#who is who in the hansa

[teatitty]

Geralt isn't possessive as a rule but I do think if somebody called Dandelion their bard - even if it was a friendly joke - he'd get into a right mood and snit about it and be scowling and short-tempered and sulky for AAAAAAGES because he's gotten so used to people calling Dandy "the witcher's bard" etc so he's like. That's MY emotional support bard bestie actually who the fuck are YOU to be saying this go a-way

[hanzajesthanza]

the witcher saga begins with dandelion being saved by yennefer and he tells her that he was wrong about her is indebted to her and that he will repay the debt to her in his songs, by making people know she is a good and fair lady . and later he also chronicles the journey of geralt’s company from brokilon to beauclair in his half a century of poetry, for posterity.

in the final act, the entirety of stygga castle is damnatio memoriae’d off of the face of the planet by the lodge of sorceresses who wished to write history in their favor, so the hanza’s graves (and… column) simply ceased to exist, it’s only a crater, dust, a nuclear blast site. even though it is the hanza whose questing alongside geralt made it possible for him to fulfill his (their) quest and whose sacrifices were in exchange for the return of ciri and yennefer to the proverbial realm of the living.

and furthermore, the battle of the bridge was not mentioned by any chronicles of history, and the old bridge itself, ruined from the battle, was replaced by a shiny new one.

and at rivia, yennefer’s presence was forgotten by all but one legend. but the majority of which said that triss stood alone on the “rivian hill” (… pile of refuse), and no one mentioned yennefer. even though she was the witcher’s eternal starcrossed lover and killed herself on top of his dead body hopelessly trying to ressurect him, and the two went off to avalon together.

but through the writing and song, “in the end,” dandelion made good on his promise to preserve their memory, and (alongside the folk stories) made sure people would remember them all as heroes… as families… a beautiful story…

even as monuments crumbled, and others tried to erase them.

[falsegrailwar]

Read Fate/Strange Fake

[essskel]

joining the war on Nilfgaard on the side of autism

[viir-tanadhal]

mildly biased since it was the newest album when i fully got into psb but i genuinely love hotspot. usually i think the singles elevate most of their albums but in the case of hotspot, the album tracks are just genuinely top tier and are what make it so good for me. it's the type of album you have to listen to with the mindset and context of it being their berlin album and what specifically berlin means to them and their view of the city. there's so much warmth to it even aside from the muddy analog sound. could it have been better if some songs were swapped out and they stuck to keeping it a mid-tempo concept throughout? oh definitely. but for what it is I really really love it

anyway yeah i'll die on the hill of defending hotspot

[justmewondering56]

[elbiotipo]

I'm always criticizing eurocentric fantasy worldbuilding, but one thing I think it's underused are city-states and trade republics and leagues. Not that they don't exist, but they're often in the background, the fantasy genre is so focused on monarchies and dynasties and noble drama, while those systems have so much room for intrigue and stuff without getting into "who's the TRUE heir of the super magical monarch" (yes, I know they had aristocratic families that ruled almost as monarchs, but trust me, Medici drama is another beast from regular feudal stuff)

Venice with its stupidly complex election system and their eternal rivals in Genoa, Florence home of the Rennaissance, the Hanseatic League, and lesser known examples like Novgorod, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Taifa of Córdoba, the Consolat de Mar (technically not a republic but kind of an Iberian Hansa) and if we go farther back, the leagues of city states of antiquity... you know what, I'm bored of feudalism. Next time I do a fantasy setting, it will all be city states and republics. Fuck feudalism.

