Vesemir witcher: Vesemir | Witcher Wiki | Fandom

Vesemir | Witcher Wiki | Fandom

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Vesemir

Hair color

Grey
Black[1](formerly)

Eye color

Amber (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt)

Race

Human (Witcher)

Gender

Male

Profession

Witcher

Affiliation(s)

School of the Wolf

Abilities

Superhuman abilities
Swordsmanship
Alchemy
Signs

Partner(s)

Mignole (one time lover)[2]

Voice actor

William Roberts (English)
Miłogost Reczek (Polish)

Actor

Jerzy Nowak (The Hexer)
Kim Bodnia (Netflix’s The Witcher)

Books

The Last Wish
Sword of Destiny
Blood of Elves
Time of Contempt
The Tower of the Swallow
The Lady of the Lake
Something Ends, Something Begins
Season of Storms

Games

The Witcher
The Price of Neutrality premium module
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

TV/Film

Netflix’s The Witcher
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf

When they’re about to hang you, ask for a glass of water. You never know what might happen before they bring it.
— Vesemir, The Lady of the Lake

Vesemir was the oldest and most experienced witcher at Kaer Morhen in the 13th century and acted as a father figure to Geralt and the other witchers. Like many of the other witchers, he spent each winter in the fortress and set out on the path when spring arrived.

He was one of the few members of the School of the Wolf to survive the assault on Kaer Morhen. By the 1260s, he was the sole old witcher remaining; however, as he was only a fencing instructor, he didn’t possess the knowledge necessary to create new mutagens in order to mutate more disciples into witchers.[3]

Contents

  • 1 Biography
    • 1.1 Training Ciri
    • 1.2 The Griffin in White Orchard
    • 1.3 Summoning Avallac’h
    • 1.4 The Battle of Kaer Morhen
    • 1.5 Legacy
  • 2 The Witcher
    • 2. 1 Associated quests
    • 2.2 Journal entry
  • 3 The Price of Neutrality premium module
    • 3.1 Associated quest
    • 3.2 Journal entry
  • 4 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
    • 4.1 Official description
    • 4.2 Journal entry
    • 4.3 Associated quests
  • 5 Trivia
  • 6 Notes
  • 7 Videos
  • 8 Gallery
  • 9 Footnotes
  • 10 References
  • 11 External Links

Biography

Considered among the oldest witchers remaining, Vesemir was born early enough to witness the construction of Kaer Morhen in the 11th century.[4] His mentor and tutor was Barmin.[5]

In the second half of the 12th century, Kaer Morhen was attacked by an enraged mob led by group of mages and priests. Vesemir survived, either not present in the keep during the pogrom[3] or mistaken as dead by the mob as he lay unconscious among the corpses of his fellows.[6][N 1] While the pogrom was condemned, the school never regained its full functionality. [3]

Vesemir accompanied by witchers-in-training

After the massacre, the school was run by Grandmaster Rennes, with Vesemir as second in command: a fencing instructor and precept for the witcher trainees,[1] replacing Varin.[5] At some point, he met Visenna outside Kaer Morhen, a sorceress who decided to give her child, a young boy named Geralt, to train as a witcher.[7] Vesemir became a father figure to Geralt,[8] but treated all young witchers with harsh affection.[1] Apart from participating in the school’s life, Vesemir also took some witcher contracts. One of his famous deeds involved disenchanting the curse afflicting the «Swan of Poviss».[5]

In 1217, during the celebration of Saovine, village of Fox Hollow in Toussaint was attacked by a horde of vampires led by Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy, a higher vampire. Along with the villagers led by Germain, Vesemir managed to kick the vampires out of the village. The witcher however, knew that their victory was only temporary and that the vampires would strike again once they healed their wounds. He commanded the peasants to the castle of Tesham Mutna, where Regis took shelter.

Although Vesemir was injured in the clash, the peasants managed to capture the vampire. After chopping Regis into pieces, they buried his remains as deep as possible. While the treatment was insufficient to kill the higher vampire, it was more than enough to convince Regis to stop drinking blood and attacking the villagers.[9]

For some time, the School of the Wolf was funded by the monarchs of Kaedwen alongside the School of the Cat. Vesemir had to reluctantly cooperate with Guxart, the fencing master of the Cats. Originally not liking each other, the two grew to understand one another. The cooperation between the schools unfortunately had to cease, as the Cat Grandmaster Treyse and a group of students had secretly conspired with King Radowit II and the mage Astrogarus against the Wolves. A week before the planned tournament between the schools Vesemir and Guxart were put under arrest by king’s men, thus spared from the massacre that occurred. During the tournament, King Radowit betrayed both Cats and Wolves ordering his soldiers to shoot them all, resolving both his budget problems and imagined threats to his power in a simple but effective way.[1]

Both masters – or, technically, acting grandmasters since Treyse’s and Rennes’ deaths – were released some time later and allowed to rebuild the schools, on the condition that the royal money would be never given to them again and that the schools must operate alone and unfunded.[1] The schools declined slowly, and the deaths of mage assistants and veteran witchers put a definite end to the Wolf School by the late 1230s or early 1240s, as children were no longer trained there after then.[3]

The following is considered game canon only and may contradict Andrzej Sapkowski’s works.

During the winter of 1234, while fulfilling a contract in Oxenfurt, Vesemir briefly dated young lady Mignole. After noticing each other from afar, Vesemir received a secret letter from the woman inviting him. The two had a tryst, which was unfortunately interrupted by Mignole’s father who’d learned of the affair. Vesemir fled, leaving his gambeson behind in the process, and had an arrest warrant for him put out by the father.[2]

End of game canon content.

Wolves in their lair

Even though the school ceased to function, Vesemir and other witchers used to spend winters at Kaer Morhen. He allowed some non-Wolf witchers such as Coën[3], but forbade the entrance for the renegades, as in case of Brehen, whose massacre at Iello was exceptional even amongst the other Cats.[10]

The following is considered game canon only and may contradict Andrzej Sapkowski’s works.

