The Coup on Thanedd – Weekend Lore Ramblings

Yesterday's post was focusing on mages we should see in the next expansion, and the user who suggested the series, u/thnowman also suggested making one about the coup on the Thanedd Island, since most of the characters included in the first post were taking part in it.

Thanedd Island is an artificial island, built by the mages, near the Temerian city of Gors Velen. At the foot of the island, Loxia palace was loceted, which served as the place where mages recieved guests, higher part belonged to Aretuza, the academy for sorceresses. The top level was ocupated by the Garstang palace, headquarters of the Chapter and the Council, where conferences/conventions were held. At the very top there was Tor Lara, The Tower of the Seagull (Wieża Mewy) with a distorted portal that was believed to be connected to the legendary Tor Zirael, The Tower of the Swallow (Wieża Jaskółki) when it was working.

Here's the background: During the events of Time of Contempt (Czas Pogardy), Yennefer came to Gors Velen in order to sign Ciri up for education in Aretuza and attend the mage convention that was happening at the time. While wandering through lively Gors Velen, Ciri met archmistress Tissaia de Vries and the rector of Aretuza, Margarita Laux-Antille, who mistaken her for one of the students who escaped during relocating the adepts to Loxia (guest of the convent were being accomodated inside Aretuza), but Yen found them and explained the situation, later all four of them went to the Inn together, but Ciri ran away to see Geralt who was hired by halfling farmers from the nearby farm called Hirundum (she met Jaskier/Dandelion here for the first time also), Yennefer followed her, spoke to Geralt and made him accompany her during the convention.

The convention started with a banquet. Yennefer introduced Geralt to some of her confreres and to his displeasure, made him wear a doublet. The only other guest who wasn't a mage, was the head of Redanian intelligence, Sigismund Dijkstra, who, like Dorregaray before, assured Geralt that the banquet and the convention are all about politics and made a bet that Vilgefortz will ask Geralt for a private talk and make him an offer. Dijkstra was right, Vilgefortz indeed asked to speak with Geralt, showed him paintings depicting the history of magic, and later proposed to join forces, to which Geralt refused. At the end of the night, Geralt had sex with Yen and told her about his conversation with Vilgefortz.

Next morning Geralt stumbled upon Redanian soldiers, comanded by Dijkstra and Keira Metz arresting Artaud Terranova. Dijkstra explained that Vilgefortz and Emhyr var Emreis (ofc the emperor wasn't present here to be clear) planned to conduct a coup, but their plans were seen through by those loyal to northern monarchs and Northern mages conducted their own coup, arresting everyone who sided with Vilgefortz (trivia: one of the Redanian soldiers was Voymir, who has a card in Gwent) and bringing them to Garstang. While they were arresting Vilgefortz, his assistant Lydia tried to distract them and was ultimately killed. Vilgefortz carried a list of aristocrats from the Northern Realms that were bribed by Nilfgaard. Later Dijkstra told Geralt that he needs him to convince Margarita to hand him Ciri and take her to Tretogor (presumably to make her marry Radowid and disrupt Emhyr's rule over Cintra), the witcher refused and instead proceeded to beat the shit out of the Redanians and broke Dijkstra's foot. Jaskier informed Geralt, that Ciri was gone. Geralt hurried to Garstang, on the way, he saw Dorregaray escaping from the Scoia'tael, which were let in by Francesca Findabair through the underground gate on the boat along with Cahir and Rience who wanted to capture Ciri. Then Keira Metz fell through a window on Geralt and told him what happened: Vilgefortz and his allies were being tried, neutral mages were invited as observers, but then Yennefer brought in Ciri, who fell into a trance and informed everyone about Demawend's offensive in Dol Angra and the assassination of King Vizimir. After hearing this Tissaia freed Vilgefortz and his allies, causing the outbreak of fights. Ciri was instructed by Yen to run to Loxia, but the elves were chasing her, she managed to get away, but was captured by Terranova. Fortunately, Filippa Eilhart in the form of an owl attacked him destroying his eyes, and Geralt killed him. Ciri ran, but Cahir was there, they started fighting. She defeated him, but when she saw his terrified face after knocking his helmet off, she stopped felling anger and hatred towards him and didn;t kill him. She ran towards Tor Lara, but Vilgefortz was following her. Geralt crossed his path, they started fighting, the mage had a magical metallic stick and was somehow too fast for Geralt. He defeated the witcher, but didn't kill him, saying that it is a lesson, then followed Ciri into the tower, but she managed to go through the portal. The tower exploaded, burning half of Vilgefortz's face. During those events, Hen Gedymeith, the oldest living mage, died of heart attack. After seeing the aftermath of her decicion to free the traitors, Tissaia de Vries comitted suicide by cutting her wrists. Geralt was taken to Brokilon to heal his wounds.

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There was a comment on the last post, pointing out some of the mages I missed out on. I agree that Yen's lover, Istredd, deserve a card, as well as the mages living before the events of the books like Jan Bekker or Nina Fioravanti, etc. Also, Marti Sodergren woud've been nice addition that would maybe start a "medic" archetype.