[greisekinderschar]

regarding book!dandelion’s much discussed misogyny one thing i find insanely amusing is how the gamer bro fanbase perceives it.

because to me, it’s like, supposed to be one of his weaknesses. it’s one of the ways in which he is unhinged that continuously gets him in trouble. yeah, there’s a joke here and there. but like. dudu thinks he can get away in dandelion’s form? nah man, the angry woman with the frying pan knocks you out, worst decision you made that day. he’s afraid he’ll get murdered if they go to toussaint. he survives the quest to end up on a scaffold because he couldn’t stop fucking around.

yet, when you see the dude bro “book stans’” reaction to the queer netflix reveal there are very personal grievances when they say “you made the womanizer gay!!!”. we know he’s not gay. he’s bi. he fucks more than twice the amount. but the fact that “the womanizer” would as much as look at a man somehow hurts these people in their masculinity, which reveals they think this part of him to be the cool, masculine part.

and it’s really funny to me, because i have this idea of sapkowski using bard characters (he does it in the hussite trilogy as well) to have some, dare i say it, subversive masculinities. because dandelion is very un-masculine in the context of the story. not only does he challenge the temerian knights and others by directly insulting their idea of masculinity and often ridicules the hierarchic structures he himself benefits from despite having fled the connected responsibilities. he’s not a fighter, he’s a poet, he’s not ‘hot’, he is pretty. he’s a coward, he is vain, he is bitchy, he is emotionally intelligent. he laments the gruesomeness of war that is nothing like the heroic masculine stories told about it. he is kind of the mum of the hansa. in short, he is very ‘feminine’, except for his womanizing and his misogynist moments (and the drinking). the parts of him that are, as i said, the most pathetic of his character. and yet, readers who are caught up in the structures of hegemonic masculinities perceive it as a way to consolidate his place in the hierarchy. in a way, his assholery is his redeeming quality in the masculine order. or at least that is what i believe, because why else would they have such an extreme reaction. if dandelion loses his one hegemonic masculine trait of putting himself above women by also sleeping with men, then he is not a man.

[i am aware the concept of masculinities has fluctuated massively in history, which is the point of hegemonic masculinities, and that medieval courtly masculinities had their own ‘feminized’ moments, with monks complaining about the knightly fashion making them look like vain women, but this is a fantasy saga that the reader perceives from contemporary standards, and the masculinities presented are very warrior-centered]

plus, i imagine it complicates his friendship with geralt. because they are bro bros, going to the BROthel together, sharing beds, kissing each other on the cheek for goodbye. if one of these bros is interested in dick, it makes emotional intimacy among men ~weird~. it makes the dude bros go “a bro cant have anything”. but bro, bro, you could have everything. you could even have a bite of dandelion.

[ladyannemarie5]

Okay. So, I was finally able to sit down and properly watch The Witcher Vol. 2.

Then…

Things we learned/confirmed about our bard in Vol. 2:

He thinks there's nothing under Radovid's mask.

Chose his family over his love.

He knows all the smuggling routes in Oxenfurt thanks to his work as the Sandpiper.

Even though Radovid broke his heart, he wanted to help him to run away

His singing is so beautiful that it makes the dryads cry

Milva, welcome to Jaskier's harem (The Hansa is becoming more and more real).

Geralt's best friend

Sings love songs in elder (for Geralt obviously)

Ciri considers him 100% her family

He doesn't know that Radovid was more than willing to leave his position as prince to go after him (my heart can't take this)

He doesn't know that he is no longer the crush of the prince of Redania but now he is the crush of the King of Redania

Frivolity as a coping mechanism (because of course he'd write at least 3 songs and an epic poem about Geralt's death).

He sits and stands next to a wounded Geralt (just as in the fanfics *cry*).

He holds Geralt's hand when he's hurt and Geralt leans on him (as in the fanfics).

Knows the ingredients of Witcher potions (Maybe Vesemir himself taught him *father-in-law-son-in-law moment* or maybe Geralt himself taught him *husbands moment*)

He's the emotional support bard for EVERYONE (Geralt, Yennefer, Ciri and even Dara) but who the hell is my baby's emotional support?

He writes his songs seeing Geralt being Witcher (as in the fanfics :3).

He doesn't know that Rience is dead

Geralt is his personal bodyguard who will brutally kill whoever touches his bard (once again, just as in the fanfics \^^/)

Jaskier knows that the brooch is important to Geralt and possibly knows about Renfri.

Geralt even trusts him with his sword

He finally has a fucking horse, and it better be named Pegasus.