Likely around 1242,[N 2] Vesemir hosted Eskel’s Surprise Child, Deidre Ademeyn, at the keep, which prompted a diplomatic conflict with her brother and King Henselt’s vassal, Merwin Ademeyn: Deidre was first in line to the throne, which did not suit her brother well. Ultimately the princess left the castle, however not without leaving a disfiguring scar at Eskel’s face.[11]

End of game canon content.

Training Ciri

Decades later, in or around 1265, Geralt brought his surprise child, Cirilla, princess of Cintra, to be trained as a witcher. Vesemir taught her about the different monsters and herbs, leaving the physical training to Geralt, Eskel, Lambert, and Coën. However, the witchers soon found out that Ciri was a source, as she entered into a trance when she accidentally drank white seagull. The third time, Ciri foretold the deaths of Geralt and Coën. The witchers then decided to summon an old friend, the sorceress Triss Merigold, to help Ciri, under the pretext that Vesemir’s bones ached. Triss posed some conditions to the witchers as she made them see the errors in their ways of treating Ciri, and Vesemir accepted the conditions despite the initial protests of some of the witchers.[3]

Old Vesemir

The following is considered game canon only and may contradict Andrzej Sapkowski’s works.

The Griffin in White Orchard

In May 1272, on the trail of Yennefer, Geralt and Vesemir rode to White Orchard, where at a ford they encountered a merchant being trapped by a royal griffin. While fighting it, the old witcher suffered deep clawing to the shoulder. After freeing the man, they rode into the village to the local inn, and the two spoke to the innkeeper, Elsa, while a tense atmosphere filled the tavern. After Geralt met Gaunter O’Dimm, he spoke to Vesemir and decided to go to the Nilfgaardian Garrison.

After getting some buckthorn to lure the beast, Geralt and Vesemir waited in a field hidden with bait set out, and after the griffin landed, Vesemir gave Geralt his crossbow that he had won gambling. After the beast was killed, and Geralt had handed in its trophy, he and his old master headed back to the inn, where they were violently attacked by some racists. Following their deaths, the two witchers were shunned and told to leave, where they encountered Yennefer and a Nilfgaardian escort outside the inn. Yennefer explained that Emperor Emhyr var Emreis had summoned Geralt to Vizima, so Vesemir decided that he would head north to Kaer Morhen.[5]

Summoning Avallac’h

Vesemir spent the next couple of weeks working at Kaer Morhen, patching crumbled walls, with Eskel and Lambert, until Yennefer showed up, preparing the witchers for Geralt and Uma’s return to the keep, much to Vesemir’s annoyance, as she showed little care for manners.

Once Geralt arrived, everyone set out to prepare for the Trial of the Grasses that was to be performed on Uma, who Vesemir looked after until the trail was ready, taking him to the mountains, where he noticed in moments of complete relaxation, he behaved differently. Vesemir then put him into a trance and Uma spoke in a different voice. They all met the following morning and Geralt brewed the The Decoctions of the Grasses and started the trial on Uma, which Vesemir helped with but hated watching, remembering the painful history of their school. He slept through the trial until the end, when Uma transformed into Avallac’h, an elven sage, who revealed that Ciri was on the Isle of Mists and Geralt needed to find her. He also told them that when they took Ciri from the isle, the Wild Hunt would be able find her immediately, so Vesemir suggested that Geralt bring Ciri to Kaer Morhen and they all face the Wild Hunt together. He planned to spend the time preparing the keep for the coming battle with Eskel and Lambert.[5]

The Battle of Kaer Morhen

After Geralt and Ciri returned via portal from the Isle of Mists, she was overjoyed to see Vesemir. Yennefer, Triss Merigold, Ciri, Geralt and Vesemir all discussed things and then headed into the main keep. On the way Vesemir discussed flammable gasses and patching up walls with Ermion. Then all the people that had turned up discussed battle plans in the main keep, with Vesemir suggesting that they brew potions in the laboratory and use tools to clear the rubble blocking access to the armory, and then he and Geralt finished it off by laying out the final plan.

After a couple of hours, the Wild Hunt attacked, and Vesemir fought them on the walls of the lowest courtyard of the keep, briefly arguing with Ciri because she had left the inner keep against orders. Becoming overwhelmed and with Imlerith’s arrival, they decided to retreat to the main courtyard. The Wild Hunt quickly broke through the gate and froze Geralt while Ciri and Vesemir hid at the top of the courtyard. Trying to protect Ciri, Vesemir was attacked by Imlerith, who he stabbed through the leg. He then cut Eredin Bréacc Glas who dropped Ciri, so Vesemir used Aard to push her far away. Imlerith then jumped on him and started beating and choking him, while Eredin started trying to convince Ciri to join him, much to Vesemir’s horror. He spoke to Ciri begging her to run before stabbing Imlerith in the side. Imlerith, enraged, broke his neck, ending the old witcher’s life.[5]

Legacy

On the one year anniversary of his death, Ciri returned to Kaer Morhen. Recounting tales of her life story and drinking by a campfire in the shadow of the old keep, paying tribute and remembering her old friend and mentor.[9]

End of game canon content.

In the game, Vesemir is one of the first people Geralt speaks to upon arrival at Kaer Morhen, and he is the one to guide the amnesiac through his first few uncertain steps around the keep. He also tells the witcher about skinning monsters, an extremely useful skill throughout the rest of the game. Of no less importance is the fact that he introduces the character of Berengar to the plot while filling our hero in on his forgotten past.

Vesemir features prominently in the prologue and can usually be found wandering around the main hall on the ground floor of Kaer Morhen, or in the basement in the laboratory.

Associated quests

  • A Potion for Triss
  • Defending Kaer Morhen, he is coordinating the defense of the fortress.

