#witcher answers

[thedemonofcat]

Shapeshifter Jaskier seeing one of his colleagues start to grey and being like, "Right, aging."

He then spends the winter subtly incorporating signs of aging into his appearance. He looks rather dashing if he says so himself.

But, when he and Geralt meet up in Spring, the witcher becomes *devastated* at the sight of his "aging" bard.

Geralt brushed Jaskier’s hair back with a careful touch. “You’ve got another grey,” he murmured, his voice laced with something close to regret.

“I know. Soon, I’ll match you,” Jaskier said lightly. “I’d call myself the White Bard, but it doesn’t have quite the same ring as the White Wolf.”

Geralt huffed. “Dove,” he said after a pause. “That’s what we’ll call you when your hair turns completely white.”

Jaskier’s smile was soft. “I like it.”

Geralt didn’t say what was truly on his mind—that he didn’t like Jaskier’s hair greying, didn’t like this reminder that time would eventually take him away.

Jaskier exhaled, as if reading his silence. “I don’t like it either,” he admitted. “But if I want to keep up the illusion of being human, I have to age.” He tilted his head, eyes twinkling. “Give me another fifty years, and I can always return to being young again.”

Geralt just stared, his thoughts scattering like dry leaves in the wind.

[clearancecreedwatersurvival]

Hi, new to the WOT fandom here! What are the production issues from season 1 that you keep referring to? Thanks!

I'm so glad you're wotching!!!!!!

So when amazon commissioned the show, they originally slated the first season to be 10 episodes. After the team had written the entire season's scripts, Amazon pushed them to do rewrites on certain things and shortened the episode count to 8.

The first episode was supposed to be two episodes, probably ending episode 1 with the start of the trolloc attack and then episode 2 would be them choosing to leave the two rivers and emond's field (their hometown), and they had to shorten that to 1 episode, so the pacing in the first episode ends up really wacky and fast. I'm pretty sad about this because part of what makes the first book effective is the contrast between the sleepy pleasant small town life in emond's field and how that peace is destroyed when the plot intrudes. And I think the change made it harder for new fans to attach themselves to the main gang properly.

They also, after amazon's rewrite requests, changed Perrin's early plot significantly. Originally he was going to accidentally kill his blacksmith master, Master Luhan, and after the rewrites he was given a wife who isn't in the books who gets fridged immediately. I guess amazon thought people would only understand the emotional significance of killing a lover and not a mentor. I really didn't like that choice when I first watched it, but I do think now they're going to do something interesting with the aftermath of the dead wife stuff in Perrin's s3 arc.

The shortened episode count also impacts the pacing of the end of the first season, which also got crunched together a bit. The end of the season also had further problems because covid happened, and the last two episodes were interrupted and had to be filmed after a hiatus and with new covid protocols in place, so the characters can't touch during some key scenes at the end. They had to rewrite the scene where Nynaeve and Egwene almost burn out during the battle of Tarwin's Gap on the day of shooting, and I think the scene is less effective as a result.

Also, one of the main actors was unable to return after lockdowns for possibly covid related health reasons, Barney who played Mat, so that's why it was changed and edited so that he doesn't come into the Ways with them in episode 6, and they also had to rewrite the last two episodes to accomodate his absence and then recast Mat for s2.

As a result of all this, episode 1, 7, and 8 in season one are all a little rough around the edges and a lot of book fans, including me, didn't really like the first season when it was airing. I like it more now upon rewatch now that I can see all the stuff they did manage to set up really well for the long haul of the story, but the first season had a difficult reception when it aired, and I think a lot of people let that less than stellar first impression color their opinion of the show as a whole. Which is unfortunate, because almost all* television shows improve as seasons go on and the team behind the show gets into the groove with it, and this one definitely improves each season.

Season 2 was written with the knowledge that it would only be 8 episodes, and they didn't have any interruptions during filming, so it's significantly better in its pacing.

[shanastoryteller]

Happy Pride 🌈!!!

Jaskier or anything Hades, please?

a continuation of 1 2

Jaskier lies back in the bed of goose feathers, the brazier crackling merrily, the walls of the enchanted tent blocking out any other sound. "I really do love traveling with you."

Yennifer rolls over so she's partially splayed across his chest and he automatically raises a hand to press his fingers into each knob of her spine. "Because you value my company so terribly."