And once again, Joey Batey is the love of my life.

[thylacines-toybox]

Zeus, or possibly spelled Zoos (but pronounced the same way) (he/him)

A meerkat by Hansa, who was sold at Victoria Zoo. Found in a charity shop by my friend. So named because of his tag, and because of how easy it is to static up his fur. He has the power of lightning.

[fangirleaconmigo]

I've been going through some of your posts about Geralt and Dandelion's friendship in the books recently because... well I'm back in my book/game phase I guess and I really wanted to know if there are any other Dandelion friendships you like from the books and why? Like him and Zoltan or with the other Hansa etc? [Personally I'm a big fan of what little we see of him with Regis and it always makes me weepy that he wrote a biography about him in the games and fondly remarks abt him smelling like herbs all the time]

Awww yayy thanks for spending some time on the ol blog. I absolutely love this question. I don't get to talk enough about Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy, and his relationship with Dandelion (for the newbies, that is Jaskier's name in the books) is so lovely.

Dandelion and Friendships

For those who are just joining us, Tea is talking about my series about Geralt and Dandelion's friendship in the books.

I have also written posts about Dandelion's friendships with Ciri and Zoltan:

Dandelion and Ciri

Dandelion and Zoltan

And for this post, I'll focus on Regis and Dandelion's friendship, which I absolutely love.

Dandelion and Regis Friendship (books)

What really strikes me about Regis and Dandelion, is just how patient and kind Regis is with Dandelion. Sometimes it is almost like he’s dealing with a child he cares about. Considering Regis’s age (over four centuries old), Dandelion (approx in his thirties when they meet) IS a child. 

On top of that, Dandy’s personality is rife with traits often associated with kids:

insatiable curiosity to the point where he endangers his own life, (when they go into the forest or sea, Geralt has to essentially, follow right behind him like you would a toddler),

hyper enthusiasm about every discovery he makes, (he whispers in awe when he sees mandrake for the first time, that’s just how he reacts to everything new)

his inability to censor himself or stop asking questions even when everyone else wants him to shut up (he will ask until he understands, no matter the social cues happening)

the way he will act incredibly transparent and awkward while thinking he is being subtle and smooth

Perhaps that is why Regis seems to be so indulgent of him. And somehow their personalities just fit naturally.

Regis’s most annoying trait is to lecture people at length like a professor and cut people off who are asking a question, since he is too eager to answer it. The vampire loves to hold forth on a topic.

Dandelion’s annoying trait (one of many, bless, we know he can't keep it in his pants either) is to ask questions incessantly. In that way, they really kind of fit together. 

Geralt loses patience when Dandelion is being socially inappropriate by asking too many questions. Geralt really values discretion and manners.

Regis is more willing to spend time explaining things and to open up.

Early in the hansa's time together, (before he manages to surprise folks several times over) Dandelion is often seen as the one who is in way over his head. Everyone else is a warrior or a soldier. Dandelion is the soft one. To add to the indignity, Geralt is angry at him during Baptism of Fire because Dandelion keeps forcing him to make friends (well, to ask for help)

Yet Regis, the new guy, is the one who always makes sure Dandelion isn't embarrassed or ashamed.

Here’s a few examples.

When Dandelion is given a bloody head wound by an arrow, the poet is howling and shrieking. He thinks he's dead already. He is not a stoic man. It is played comedically, but Geralt is also legitimately terrified that he will lose Dandelion. That bit is not played comedically.

But given the circumstances, the rest of them could be forgiven for rolling their eyes at the poet's dramatics.

But Regis (who is treating his wounds as the resident barber surgeon) does not.

Regis speaks to him so soothingly, and kindly. (I am omitting the Geralt dramz because I will get off topic lol)

Dandelion groaned and took a sharp intake of breath....

“I’ll put in a few stitches,” Regis said...”Be brave, Dandelion.”

Dandelion was brave.

