shot with arrows. Apparently she's a merc at the moment? A merc knight? Or was knight just a polite - oh never mind.

The point is, it gets mentioned while all the hot-springs sexiness is going on, that Geralt is nearby. Ciri uses the opportunity (while the three sorceresses are getting drunk) to sneak out and go meet up with Geralt. She rides south to meet him - only to get attacked by Squirrels, and then chased by the FUCKING WILD HUNT. Okay, you got me book, I did not see that one coming.

Geralt, meanwhile, has left several corpses in his wake. Remember those thugs after Yen and Ciri? Dead. He's handing out at a tavern with Dandelion (as he often is) when the Wild Hunt shows up chasing Ciri. Well shit. Geralt goes out to face the Hunt - and then Yen appears and calls Lightning down on the Hunt, driving it off. Nice. I bet that got their attention.... **cough**

Anyway, Geralt and Yen have a little talk and then get back together. Ciri is mildly disappointed that her reunion didn't go quite as planned, but seems pleased enough with that. Ciri and Dandelion actually spy on Geralt and Yen for a bit, while Dandelion does hilarious impressions of what they might be saying.

Anyway, EVERYONE heads back to the port town, and from there to Thanedd Island. This is where that Mage School is at, and the Mage Conference. Which starts with Ciri getting stuck in a dorm room while Yen and Geralt head to a formal dinner. A dinner that consists only of a snack buffet. Geralt is Disappoint.

Dijkstra, head of Redanian Intelligence and Dandelion's boss, is there. They chat a bit. Also, Geralt meets, like, every Sorceress ever. I couldn't even try to keep up. Notables include Phillipa, who flirts with him, but others warn him that she's gay. Triss and Yen have some sort of talk that results in Triss leaving early (and several Sorceresses theorizing that Yen yelled at her for her previous seduction of Geralt).

Geralt gets asked to a private audience by the mage Vilgefortz. Geralt gets to look at some paintings (including one by Lydia, the Sorceress with no lower jaw) and talks to Vilgefortz about some rather confusing topics. Vilgefortz wants an alliance... of some sort, but since Geralt wears his neutrality like a shield, Vilgefortz is never actually to say what he wants an alliance about. This is not one of Geralt's better moments - he comes of only slight better than if he'd stuck his fingers in his ears and said "La la la, I'm not listening!" Um, Geralt, there's a difference between neutrality and sticking your head in the sand and ignoring things in the hopes that they go away.

After the party, he and Yen sport fuck. Sport as in Olympic level athleticism, not casual. Since Geralt dropped the L-Bomb at the party (verbally, for the first time), Yen is very enthusiastic. Geralt, meanwhile, is a Witcher, so he has pretty much infinite stamina. They go repeatedly, for most of the night.

This leaves Geralt in a great position the next morning to hear some shenanigans going on in a nearby room. He heads out to investigate and gets captured by Dijkstra.

And, finally, we get the big reveal - some of the mages signed on with Nilfguard. Some of those that didn't plotted with Dijkstra to take the Nilfguard loyal mages out the night before the conference (which is supposed to start in all seriousness today). And thus, all the "North Loyal" mages (such as Phillipa, Keira, Sabrina, and Dethmold) are up and about arresting people while the Nilfguard loyal mages are asleep.

Geralt just left Yen asleep in their room. Uh oh.

Meanwhile, Ciri gets magicked out of her room by... someone.

Back at the Coup, Triss turns out to be a North Loyalist as well. She blinds Geralt so he won't witness things he ought not to, but his Witcher hearing makes it kinda pointless. Phillipa has Dijkstra escort Geralt out - and Geralt escapes (with a little help from Dandelion, who has now betrayed his employer and possibly committed treason against Redania - which has him shitting his pants, as well it should). Geralt heads to Yen's room - and finds it empty.

At this point, EVERYTHING goes to shit. It turns out that the Nilfguard loyal mages actually prepared for this (or something like this) and have squad of Squirrels hidden in the basement. Plus the Black Knight who's hunting Ciri. Also, some of the mages getting arrested were actually neutral, not conspirators. The actual conspirators (led by Vilgefortz) are armed and dangerous.

We also learn that it was Yen who grabbed Ciri. She used Ciri's prophesy powers to try to warn both sides against killing one another, but was not successful in doing so. It was just after Ciri's prophesy that they released the Squirrels and the Black Knight.

Yen tries to hold off the main force while Ciri flees. This ends with Ciri and the Black Knight stuck together in a courtyard. And, at long last, Ciri gets to use her Witcher training on the Black Knight who haunts her dreams. And... CIRI KICKS HIS MOTHERFUCKING ASS!!!

So much for nightmares. Ciri spares his life because, without his helm, he's just some soldier, and she can't bring herself to kill him. So she runs off.

Geralt, trying to get to Ciri, finds the Black Knight (broken and bleeding) and is about to kill him when the Black Knight informs Geralt that he is the one who saved Ciri from the slaughter at Cintra. Thus Geralt spares his life.

This, however, gave me some pause. The last time some "took pity on" and "spared" a girl he was supposed to kill, it was the huntsman and Renfri. So, if he saved her, did that saving include raping her? Is that the reason he appears in her nightmares? Or is it simply associated trauma? The black armor and winged helm IS just Nilfguard's standard armor (we learn later). I'm still not sure.

And before anyone asks why I always assume rape - this is the Witcher. A dark, low fantasy novel. Rape is pretty much the default setting.

Anyway, Ciri hides in Lara's tower (which contains a glitchy teleporter) while Geralt pulls a "Thou Shall Not Pass" on Vilgefortz. And... Vilgefortz kicks Geralt's ass. In melee. Wow. Did not see that one coming. Triss saves Geralt - and by "saves" I mean hauls his broken body off the battlefield.

Geralt ends up being treated by Dryads (no idea how Triss got him there). Yen is MIA at the moment. And Ciri...

The book does a wonderful fake-out at this point. We cut to Nilfguard, where the Emperor is to receive Ciri and plans to marry her. Ciri arrives... and it isn't Ciri, but the fake Ciri that the info broker had located earlier. I didn't mention it because it was a minor detail, but the info brokers got attacked at the same time as the Mage Coup and both got killed - but not before someone found the info on their fake Ciri. Whether that person knew she was a fake, or thought she was real, is unclear. The Emperor of Nilfguard, however, is not pleased. Still, he sets up Fake Ciri as the real one and gives her a castle... and then orders the search for the real on continued.

