The Witcher 4: 13 Things You Should Know About Ciri

Summary

Ciri’s ancestry ties her to powerful figures like Lara Dorren and Falka, making her heir to multiple bloodlines.
Ciri possesses unique powers including time navigation and telepathy, setting her apart in The Witcher 4.
The Black Sun prophecy and Ithlinne’s prophecy play a crucial role in Ciri’s story, connected to the end of the world.

As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the rich and complex world of The Witcher, I must say that the life of Ciri is nothing short of extraordinary. From her humble beginnings as the princess of Cintra to her travels through time and space, she has faced trials and tribulations that would break most mortals.

CD Projekt Red unveiled that Ciri, also recognized as Cirilla of Cintra, will star as the protagonist in The Witcher 4. Fans are thrilled by this news! The rightful successor to Geralt of Rivia’s monster-hunting enterprise is depicted in an impressive trailer, demonstrating her growth and expertise in her profession.

For those eager to delve deeper into the enigmatic character of Ciri from our upcoming game, The Witcher 4, here are lesser-known details that will prove insightful. From the roots of her lineage to a catastrophic incident triggered by her powers within the realm of The Witcher.

13. She Is The Heir Of Three Great Bloodlines

A Link To The Past Of The Elven Race And The First Mages

The Witcher 4: 13 Things You Should Know About Ciri

Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon came into existence as the result of the union between Emyr Var Emrheis, also known as the Urcheon of Erlenwald, and Princess Pavetta of Cintra. Their romance was destined to be tragic, yet a fateful encounter brought them together due to the Law of Surprise, an ancient and potent bond that allegedly intertwines the destinies of two individuals. Essentially, when the cursed heir to the Nilfgaardian Imperial Throne crossed paths with Pavetta, it was destiny that played its part. They believed they were in love, but it was an ancient, powerful magic that pulled them towards each other.

In contrast, Cirilla’s ancestry links her to two notable characters from The Witcher lore, both renowned and notorious in their own right. One is Lara Dorren Aep Shiadhal, an ancient and powerful elven sorceress who guided her people away from the shattered Elven realm following the Conjunction of the Spheres. Lara had a romantic relationship with the human mage Cregennan from Lod, and their union produced Riannon, one of the earliest half-elven offspring.

Riannon possessed magic so potent it was difficult to master, leading to her being taken in by Queen of Redania after her parents were slain. This powerful lineage carried a sort of “curse,” which passed down through generations, reaching Cirilla’s closest relative, Falka, or The Bloody. This unique ancestry makes Ciri an intriguing topic among heraldic specialists and attracts the attention of both elven and human magic users.

12. Her Powers Are Not Limited To Magic

She Is A Powerful Medium As Well

Because Cirilla combines her innate talent for Elven Magic with the skills of a Witcher, she’s exceptionally powerful. What sets her apart, however, are two unique abilities: she can perceive events beyond the ordinary realms of past, present, and future, an ability that may stem from her elven heritage (possibly linked to Ithlinne). Much like her ancestor Lara Dorren, Ciri is also a master of space-time manipulation, or a “Navigator,” using this power to evade her pursuers for nearly a decade.

Cirilla possesses unique Telepathic talents that appear to resonate stronger with animals rather than human-like beings. This is why she could communicate with “Horsey”, or Ihuarraquax, a unicorn who rescued her multiple times and led her back to her realm. It’s possible that she might utilize these abilities in the upcoming game, The Witcher 4.

11. She Used To Have An Unicorn As A Friend

Though Bound By Fate, They Lived In Different Worlds

When Cirilla escaped Vilgefortz’s grasp by tapping into her freshly activated abilities, she transported herself to the Desert of Korath, which lies southeast of the Northern Kingdoms, in Nilfgaard’s far east. There, she came perilously close to death due to fatigue, thirst, and hunger. However, by saving a young unicorn named Ihuarraquax from a colossal Antlion beast, she eventually discovered sustenance, water, and comfort in her newfound travel companion.

In unison, they continued their trek across the barren desert. Though Cirilla voluntarily suppressed her powers due to a potent self-imposed mind block triggered by her refusal of Falka’s latent bloodline, which brought her close to the brink of insanity and threatened to bring about destruction. Eventually parting ways, Cirilla and Ihuarraquax reunited when the young one found his group again (as time behaves differently in their realm than it does for Ciri). As an adult, he would reappear later to offer aid when she was in dire need of assistance.