"I do value your company," he says, affecting a wounded tone of voice. "I would be partial to your sharp wit and talented tongue and scathing worldview even if you were not a sorceress or a beauty."

He means that sincerely, but he says it as if it's a joke. Yennefer hates sincerity. It makes her itch.

"Can you two shut up?" Geralt grumbles. "Some of us have work in the morning."

"Not everything is hitting the big scary monster really hard and really fast," Yennefer says dryly.

Jaskier hums in agreement. "Wining and dining the local count, and perhaps reporting him for corruption and maybe writing my brother about it, is an important intermediary step."

"It really isn't," Geralt sighs at the same as Yennefer says, "I still can't believe you're actually a noble. I thought you were joking."

He pouts, offended. Before he can launch into a speech about noble airs, Geralt says, "I thought he was lying too. It made the wedding a little awkward."

He thought their wedding was great fun, actually. He'd been very drunk for a lot of it and had made Geralt carry him.

"How'd your family react to you bringing home a witcher?" she asks.

"Well," he says, and almost lies, but Yennefer's a lot better at catching him at it than Geralt. "Not the strangest partner of mine they've met, to be honest. And they like Geralt far better than my sister's husband."

"Would I be the strangest partner of yours they've met?" Yennefer asks in interest.

Gods. They'd love Yennefer. "...Maybe? Certainly the most powerful."

Geralt clears his throat.

"That's just speculation and we're not counting it," Jaskier says firmly.

She frowns at him, turning her head just enough to glare at Geralt. "What are you talking about?"

"Interesting, isn't it," Geralt says blandly, "that Jaskier hasn't really aged since you've know him."

Yennefer starts studying his face with the intense sort of scrutiny that never leaves him sure if he's going to get dissected or laid. "It's my multi-step skincare routine."

[artistsfuneral]

lol I promise I’m not her!

How about uh… you know when someone has long hair? Beauty and the beast style, kiss their hair and say something unintentionally lovely, and then realizing uh, that wasn’t very platonic of me, was it?

Oddly specific asks, I got them 😂🙈🥰

You can tell by the first line just how long this has been in my ask box 👉👈 oops?

tags: Lambert/Aiden, pure fluff, hair braiding

Late in the evening, Lambert watched Aiden struggle with his hair from across the campfire. The sun had already vanished behind the tall tree tops, leaving the forest around them in the shadows. As a result, the flickering flame of their campfire was the only light scource around and Aiden's dark skin was bathed in a golden, almost ethernal light. He looked unbelievably pretty and there was nothing Lambert could do about it but stare at him dumbly.

Stare and silently watch him struggle with his long, dark waves. Under normal circumstances, Aiden would have long since braided his hair into a complicated wreath that settled around his head like a crown, but hours earlier the two of them had gotten into a fight with a group of mountain bandits, in which Aiden had sprained his wrist - already weak from an old injury - in a way potions couldn't fix. So Lambert watched as the cat grew more and more frustrated with his terrible, one-handed attempts at his usual braid, hoping that he'd somehow find the courage to do help.

In the end it was Aiden's short temper that made him act. When yet another attempt failed, the cat let out a loud sound, full of overwhelming frustration and the tired desperation that had built up over the last hour or so. Tears sprung into his pale green eyes and Lambert needed a moment to remind himself that Aiden was not actually hurt, that it simple were Aiden's mutagenes kicking in, making him "feel big emotions over little things". Even so, the wolf found himself unable to watch any longer.

Walking around the fire, Lambert sat down behind Aiden and forced the comb out of his hands. "What the fuck?! Piss off, Lambert," Aiden protested, angrily wiping the tears from his face. "Shut up. I'm being nice to you."

"You are?"

"I am. Now sit still!" Flustered by their close proximity - even though it was Lambert who made the decision to walk over, it still feels like a sudden change - the wolf grumbled and growled under his breath. Yet his hands were gentle as they combed through Aiden's locks. Sectioning hair into equal parts, he let his muscle memory take over. As soon as Aiden understood what was going on, he asked full of astonishment, "You can braid?"

Lambert huffed out a breath, fingers gliding through the cat's hair, picking up strands, layering them, over and under and over again in a pattern all too familiar to him, while holding the rest securely between his free fingers and the palm of his hand. "Of course I can braid."