So, you ask with bated breath, where is the real Ciri? In the middle of that desert that's off the right side of the main map. Yes, in the middle of nowhere. How? Remember that glitchy portal that shreds anyone who goes through it? Called Lara's Portal? Well, apparently it works for someone of Lara's blood. Just... not well.

There is then an extended survival sequence where Ciri has to haul her injured butt across a desert with no supplies. Just when she's about to die, she runs into a Unicorn of all things. She names the unicorn "little horse" or "horsey" depending on the translation. Horsey shows her a nearby spring and they head off together. Well, sort of together - Horsey won't let her touch him. And I frown, wondering if this is supposed to be confirmation that she was raped.

Whatever, it's cute. Well, it is until they run into the giant Ant Lion. How very D&D. Horsey gets poisoned (before Ciri manages to fucking KILL the giant Ant Lion - once again, Fuck YEAH Ciri!). Ciri keeps going, and tries to treat the wound, but the Unicorn won't let her... until he's too weak to stop her, at which point there's nothing she can do. Ciri can't find any magical energy out here - she's used to using Water Magic, and there's no water.

I paused here to wonder why she didn't try Earth magic. She can't say there aren't rocks. Or air magic. She's breathing, isn't she?

But no - Ciri sets on the idea of using Fire magic. She can light a brush fire and use it as a power source. Yen warned her to never use Fire magic, but she doesn't want Horsey to die. So... she does.

At first it goes well. Ciri doesn't know healing, but she fucking heals Horsey anyway. And then, because why the fuck not, she makes it rain. And then she decided to MURDER EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER WRONGED HER AND EVERYONE SHE LOVES BWAHAHAHAAAAAA --- wait, no, she resists the evil fire temptation and the voice in her head that calls her Falka.

I'm going to take a moment here and comment on something. It was established in the previous book that Water magic causes, amoung other things, uterine cramps. This actually makes that whole "all mages become sterile" thing make a lot of sense - if casting a spell makes your uterus spasm every time, no wonder sorceresses can't have kids.

Fire magic, meanwhile, doesn't cause cramps - it causes orgasms. I'm not quite sure what to think about that.

Anyway, after having resisted her fiery orgasm's suggestion that she kill all humans, Ciri does the smart thing and passes out. Some Unicorns show up to discuss whether she should live or die, but they settle on live since she saved Horsey. And, as far as I can tell, they take her to the edge of the desert. Where Nilfguard hunters find her. So... thanks Unicorns? Ah well, at least she gets to eat and drink now.

Meanwhile, Dandelion heads into Dryad territory (at risk of his life) to deliver Geralt news about what all's been going on. Right after (or even during) the coup, some troops attacked, causing other troops to attack, and, long story short, Nilfguard has successfully invaded Lyria and Aedern while Temeria has done fuck-all to stop them. Also, someone assassinated the King of Redania. And King Asshole (Henselt) has decided to invade Upper Aedern instead of fighting Nilfguard.

**sarcastic slow clap**

Wow. Good plan, Northern Kings and Maeve. So, instead of retaking Cintra, you've managed to lose Lyria. And what's do you do as soon as the plan doesn't go entirely your way? Betray one another. Good job.

I am suddenly a lot less sympathetic about all this. Nilfguard may be a totalitarian government, but at least it isn't a STUPID totalitarian government. Maybe you all should just surrender and become vassal nations.

That whole Nilfguard invasion at the end of the Witcher 2? Yeah, at this point, I think that invasion may be a good idea. These kings are all idiots, assholes, or both.

... that is, until the order goes out to Pillage and Burn rather than capture. Damn it, Nilfguard, you had me on your side with your smarts and good government, and now you're burning instead of conquering and that's just wasteful.

**sigh**

Geralt takes all this about as well as I just did. Also, I'm 90% sure that Dandelion told him about "Ciri" being captured by the Emperor (that's Fake Ciri, but Dandelion doesn't know that). So Geralt decides to go rescue her (or something to do with Yen? I can't be sure since we don't actually learn in this book what Dandelion told Geralt), and Dandelion decides to go with Geralt, even thought Dandelion thinks it's suicide.

But enough of that - back to Ciri!

She gets taken to an Inn where she is tied to a post next to a bandit. A "Rat" apparently. The Rat talks Ciri into helping him with his ropes, which she does. And just in time, because more "Rats" burst in dramatically through the window and start murdering all the Nilfguardian types. During the chaos, Ciri grabs a sword and ends up Witcher fighting the guy who captured her... but she still won't strike to kill a human. One of the Rats takes care of it for her. And then, they make their escape. Unfortunately, the townsfolk are up in arms as well and Ciri, on instinct, kills one of them. She is shaken by this and has to be practically carried off by the Rats.

After fleeing to a safe house (of sorts), they eat and talk a bit. Ciri is tight-lipped, but the others understand - they were like that too. They want to try to escort her somewhere safe, but Ciri has some issues. A) she doesn't know if Geralt or Yen are dead or alive and B) she was kinda hoping they'd show up to save her. Since they didn't, she's all disillusioned. She thought they were perfect, and they aren't, so... she doesn't need anyone. Which she tells the Rats quite sharply. Not exactly polite, Ciri, but you're all traumatized and shit, so I can let it slide.

The Rats offer to let her leave alone, but ask her to stay and be one of them.

Ciri tells them her name is Falka. Huh. Interesting.

That night, one of them tries to rape her (because low fantasy) but gets smacked up-side his head by one of the female rats... who snuggles up with Ciri and...

... and I really wish I could read the original polish. Because either the girl just raped Ciri instead, or Ciri just discovered she's bisexual and had a very pleasant lesbian experience.

The phrasing is rather strange. There's talk of Ciri resisting, then "resigning herself" - which sounds like Rape. But, at the same time, she describes the touch that Mistle (the female rat in question) gives her in a very positive manner. It is clear Mistle gave Ciri what amounts to a hand-job. A very confusing scene.

The morning doesn't help. Ciri, still snuggling with Mistle, wakes up and gives Mistle a very affectionate kiss... before going to the river and crying as she washes herself.

Now, is she washing off the blood (and upset about the persons he killed) or is she washing off the rape?

I don't know.