Journal entry

Vesemir is the oldest and most experienced witcher, possibly older than Kaer Morhen itself. He spends each winter in the fortress and sets off on the road when spring comes, just like all the other witchers. Despite his age, Vesemir is robust and lively. Many youngsters could envy him his health. An excellent fencer, he was the one who taught me swordsmanship.
He has raised many witchers, including me. His disciples treat him like a father. Leo was probably the old witcher’s last protégé — the boy’s death shocked him.
He was one of a few to survive the assault on Kaer Morhen. He is well aware of the magnitude of the hatred some people feel for witchers.

In The Price of Neutrality premium module he is found just inside the walls of Kaer Morhen; more specifically, in the main courtyard. He can be found later near the ford closest to the camp.

Associated quest

  • The She-Wolf

Journal entry

Vesemir is the eldest and most experienced witcher; in fact, he may be older than Kaer Morhen itself. He spends each winter at the fortress and, like the others, sets off on his Path when spring comes. Vesemir is robust and lively despite his age, and many youngsters could envy him his health. An excellent fencer, he taught me all I know about sword fighting.
As one of the few who survived the assault on Kaer Morhen, he is well aware of the intense hatred some harbor for witchers.

Vesemir mentoring young Ciri

Vesemir returned in The Witcher 3 as a key character and was voiced by William Roberts once again. The game began with Geralt and his old mentor on the trail of Yennefer, the former having woken from a dream of Kaer Morhen. Whether or not they discussed the dream, Vesemir then requested to see Yennefer’s letter, remarking that it smelt of lilacs and gooseberries, Yennefer’s preferred perfume. Afterwards, they proceeded onto White Orchard to ask the townsfolk whether they’ve seen the sorceress in black. Both he and Geralt killed a Griffin in order to earn info regarding Yennefer’s location. On their way back to the inn, they were greeted by Yennefer in person. There, Vesemir separated from Geralt, wanting to return to Kaer Morhen to hide its path from the Northern realms and the Empire of Nilfgaard as they waged war on one another.

Vesemir disappeared for the majority of the game until Geralt returned to Kaer Morhen with Yennefer, then Ciri, where a group of resistance fighters were formed to fend off the Wild Hunt. During the battle, the King of the Wild Hunt detonated a magical explosion that froze all opposition, where only Vesemir and Ciri were unscathed. Vesemir tried to retreat with Ciri in tow but was immediately confronted by Eredin and Imlerith, the king and the second in command of the Wild Hunt respectively. Vesemir fended them off until Imlerith disarmed him, Ciri was then ready to surrender herself to the Hunt in order to spare everyone involved. In a last-ditch effort, Vesemir stabbed Imlerith in the abdomen with a hidden dagger, causing the Aen Elle general to snap his neck, killing him. Distraught at this, Ciri unleashed her power in a massive soundwave of energy that forced the Hunt to retreat. After the battle, Vesemir was then given a funeral and honored as a hero against the Wild Hunt, Ciri took his Wolf medallion as a memento.

  • In the Hearts of Stone expansion, Geralt came across a former lover of Vesemir’s. If she is encountered after The Battle of Kaer Morhen, Geralt informs her of Vesemir’s death. However, if she is encountered beforehand, there is an extra dialogue option for Geralt to ask Vesemir about her.

Official description

Vesemir plays a key role in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. He is the oldest living witcher, the only one to survive the pogrom which decimated the Wolf School witchers a long time ago. No one knows exactly how old Vesemir is, but it is possible that he is older than the very stones of Kaer Morhen, the keep where witchers of the Wolf School were trained, among which he once served as a fencing instructor. His gray hair frames the creased, craggy face of an old man, leaving no doubt that he is a veteran witcher, one whose skill could still give a younger man a run for his money.[12]

Journal entry

Vesemir was the oldest living member of the Wolf School and most likely the oldest witcher of any school on the Continent.
About as long in years as the ruins of Kaer Morhen themselves and eternally complaining about his creaky bones, this master of the witcher trade gave no thought to a well-deserved retirement. Gray, but still spry, he continued to ply the monster hunting trade into his golden years – effectively, too, as he’d seen more beasts than all his students put together.
A harsh and demanding instructor in Geralt’s youth, over the years he had become something of an adoptive father and mentor to the other witchers, always ready to help with sage advice and steady hands.
In the spring of 1272, when our story begins, Vesemir had joined Geralt on his search for Yennefer, trekking with him through war-ravaged Temeria.
Vesemir always said no witcher had ever died in his own bed, so death in combat surely awaited him as well. Death’s waiting ended on the mournful day when the Wild Hunt descended on Kaer Morhen in pursuit of Ciri. Vesemir gave his all to protect his former ward, whom he had always treated like an adopted granddaughter, and died a hero’s death at the hands of Imlerith, the Hunt’s cruel general.

Associated quests

  • The Battle of Kaer Morhen
  • Kaer Morhen
  • The Beast of White Orchard
  • Berengar’s Blade
  • The Incident at White Orchard
  • Lilac and Gooseberries
  • Ugly Baby

Trivia

  • Vesemir is derived from the Polish name «Wyszomir» meaning «he who cherishes peace above all.»[13]

Notes

  • He appears in The Hexer TV series, but instead of a witcher he’s depicted as a druid. He appears in 4 episodes: «Dzieciństwo», «Nauka», «Świątynia Melitele», and «Falwick».

Videos

The Witcher Vesemir — Who is Vesemir? — The Oldest Witcher

Gallery

Slightly younger Vesemir in the graphic novel

In The Hexer movie

Journal image in The Witcher

Vesemir full render as in The Witcher

Close-up

Vesemir fighting monsters in TW3

Vesemir character profile image for TW3

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Concept art

Vesemir character profile cut out

Vesemir’s gwent card art

Vesemir’s alternative gwent card art

Gwent card

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Note that in Blood of Elves, Triss Merigold states that only witchers who were outside the keep during the pogrom survived. Information presented in The Witcher may be thus either clearly wrong, or the game’s writers decided that Triss was mistaken.
  2. ↑ As in case of other dates mentioned in the first game, 1232 provided in The Price of Neutrality premium module doesn’t match other sources. By the time of the module’s start, the Wolf School is already inactive with only a couple witchers in the keep, which forces to exclude 1232. Vesemir’s model in the module is also the same as in base game, which would put the adventure later than his romance with Mignole, instead of two years earlier as 1232 would suggest.

