The Last Wish

## Basic Info

Author: Andrzej Sapkowski

Published:

* 1993 (Polish)
* 2007 (English)

Publisher: SuperNowa

## Short Stories

* The Witcher
* A Grain Truth
* The Lesser Evil
* A Question of Price
* The Edge of the World
* The Last Wish
* The Voice of Reason

## Characters

* Velerad - Castallan of Wyzim
* Foltest - King of Temeria, Pontar, and Mahakam
* King Medell - Father of Foltest
* Vizimir II - King of Redania
* Ostrit - Noble in Foltest's court who was sued as bait for the Striga
* Nenneke - Pristess of Melitele
* Dandilion
* Nenneke - Priest of Melitele
* Roach - Geralt's dog
* Nivellen - cursed noble in "A Grain of Truth"
* Fenne - woman who rode on Nivellen's back, naked, to scare intruders
* Vereena - Bruxa lover of Nivellen
* Count Flawick - member of the Knights of the White Rose who attempted to kick Geralt out of Ellander
* Caldeywn - alderman of Blavikan
* Master Irion/Stregabor - wizard who resided in Blavikan for a time
* Renfri/Shrike
* Vesemir
* Coodcoodak - Baron of Tigg
* Eist Tuirseach - Jarl of Skellige who became king of Cintra after marrying Queen Calanthe
* King Bran - King of Skellige
* Crach an Craite - Son of King Bran
* Mousesack - Skellige Druid, advisor to King Bran
* Urcheon of Erlenwald
* Rainfarn - Knight from Attre, sought to win Pavetta's hand
* Lille - Avatar of the goddess Dana Meadbh
* Princess Pavetta - Princess of Cintra, mother of Ciri
* Queen Calanthe - Mother of Pavetta, queen to Roegner of Cintra
* King Roegner - Late husband of Calanthe
* Torque - Sylvan in Dol Blathanna
* Galarr - Leader among the Blue Mountain Elves
* Filavandrel - Elf of the Blue Mountains
* Beau Berrant - Merchant who housed Yennefer in Rinde
* Triss Merigold - sorceress from Maribor
* Neville - mayor of Rinde during the Djinn crisis
* Krepp - priest in Rinde during the Djinn crisis
* Eskel - fellow witcher and friend of Geralt
* Dannis Cranmer - dwarf in the service of Duke Hereward

## Important Terms and Info

* Old Narakort Inn - Inn in Vizima
* The Fox - Inn in Vizima with a poor reputation
* Wyzim/Vizima - Capital of Temeria
* Rivia - Region of the Northern Realms. It's inhabitants have a distinct accent/dialect and are generally seen as troublemakers by other Northerners.
* Oren - Currency of Temeria
* Basilisks - Draconid monster resembling a cross between a dragon and rooster
* Kobold - Sentient goblin like creatures with dog-like faces
* Striga - monstrous born from curses on unborn children
* Leshy/Leshen - powerful forest spirit
* Tutrle-stone - small stone alleged by many to protest one from magic, which is untrue
* Witcher Signs:
	+ Aard
	+ Yrden
	+ Axia
	+ Heliotrop - similar to quen, acts like a quick parry
	+ Quen

* Melitele - Goddess of the harvest and fertility, like a combo of Hera and Demeter
* Ellander - duchy of Temeria where the Temple of Melitele is located
* Kikimore - insect-like creature
* Indigo Roses - flowers found in Nivellen's gardens
* Corem Agh Tera - lion-headed spider god
* Bruxa - vampire monster, can take the shape of a young woman
* Anthracite - type of coal
* Alp/alpor - Bruxa like monster, generally weaker than its relative
* Knights of the White Rose - Knightly order
* Cats can detect magic, hiss in the presence of witchers
* Blavikan - town located on the coast of the Great Sea
* Kovir - one of the Northern Kingdoms, very mountainous
* Curse of the Black Sun - prophecy
* Council of Wizards - Wizard equivalent of the Lodge