I can't tell if Mistle was trying to ease Ciri's shock of her first human kill by giving her pleasure (life affirmation) or if she's just taking advantage of her.

One of the reasons I am curious to get into the next book, Baptism of Fire, is that I want to see how this pans out. If Ciri is distant or dislikes Mistle, then I will assume rape. If Ciri and Mistle are a lesbian couple, then I will assume consensual.

Why in the next book? Because this is where Times of Contempt fucking ends. Yen is fuck-only-knows where, Geralt is on a mission to save someone (either Yen, Ciri, or Fake Ciri thinking she's the real one), and Ciri has joined a bandit gang and possibly been raped. Or she's bisexual. I don't know yet.

Overall: HOLY SHIT so much happened in this book! I skipped over everything I could, and I still have this huge post that took me TWO FUCKING HOURS to write. I'm also searing like a sailor - moreso than usual.

This book is amazing. For all its flaws (stupid messenger plotline) it is a wild ride and one I very much enjoyed. After the "beginning" novel, I expected a "middle" novel, but instead I got an "end and then another beginning" novel.

Blood of Elves was a good book, but Times of Contempt is a fucking awesome book. If you haven't read the fan-translation, then I'd recommend waiting for the American release this August (I look forward to proper grammar and spell-checking). But, if you can't wait (and if you can stand the grammar problems) then go for it. Because, if you're a Witcher fan, and you haven't read Times of Contempt, then you are doing yourself a disservice. Read it.

And with that, my review of Times of Contempt is finished. Next time, Baptism of Fire.

Well, next time for the book reviews. My next post will hopefully be more Lets Play of the extra chapters.

 

[InsanityHalls]

Yup, I'm around and still reading. Just very busy with work atm but I am reading when I get the chance.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Yup, I'm around and still reading. Just very busy with work atm but I am reading when I get the chance.

Awesome. ^^

I hope you enjoy my book reviews. I'll put up "Price of Neutrality" soonish. Just finished it.

 

[Asthariel]

I will let you know, that i registered account on Escapist just to comment on your LP - good job, reading your comments is a pleasure. It's also nice to see, that you picked up fan translations of books. I can only say, that the best is before you - Baptism of Fire is my favourite part of the series.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

I will let you know, that i registered account on Escapist just to comment on your LP - good job, reading your comments is a pleasure. It's also nice to see, that you picked up fan translations of books. I can only say, that the best is before you - Baptism of Fire is my favourite part of the series.

Welcome! You're the second person who's created an account just to comment on this thread. I feel quite honored.

And yes - I am quite enjoying the novels now that I'm a bit further in. Right now, Milva is hunting a deer (while she lets us know what Geralt heard from the Squirrels (actually her) in the last book). Once again, the strange perspective is a little... well, strange. The author seems to like that method as a way to recap the big picture for those who didn't read (or don't remember) the previous book. Which is a good thing to do, but having to get to know a brand new character at the beginning of each book (particularly when those new "here's what's going on" characters practically have a red bulls eye painted on their shirt saying "expendable") is a little difficult when we're in the middle of such exciting stuff and I want to know what happens next, not what happened two weeks before the end of the previous book.

What I'm saying is - how long do I have to wait before I get back to the Rats? ^^;;

 

[Norrdicus]

Edit 2: Never mind. I clicked "New Game" and saw the "Extra Adventures" including "Damn those Swamps!" "Price of Neutrality" "Side Effects" "Deciets" "Wraiths of Quiet..." "The Wedding" and "Merry Witchmas".

Wow - that's a lot of side-adventures.

Stay away from Merry Witchmas. Stay far, far, far away from Merry Witchmas.

The guy who made it can certainly create a full "adventure" of sorts, but the pacing is horrible with 10 continuous minutes of talking that gets old after the first 30 seconds, balance is all over the place and the writing is both fan-fictiony and "Ohohoh, I'm so clever you guys". For example, one of Geralt's new "character traits" is him requesting "round numbers", by which he actually means 2^x.

"No, not 250 orens. I like round numbers, give me 256"

Price of Neutrality is an "official" adventure, and kinda interesting. The difficulty has big spikes, but it let's you hang out with the other witchers from the prologue

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Update: The Price of Neutrality

First off - voice acting! After the Swamp one, I was kinda scared they'd all be silent text only affairs.

Secondly - I'm not first level! Yay! Instead, I appear to be 20th level. Okay, not bad.

Thirdly... so, the year is 1232... 40 years before the main games. Damn - Geralt is older than I realized. Suddenly Yen being 100 years old (canon - her birthday is 1173 - thank you Wiki timeline) doesn't seem so bad since Geralt is at least 80 himself.

Fortunately for my sanity, Dandelion is NOT in this one (other than as the "modern" day narrator) because his age is starting to freak me out, and I don't need any more help with that.

Anyway, Geralt arrives home, only to find a military encampment sitting outside on the route to the castle. He does to find out what-the-fuck and bumps into Sabrina Glevissig and Prince something-or-other. And, before explanations can be had - Wolves!

And these are no ordinary wolves - they're upgraded wolves. They hurt! Fortunately, there are NPCs around to distract them.

Afterwards, Sabrina wants me to talk to her in her tent. First things first, however - I loot the wolves. Then I loot all the plants in the area. And then - I walk too far and the game teleports me to Sabrina's tent. Where... I loot more herbs.

Ahem.

Anyway, Sabrina tells me about a Princess cursed by the Black Sun who was a Surprise Child to be paid to a Witcher, who didn't bother showing up, so she showed up here.

So... Renfri + Ciri.

First thought I had - if she really IS a becursed mutant... why aren't we having her do the ritual of Grasses? Why not make her a real witcher? Sure, we'd have to call in a Wizard to help, but come on - she'd be pretty perfect, wouldn't she?

But no, that would mess with canon. Pfft.

Anyway, I don't agree to shit with Sabrina, and instead head off to the castle. On the way I fight some more monsters - it's weird when the wolves are more deadly than giant centipedes or Archspores. Although they give less XP than either, so somebody screwed up me-thinks.

I meet Lambert at the river, where he needs some help with some monster killing. And then I cross and explore around a little. Herbs - tons of herbs. I need lots to make potions.

Anyway, eventually I head to the castle. I meet Vesimir and talk about the situation. And then I head up and meet Renfri. I mean Ciri. I mean... Deidre Ademeyn. Ahem. She has an interesting effect - my medallion vibrates and all Endurance drains away, leaving Geralt unable to cast signs.