References

  1. ↑ 1.01.11.21.31.4Zdrada
  2. ↑ 2.02.1Hearts of Stone expansion
  3. ↑ 3.03.13.23.33.43.5Blood of Elves
  4. ↑ The World of the Witcher
  5. ↑ 5.05.15.25.35.45.5The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
  6. ↑ The Witcher
  7. ↑ Sword of Destiny
  8. ↑ The Last Wish
  9. ↑ 9.09.1Gwent: The Witcher Card Game
  10. ↑ Season of Storms
  11. ↑ The Price of Neutrality premium module
  12. ↑ Characterprofile on the game’s homepage
  13. ↑ https://pl. wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyszomir

External Links

  •  See the GWENT standalone game version card: Vesemir

Witcher Lore: Vesemir | Witcher Hour

Affectionately dubbed Papa Vesemir by Witcher fans, Vesemir is the oldest surviving monster slayer and a father figure to Geralt.

In this fourth installment of our Witcher Lore series, we’ll cover Vesemir’s character in the game, books, and Netflix show. Who is he and why is he important? How is he related to Geralt, Ciri, and other major characters?

Disclaimer: We’ve done our best to avoid spoilers, but proceed with caution if you haven’t finished the main questline of The Witcher 3 or watched The Witcher’s second season.

Table of Contents

  • Who is Vesemir?
  • Vesemir in the Witcher Books 
  • Vesemir in Witcher 3
  • Vesemir Netflix’s The Witcher
  • Vesemir In The Witcher Anime Film
  • Vesemir’s Significance
  • Vesemir: Final Thoughts

Who is Vesemir?

“Vesemir was really very old. Who knows, he could be even older than Kaer Morhen. But he walked toward her with a brisk, energetic and sprightly step; his grip was vigorous and his hands strong.”

— Blood of Elves

Vesemir is a highly experienced witcher and the oldest surviving member of the School of the Wolf. He lives at Kaer Morhen, the fortress where he trained countless young witchers in sword-fighting.

Just how old is Vesemir? No one knows Vesemir’s exact age. He was born sometime during the 11th century, which places him somewhere around 200-250 years old during the books and games. He is believed to be the oldest living witcher and may be older than Kaer Morhen itself.

Many humans consider witchers “freaks” due to the mutations they must undergo. Sometime during the mid-to-late 12th century, the witchers of Kaer Morhen were slaughtered in a pogrom. Vesemir is the only known living survivor of that massacre.

Geralt, Ciri, and the two other Wolf School Witchers — Lambert and Eskel — see Vesemir as their father figure.  

Vesemir, Lambert, and Eskel at Kaer Morhen.

Vesemir taught them practically everything they know about fighting and slaying monsters. In the books and games, Ciri affectionately calls him Uncle Vesemir. Geralt also calls him Papa Vesemir in a deleted scene from The Witcher 3.

Despite being the oldest known witcher in the world, Vesemir is a skilled swordsman. He spends each winter at Kaer Morhen. 

Then, Papa Vesemir begins walking The Path each spring, setting out to fulfill witcher contracts throughout the Continent, the landmass where the Witcher takes place. 

Vesemir’s character entry in The Witcher 3 states that he’s “seen more beasts than all his students put together.”

Vesemir in the Witcher Books 

Let’s briefly cover Vesemir’s portrayal and roles in the books. We’ll explore his significance more in-depth later in this article. Vesemir is first mentioned in “The Voice of Reason 4” of The Last Wish, the first of two short story collections preceding the main Witcher books.  

Geralt describes Vesemir as his father to the priestess Iola the Second, while healing at the Temple of Melitele from his fight with a striga.

Vesemir is again briefly mentioned in The Sword of Destiny, the second Witcher short story collection. When Geralt first meets little Ciri in the Brokilon Forest, he reminisces about Vesemir telling him and the other witchers bedtime stories when they were young.

Vesemir finally makes his appearance in Blood of Elves, the first Witcher series book, after Geralt brings young Ciri to Kaer Morhen to train. When Vesemir asks who she is, Geralt replies, “She’s my destiny.” 

In the book’s second chapter, the sorceress Triss Merigold arrives at Kaer Morhen to help decipher Ciri’s strange prophetic visions (Ciri is a child of the Elder Blood, a powerful genetic mutation that gives her special magical abilities). 

When Triss arrives, she calls Vesemir “grandfather,” while he calls her “child” throughout the book.  

Vesemir with Ciri.

True to his grandfatherly nature, Vesemir tries his best to help care for Ciri. He makes a tunic for her to practice in, which ends up injuring Ciri during a run-through of the Trail, a difficult path surrounding Kaer Morhen that young witchers use to improve their speed and endurance. 

He also teaches her about monsters, witcher decoctions, and fighting techniques. The book establishes Vesemir as a trusted leader and advisor to Geralt and the other characters. Ciri asks “Uncle” Vesemir if Triss can stay longer to help out at Kaer Morhen, and he agrees. 

Although Vesemir has the last word, he also trusts Triss and heeds her advice during her time at Kaer Morhen.

Vesemir in Witcher 3

Vesemir plays a much more active role in The Witcher 3. Vesemir’s voice actor, William Rogers, also voiced him in the first Witcher game.

Prologue

The game opens with Vesemir and Geralt searching for Geralt’s lover, Yennefer, a powerful sorceress and a mother figure to Ciri. She’d sent Geralt a letter requesting a meeting in Willoughby. 

Later in the game, Yennefer reveals to Geralt that Ciri is being chased by the Wild Hunt, a group of elven soldiers who want to “steal” Ciri’s power to move effortlessly between worlds. Finding and protecting Ciri is the main objective of the game.