"Of course? Lambert, there's no "of course" about this. Why the fuck do you know how to braid?" Aiden demanded to know. "I grew up with three older sisters. Most witchers of my school wear their hair long. I have a twelve year old niece. My best friend's hair is long enough to reach the middle of his back," he replied, the last sentence coming out quieter than the others. Aiden didn't need to know that he spent hours upon hours learning how to braid all of the cat's favorite hairstyles. Just in case that knowledge would ever be needed. His brothers had laughed at him, called him a lovesick fool, but now the just-in-case scenario was happening and Lambert could confidently wrap Aiden's long wavy hair into a braided crown and secure it in place with the ribbon he snatched out of Aiden's hands.

Proud of his work, he squeezed the cat's shoulders to signal that he was done, then gently patted over the intricate braid. "There, you're perfect."

Before he realized how much his voice had given away the love he felt for Aiden, he had already placed a gentle kiss on top of his head.

Aiden's head shot around in an instant and his eyes, wide open and searching, found Lambert's panicked ones. A single breath escaped Aiden's lips as he realized.

"Oh."

[geraskierfanficprompts]

Jaskier never makes promises. He literally never says the word “promise”, and he swears no oaths.

It’s a subtle quirk. It takes Geralt years to notice. When he points it out, Jaskier says with false levity, “I guess I don’t.”

From the bard’s body language, Geralt can see he doesn’t want to talk about it, so the topic is dropped.

Years later—after Geralt screams his fury at Jaskier—the bard says in a broken voice, “Don’t worry, Geralt. I promise not to bother you anymore.”

The promise sears itself onto Geralt’s soul like a brand. One made of chaos, and he can feel it become binding.

Geralt whips around, but Jaskier was gone.

There are a few moments of confusion before Geralt realizes what just happened. Jaskier had promised, and that promise was sealed with chaos. Only the Fae have such an ability.

YESSSSSSS i love this Geralt has to track down Jaskier and prove that Jaskier doesn't bother him, and thus the promise is still ringing true, even as they continue traveling together

[inexplicifics]

What/how do you imagine hair ribbons being used in AWAU?

If they're embroidered, I would expect for them to be used in some way that shows them off, but the few times I've actually seen people do medieval hair styles that involve ribbon, it wasn't done in a way that was especially visible.

Are they used as extra decoration, like the diamond-headed pins Marika wears for her wedding (which I assume were used in addition to more standard pins, since not all of them would be visible)?

You could potentially tie one around a bun, I suppose? or you could add it into a plait/braid and then arrange it to be maximally visible - but then I'd wonder whether the embroidery would actually be intelligible.

Idk I'm having thoughts about hair today lol

I've been imagining some of them used in plaits and arranged to be visible, and some of them just used in hairstyles that don't show them off, so they're a private sort of secret for the wearer. Other ideas are welcome!

[jayofolympus-writes]

Seven Sentence Sunday

I was tagged by @loki-is-my-kink-awakening! Thanks for the tag!

Selkie Lamb

Aiden looks dubious, but he doesn't voice whatever argument Lambert can see is on his tongue. He doesn't bring up Lambert's predicament again at all until they've settled down that evening and have begun eating by their campfire. "You should winter with me," Aiden says, eyes pleading as he stares across the fire at Lambert. "The thought of you going back there, after what they did... Come with me to the caravan. You'll be welcome there." Lambert's still reeling with a confusing mess of emotions, and for all that he doesn't blame anyone but Rennes and Vesemir, he wants very badly to never feel the cold of Kaer Morhen ever again. "Alright," he says.

I am tagging @on-a-lucky-tide, @lokibuswrites, @sl-walker, and anyone else who wants to join in!

[prince-liest]

So you keep your characterization for your Hazbin fics pretty canon-compliant/in character, and I know you're averse to getting jossed by newly revealed canon, but are there any bits of canon where you're like "oh, fantastic! Just gonna toss that right in the trash, no thank you <3"

Doesn't have to be for Hazbin either! If you happen to have another media's piece of canon you don't care for go ahead and toss that in there if you like :3

Categorically and unambiguously, Viv's assertion that Alastor's teeth are that color because he doesn't brush them.