“Almost done here,” Regis said, setting about bandaging the victim’s head. “Don’t you worry, Dandelion, you’ll be right as rain. The wound’s just right for a poet, Dandelion. You’ll look like a war hero, with a proud bandage around you head, and the hearts of the maidens looking at you will melt like wax. Yes, a truly poetic wound....”

And when it is revealed that Regis is a vampire, and Dandelion is afraid of him, Regis is incredibly patient and kind about the whole thing. He does not take offense. Geralt does! (Ironic, considering Geralt ran Regis off, but Geralt, bless, is dealing with a clusterfuck of feelings about the vampire and everything else going on in his life.)

But yes, after Geralt tells Dandelion about Regis, Dandelion is scared, and wants to seek reassurance. But the poet (unbeknownst to him it seems) is awkward and bad at it. He tries to bring up the issue with the subtlety of a sledge hammer.

Dandelion...deciding to clear up the uncertainty..began as soon as they set off. With his usual tact.

(I like that. His usual tact. Meaning, zero tact lmaoooooo.)

“Milva,” he suddenly called as they were riding, sneaking a glance at the vampire as they were riding, sneaking a glance at the vampire. “...I fancy eating a hunk of real meat for a change! How about you, Regis?”

Yeah. Real subtle Dandelion.

“I beg your pardon?’ the vampire said, lifting his head from the horse’s neck. 

“Meat!” the poet repeated emphatically. “...fancy some fresh meat?”

“Yes, I do.”

“And blood. Would you like some fresh blood?”

“Blood?” Regis asked, swallowing. “No. I’ll decline the blood. But if you have a taste for some, feel free.”

Geralt, Milva and Cahir observed an awkward, sepulchral silence.

I love that. Awkward sepulchral silence. Dandelion causes a lot of those. But Regis does not dismiss him or laugh. He reassures him.

“I know what this is about, Dandelion,” Regis said slowly, “And let me reassure you. I’m a vampire, but I don’t drink blood.”

The silence became as heavy as lead. But Dandelion wouldn’t have been Dandelion if he had remained silent.

But Dandelion wouldn’t have been Dandelion if he had remained silent. (sorry I am laughing every other line at this part)

“You must have misunderstood me,” he said, seemingly lightheartedly. “I didn’t mean-”

“I don’t drink blood,” Regis interrupted. “...I gave it up.”

Dandelion doesn’t know what that means and keeps pestering Regis to explain. Geralt is embarrassed and tells Dandy to shut up.

However, Regis opens up around the camp fire that night. He tells his life story, and says he hasn’t drank blood in fifty years. Dandelion is incredulous. 

“Not at all?” Dandelion said, and stuttered. But his curiosity got the best of him. “Not at all? Never? But...?”

Geralt is embarrassed again and shuts him down again. Regis, by contrast, is patient and defends Dandelion.

“I beg your pardon,” the poet grunted.

“Don’t apologize,” the vampire said placatingly, “And Geralt, don’t chasten him. I understand his curiosity.”

Baptism of Fire 291-295

That's right. Don't chasten him Geralt.

Regis and Dandelion also just have a wonderful dynamic of picking on each other.

Dandelion teases Regis about his long ass name.

And Regis has a great time teasing Dandelion lovingly. In one scene, Geralt and Regis team up to pick on Dandelion and the secretive way he treats his writing. Dandelion has stolen some paper and pencil from a Lyrian military convoy and is writing whenever they make camp, but gets testy whenever anyone gets near him or looks at his manuscript.

Geralt is good-naturedly giving Dandelion a hard time and Regis jumps in with such adorable relish. (Also, in this scene, we find out that Regis actually named Dandelion's memoirs)

"Indeed," the witcher joined in...."You've become devilishly touchy, Dandelion. One cannot fail to notice that it is somehow connected to the paper which you have recently begun to deface with a bit of lead while we camp." “It’s true,” Regis agreed, “our minstrel has become touchy, not to say secretive, discreet, and loving of solitude recently. Oh no, having witnesses when performing his natural needs doesn't bother him at all...His shameful secrecy and oversensitivity to being watched extends solely to his scribbled notes. Is, perhaps, a poem being written in our presence? A rhapsody? And epic? A romance? A canzone?”