After breaking camp, Geralt and Vesemir travel to White Orchard. Along the way, they battle a group of ghouls and chat about the ongoing war before encountering a griffin feasting on a horse. They later accept a contract to kill the griffin. 

Later on, Geralt and Vesemir rest at the tavern in White Orchard, where Vesemir waits for Geralt while he searches for clues about Yennefer’s whereabouts.

At the end of the prologue, Vesemir and Geralt find themselves embroiled in a bloody bar brawl during which they’re forced to kill most of the peasants. 

They exit the tavern to find Yennefer and an escort of Nilfgaardian soldiers waiting for them. Yennefer reveals that Nilfgaardian Emperor var Emreis is awaiting Geralt in Vizima. Here, Vesemir and Geralt part ways. Vesemir says he’s heading back to Kaer Morhen.

Act II

Geralt and Vesemir reunite at the beginning of Act II, during the main quest “Ugly Baby”. 

During this quest, the Bloody Baron agrees to let Geralt take “the ugliest man alive”, also known as Uma, a cursed being who Geralt and Yennefer believe is key to finding Ciri. Geralt decides to take Uma to Kaer Morhen to attempt to lift his curse.

When Geralt arrives at Kaer Morhen after a brief detour to Vizima to update the emperor on his progress, Vesemir greets Geralt by the entrance to the keep. After a brief catch-up, Geralt leaves Uma with Vesemir.

Throughout Act II, Vesemir and Yennefer butt heads many times. When he first greets Geralt, Vesemir calls Yennefer an “emancipated, strong-willed woman,” but asks if manners count for nothing. 

He complains that Yennefer has put the other witchers, Lambert and Eskel, to work without so much as saying hello.

Despite his quarrels with Yennefer, Vesemir takes an active role in attempting to lift Uma’s curse. During the main quest “No Place Like Home”, Vesemir suggests using another, less invasive method to try to lift the curse. 

He plans to take Uma into the mountains and perform a ritual he’s used many times. A sarcastic Yennefer tries to interrupt him several times, but Vesemir retorts, “I’m not asking for permission.”

Vesemir’s method doesn’t work and he returns with Uma. Yennefer and the witchers subject Uma to the Trial of the Grasses — the process by which young boys officially become witchers that involves ingesting powerful, potentially deadly potions. 

Yennefer successfully lifts the curse. Uma turns out to be Avallac’h, a powerful elven Sage who helped Ciri escape the Wild Hunt.

Vesemir also participates in the Battle of Kaer Morhen against the Wild Hunt.

Vesemir’s Death

“You always were an unruly child. I adored that about you.”

— Vesemir’s last words

Vesemir’s death is one of the most tragic scenes in The Witcher 3, but as the old saying goes, no witcher ever died in his own bed.

Vesemir meets his end while protecting Ciri during the Battle of Kaer Morhen. As the Wild Hunt blasts through the inner gates of the keep, Vesemir pulls Ciri to safety behind a stone wall. The Wild Hunt freezes everyone else solid.

Vesemir returns Ciri’s sword, which was knocked away in the blast, before retrieving his own. As Vesemir urges her to flee, Ciri hesitates, wanting to save Geralt.

Eredin and Imlerith capture them. Although Vesemir fights them off briefly, he falls to the ground. When he attempts to grab his sword, Imlerith steps on his hand, picks him up, and pins him to the nearby wall.

Vesemir urges Ciri to run but she refuses to leave his side, a choice Eredin remarks is “impractical.” Eredin extends his hand to Ciri, who drops her sword and takes a few steps toward him in a move to save Vesemir.

Vesemir says he forbids her from going with them, but then says she’s an unruly child, a trait of hers that he always admired. Then, using a secret dagger, Vesemir stabs Imlerith in the stomach. Imlerith breaks Vesemir’s neck.

As the Wild Hunt closes in on her, Ciri stumbles, overcome with grief for Uncle Vesemir — then unleashes her power and forces the Wild Hunt to flee, nearly killing everyone in the process.

Avallac’h intervenes and Ciri collapses. Later, Ciri, Geralt, and Yennefer mourn for a moment by Vesemir’s body before Geralt remarks they need to start planning for Vesemir’s funeral. 

Uncle Vesemir receives a hero’s farewell surrounded by those he loved most. After Ciri and Geralt pay their respects, Geralt lights the pyre and the group continues preparing for their final battle against the Wild Hunt.

Does Vesemir Have to Die?

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to save Vesemir in The Witcher 3. Vesemir’s death is part of a cut screen toward the end of the main quest, “The Battle of Kaer Morhen”.

Vesemir’s funeral.

Vesemir Netflix’s

The Witcher

Vesemir appears in The Witcher’s second season. Although Mark Hamill (best known for portraying Luke Skywalker in Star Wars) expressed interest in playing Papa Vesemir, Award-winning Danish actor and director Kim Bodnia ended up getting the role.

While he does look the part and takes the same fatherly role he has in the game and books, there are some key differences in his character.

Kim Bodnia stars as Vesemir in the Netflix show.

In the books, Vesemir has a nostalgic tone about the end of the witchers since all the mages who knew the process of creating more of them were killed. But he eventually comes to peace with it. He also clearly cares for Ciri in the books and Witcher 3, teaching and protecting her.

But in the show, Vesemir is willing to use Ciri to try and make new witchers: a procedure never mentioned in the game or novels. He’s even divided about rescuing Ciri from Voleth Meir and has no problem stabbing her.

As with Eskel, these changes in Vesemir’s — from the caring, wise grandpa, to a somewhat erratic old man — drew the ire of some fans.

Vesemir also suffers an awkward defeat against the mage Rience in the show, whereas in Witcher 3 he appears to be a much more formidable warrior, holding his own against the Wild Hunt.

In the Netflix show, we know Vesemir is supposed to appeal to a greater audience, not just fans of the book or the game. However, we still hope that from now on, he will present his more caring and collected demeanor that fits the oldest and wisest witcher in the world.

