Ep. 4 — "A Question of Price" with Cyprian

Cyprian returns to discuss the fourth short story from Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Last Wish, “A Question of Price” with Alyssa from GoodMorhen. Very important bits include: Germanic influences in Sapkowski’s world, debates on The Law of Surprise, and the world premiere of the WWE: Cantankerous Cintran Smackdown Pay–Per–View Special.

This episode is available at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.

Transcript

Cold Open

ALYSSA: And Geralt and Mousesack, call it a Force. Like—capital F—Force.

CYPRIAN: Crossover confirmed. The Force.

ALYSSA: She's a fucking Jedi!

CYPRIAN: Spoiler alert.

Introduction

[Breakfast in Beauclair theme music by MojoFilter Media]

ALYSSA: Welcome to Breakfast in Beauclair, a global Witcher Podcast. My name is Alyssa from GoodMorhen, and I’ll be your host as you, I, and our international hanza accompany Geralt of Rivia and his destiny, Cirilla of Cintra, across The Continent.

[Patron Announcements]

We’re gonna kick things off this episode with introductions to more wonderful members of our community. Meet Gazzeta, Jørgen from Skellige, and Mahakam Elder Joe who have become patrons of the show.

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If you’d like to explore becoming a patron of the show, head over to patreon.com/breakfastinbeauclair.

[Sponsorship: MOJOE.coffee]

This episode is also very special, because it’s sponsored by one of our own!

I was chatting on Instagram with Christiaan, a member of our international hanza from South Africa and Canada. We had been talking about my sleepless production weeks and he was super sweet and offered to send me coffee. As it turns out, Christiaan just launched his own coffee company!

Tour the Bean Belt with MOJOE's unique subscription experience. Enjoy fresh coffee from different regions on a no-pressure subscription basis. Wake up to Brazil one month and Peru the next—each delivery is a surprise; freshly roasted and sent to your door. Visit MOJOE.coffee—that’s M–O–J–O–E, dot, coffee—choose your bag size, whether you'd like your coffee ground or whole, and where you’d like your MOJOE shipped in the US or Canada.

By choosing MOJOE Coffee, you're choosing high quality, fairly-traded coffee sourced directly from the Bean Belt and roasted locally by a member of our international hanza in Ottawa, Canada.

It’s always really fulfilling for me to hear from you, our community, to support your work, and to celebrate your successes, like Christiaan’s MOJOE launch, together! Give him a visit at MOJOE.coffee or on Instagram at @mojoe.coffee and check it out!

[Episode Details]

As for this episode, Cyprian returns to discuss the next short story from Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Last Wish, “A Question of Price.” Together, we’ll explore themes such as Germanic influences in Sapkowski’s world, debates on The Law of Surprise, and the world premiere of the WWE: Cantankerous Cintran Smackdown Pay–Per–View Special.

During the mid-episode break, Lars from WitcherFlix returns with casting and production updates on Season 1 as well as some exciting early news for Netflix’s Season 2 of The Witcher.

Without further ado, let’s get to this episode’s short story, “A Question of Price.”

Discussion

[Breakfast in Beauclair stinger by MojoFilter Media]

ALYSSA: Welcome to Breakfast in Beauclair. My name is Alyssa from GoodMorhen and I'm glad to welcome back Cyprian to the show, who's joining us from Berlin, to discuss the next short story in Andrzej Sapkowski’s, The Last Wish, “A Question of Price.” Hi, Cyprian.

CYPRIAN: Hey, how are you doing?

ALYSSA: I'm good! How are you today? 

CYPRIAN: Oh, I’m fantastic.

ALYSSA: So, when you were here last episode, you mentioned that you are majoring in history and minoring in archaeology. So, my question for you is how has your experience in these fields impacted your perception and your relationship to the Witcher?

CYPRIAN: That's a great question. When I'm reading the Witcher, I pay attention to historical accuracy, even though it is fantasy and I enjoy it for what it is. Sure. But it's always nice to see medieval or historical authenticity [and] accuracy in these stories, whether it's behavior of people, power structures, weapons and armor tactics. Again, I'm just a history buff. I enjoy these kinds of things. I'm happy to report that the Witcher does quite well. Most of the time, it's grounded in realism, which I really enjoy. There are a few comparisons to be made between the world of the Witcher and real life, predominantly European history. Within political spectrum and also, like, world building. That's something you can immerse yourself in, if you like these kind of things.