He's like, you don't care who sees you piss and shit, but oh this you care about. lol. Tell us about the poem. But Geralt objects.

“No,” Geralt retorted...”I know him. It can’t be verse, because he’s not cursing, mumbling, or counting the syllables on his fingers. He’s writing in silence, so it must be prose.”

“Prose!” The vampire flashed his pointed fangs - which he really tried not to do. “A novel perhaps? Or an essay? A morality play? Dammit, Dandelion! Don’t torture us so! Reveal what you are writing?”

Dandelion says it is a memoir called Fifty Years of Poetry. Regis says that A Half Century of Poetry sounds better.

“Thanks, Regis, Something constructive at last.”

P 88 -90 The Tower of the Swallow

I admit I'm such a sucker (hehe no pun intended) for whenever Regis's fangs are mentioned, whether he is hiding them, baring them, or unselfconsciously showing them during a warm, silly moment with his friends. (Sobs, I love this vampire, seriously I need an intervention)

Regis also comforts Dandelion openly when the poet is doubting his courage or fitness for a task.

Later in the book, Geralt volunteers for a bloody job/violence for hire that terrifies Dandelion, so the poet protests the plan. Geralt insists he’ll do it alone.

But no! He has a hansa now! He won't be alone! Angoulême volunteers to go. Cahir says he’s coming with as well. Then Milva insists she is coming.

Dandelion freezes.

It would be like the LOTR ‘and my bow and my axe’ yadda yadda scene, but if there was one person left and when it got to them, everyone turned around and looked and they are just standing there frozen like....motherfuck this is scary idk idk wtf do I do. And the way this next paragraph is written, it pleases me.

Dandelion...was evidently struggling with his thoughts. And the thoughts were winning.

lmaooo

And Regis jumps in "kindly." He shows solidarity with Dandelion, and takes the heat by calling himself a coward.

“Stop meditating, poet,” Regis said kindly. For there’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’re even less cut out to participate in a bloody swordfight than I am. We weren’t taught to carve up our neighbors with a blade. Furthermore...furthermore..,” he raised shining eyes towards Geralt and Milva, “I’m...a coward,” he confessed curtly.

They keep arguing amongst themselves because Geralt believes they have been spied on. And Regis is just...always soft with Dandelion. When Dandelion starts guessing about who is spying on them, and is beginning to ramble incorrectly,

“You’re mistaken, Dandelion,” Regis softly interjected.

The Tower of the Swallow p 182

It's Regis's gentleness that just fuckn kills me. That's always the character that's gonna get me right between the ribs with a shank. (Metaphorically, Regis is too gentle for that)the one that lives in a horror filled, violent, cruel world and is still just kind, even to the loud, awkward, soft, obnoxious poet who is in over his head and is afraid you'll bite him in his sleep and who shrieks when he is wounded.

Geralt and Dandelion are so sassy and old/married with each other, deeply, proudly loving in actions, but always bickering.

It's sweet to see Dandelion have a friendship like the one he has with Regis.

It is so nice to hear that the games continued his love of Regis. (I haven't played them, so I get my info about them from you guys XD)

So thanks again for following me and for the ask! I hope I've done ok answering. I also love Dandy's dynamic with Nenneke and ofc Yen, but I'll stop there.

Hope your week goes really well. x

[hanzajesthanza]

combining (one of my) favorite short story with (some of my) favorite characters ❤️

[thefandomlifechoseme]

rewatched that Witcher S4 teaser trailer and it infuriated me

1. in an incredible show of Doctor Who raised instantaneous transferred pettiness, I despise New Guy Geralt already

2. netflix I hate to break it to you but this is Imminent Hansa Shenanigans Season - Geralt is simply not going to get the chance to wander alone with roach through the woods without Jask bullying him, Milva bitching at him, Cahir stalking him and Regis snarking at him

[meanpersonaart]

While I'm here and talking about Hansa and Witcher and Stygga - I can't FORGIVE the english translators who translated Regis' HIS OWN FIRST ALMOST-SERIOUS SWEARWORD (not quoting Angouleme) in the whole f-king saga in a way so it wasn't a swearword in english anymore.