Vesemir In The Witcher Anime Film

Released on Netflix on August 23, 2021, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf is an anime film that explores Vesemir’s backstory. It takes place when Geralt and his fellow Wolf School witchers are still children.

Nightmare of the Wolf details the story and exploits of a young Vesemir, including how he became a witcher.

Scriptwriter Beau DeMayo wrote the film’s script as well as the script for the third episode of the Netflix show. DeMayo is excited about the possibilities of the animation medium, commenting in a recent interview: “It is a story we could not have told in live action.”

In the film, Vesemir is voiced by British actor Theo James.

Vesemir in the anime film.

Vesemir’s Significance

Vesemir is an important character in the Witcher saga. The first time he’s mentioned, Geralt speaks very highly of his adopted father:

“Who’s Vesemir? My father. Why are you so surprised? What’s so strange about it? Everyone’s got a father, and mine is Vesemir. And so what if he’s not my real father? I didn’t know him, or my mother. I don’t even know if they’re still alive, and I don’t much care.”

— Geralt in The Last Wish

In Sword of Destiny, Geralt meets his biological mother, Visenna. A healer and sorceress, Visenna comes to Geralt’s aid after he is nearly killed by ghouls. 

During their conversation, he urges his mother to look at his cat-like eyes and asks her if she knows how they got that way. She replies, “Stop it, Geralt.” To which Geralt exclaims:

“It’s Vesemir who called me that. Geralt of Rivia! I even learned to imitate the regional accent. Probably to fill an inner need to belong somewhere. Even if the sentiment is fictitious. Vesemir… gave me that name. He also revealed your identity to me. Not without reluctance.”

In TW3, during the main quest “No Place Like Home”, Lambert gets angry when Yennefer makes fun of Vesemir’s plan to lift the curse:

    “What will you do? Howl at the moon together?” — Yennefer

    “A bit of respect, you’re not talking with Geralt.” — Lambert

These are just a few examples of Vesemir’s reputation. Vesemir’s bond with the main characters is evident during his funeral scene in the game — not a dry eye on the hill! (I’ll admit I even teared up a bit after the battle.)

Vesemir: Final Thoughts

The ultimate father figure, Vesemir is an iconic character. He’s protective and nurturing yet savvy with a sword. Despite his old age, Vesemir can battle with the best of them, and his resilience and wisdom command respect.

Although his journey in the books and games has come to a close, Vesemir’s story continues in the Netflix show and animated film. We’re excited to see what’s in store for Papa Vesemir and hope his future portrayals will be faithful to the books.

What are your favorite Vesemir moments? Share them with us in the comments below!

Want to learn more about Witcher Lore? Check out our articles on Gaunter O’Dimm, Avallac’h, and Nilfgaard.

Mel Lee-Smith

Mel Lee-Smith is a freelance writer, managing editor, and Witcher nerd. She usually spends her free time slaying monsters, playing Gwent, and foraging for herbs in Beauclair. She’s currently replaying TW3 NewGame+ on DeathMarch.

what we know about Vesemir — Read on DTF

Before the release of the animated prequel to The Witcher, we recall that Andrzej Sapkowski and CD Projekt RED talked about the life of Geralt’s mentor.

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Official art for Gwent: The Witcher Card Game

Although Andrzej Sapkowski wrote eight books, he paid little attention to the backstories of the characters. For example, the authors of The Witcher series had to come up with a plot about the formation of Yennefer based on only a couple of hints from the author about her life. nine0003

Netflix considered the result successful, so on August 23, a cartoon about Vesemir, Geralt’s famous mentor, is released. The authors of The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf also wrote a story about the youth of the witcher teacher almost from scratch, since Sapkowski did not disclose details about his life before the events of the book saga.

To celebrate the release of the prequel, we’ve collected all the information about Vesemir’s life from the CD Projekt RED books and video games. Even if the events of the game trilogy are not considered canonical in relation to the works of Sapkowski, it is interesting to compare the approaches of different authors to the disclosure of the hero. nine0003

Vesemir in books

In Andrzej Sapkowski’s saga, Vesemir appeared only a couple of times, and the author barely talked about his past. Geralt first mentioned a mentor in the chapter «Voice of Reason IV» and called him his father, since he did not know his real parents.

Later it became known that Geralt’s mother gave him up to Vesemir at an early age. The witcher also revealed that his mentor lives alone in the fortress of Kaer Morhen, and his students visit him only in winter. nine0003

People like me were «made» there. Now they don’t do it anymore, and no one lives in Kaer Morhen anymore. Nobody but Vesemir. Who is Vesemir? My father. Why are you surprised? What’s strange about this? Everyone has some kind of father. Mine is Vesemir. So what if it’s not real. I didn’t know the real one, neither did my mother. I don’t even know if they are alive. And in general, I don’t care.

excerpt from The Last Wish

In the same book, the reader learns some details about Vesemir’s character. Sapkowski wrote that the witcher was strict with his students when they deserved it. For example, many years ago he gave a belt to Geralt and Eskel because the children caught a large forest bumblebee and tied it to a jug standing on the table. nine0003

Moreover, they laughed at the suffering of the insect, and the master could not let them get away with it. When the wards behaved decently, Vesemir told them tales that they listened to with burning eyes.

Vesemir and Geralt Maxim Bazhenov

In the second book («The Sword of Destiny»), the author reveals one more detail about Geralt’s relationship with his mentor. When the hero met his mother Visenna, the woman said that she herself had given him a name. Previously, the witcher believed that it was Vesemir who called him Geralt, but in fact he only accepted the choice of his parent. nine0003

Vesemir first appeared in the third novel (Blood of the Elves): he came out to greet Triss Merigold when she arrived to help the witchers train Ciri. Sapkowski specified that Vesemir was very old: it is possible that he was born before the construction of Kaer Morhen.