10. Ciri Is Canonically The Heiress To Half Of The World

Her Title Is So Long That It’s Impossible To Fit In A Headline

Ciri, being the princess of Cintra and inheritor of Nilfgaard’s Empire, holds claim to most of the Northern Realms and the Empire due to her bloodline. She is also connected to the Redanian royal family through her mother, and to other kingdoms by means of marriage and ancestry. Furthermore, through her grandmother’s second marriage, she has a rightful claim to the Skellige Islands as well as parts of Cidaris and Verden due to conquest.

Her complete title is “Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, Empress Nilfgaard, Queen Cintra, Heir Inis Ard Skellig and Inis An Skellig, Princess Brugge, Duchess Sodden, Lady Metinna, Ebbing, and Gemmera, Overlord Attre, Nazair, Vicovaro, and Abb Yarra.” She has quite a few titles, doesn’t she?

9. Her Birth Was Part Of The Greatest Conspiracy In The Witcher World

The Black Sun Was An Excuse To Justify Heinous Crimes

In ancient times, mages across the Northern Realms (and beyond) collaborated under the pretext of a prophecy concerning a solar eclipse to conspire meticulously. Their aim was to identify Elven ancestors within the royal lineage of influential kings and queens, with the intention of subjecting them to gruesome experiments. This conspiracy allowed the mages to commit heinous acts that ultimately ignited a conflict spanning multiple generations.

In the story of Renfri as told to Geralt of Rivia, it’s hinted that The Black Sun Prophecy is false and merely used by mages as a pretext to conduct forbidden magic, such as the creation of Witchers. But how does this connect to Ciri? At certain points in time, some mages successfully persuaded Emhyr to surrender Pavetta for experimentation, with the promise that they would spare Cirilla and allow him to claim the Empire. Therefore, yes, Emhyr traded away his true love and potentially put his daughter in danger, a reckless act that could ultimately lead to the world’s downfall.

8. She Is The Human Who Is Most Suited To Become A Witcher

Her Bloodline Makes Her A Preferred Test Subject For Mages And Witchers

Born through centuries-old processes of strategic crossbreeding, carefully engineered by mages, she carries the unique genetic makeup that not only makes her a potential Source (a magical entity embodied in an individual) but also predisposes her to endure the grueling Witcher initiation, known as the Trial of the Herbs.

There’s a chance that she might be the ideal candidate for undergoing transformations without significantly modifying her biology, turning her into a Witcher. This could potentially enable her to pass on these mutations to future generations, which could have significant implications for the Witcher series. It could also serve as a justification for further sequels; only time will confirm this.

7. Ciri Used To Be Part Of A Criminal Gang Named The Rats

She And Her Crew Terrorized The Region Of Geso For Years

Following the Tor Lara incident and traversing the Korath desert, the once powerful Cirilla of Cintra found herself devastated. Her abilities were lost, leaving her as a fugitive from both the Empire and pursued by sorcerers across the continent. In such desperate times, it seemed only natural for her to align with a group of thieves and killers, known as Falka. As part of the Rats of Geso, a band of war orphans united in retaliation against a society that had rejected them, Ciri began to delve into her darkest traits.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but reflect on Ciri’s tumultuous journey during her bandit days. Amidst the turmoil, she matured into adolescence and endured an arduous ordeal. Remarkably, she maintained a semblance of sanity and humanity amidst a gang compelled to commit robberies, murders, and other unspeakable acts, merely to stay alive.

6. Her Power Was Foretold To Bring The End Of The World

Yet Another Prophecy Bound To Her Lineage

In the storyline of The Witcher, the Ithline prophecy has consistently been a central theme, playing a significant role in shaping the overall narrative of the series alongside the Black Sun prophecy. The Ithline prophecy foretold a cataclysmic end of the world, set amidst an era marked by war and disorder, where only the strong would prevail, symbolized by the wolf and the axe. Crucially, it also predicted the arrival of a potent sorcerer (or sorceress) who would harness the forbidden power of Fire to reshape the world, giving birth to an extraordinary figure in the series’ narrative.

As one prophecy within Ithlinne’s divination suggests, the world will be renewed following a cataclysmic destruction: “It shall rise anew from Elder Blood, from Hen Ichaer, from a seed that has been planted. This is no ordinary seed; it won’t grow but instead ignite.” Undeniably, this refers to Ciri harnessing the essence of Fire in the desert and the chain reaction of events that followed.