So when Regis comes back to Geralt and team during battle in Stygga, in english, he says something like "I feel such power I feel like I can blow the castle into smithereens" but in Polish he is says (not the exact quote, I don't have the books beside me) "Czuję, że mógłbym ten zamek rozpieprzyć". And the word "rozpieprzyć" is a lesser type swearword something like "fuck up" but more like "f-up", but you can't really say it to people in public if you want to look like a cultural and nice person. It's like the first instance when he says it on his own, under his own emotions and It's so funny and weird, that Geralt's "Hey Regis, chill" is even more understandable. Geralt's thought process must be like "I saw him hurt people, but he never swore before, It's getting serious".

[seancekitsch]

Can you do Jaskier catching you singing while doing something domestic?

it’s been a while but here it finally is!

For Jaskier, hearing his own songs being sung to him isn’t out of the blue. Plenty of people sing along in taverns or forget the titles of his songs and sing a chorus or a verse or two to explain themselves to him. However he’s never heard a voice so lovely, with a tone so clear and timbre so sweet. And really, it’s not like he’s used to hearing any of this outside of a town.

Jaskier stares up at the trees that make his canopy, at the trees that shield the hansa from the elements and you all have slept more or less in a pile under for almost two days now.

“But the story is this: she’ll destroy with her sweet kiss,” the voice sings, and Jaskier sits up with a start, untangling the arms of Geralt, Regis, Milva, Angouleme, and Cahir off of him in their cold little huddle for warmth as they push further into the winter.

He looks about him, and counts. The only one missing… you.

He follows the sound of the voice, now correctly matched to you, the typically silent member of the Hansa; only loud when you argue with Angouleme over who gets the last bit of cheeseboard when you all can afford a tavern. More often thought you are silent, observing, and using it to your advantage when you can.

Jaskier rises from his spot and follows the sound of your voice like a siren’s song.

Your voice, your song- HIS song, leads him to nearest body of water, a small lake still ebbing and flowing before the cold sets in for the season. You’ve taken it upon yourself to grab everyone’s extra clothing from their bags and do some washing.

“I’m weak, my love, and I am wanting,” you sing, your tone growing… sad? as Jaskier approaches, he starts to hum along.

“If this is the path I must trudge-“

“I’ll welcome my sentence, give you my penance,” Jaskier finishes the line, and you jump, practically throwing yourself into the water.

“Sorry!” He grabs your shoulders gently, bracing you.

“Butchered that worse than Geralt would, I reckon,” you joke, peering up at him not shyly, but in that quiet defiance that sometimes shakes him to his core.

“No,” he responds, breathy and stunted like the song took the words from him, “Beautiful. You’re beautiful.”

Your lips ease into a smirk, your whole face softening at his words… the ones he realizes he just spoke.

“I mean- the song, your voice.”

“I’ll take those compliments, all of them,” you joke, and rise to stand with the finished laundry in your hands.

“But can you take these back to camp for me? I only have yours left to finish.”

Even his? He didn’t even notice his own clothing in a pile next to you,

“Why do you do this for us?”

“Easy, I don’t like when you all smell like horse and I don’t want to argue to make you do your own washing,” you answer, shrugging as you turn back to his clothes.

“I like this shirt on you,” you comment, pulling one from his pile.

“And the singing?” He asks, not at all wanting to move from his spot next to you.

“Favorite song of yours,” you respond, dunking the shirt into the water.

Jaskier looks back to the camp, noticing that finally the rest of the Hansa has begun to stir.

“Will you duet with me next time, then?” He asks, hopeful to get another chance to hear that rare voice.

“Maybe if you help me with the washing,” you retort, your smile telling him all he needs to know.

[bri-aboredperson]

"Pree Aesma. Ys-Asram, the blooded one. Prama, Hansa, and Pavam, who temper my heart. Yisun, atru vayam. I do not ask for your forgiveness."