NO, THANK YOU. 🙃

My writing in particular fandoms tends to start out with me having a strong preference for canon and compliance, and then the further along I get the more I'm like, okay, I'll explore all the weird AUs and genderswaps and whatnot. Fundamentally though even within AUs I get most of my joy from drawing parallels to canon and expanding on the themes and constraints that canon has established. And I do still defensively tag my Hazbin fics as "written after season 1" so that people at least know, haha.

BUT. THAT PARTICULAR TIDBIT?

DEATH OF THE AUTHOR.

[hanzajesthanza]

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Regis’ eyes are jet-black. Onyx-black, dark as the darkest night, the purest night.

Because he is a vampire.

The eyes are the windows to the soul, and there is darkness and nothingness in there, a pleasant black void of murmurs and whispers that tickle the back of the head and make the eyelids heavy, that calms instantly, that evaporates fear, hate, love, pain. Makes one fall into…

Nothingness.

The soul lives on after the body has disintegrated into dust. The soul persists after death. What is death? What is a soul? And to a vampire? What can they be?

Dandelion witnessed the ghosts, visions of his friends, Geralt’s company, pushing the boat off upon Loch Eskalott. He saw three. Three, where there should have stood four. Alongside Milva’s braid, Cahir’s strength, Angoulême’s small hands, there should have been another. But there was only…

Nothingness.

This has happened before. This happened when they crossed the Jaruga, before Milva cut her braid. When their company was scoped out, felt out long-range magic—through the psyche of a dear friend. But where five stood, only four were seen. Because from such a magical scan, a vampire will not show up. Four humans, and where a vampire stands…

Nothingness.

[psyduckbuttercup]

i need a geraskier fic entirely from cirilla's perspective thats just abt her discovering dadlore in the most nonchalant situations and losing her shit about it

[perseruna]

I love your latest yen piece!! Would you describe your inspo/symbolism of it?

the most beautiful question ever to me of course <33

off the bat I didn't have much of a plan for this one, I just wanted to paint quite a simple portrait to get me back on my feet since I haven't painted or drawn in a while. Rossetti's the queen of hearts was my main inspiration for this when it came to pose/composition and feel, making my art feel and look as much pre raphaelite as I can is always what I strive for. here's my inspo board and first sketch/lines

I got obsessed with the image of the taxidermied bird as necklace/jewelry, and I thought it'd fit yen so so well, the original piece up there was done by Julia DeVille and her website is full of wondrous other creations that I definitely recommend to take a peek at. I changed the bird for a raven to fit yen, the lyrics to mitski's the deal were also present in my mind

I associate this song so deeply with her and with this illustration having a bird that represents her, but the bird is caged around her neck never again to take flight and she's wearing a choker that the bird is situated on tightly around her neck almost chocking her, there's this push and pull, a give and a take. and she's also wearing a dress and the fabric is imitating long flowy feathers to further drive her resemblance to the raven.

[thedemonofcat]

I just realized that Geralt in fics being like, "Sorry I was an asshole. I know you can't forgive me, but what about *Ciri*?" is him babytrapping Jaskier.

“What about Ciri?”

Jaskier stared at him, mouth parting in disbelief.

“Are you seriously doing this right now?”

“She needs you,” Geralt said, voice low. “She’s got power. She’s stubborn. She sings your songs when she thinks no one’s listening.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m her father!”

“You're not,” Geralt said. “But she loves you like one. And… I think you love her back. Even if you don’t want to love me anymore.”

Jaskier stood up so fast the chair scraped back hard.

“This—this is manipulation, Geralt. You disappear for months, break my heart, and come crawling back not because you regret it, not because you want me, but because you want your child to have two parents?”

“No,” Geralt said quickly, standing too. “I came back because I regretted it the moment I left. I came back because I want you. But I brought Ciri because… I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”

“You’re damn right I don’t,” Jaskier snapped. “You thought bringing the girl would be your golden ticket? What is this, babytrapping now?”

Geralt winced. “Not like that. Gods, not like that. I just… I thought if you couldn’t forgive me, maybe you’d still stay. For her. And then maybe—just maybe—you’d see I’m not the same man I was when I pushed you away.”

Jaskier’s face was unreadable.

Then, from the stairwell, a small voice called: “Jaskier?”