ALYSSA: So, today, Cyprian and I will be discussing “A Question of Price” from Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Last Wish.

[Reading] Part I starts, Geralt is dressed and prepared for a banquet without understanding why he's been asked to be there. The castellan, Haxo, tells Geralt that he will be posing as the Honorable Ravix of Fourhorn and, as the banquet’s guest of honor, will sit at the queen’s right hand.

ALYSSA: So, Cyprian, what are your thoughts on this, like, framing narrative?

CYPRIAN: I, for one, don't really like surprises.

[Alyssa laughs]

CYPRIAN: Personally, I don't like going to situations which I don't know anything about. And I guess Geralt doesn't like it either. 

ALYSSA: Yeah.

CYPRIAN: And that's what he is finding himself in. He doesn't really know what the hell he’s doing there. There was supposed to be a contract, I guess, but, like, he's not being told anything. He's just being made to wear some uncomfortable dress. It's kind of suspicious.

ALYSSA: Right. I mean, when we first open up the chapter, he has, you know, “a knife to his throat.” It turns out the Witcher is just getting shaved for this event. Geralt is in Cintra, and he's here for a banquet. He's been asked to be here by the queen, Queen Calanthe. And Haxo, the Castellan, tells him:

[Reading] “Princess Pavetta is turning fifteen and, as is the custom, contenders for her hand have turned up in the dozens. Queen Calanthe wants her to marry someone from Skellige. An alliance with the islanders would mean a lot to us.”

ALYSSA: He goes on to say that, in Cintra, women can't rule. And the king died some time ago, and the queen doesn't want another husband.

[Reading] “Our Lady Calanthe is wise and just, but a king is a king. Whoever marries the princess will sit on the throne, and we want a tough, decent fellow. They have to be found on the isles. They’re a hard nation.”

CYPRIAN: Right. Right. So, we get a glimpse of the political situation. There's a lot at stake politically, right? The heir to Cintra’s throne is to be chosen and to be chosen wisely, right? I mean, it's the future of the kingdom.

ALYSSA: Right.

CYPRIAN: Being on the coast, as Cintra is, it's quite handy to have the best seafaring nation as your ally.

ALYSSA: Mhmm. Yeah, absolutely. Geralt says, “I'm a witcher. Like, why the hell am I here?” And the Castellan is both annoying and mysterious. [Laughs] He kind of says, like, “Well, I don't know. You're here for a reason. You should just play along.” But the Castellan still doesn't really say anything useful other than, “Something bad is happening, Geralt, in the castle. Something's frightening people.” Geralt is like, “Okay. Well, what do you want me to do about it?” The Castellan is just like, “They told me not to tell you anything, but you asked. So I told you. And you tell me I’m talking nonsense.” And he scuttles Geralt out to the banquet. I think you're right though. We do get to see Geralt's response. And what actually makes him uncomfortable, we don't always see that, where he's just so out of his element right now.

CYPRIAN: When it comes to clothing and situation, I mean, everything is just not his cup of tea, right? And I think the castellan, Haxo, I mean he's just there to get Geralt ready to go to the banquet. 

ALYSSA: Yeah.

CYPRIAN: But that's it. I mean, sure, he is one of the staff of the castle, right? He's sure to pick up something, right? Things like that don't go unnoticed. However, he doesn't know what's going on in detail either.

ALYSSA: He knows the bare minimum needed to just Geralt through the door. 

CYPRIAN: Yeah. 

ALYSSA: Aah. He just gives Geralt a hard time. More so than I think he needs too. But he’s so sassy about it and so funny.

CYPRIAN: I mean Geralt isn't playing along either, right? He's just trying to do his job. He needs to shave this guy, who hasn't—maybe he's, like, right from a journey. I mean you can only imagine the smell of it. [Alyssa laughs] Geralt comes along, asking some questions, which he doesn't know the answer to and annoying him as well, right? 

ALYSSA: God forbid his charge asks questions.

CYPRIAN: Yeah. Yeah. He's just trying to do his job and get the fuck out. I mean he's not getting paid enough for this shit, right?

ALYSSA: I feel like most people in this time period aren't getting paid much at all.

ALYSSA: So, now that we've gotten this set up—you know, as much as Geralt could get—it takes us Part II: Geralt sits in a place of honor beside Queen Calanthe of Cintra at a banquet for potential suitors for the young Princess Pavetta. In attendance are guests from the Duchy of Attre, a local baron, a delegation from the Skellige Isles, and the knights and lords from Cintra. As the hall grows rowdy, Queen Calanthe begins to tell Geralt about his mysterious purpose at the banquet. The Witcher is to ensure that Cintra secure a marriage alliance with Skellige and that Pavetta marries the right person, tasks that remain both unclear and seemingly impossible to Geralt. Calanthe assures him that his service to an impossible task can be paid for. It’s only a question of price.