First, she has a quest for me - collect some wyvern meat. Well, I do enjoy wandering around and killing monsters, so I agree and do that. The wyverns aren't hard - the wolves that attack me on teh way there almost kill me though, and I end up using several of my newly made potions.

Wyverns successfully killed, I head back (stopping to make new potions) and give them to Deidre. She feeds her wolves (and herself) and then asks to thank Geralt. Okay. Sex ensues and... wow, I miss the sex scenes from the Witcher 2. Ah well.

She gives the same story (basically) as Renfri. I think she may even quote Renfri a few times. Plus, she's not asking me to murder anyone (as Renfri did Geralt) so I'm having a hard time seeing any reason to say no to her. But first I need to talk to Eskel.

He's in a cave. I was in the cave earlier, but a different branch (I fought a Basilisk there). He wants me to kill some Kikimores. Kay. Again, this are clearly upgraded Kikimores - and infinitely spawning. Until I Aard their nests anyway. Why Igni doesn't work, I'm not sure. Anyway, once the Kikimores are dead, Eskel tells me his bit and we head out to meet the others.

At the meeting, Lambert votes to help Deidre, Vesimir to kick her out, and Eskel recuses himself, leaving Geralt to cast the deciding vote. Easy enough - help Deidre, tell Sabrina et al to fuck off.

We tell Deidre the good news and she agrees to renounce her claim to the throne. It kinda sounds like she might remain and become a Witcher at this point, so I go in enthused. The negotiations go well until Sabrina sticks her nose in and Deidre loses her temper. And Eskel does something really STUPID and tries to restrain her. She wounds Eskel and starts a battle with the guards, chasing Sabrina into the tent.

Since I don't give two shits if Deidre warps time by killing Sabrina thirty years early, I help the other Witchers with the guards. And then I loot the guards, because I don't know how much longer this is going to be, and I need more alcohol (which they have a ton of) for potion making.

Sadly, my looting is for naught. I head into the tent and Geralt breaks up the fight with words alone. Deidre agrees to spare Sabrina (as long as Sabrina leaves right now) and Deidre gives her brother the kingdom... and then decides to return there with him.

Um... Deidre, doesn't that mean you are just next in line after him? And could stab him in the back at any time and take over?

**facepalm**

Whatever. Be stupid, Prince, I don't care. I'm just disappointed we couldn't make Deidre a Witcher. **sigh** Having gotten fuck-all out of this, the Witchers decide to never speak of it again.

And there we have it. The Price of Neutrality is, apparently... fuck all. Ah well.

It was a fun adventure. Far better than the Bog one. I enjoyed the voice acting, and Deidre being an Expy of Renfri (and Ciri to a lesser degree) was actually pretty cool.

If I have a criticism (other than not being able to make Deidre a Witcher), it is that it fails to create a no-win scenario as well as the story "The Lesser Evil" did. In that story, neither side was willing to compromise. In this adventure, both sides eventually did compromise - and thus we have a happy ending.

So there you have it.

I just started "Side Effects" - where Geralt needs to raise 2000 gold. A quick question about it. Am I actually on a timer here? Or can I take as long as I need to do this? Just checking.

Also, where can I get a book on Ghouls and Aghouls? I'm not getting the best drops from them.

 

[Fell]

I have thoroughly enjoyed your lets play. But i must admit that i find it rather humorous that you went from "Give the 1st game a chance because it is cheap on GoG" to reading the books fan-translated.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

I have thoroughly enjoyed your lets play. But i must admit that i find it rather humorous that you went from "Give the 1st game a chance because it is cheap on GoG" to reading the books fan-translated.

That just goes to show how good the world is. Although, for the record, Andrzej Sapkowski's writing has been overall somewhat better than that in the games. Not to say the games are bad, but the games got me to give his writing a chance, and now his writing is distracting me from the remaining bits of game I have left to play.

I'm overwhelmed by how influential he has been on fantasy novels and games over the past three decades and I never knew the man existed. Looking back, Dragon Age: Origins is one giant love-letter to his books. So is 3rd Edition D&D. That blows my mind.

I am VERY glad I took that one dollar risk. ^^

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Rose Reviews: Baptism of Fire Part 1

Since it worked well last time, I'm going to do a "overall impressions" post followed by a "detailed synopsis" post. So here's the overall impressions post.

First off, while I did get my answer about that scene (sort of), I was actually a little sad by the lack of Ciri in this novel. After the last two books treated her as the main protagonist, reverting to a book entirely about Geralt was a bit of a shock. Yes, there are a few Ciri scenes, but only a few - and only a page or so long each. We get to glimpse what Ciri is up to this book.

On the other hand, this book focuses on Geralt's journey. Unlike Times of Contempt which was very much Ciri's story, Baptism of Fire is about Geralt doing something that Geralt has never done before - assembling a team and working with them. Geralt usually works solo, or with a single trusted companion (and when it's Dandelion, that single companion is typically more of a hindrance than a help). Seeing him work with a group - by necessity, and with much resistance on Geralt's part - was actually quite interesting.

This book also takes time to develop a lot of the more minor characters. Dandelion gets some development. Two characters introduced in this book - no, wait, make that three - are likewise developed. Milva, Regis, and Zoltan are all introduced to the reader in this book. Those of you who are only familiar with the video games will likely only recognize Zoltan from that list.

Zoltan's role in this book was actually a bit of a surprise. I won't go into details here, but let me say that the impression I had of him in the games was that he was far more important to Geralt's backstory than he seems to be here. Perhaps he will return in later books, but for now he is a minor friend at best. Yarpin is far closer to Geralt than Zoltan is (at least as of the end of Baptism of Fire).

Another point is that this book is really the origin of the Lodge of Sorceresses that has such an impact on the games. This book is the midpoint of the Witcher saga - book 3 of 5 (it is only 5, right? Plus the two short story books.) so it stands to reason that many of the important characters and institutions of the world are being met and established here.

But that's all world building. I bet a lot of you are more interested in how I liked it compared to Times of Contempt. And to that I say... not as well. That isn't a criticism of Baptism of Fire by any means, don't get me wrong. Baptism of Fire is an excellent book. However, Times of Contempt was the world-shaking storm that really started the story, whereas Baptism of Fire spends most of its time clarifying the results of that storm. Baptism of Fire ends up being the "calm" after the storm.