Young Vesemir MuYoung Kim

However, from the side it was hard to believe that the elderly witcher was born more than a hundred years ago. He walked quickly and vigorously, and his handshake was firm. At times he complained of sore bones, but Triss considered it all a pretense. The sorceress was sure that many young people could envy Vesemir’s health, and ordinary moonshine helped him well from a slight indisposition. nine0003

Also in «Blood of the Elves», the fanatic attack on Kaer Morhen was first mentioned. The tragedy happened half a century before Triss was born, and almost all the monster hunters died in the massacre. Only those few who were not in the castle survived. One of them, apparently, was Vesemir.

Vesemir Agha Asim

After that, Kaer Morhen stopped educating young witchers and conducting the Trial of Herbs, which is necessary to turn a person into a monster hunter. None of the survivors knew how to use the elixir lab, including Vesemir. He was an expert in swordsmanship, but not in herbs. nine0003

Despite his experience, Vesemir, like the rest of the witchers, did not know how to behave with Ciri. Not only was the mentor taken by surprise by the girl’s magical abilities, he did not even suspect that at times it was difficult for her to train because of uncomfortable clothes and menstruation. The latter was told to the inhabitants of Kaer Morhena by Triss, who was angered by the ignorance of the witchers.

— You didn’t even know, — she shook her head already calmly, but with mild reproach. — Also me — guardians! The girl is embarrassed to talk about it, because she was taught not to talk about such troubles to men. And she is ashamed of weakness, pain, that she is not as dexterous as usual. Have any of you thought about this? Interested? Have you tried to figure out what’s stopping her? Or maybe she bled for the first time in your life here in Kaer Morhen? And she cried at night, not finding sympathy from anyone, even just understanding? Have any of you even thought about this? nine0003

excerpt from the book Blood of Elves

In general, Vesemir differs little from the typical protagonist’s mentor. He is wise, kind, fair and not averse to joking. He also knows how to admit mistakes: for example, Vesemir immediately agreed with all of Triss’s advice on teaching Ciri.

When raising Geralt and other witchers, Vesemir had to show his character, but in dealing with Cirilla, he was more like a kind grandfather. The elderly witcher taught the girl monstrology, helped her with important advice and accidentally taught her to swear. nine0003

The known ceases to be a nightmare. What you know how to fight is not so scary.

quote from the book «Blood of the Elves»

Vesemir’s next brief appearance came only in the last part of the saga. It was a flashback in which the witchers discussed Ciri’s trance: the mentor was very afraid that something would happen to the girl. Also in this book, Ciri recalled probably Vesemir’s most famous quote.

“When you are about to be hanged, ask for a glass of water. You never know what might happen while it’s being brought.» nine0003

Vesemir in games

Unlike the books, The Witcher introduces Geralt’s mentor already in the prologue. Vesemir told Geralt, who had lost his memory, about his opponents, gave him equipment and helped him prepare the first elixir. The image of an elderly witcher corresponds to the books, but CD Projekt RED updated his biography a bit.

The Witcher

So, Vesemir had another student — Leo. The Witcher trained him for six years, but the young man did not have time to pass the Trial of Herbs, as he was killed by the Professor, the antagonist of the game. The death of the young man shocked Vesemir. nine0003

It is also mentioned in the game that he was the only survivor during the attack on Kaer Morhen. The Witcher was saved by the fact that his opponents mistook him for dead. This contradicts Triss’s words in Blood of the Elves. True, the game log says that he was still «one of the few survivors. »

He raised many witchers, myself included. His students treat him like a foster father. Leo was perhaps the last apprentice of the old witcher. The death of the young man shocked him. He is one of the few witchers who survived the assault on Kaer Morhen. He is well aware of the hatred some people have for witchers. nine0003

excerpt from Vesemir’s description in The Witcher

Vesemir next appeared in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and often helped Geralt. There are several allusions to Vesemir’s past in the game, both funny and not so funny.

For example, while drinking at Kaer Morhen, Lambert found a wide-brimmed hat and said it belonged to Vesemir. The hero suggested that the mentor in his youth «quarreled mamzels in her.» The next morning, the elderly witcher reprimanded the student, saying that the hat was very dear to him. nine0003

When Geralt and company were disenchanting Uma through the Trial of Herbs, it was hard for Vesemir to watch what was happening. He constantly muttered that he saw the torment of people participating in the experiment too often. Probably, the witcher regretted what his students had to go through.

Also in the game, Geralt mentions the name of Vesemir’s mentor. His name was Barmin, and he probably died in the attack on Kaer Morhen. Not without romance in the life of a witcher teacher. In the Hearts of Stone expansion, Geralt met Countess Mignol, who revealed that she once went on a date with Vesemir. It happened when he was fulfilling a contract in Oxenfurt. nine0003

Geralt and Mignol

But the couple failed to build a relationship. Mignol’s father found out about his daughter’s affair and wrote out a hound leaf for Vesemir. The witcher had to flee in a hurry, and he left his armor with his girlfriend. After those dates, they no longer met, and both of them did not have a personal life.

In principle, no one saw Vesemir with girls, and Mignol married unsuccessfully: her husband died young, even though he left a decent inheritance. Since then, she has lived with memories and collected witcher artifacts. nine0003

The authors of The Witcher 3 not only revealed many details about Vesemir’s past, but also ended his story. During the attack of the Wild Hunt on Kaer Morhen, an experienced witcher died protecting Ciri. He was killed by Imleric, the commander and right hand of Eredin.

The survivors buried Vesemir with honors. After his death, the witchers decided to leave Kaer Morhen, because it was because of their mentor that they considered the ruined castle their home.

Death and burial of Vesemir

nine0002 The authors of Gwent: The Witcher Card Game told a little more about Vesemir’s youth: on one of the cards there is an image and description of a young witcher. The game said that at one time he successfully passed the Trial of Herbs, and years of training did not disfigure his face and body. Only the color of his eyes betrayed him as a witcher. Vesemir bought the same hat to hide the pupils from strangers.