CYPRIAN: I mean, just really quickly, could you imagine marrying at 15?

ALYSSA: Oh, my god, I can't. I'm 27 now, and I could not even imagine.

CYPRIAN: That's crazy, that's crazy. Fifteen! That's really young. Again, that was not uncommon. Most of the time marrying someone you barely know. Oftentimes, you don't choose out of love, but for political reasons, right?

ALYSSA: Yeah. It absolutely comes down to political duty at a certain point.

CYPRIAN: It just shows how culture changes. That was pretty much the norm back then, especially in high society. But, today, it's just unimaginable. This is the situation we're finding ourselves in, right? Another royal marriage.

ALYSSA: Yes. And we finally get to meet Calanthe of Cintra here, who is absolutely phenomenal as a queen and as a character. I mean, I have show notes in front of me and, basically, all of them are just excerpts and quotes from everything that she says, because everything that she says is absolute fire. She's just spitting out bars left and right.

[Cyprian laughs]

ALYSSA: I love her. 

CYPRIAN: She's the boss, eh?

ALYSSA: What I find absolutely wild is—actually, yeah, how wild she is. She's not a submissive queen. 

CYPRIAN: Oh, no. 

ALYSSA: She's not someone who is kind of partnered. No, she is purely independent. And everyone respects her. And everyone loves her as we'll learn throughout the saga. Yeah, but it's absolutely wild. And she's so good. 

CYPRIAN: The Lioness of Cintra, wasn't it? That was her nickname. I mean that's, that's a pretty fitting name, right?

ALYSSA: Yes. She is the Lioness of Cintra for sure. I don't know if I'd want her as my mother. I feel like I'd love to have Calanthe as, like, a badass aunt. But she's awesome.

CYPRIAN: Oh, yeah. So, you don't get all the negatives from having her as a mother, but she's still there if you need her, eh? But I mean that's how you do a really good female character. 

ALYSSA: Yes. 

CYPRIAN: That's how you do a strong female character, which just fits the narrative and everything. I mean she, she is a badass. 

ALYSSA: She is absolutely iconic. I mean, again, like, I'm so tempted to just read all my notes, which are really just Calanthe quotes. We get to this, uh, banquet. And we have quite a few people in attendance, who are here to see and meet Pavetta, the princess.

CYPRIAN: A lot of these names have, um, they sound a bit German. 

ALYSSA: Yeah?

CYPRIAN: Yeah. 

ALYSSA: But, if you want to take a crack at reading them, that's fine with me.

CYPRIAN: Uh… Drogodar, that sounds a bit odd, doesn't it? I mean, that sounds kind of Slavic. Maybe Nordic? I don't know. It's, um, it's just a random bard. But, yeah, Prince Windhalm. I mean that's really German. I mean, to translate, “Wind” is Wind, the same as in English, and “halm” is like something… “grashalm”, for example, is, like, one leaf I guess from grass. 

ALYSSA: Okay.

CYPRIAN: Like, when you have hay, just one—this hay thingy—I don't know. It’s—

ALYSSA: Like a single piece of straw?

CYPRIAN: Yeah. Yeah, I guess. I guess so. That's like the “strawhalm”, right? And “halm”, I'm not sure what this is supposed to mean, but it's just–it sounds German. So—

ALYSSA: Okay. Cool, cool.

CYPRIAN: What do we have here? Baron Eylembert of Tigg. I mean I don't know. That's all over the place. Coodcoodak, oh, my god, that's actually quite different in Polish. First of all, it's written with a K, not a C. 

ALYSSA: In Polish?

CYPRIAN: Yes, Polish. Let me just double check…

ALYSSA: I mean the name Coodcoodak, the context around it is that either Geralt or the narrator notes—or maybe even Calanthe herself notes—that he's like a rooster. Therefore, it's a very fitting name.

CYPRIAN: Ah, okay. I got it. It's–in Polish, it's Kudkudak.

ALYSSA: Mhmm. 

CYPRIAN: This is pretty much the same, but it's just written differently. It's Ks and Us. Not Os, but Us. 

ALYSSA: Ah, Interesting.