* Mahakam - Mountainous vessel state of Temeria that has large dwarf populations
* 7 gnomes - Renfri’s first gang
* Pontar - large river that runs through the Northern Kingdoms
* Creyden - kingdom where Renfri was born
* Kaer Morhen - Witcher's settlement
* Trial of Grasses- Produces Witchers
* IMPORTANT: Geralt is remarkable, even among Witchers, because he went through a more intense Trial of the Grasses. He endured the initial trial remarkably well and was selected for further trials, and was the only child to survive the further testing. Because of the intensity of these trials he has his white hair.
* Wolf's School - Witcher School
* Geralt's first "monster" was a deserter. The man was attempting to rape a girl when Geralt pulled up and killed him, which simply struck fear and terror in not only the other deserters but also the girl and her father, who fled with the attackers. This experience led to him only interfering in similar matters only rarely.
* Cintra - one of the Northern Kingdoms, birthplace of Ciri
* Ravix of Fourhorn - Geralt's pseudonym during the feast in Cintra
	+ The cost of arms depicts a woman in a blue dress sitting on a bear

* Skellige - island of raiders and warriors
* The Law of Surprise
* Dol Blathanna (Valley of Flowers) - last held territory of the elves, the edge of civilization to the East
* Hemp has magic negating properties
* Sylvan/Willower
* Genies
	+ Djinn - Air
	+ Marides - Water
	+ Afreet - Fire
	+ D'ao - Earth
* Rinde - Redanian town where Geralt and Yennefer first met
* Vengerberg - Aedirn city
* Basilisk-skin heels - shoes worn by Yennefer
* Black velvet choker with a star shaped jewel - Jewelry Yennefer is almost always wearing

## Vocab

* Itinerant - travelling place to place, a person who travels from place to place
* Magnate - ruler
* Unerring - always right, accurate
* Lethargic - sluggish
* troubadour - medieval poet/musician
* Guisarme - medieval pole weapon
* Alderman - major of a medieval town
* Askance - with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval
* Voivode - term for local lords in Wallachia, Transylvania, and Moldova in the Medieval Period
* Doleful - a be full of shame, to be mournful
* Consternation - feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected
* Impunity - exemption from punishment or consequences
* Platitudes - a remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful.
* Fulminate - to express vehement protest
* Barbel - little fleshy strands that hang down off a fish's face
* Amphora - Greek style vase with a pointed end
* Apoplexy - incapacitation from a heart attack or stroke; also being essentially incapacitated or speechless with rage
* Pillory - wooden plank with a whole for the head and hands to hold them in place, largely for public ridicule
* Ostentatiously - in a "show off" or flaunting manner
* Importunately - troublesomely urgent
* Cacophony - a harsh discordant mixture of sounds.
* Invective - insulting, abusive, or highly critical language.
* Pugnacious - eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.

## Quotes

* "Why did you try to bite her to death?" - Velerad
* "We are governed by nature and the force hidden within her"
* "You can think the gods, including my Melitele, are simply a personification of this power, invented by simpletons so they can understand it better, accept its acceptance."
* "Don't you think - he smiled - that my lack of faith makes such a trance pointless" No I don't. And you know why?" "No" "Because it would be the first proof I have ever heard of that a lack of faith has any kind of power at all."
* "Pox on it"
* "There's a grain of truth in every fairytale."
* "Women don't have a say in my house" - Caldeywn
* "All descent predictions rhyme"
* "The silver one is for monsters and the iron for humans"
* "There'd be a dance in the dark and a slash of the sword, and fear and distaste in the eyes of my employer afterward."
* "I've got a job for you. So I gathered. I'm rarely invited to feasts for the pleasure of my company."
* "But I've never killed people for money, regardless of whether it's for a good or bad cause. And I never will."
* "Kings divide people into two categories - those they order around, and those they buy- because they adhere to the old and banal truth and everyone can be bought. Everyone. It's only a question of price."
* "Unclear tasks can't be clearly executed."
* "Geralt was amazed at her arsenal of smiles."
* "What can be stronger than your will?" "Destiny."
* "People like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves."
* "We poets have to know about everything. Otherwise we'd compromise our work."
* "I could never resist the temptation of having a look at something that doesn't exist."
* "If you've seen one, you've seen them all."
* "Get out of go fuck yourself" - "Exorcism" used by Geralt
* Stories like that are made by poor simpletons, who can't even dream of fulfilling their wishes and desires themselves.
* I I want something, I don't dream of it - I act. And I always get what I want.
* Because I've overcome the vanity and pride of being different. I've understood that they are a pitiful defense against being different.