5. She Was Trained By Some Of The Best Swordmasters

Though Vesemir Was Her Most Important Teacher

Ciri learned sword-fighting skills from a young age, as Geralt recognized the importance of self-defense in difficult situations. However, it was uncovered later that Calanthe had been clandestinely training her too. Calanthe, a loving yet envious grandmother, grew particularly intense about Ciri’s education following Pavetta’s death, which some claimed was due to a shipwreck and the murder of Dunny (Emhyr).

She gave her an intense, abridged lesson on leadership and military strategy, which at that time, Ciri didn’t fully appreciate due to her youth. However, she absorbed some key teachings from exceptional swordsmen such as King Eist Tuirseach of Skellige. Later on, she would learn the art of swordfighting under Vesemir, Lambert, Eskel, and Cohen. They honed her sword skills to the peak of human ability, transforming her into a lethal weapon.

4. Ciri Lived In The Ancient Elven Realm For A While

A Doomed Visit To The Upper Realms

On my extraordinary journey across dimensions, I, Cirilla, found myself ensnared by the timeless elves, the Aen Aelle, who dwelled in a domain apart from the realm of The Witcher. In this secluded land, they bound me with Auberon Muicetarch, famously known as “The AIling King,” in an attempt to resurrect the bloodline of Lara Dorren and return the elven’s enchanted time-space magic to its true keepers.

It’s clear that things didn’t work out between Auberon and Cirilla, as there was no mutual attraction between them. While staying with the elves, Cirilla learns about the Aen Aella, who have historically enslaved both humans like herself and captured Aen Sidhe for experiments. This culminated in Eredin Bréacc Glas, also known as Sparrowhawk and the Witch Hunt Leader, killing Auberon and pursuing Cirilla to continue what the late king was unable to accomplish. In her attempts to evade capture, Cirilla managed to flee through a portal to unknown realms, temporarily escaping the Wild Hunt.

3. She Is Connected To The Lady Of The Lake

A Mysterious Character Moving The Threads Behind The Scenes

In simpler terms, Nimué, often referred to as The Lady of the Lake, is an influential Elven Sorceress who holds connections with both Ciri’s lineage and the Tilly family (specifically Corinne Tilly). Since Codwiramus Tilly was a potent oneiromancer (a dream mage), he could assist Nimué in pinpointing the precise location in space-time where she could communicate with Cirilla, guiding her to rectify history.

It’s plausible to assume that her intervention could hold greater significance than what Sapkoski has disclosed thus far. Moreover, Nimué has appeared frequently within the “The Witcher” game series. Consequently, it seems likely that Ciri and The Lady of the Lake will share some sort of connection in “Witcher 4”.

2. Ciri Visited King Arthur’s Court

And Nearly Married One Of His Knights

In the course of her journeys through time and dimensions, Cirilla found herself marooned in Avalon, an area of Britannia unknown to most save for a privileged few. Here, she encountered not just the remarkable Lady of the Lake, but was also guided by Galahad of Caer Benic to meet King Arthur directly. While residing at Camelot, Ciri developed a friendship with Galahad and eventually fell in love with him, which led her to recount her tale to his cherished companion.

In Sapkowski’s final book The Lady of The Lake, additional side-stories are included that weren’t originally part of the series. This book concludes the series, but it’s important to note that it doesn’t align with the games, which represent an alternate timeline. It’s possible that Ciri from a potential Witcher 4 may have taken part in these events, and this remains to be seen.

1. She Unleashed The Catriona Plague And Killed Thousands

Adding Plaguebringer To Her Title

As Cirilla fled Aen Aelle’s relentless pursuit, she found herself in a dismal and hazardous land teeming with decay, vermin, and an overpowering stench. Shocked by a swarm of fleas leaping onto her and biting her mercilessly, Cirilla employed her powers to leap again, eventually landing in one of the southern ports of the Northern Realms, close to the border of Nilfgaard. In surprise from the time-space displacement, the fleas jumped off her onto a nearby rat, which then hopped aboard a vessel called The Catriona.

It wasn’t until later that it was uncovered that this event triggered the infamous “Catriona Plague,” which, as it turns out, was none other than the Black Plague imported to Cintra by Princess Ciri – a little-known fact about our beloved protagonist in The Witcher 4.

2024-12-13 15:14