CYPRIAN: And just one of them, not two. But I mean it's the same sound. So, I guess fair enough.

ALYSSA: Does that mean or imply anything, in the way that implied in the English translation to supposedly be some sort of bird noise?

CYPRIAN: You… could do that.

[Alyssa laughs]

CYPRIAN: I mean maybe like a rooster, I guess. But I mean—

ALYSSA: You're not gonna attempt it?

[Laughs]

CYPRIAN: No, no, no.

[Alyssa laughs]

CYPRIAN: I mean it's, it's fine as it is. Some things just need to be left alone. 

ALYSSA: You–you don't want your sweet, sweet chicken noises to be all over the internet?

CYPRIAN: [Laughs] …Coodcoodak. Coodcoodak.

[Alyssa laughs]

CYPRIAN: I mean I don't know. How do you say it in Polish? Like, how does, like, a rooster make? I mean that's fine. I guess, Coodcoodak, maybe that's something.

ALYSSA: And then we get to the delegation from Skellige, right?

CYPRIAN: Right. Moving swiftly on from that. Right. Skellige. Yeah. Eist Tuirseach… I mean, that's… does this sound Nordic to you? I'm not sure. 

ALYSSA: Beats me. 

CYPRIAN: [Laughs] I guess so. I don't know. Crach an Craite. Mousesack does beat them all, I guess. Right. 

ALYSSA: I mean I would just go through and say Mousesack. I can say that one.

CYPRIAN: Oh, that's true. Right. Right.

[Laughs]

CYPRIAN: Oh, my god, Mousesack. What does this name even mean, you know?

ALYSSA: It doesn't seem like it means anything.

CYPRIAN: In Polish, it's actually Myszowór. “Mysz,” “mysz” is a mouse in Polish. And “wór” is sack. [Alyssa laughs] Yeah. So, it's spot on actually.

ALYSSA: So, it's very, very literal in terms of the translation.

CYPRIAN: Definitely. And it doesn't make any more sense in Polish than it does in English. So—

ALYSSA: Amazing.

CYPRIAN: —I really don't know what to say to this. It's just like Sapkowski sometimes just said, “Fuck it,” and just pulled out the name out of his arse.

ALYSSA: I wonder if he just had two big buckets; one of just random things and the other of other random things and just started pulling stuff out at random.

CYPRIAN: Right. Right.

ALYSSA: The last person who we have here is Skellige's skald, who—I actually had to look up what a skald was. And, at least, from what I could tell, it's basically just a bard, correct?

CYPRIAN: Uh, yeah. 

ALYSSA: Cool.

[Laughs]

ALYSSA: And his name, you pronounce it…?

CYPRIAN: Draig Bon-Dhu, I guess. I don't know. These aren't like typical Norse names, which, again, if you go off the assumption that Skellige is supposed to be, like, the Nordic realm with Vikings and stuff, but to get Eist Tuirseach, which–I mean I don't know.

ALYSSA: That has way more vowels and syllables and guttural noises than I can pronounce effectively. So—

CYPRIAN: We're just gonna stick to Eist, Eist. [Cyprian says, “Eh-st… Ay-st.” We’re not sure anymore. What are words?]

ALYSSA: Yeah. My American accent isn't doing me any justice here. It's the “ach” at the end. It's, it's the Tuirse-ACH.

CYPRIAN: Tuirseach, Tuirseach.

ALYSSA: [Laughs] Something along there.

CYPRIAN: Sapkowski really likes his German influence. Prince Windhalm. I mean I pronounce it very German right now to emphasize it. But that sounds really German on its own, but it's not the first and not the last instance where it has, like, some German-sounding name. Even if we go from Vengenberg, the city where Yennefer is from, right? Vengerberg. “Berg” is a mountain. Again, there's a lot of German influence in–especially in naming things.

ALYSSA: Yeah. I actually have a question for you about that. You know, you just said that Sapkowski clearly has Germanic influences. Is that regional to his developed geography? Is that something that you only see in certain regions of the Northern Kingdoms? Or is it really just a universal Germanic influence?

CYPRIAN: I think it's universal, because I remember reading, like, an interview with Sapkowski, where he was actually asked about his method of world building. And he said something along those lines that he doesn't really care a lot about the world. Like, he never made a map for example, right?

ALYSSA: Right. Right.