They both turned. Ciri stood in oversized sleep clothes, a book tucked under one arm.

“Can you sing me that song again?” she asked. “The one about the basilisk that wasn’t really a basilisk?”

Jaskier’s shoulders sank. His jaw clenched. He looked from her, to Geralt, then back again.

“…Yeah,” he said finally. “Yeah, I can

[carrottheluvmachine]

Instead of the cat distribution witchers get a bard distribution where a random bard will just insert themselves in a witcher's life

Oh, I wish this could be true for all Witchers. They all deserve a bard to love and cuddle.

But I also love the idea that before Jaskier started following Geralt around, the Witchers didn't have much interaction with humans. They didn't know how to be loved. They couldn't enter a town without everyone smelling of fear.

Jaskier changed all of that with his songs. People don't fear them anymore. So Jaskier is always going to be special to all Witchers.

Lambert and Eskel are a bit jealous that Geralt has Jaskier. Like, where can they get one?

ALSO: thanks for the ask! I never get asks anymore! Very kind of you, anon <33

[lunedegivre]

hiii :)

can you please do tissaia taking a bath with aria? something pure comfort fluff please

perhaps aria helps to wash tissaia and takes care of her hair too?

Sorry for the delay ahah i'm still alive! I loved this idea so much, i wanted to allow right the time to do it! Tissaia won't ever admit it, but she love so much when Aria take care of her hair Bonus slide, Aria enjoying the privilege.

[artistsfuneral]

Hiii for the ask game: [warlord geralt], [arranged marriage] and [cutagens] Geralt/Jaskier, First or second meeting

Excited to see what you will do with that 😁

A week after the wedding, Jaskier woke at Kaer Morhen for the first time. His husband had departed right after the ceremony, collected his witcher army and rode directly to the front lines to support Redania against Nilfgaard just as their marriage contract had demanded. Jaskier was left behind with his lady in waiting and an old witcher who either couldn't talk or had absolutely no interest in doing so.

The witchers at Kaer Morhen had greeted them with little fanfare. He was shown to his rooms and told that he could do whatever he wanted as long as it wasn't disturbing anyone.

So when dawn came, he rose, got dressed and started wandering through his new home. When the first rays of sunlight hit the masonry, the warlord of the North returned home with his army of witchers. Jaskier watched with wide eyes as the warlord's daughter - his own daughter now too - sprinted towards her father and literally jumped into his arms. Jaskier himself would have never dared to greet his own father with such lack of formality, but Geralt of Rivia hardly seemed to care. Instead he easily caught the girl, spun her around and then settled her onto his wide shoulders as if it were the most natural thing to do.

There, on top of her father, the little princess threw her head back into her neck and let out a loud wolfish howl.

Next to Jaskier, Priscilla gasped as one after another the witchers joined in. For the first time in a while, Jaskier felt a spark rising inside his chest. "Fascinating."

[geraskierfanficprompts]

There is a spell that allows people to speak to their soulmates. It lasts about half an hour and can only be used once in a person's lifetime. Most use the spell to find and meet up with their soulmate.

Witchers are taught to never use this spell. Even if you found your soulmate, they would be horrified to have a witcher for a soulmate.

There were many times Geralt considered using the spell: during his training, after the grasses, after his first kill.

However, he finally used the spell after Blaviken. Geralt knew it was selfish to introduce himself into this person's life. He knew it was farfetched that they would tolerate him, let alone like him. But, Geralt was desperate. He was miserable and tired and oh so lonely. He just wanted a little comfort. Couldn't he find some comfort? Just for a few minutes?

Geralt assembled the spell, said the incantation, and prayed that his soulmate wasn't already dead.

There was silence.

Geralt swallowed and then said, "Is anyone there?"

"I'm here," replied the high-pitched voice of a child. "Who are you?"

OoOooOooOoOoOooOoOooOoo, I love this Geralt tries not to think about the little boy he spoke to years ago, until a man's voice appears in his mind and reveals that he's the boy, all grown up now, and he's using HIS one chance to use the spell to find the witcher he spoke to years ago. I swear to you guys I can space out my posts like you asked for in the poll, but I don't wanna space out this asks that have been sitting there waiting for me, I need them GONE out of my INBOX I need to AnsWER I need them to be SEEN