Not that Baptism of Fire is calm - it's quite action intense - but the scale is smaller. Geralt is playing cat-and-mouse with great armies, but he isn't engaging in major battles - he's avoiding them. In Times of Contempt, Geralt and the other characters were caught up in the middle of these huge events, whereas in Baptism of Fire, Geralt spends most of the book avoiding more of the same. It is a different sort of intensity - a rolling boil rather than a grenade.

In many stories with a long, multi-book plot, the action can get bogged down in the middle. That does not happen here - Andrzej Sapkowski keeps the action interesting and engaging while moving through those middle "from here to there" doldrums. Our heroes are fighting for their lives - but at the same time, the heroes have enough down time to talk, laugh, get drunk, and develop as characters.

We also get the answers to several questions we were left with at the end of Times of Contempt. Answers that I'll get to in part 2. However, I wanted to let it be known that Sapkowski did not fail to tie up those wandering threads. A lesser author might have left those items "mysteries" for the next book to sort out, or shocking surprises, but instead he deals them out as we need them - in part to keep that action and interest up throughout this book.

On occasion, Sapkowski does make some strange artistic decisions. He has a habit of flashing into the future - sometimes the FAR future - and having story tellers or historians reflect on the events occurring in the novels. He does this, I assume, to confer a "legendary" quality to events, but it not only feels artificial, but also sometimes acts as a disservice to the tension. You know Geralt will make it out of the situation okay because he's talking about the events years later. Actually, I want to talk about another one of these items, but I will do so in spoiler tags.

Spoiler: Spoiler concerning the Great Winter prophesy thing from the end of the first Witcher game

Okay, so one of the "future history" bits features a section that talks about the climate change predicted in the elven prophesy. The way it was phrased makes it clear that this "history" is being written AFTER the "ice age" that is supposed to doom the world - and that said "ice age" was so minor as to get less of a foot-note than the plagues. It basically says "oh, that whole ice age thing - it was a huge exaggeration - nothing to really worry about." It implies that, rather than an ice age, the climate of the world got a little colder, but it was no big deal - not like those plagues, those were nasty.

Assuming that the game writers aren't just flushing that historical bit down the toilet, that basically implies that Alvin's vision of the future is Bullshit (or a serious over-exaggeration), or that it will be prevented by the events of the Witcher 3 or a future Witcher game involving other characters. Because, according to the history books, there was no ice age - just a slight cooling.

Of course, since Sapkowski never intended for the story in the games to exist, and since these books were written long before the games, that really isn't a huge surprise in and of itself. The surprise I have is more that the authors of the Witcher game are making such a big deal out of what is effectively a non-threat.

Again, unless the third game has the player specifically preventing the "real" ice age and turning it into a simple cooling.

So yeah, pseudo-historical stuff kinda weird.

Overall, I'd rank Baptism of Fire just under Times of Contempt. Baptism of Fire is a good book, but it didn't make me say "Holy Shit! What the fuck did I just read?!" nearly as often as its predecessor, and I found myself missing Ciri.

The more detailed review follows.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Rose Reviews: Baptism of Fire Part 2

Okay, now for the novel spoilers/synopsis.

Spoiler: Spoilers for Baptism of Fire

Baptism of Fire opens a before the end of the last novel, and introduces Milva. It turns out that, while he was recovering from his broken leg, Geralt met Milva. She is a human ranger - archer type - who serves as a guide for the Squirrels who come to the Dryad forest for healing. Geralt asked her to seek info on Ciri and Yennifer. She learned nothing about Yen, but she heard about "fake Ciri" in Nilfgaard. Except that, obviously, Milva has no idea that "fake Ciri" is a fake.

So, as noted in the last book, Dandelion shows up and decides to go with Geralt to save Ciri. Milva, after some internal conflict, decides to join them. Her reasons are... complex. Also, she has an awesome bow. However, since they're ahead of her, she needs to catch up.

Meanwhile, Geralt and Dandelion bump into a hawker. They're wearing elf clothes (given to them by the Dryads) and the Hawkers attempt to sell to them. Then, the Hawkers attempt to sell a Man in a Coffin to Nilfgaard, but get murdered for their trouble. The Nilfgaardian troops plan to do the same to Geralt and Dandelion when Milva arrows several of them to death and Geralt takes care of the rest.

The man in the box turns out to be Cahir!!!

Don't remember Cahir? He's the "black knight with a winged helm" that Ciri had nightmares about - until she kicked his ass last book. Turns out he's determined to help Geralt find Ciri. For... some reason? Geralt tells him to fuck off and leaves with Dandelion and Milva.

Milva tries to convince Geralt that going south is suicide, but Geralt could not give fewer shits, so onward.

Not long thereafter, they bump into Zoltan and half a dozen dwarves leading some human refugees (women and children) away from another battlefield. Having south cut off, they head east to try to swing around the battlefront.

This leads to them running parallel to the Yarga river rather than crossing it. Geralt is unhappy, but there isn't much else to do.

The party grows then they come across an ancient graveyard and find an Alchemist hiding in the ruins. He's been making Moonshine, but since the Nilfgaard invasion has blocked any attempt of his to profit on said moonshine, he offers it to the party and then joins the group. He has medical training and smells of Cinnamon. Oh, and his name is Regis.

- there is other stuff going on during all this, but I'll get back to it - I'm following this plotline for the moment -

Shortly thereafter, the party stumbles across a refugee camp. This unexpected development has three results:
A) the women traveling with Zoltan find their husbands alive and well, to the surprise of all
B) the townsfolk think there's a Vampire on the loose because of several mutilated corpses
C) A priest of Kreve is planning to burn a retarded girl as a "witch". Because Kreve = assholes.

Geralt, Dandelion, Milva, and Zoltan attempt to stop the witch-burning, but the priest comes up with the absolutely absurd "if you can pick up a flaming coal then she's not a witch" because... that makes any kind of sense. Usually doing something supernatural is a sign that someone IS a with, not that they're innocent. But whatever - Sapkowski is taking a shot at the Christian church of the Middle Ages and I'm not about to disagree with his opinions on that matter. As a pagan, I'm firmly in the Meletele camp myself. Go Triple Goddess!