Image of a young Vesemir in the game

Mentor Barmin had to suffer with Vesemir, as he kept going out at night in search of adventure. He liked to spend time in bars, at weddings and in brothels. The latter, judging by the description of the authors of the game, he visited more than Geralt, Lambert and Eskel combined. nine0003

Barmin punished a student for disobedience with tedious tasks, but it was all to no avail. Vesemir only became wiser when he began to face the consequences of his own decisions. Some actions led to the death of people he loved.

He was taught obedience not by endless punishments from Barmin, but by the consequences of his own misdeeds: sometimes others paid for the sins of a young witcher. Once, his nightly adventures cost the life of a man whom the witcher promised to protect… Well, that was enough for him to reconsider his views on honor and duty. After that, he saw many more deaths that could have been prevented, and from year to year he became more reasonable. nine0003

quote from Gwent: The Witcher Card Game

As an adult, the witcher began teaching swordsmanship at Kaer Morhen. In training, he paid special attention to the discipline of the wards, as he knew well what disobedience could lead to.

In addition to books and video games, Vesemir can be seen in the Polish comic Zdrada. It tells about the life of the witchers before the attack on Kaer Morhen, and the character here appears as a harsh mentor to Geralt and his friends. True, the comic is contrary to the books and can hardly be considered canonical in relation to the books. nine0003

Apparently, the creators of the upcoming prequel are guided by the image of the young Vesemir, created by CD Projekt RED. It is hardly surprising, because in the book saga the elderly witcher appears only a couple of times, and the reader learns almost nothing about his past. It will be possible to see if Netflix managed to reveal Vesemir in a new way on August 23.

Vesemir — biography of the character, image in the saga, film adaptation, photo

History of the character

The character of Andrzej Sapkowski’s series of books about the witcher also appears in computer games and film adaptations created based on these works. Mentor in Kaer Morhen — the fortress of the witchers, teaches monsterology and swordsmanship. He replaced the father of the main character of the cycle — Geralt. He also taught Ciri, the young queen of Cintra. He died protecting Ciri during the battle with the elves in Kaer Morhen. These events are not described in the books, but take place according to the plot of the computer game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. nine0003

Role in The Witcher book series

Vesemir (art)

Vesemir is an experienced old witcher, master of the School of the Wolf, whose exact age is unknown. The hero replaced his father for the students, because he treated everyone with warmth and did not refuse those who turned to him for help. Vesemir is no longer young, but is still unusually strong as a witcher and has an unusually fast reaction. At the same time, the hero likes at times to pretend to be weak and old.

The fortress of Kaer Morhen, the stronghold of the witchers, was attacked by religious fanatics who staged a massacre there. After that, Vesemir remained the only experienced witcher whose qualifications allowed him to further teach those students who survived the attack. nine0003 Vesemir in the computer game «The Witcher 3»

After the defeat of Kaer Morhen, witchers as professional monster hunters began to disappear. The reason is that ordinary boys were turned into witchers, who were subjected to mutations, and there were no specialists who are able to carry out these procedures and transfer knowledge.

The name Vesemir comes from the Polish Wyszomir and translates as «one who values ​​the world above all», which emphasizes the peace-loving nature of the character.

Film adaptations

Still from The Witcher series (2002)

In 2002, the Polish TV series The Witcher was released, a film adaptation of two books by Sapkowski from the cycle of the same name — The Sword of Destiny and The Last Wish. The role of Vesemir in the series was played by actor Jerzy Nowak.

Vesemir in the series is different from how the character appears in the books. As well as Kaer Morhen — the witcher’s stronghold. In Sapkowski’s world, this is a fortress, but in the film adaptation, it is a system of caves. Vesemir himself in the film is an ordinary person, and not a witcher, an elder and a priest who has authority among the witchers. Viewers see Vesemir in episodes dedicated to Geralt’s childhood and growing up, and then the mentor dies of old age. nine0003

Netflix is ​​about to release another series based on the Witcher saga. According to forecasts, it should be released in 2018, but the cast is still unknown. Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen is invited to play the role of the main character, the witcher Geralt. What the actor looks like in this role can already be seen in the trailer, but who is chosen for the role of Vesemir, you can find out later.

Interesting facts

  • Vesemir appears in the computer games of the Witcher series. In the first game of the series, Geralt of Rivia is brought to the fortress of Kaer Morhen. According to the plot, the hero loses his memory, and Vesemir becomes the first character in the fortress with whom Geralt speaks. When the witchers in Kaer Morhen are attacked by the Chimera, Vesemir and the others fight her. The player controlling Geralt can join this battle. nine0158

Vesemir and Geralt

  • After the battle, Vesemir speaks with Geralt again and warns him about the danger that may threaten from the witcher Berengar, and also gives Geralt useful resources — a jacket and a steel witcher’s sword. A number of quests are associated with Vesemir in the game. For example, a character helps Geralt create an elixir for Triss.
  • From the prologue to the game «The Witcher» it becomes known that Vesemir defended the fortress of Kaer Morhen when religious fanatics staged a massacre there. Of all the witchers who were then in the fortress, Vesemir is the only one who survived, and this happened by accident. nine0158
  • Vesemir has more space in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The hero helps Geralt in search of his beloved Yennefer. Together with Vesemir, the player travels, gets to the White Garden and hunts for a griffin. Later, the old mentor goes to the fortress of Kaer Morhen, where he again helps Geralt. With the help of Vesemir, the player disenchants Uma, a dwarf who has fallen victim to a curse.
  • Vesemir helps the player prepare to fight the Wild Hunt and then defends the witcher’s stronghold when the Wild Hunt attacks it. The old mentor protects Ciri, but dies himself — the enemy turns his neck. Together with Vesemir — the only one who knew all the secrets of the creation of witchers — the hope that the race of witchers will ever be reborn also dies. nine0158

Mod in the form of Leonid Yakubovich

  • Vesemir’s face in The Witcher 3 was not to the taste of many Russian-speaking players, who saw in it a resemblance to Leonid Yakubovich, a TV presenter. Therefore, mods were created that allow you to change the appearance of the character.
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