Ahem. Anyway, when ever Geralt can't think of a way to refute Stupid and Insane Logic (TM), Regis walks up and takes care of it - by picking up the flaming coal and casually handing it to the priest, who can't touch it because it's fucking on fire. This secures the girl's release (and the priest's humiliation) - and, before any benefit from this moment of awesome can be savored, Nilfgaard attacks. Talk about bad timing!

Everyone gets separated, except for Geralt and Dandelion who end up under a cart. After the battle, they learn that the Temerian army was there too - that wasn't just an attack, it was a full battle. Geralt and Dandelion attempt to make contact, but the Temerians suspect them of being spies and haul them off to the Temerian camp. There, Dandelion is recognized and released - and then Geralt is recognized (by a bitter Cintran) and arrested. They're to hang at dawn, because the Cintria commander is an asshole.

Fortunately for them, Regis shows up to save them. By making the guards fall asleep. And bring Geralt a weapon and disguises. Geralt and Dandelion make their escape, only to accidentally raise the alarm, only for Nilfgaard to show up and make that accidental raising of the alarm an army-saving stroke of good luck. Dandelion gets an arrow in the Ear (the ear LOBE, not the ear hole, thankfully to his fans) and, while he bleeds a lot, he is basically unharmed.

Geralt meets up with Milva and Cahir. Geralt tells Cahir to fuck off again, but Cahir calls Geralt on something - both he and Geralt have been dreaming of Ciri. Again, we'll get back to that in a moment.

Regis is also there - and Geralt asks him to leave. Why? Because he's a vampire. Regis... doesn't really care to leave, thanks all the same, so while he does turn invisible for Geralt's temper, he doesn't actually leave. This comes to a head over fish soup (Dandelion catches some small fish, Cahir catches a large fish, Milva starts the fire, and Regis spices the broth) when everyone but Geralt wants to let Regis and Cahir join the party. Geralt relents albeit bitterly.

Now, I mentioned that other stuff has been going on. Several things fall into that category - the most relevant of which at this point are Geralt (and Cahir)'s dreams.

Ciri has apparently reached a sort of trauma event horizon. She has repressed "Ciri" and become Falka - a girl who enjoys killing but at the same time is childlike. She lashes out at her lover, Mistle, and then feels bad about it later and apologizes. She drops her cotton candy while killing a man, then cries over it and Mistle promises to buy her a new one, just like a child with a dropped ice cream cone. And, while robbing a Baroness, she pulls RANK as a Princess, saying that they should bow to her and that she can speak to them however she likes.

Falka has trouble even remembering "Ciri" at this point. This is actually a common reaction to trauma - the "self" retreats into hiding while another "self" takes over and absorbs all the "bad" elements. It isn't multiple personalities or anything so banal - it's not even really a dissociative disorder. She is simply hiding from the fact that she is murdering people. She hides herself so that she doesn't have to be horrified - she acts like Falka so she can pretend that she's enjoying it.

Ciri is a fucking amazing character. I love every minute of reading her and wish she was in the novel more.

Now, here's where things get even more interesting. During another side plot going on (that I'll get to later) we learn about Falka. She's been mentioned a LOT throughout the series, as a historical figure on par with Hitler. Finally, in this book, we learn the truth.

Falka was a Princess who was rejected by her father for not being a boy - for not being an heir. She led a rebellion in an attempt to change things so that women could rule without Kings. She won briefly - and then lost and was executed. And, for the crime of trying to make men and women equal in Temeria, Redania, and the far north, she is treated like the most evil person in all of history.

True, she was brutal. No more brutal than the Squirrels or the pogoms against non-humans. True, her rebels got out of hand and did awful things. No worse than Nilfgaard's soldiers.

Because she tried to make women equal, Falka is the most hated person who has ever lived.

**approving slow clap** Andrzej Sapkowski, I have rarely seen a better feminist novel than this one. Bravo.

No, seriously, I'm not kidding here. This is a wonderful example of how women striving for equality are portrayed as demons and crushed down. It is beautifully subversive. Furthermore, it makes a feminist point without detracting from the narrative - it doesn't say "look, she was perfect" - because she wasn't. She was a vicious dictator. But she's no different than any of a dozen male dictators who do the same thing and are considered "normal".

You know, I'm starting to think some of the game designers missed the subtly of Sapkowski's work. There is a LOT going on here.

Actually, come to think of it, here's another one my Spouse spotted yesterday. Back in Blood of Elves, Geralt showed Ciri that statue of the elven martyr with the roses. At the time, I thought he was showing Ciri that both sides were worthy of sympathy. I was wrong.
Geralt showed Ciri the statue of the Elven martyr, who died centuries ago, because the elves are still fighting for her. Ciri, if she joins up with Nilfgaard OR the North, could be a martyr like that if she fails to remain neutral. That statue could be Ciri's future. Geralt was saying "Ciri, if you choose a side, it doesn't just affect you - it will affect people who follow you for centuries to come. The only way to avoid that fate is to not take a side."

The thing is, until the war was going and the Emperor had his fake Ciri and all, we couldn't see that Ciri would be that powerful of an influence. But is has been proven that she is - men are already risking death for Ciri, and that's over a FAKE Ciri.

Right now, Ciri's solution is to not BE Ciri, but to instead be Falka - be the evil one that everyoen hates.

If you can't be a Princess, you can always be a Witch. And if you can't be a Witch, you can be a psychotic highway man.

Sorry, mixing my deconstructions. Ahem.

So anyway, Fish Soup.

Geralt, Dandelion, Milva, Regis, and Cahir travel along for a while. To help with Dandelion's discomfort around him, Regis explains that he doesn't require blood, blood is like alcohol, etc. He also notes that in his youth he was a "binge drinker" but - after being decapitated - he rethought his life and swore off the stuff. I feel like I should make a joke about AA meetings here....

He also points out that being bitten doesn't change one into a Vampire (exponential growth and all that). Which is interesting, but Blue Eyes established that one CAN be transformed... just not with a bite. So, one has to wonder how exactly they do it. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the transformee must drink the Vampire's blood. In this universe, that would almost make sense - Geralt often makes Mutagens out of a powerful creature's blood (in the first game anyway). Perhaps the Vampire can introduce a mutagen that mutates the target into another higher vampire?

It's something to think about. Anyway...

Shortly thereafter they bump into Zoltan again. They continue on for a bit together until a new twist comes to light - Milva is pregnant, and has been pregnant this whole time. She wanted Regis to help her abort, but she's waited too long, so all that can be done is a full induced miscarriage, which will knock her on her ass for a week or more (not to mention carry a risk of death).

Geralt and Milva have a talk and Milva decides to keep the baby.

Meanwhile, they've reached Mt. Cabon, so Zoltan is leaving the party again with his dwarves and a new batch of refugees. Before he leaves, he gives Geralt his fancy Dwarf sword (with upgrade runes) to Geralt. Awww.

Since Geralt doesn't want to take pregnant Milva through the DEATH SWAMP, they decide to cross the Yaruga into Nilfgaard territory, scoot up river a bit, and then cross back to avoid the swamp. Good plan, except that they end up crossing into an active warzone. Whoopsie! They run from the Lyrian guerrilla army, get shot at by the Nilfgaardian army, and end up stuck up by a bridge - where a battle between the Lyrians and Nilfgaardians is taking place. Oh, and a kick from a horse (I think?) causes Milva to miscarry after all. So much for that decision.

So, Geralt says "oh fuck it" and heads up to rally the Lyrians and fight the Nilfgaardians. And he does so - spectacularly. With Cahir at his side and Dandelion... around there somewhere.

The battle ends in victory for the Lyrinas. And, we learn that Geralt just saved Queen Maeve of Lyria, who is leadin ghte guerrillas. She knights Geralt for his valor - Geralt of Rivia. Geralt takes a moment to appreciate the irony and --

End of Book.

But wait, you're saying - I skipped a whole other part of the book! True, I did, because it really is like another who book taking place alongside this one. So now over to THAT plotline.

Philippa arranges for a meeting - she calls up seven Sorceresses, one from Nilfgaard and several each from the Northern, Nilfgardian, and Neutral factions during the Thanedd Coup. Philippa has decided that the massacre that occurred there is proof that they need a non-political body to handle issues of magic to prevent senseless shit like that happening again. So, she proposes forming an organization --

Shelia de Tancerville suggests "Lodge of Sorceresses"

-- to manage things, not just in the north, but throughout the world. No matter what happens, they few shall manage things from behind the scenes.

She asks several of her chosen members to recruit a few others. She has plans for one extra seat, but she'd like them to fill the rest with anyone they choose. Two seats to the elves, and an extra seat to Nilfgaard.

The Nilfgaardian sorceress invites another, and they decide to use magic to make themselves beautiful like the northern Sorceress so that they don't look down on them. Also they want to dress as cleavagy as possible because, at Thanedd, it was shown that Northern Sorceress Fashion is "Boob Window that shows Nipples". I guess because, if you're 200 years old and still have a nice rack, you wanna show it off.

And before anyone says anything - Triss is in her mid 30s here, Yen is in her 90s, Philippa is at least a couple centuries old, and the elf chick is around 400. Two hundred is not an unreasonable average to guess.

Anyway, we next have said elf-chick recruiting another elven Sorceress for the seat. And, for her other seat... they decompress Yen! AH HA!! So that's where she disappeared to! One of the major mysteries of Times of Contempt is finally explained!

Also, I had no idea that Compression was a thing from the novels. Very nicely done, Witcher 2 - good call back.

Yen is, needless to say, fairly pissed, but she gets roped into the Lodge thing.

Next meeting, they all show up in person. We get this from the Nilfgaardian sorceresses, which is nice - as noted above, it establishes their fears and then their relief to be treated so nicely. In fact, the meeting starts very comradely and girl-powery, even if it does slide catty later on.

They discuss how to accomplish their "magic is the highest thing" goals and Philippa finally lets everyone in on her plans - to marry Ciri to the King (or Prince rather) of Kovir and create a Mageocracy. Why?

Because Ciri is the last living descendant of Lara down the female line. Lara was the last of her line among the elves - the last to carry the great power of the "Elder Blood" - and now Ciri has it. This means she has prophesy power (which we already knew about) and this is also why she could use Lara's portal in the tower - Ah ha! So that's why she wasn't scrambled. Nicely played.

That would all be pretty impressive until Triss figures something out - Ciri wasn't a "chance" inheritor of this gene. She was a eugenics project. They've been selectively breeding Ciri's ancestors since Lara to try to bring this gene back. And Yennifer was part of it. Yennifer, Ciri's mother figure.

Yennifer, who in Sword of Destiny was seeking any method of having a daughter, has genetically engineered a daughter, arranged for Geralt to be bound to said daughter, and made herself the only person Geralt would trust to train said daughter to use her overwhelming Elder Blood powers.

HOLY SHIT.

And I thought Philippa was an evil mastermind. Fuck me.

This makes me think that the Witcher 1 was originally supposed to feature Yennifer, not Triss. The Alvin plot makes SO MUCH SENSE for Yennifer. Triss, in this moment, is horrified by what Yennifer has done - and yet, Triss attempts to recreate the situation in the Witcher 1, albeit without genetic manipulation. I really do wonder if, originally, it was Yen who was there at the beginning of the script writing - and only later in the game's design, when they realized they wanted Yen to be kidnapped by the Hunt, did they change the story to include Triss instead.

Also, all of Triss's sex cards show a woman with dark brown or black hair, not red hair. When Triss is known for her red hair.

Triss in the Witcher 2 acts much more like the fun-loving Triss we see in the books, whereas the Triss we see in the first game acts like Yennifer (to the point where I thought she was an Expy).

Just a theory.

Anyway, back to the Lodge. With all this discussed (and the history of Lara's blood is what leads through Falka's backstory, hence my aside above) they take a snack break and Yennifer gets a little help escaping from a Nilfgaardian sorceress. Since this is the Sorceress who blinded Yen less than a decade ago, and since they hate each-other, no one will suspect that she helped Yen.

And that's where that storyline ends.

So, to sum up - Geralt just got Knighted, Milva just miscarried, Regis was tending her, Dandelion was... somewhere?, Cahir was with Geralt in the battle, but is elsewhere now. Yen has just escaped and is trying to find Ciri. And Ciri is being Falka and needs to make things up with her lesbian lover Mistle.

Once again with the not-a-cliffhanger-but-still-demanding-answers ending, Sapkowski? Well, you do it well, so I won't complain. And I have your next book ready to go, so that helps me with not wanting to strangle you for this.

I complimented the book in my previous post, so I don't need to repeat myself here. Great book. Not quite the wild ride of Times of Contempt, true, but Baptism of Fire delivers in its own ways. If you haven't read the translations yet, I highly recommend downloading this one and keeping it for just after you finish reading Times of Contempt because you are NOT going to want to stop.

As for me - onward to The Tower of the Swallow. And more mods... at some point. Right now, it is hard to not just keep reading. In fact, it took willpower to write up this review now instead of reading more. If that isn't a compliment, I don't know what is.

Until next time!

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Update: Side Effects

So, onward. I mentioned last time that I had started this one. Today, I finished it.

In this one, the entire goal is to raise money to free Dandelion. Dandelion borrowed money from a loan shark who will feed him to a pair of wyverns unless he pays it back. Fair enough. So it is up to Geralt to raise 2000 gold.

I never did get an answer on how long I had. As it happens, it didn't matter.

Wandering around, I ran into a Blacksmith who is part of some "secret society" and asked that I win the trust of the other three members. "Winning their trust" turned out to be "win at their mini-games". I beat one guy up at the inn, dice-gambled with the grave digger, and got into a drinking contest with a third. In each case, I was rewarded with either a "treasure" or a "secret" - usually a mini dungeon where I could get loot.

Furthermore, I did a dice competition and a night-time boxing competition. I always saved first, and I always bet the max, meaning that I either won big or reloaded. To avoid wasting money, I avoided making potions.

I found a dog guarding a building. I tried to bribe him with chicken, but it didn't work. That night, as I walked by, the dog attacked me for no reason and I was forced to kill it. The "quest" was failed, but I just walked into the building and looted it anyway, so it didn't really matter.

I wanted to get into the cemetery and sewers. To get into the Cemetery, I just needed to talk to an elf woman who was hurt there and she gave me the key. To get the sewer key, I needed to do a drinking contest with some Sergent. I didn't do that one for the following reason... having done all of the above, I was already at 3000 gold. Oh, I almost forgot - I also gave buttermilk to a drunk who gave me a key to a werehouse full of loot.

Special loot I gave to the collector - just after killing the dog, two people gave me "pot roast" which I assume I was supposed to feed to the dog. Oh well.

Anyway, having raised 3k in less than 24 hours, I went to see the loan shark. I gave him 2k, but he insisted on another 1k. I tried to talk him down a little lower and he had his thugs attack me. So I killed them and looted them for 600gp. Then I went in the basement and - died several times. The method that eventually worked was a Yrden trap at the bottom of the stairs and fighting the wyverns first, one at a time, and then taking on the loan-shark himself.

Once that was done, I looted HIS body for the 2k I already paid him. And then Geralt and Dandelion left town.

The End.

Overall: That was fun. Just a pile of side quests for cash. Since I'm already a money hoarder in these sorts of games, it was no problem to make enough money fast. Loot everywhere, sell everything, and don't pay money for anything. I was hurting on potions by the end (a lack of White Radford's Decoctions or helpful blade oils was one reason for my repeated deaths at the end there) made things harder than they probably needed to be, but it also meant that I got the job done quickly.

On a side note, while looking up "curses" on the Witcher wiki, I stumbled across the "And a Curse and Love and Betrayal" adventure. It sounds really good - I'm likely going to install and Lets Play it here for your enjoyment.

And now... back to reading.

 

[The Madman]

Once Witcher 3 is done CDProjekt have said it will be last Witcher game that focuses on Geralt and that his story will for all intents and purposes be done for them. However they've also said there's the possibility of them still working with the Witcher franchise past that just in some other way that isn't connected to the story of Geralt.

So maybe, just maybe, the possibility of getting to play a female witcher isn't that unlikely. Open world Witcher game with customizable characters? I'd play it. Hell, I think it would be a fantastic setting for something like that.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Once Witcher 3 is done CDProjekt have said it will be last Witcher game that focuses on Geralt and that his story will for all intents and purposes be done for them. However they've also said there's the possibility of them still working with the Witcher franchise past that just in some other way that isn't connected to the story of Geralt.

So maybe, just maybe, the possibility of getting to play a female witcher isn't that unlikely. Open world Witcher game with customizable characters? I'd play it. Hell, I think it would be a fantastic setting for something like that.

That would be, to quote Peter Griffin, "Freakin Sweet."

Although, I'd settle for a game where you could play Ciri. Not only is she absolutely awesome, but as she's canon bisexual, they could include both straight and lesbian sex scenes. I doubt the male players would mind that at all.

 

[porous_shield]

I forgot Price of Neutrality and Side Effects existed but now I remember playing them. After plowing through the games, and taking who knows how many hours to do so, I found it hard to stomach more Witcher. The silent episodes I couldn't get into at all.

Still enjoy reading this but just haven't had time to comment much.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

I forgot Price of Neutrality and Side Effects existed but now I remember playing them. After plowing through the games, and taking who knows how many hours to do so, I found it hard to stomach more Witcher. The silent episodes I couldn't get into at all.

Still enjoy reading this but just haven't had time to comment much.

Well, as of the Enhanced Edition, both of those have full voice acting.

As to the rest... well, I never did finish Swamps. A little too much "RPG LOGIC" for me.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Oh MY!

Okay, I'm not finished with The Tower of the Swallow yet, but I had to comment on what I just read. I'll put it in spoilers for those of you who don't want to know anything at all about the books. However, if you don't care about book spoilers - and this is a very minor book spoiler, that is more relevant to the events of the Witcher 2 than anything else - then don't click. If you don't mind the above, then go for it. I look forward to any discussion on this point.

Spoiler: Minor spoilers for Book 4

So, back in book 1, Triss said something that mildly implied that her bisexuality was a "phase" and I was annoyed by that implication. However, it could also be interpreted that Triss meant that she merely meant that she tried being just straight and then just gay and settled on bisexual with a preference for other mages.

This interpretation is confirmed: In book 4, The Tower of the Swallow, Triss Merigold and Philippa Eilhart are lovers.

Take a moment and ponder that - Triss and Philippa.

This makes me very sad that these two never actually got to meet during the Witcher 2. Because that would have been a very interesting meeting.

This also means that Triss Merigold is one of the few confirmed canon bisexuals in video games. Ciri, if she really is in the Witcher 3, will be another on that list. That very short list.

So once again bravo to Mr. Sapkowski. I have rarely seen a male author handle his female characters this well.

Oh, and I started on the next extra adventure thing. It uses the map from Chapter 4, which I enjoyed, so yay.