CYPRIAN: He just says, “Okay. For the sake of the story of the plot, if there's a river there, right, then, okay, where is it coming from? Where's it leading?” And that's it, right? There's not that much to it. I don't have to map off the Northern Realms right in front of me. But, as far as I'm concerned, there are Germanic sounding names all over the place, whether it's people or places or whatever.

ALYSSA: Cool! I was just curious once you brought it up.

CYPRIAN: Yeah, sure.

ALYSSA: I love that you just, like, have this wealth of knowledge. That I could just be like, “Umm...”

[They laugh]

ALYSSA: “I have a question.”

CYPRIAN: Sure. I'll do my best.

ALYSSA: So, as we move forward through the story, the banquet grows more rowdy, and Queen Calanthe finds time to tell Geralt about his purpose at the banquet. She says here:

[Reading] “It’s loud enough that we can exchange a few words discreetly. Let us start with courtesies: I’m pleased to meet you.” And Geralt responds, “The pleasure’s mutual, your Majesty.” “After the courtesies, come hard facts. I’ve got a job for you.” Geralt responds, “So I’ve gathered. I’m rarely invited to feasts for the pleasure of my company.” Calanthe responds, “You’re probably not a very interesting company, then.”

ALYSSA: Aah, she's so quick every single time Sapkowski gives her dialogue. And she's absolutely ruthless as well. I think her character strikes a very interesting line between being very self-assured and borderline degrading. [Laughs] And it's just absolutely iconic. I revel in it so much.

CYPRIAN: But the thing is, again, her being a queen allows her to be this way, right?

ALYSSA: Oh, for sure. 

CYPRIAN: She can talk shit all day, pretty much, right? But the thing is she doesn't just talk trash. She's quick-witted. 

ALYSSA: Yes.

CYPRIAN: She's putting out hard punches. On the one hand, Geralt has a sense of humor, but so does Calanthe. And she's got some punch as well.

ALYSSA: Yeah. Actually, you do bring up a good point. You know, as uncomfortable as Geralt probably is in this very formal setting, we do get to see a lot more of his personality than I think we've seen in every single story up until then. I think we got a hint of it when Geralt was with Nivellen in “A Grain of Truth.” But it really comes into play here. He's not fighting. He's not in danger for most of this short story. So, we really do get to see a lot more of his personality and what he's like when he actually has to talk to people.

CYPRIAN: When he has to.

[Laughs]

ALYSSA: I know, right?

CYPRIAN: They play well off each other, even though they–it's maybe not the most friendly of conversations, but I like the, the wittiness.

ALYSSA: And I think, despite the few hostile overtones between Calanthe and Geralt, the undertone still feels to be one of some sort of respect. This is, again, something that we consistently see with Geralt, which I just find so funny, is that, no matter who he's with and no matter how, you know, highbrow or lowbrow these people are, Geralt is just kind of himself. And I don't know if it's because he's a proxy for the reader at every point or if it's just him as a character, but people love to tell him stuff and people love to trust him.

[Laughs]

CYPRIAN: Right. And he doesn't particularly like it. 

ALYSSA: No.

[Laughs]

CYPRIAN: He's just like, “Okay. Why are you telling me this? I really do not care.” So—

[Laughs]

ALYSSA: Exactly. Understandably, Geralt is terribly confused about why he's here. And Haxo, the Castellan, really didn't say anything much to him. So, now that he has Calanthe's attention, he tries to get it out of her. He essentially says to her, “Why do you need a Witcher? Why do you need a Witcher to dress up and pretend to be somebody else? Do you not understand what my profession is?” She turns around and says more or less, “No, I know exactly who you are. And I know exactly why you're here. And you're gonna be here to do the job that I'm asking you to do.” 

CYPRIAN: Right. Right.

ALYSSA: She toes this very hard line with him. She has this really wonderful dialogue with Geralt, which is where the title of the short story comes up: A Question of Price. Calanthe says:

[Reading] “Kings divide people into two categories—those they order around, and those they buy—because they adhere to the old and banal truth that everyone can be bought. Everyone. It’s only a question of price. Don’t you agree?” She continues and says, “I don’t need to ask. You’re a witcher, after all; you do your job and take the money. As far as you’re concerned, the idea of being bought has lost its scornful undertone. The question of price, too, is clear, related as it is to the difficulty of the task and how well you execute it. And your fame, Geralt… Old men at fairs and markets sing of the exploits of the white-haired witcher from Rivia. If even half of it is true, then I wager your services are not cheap. So it would be a waste of money to engage you in such simple, trite matters as palace intrigue or murder. Those can be dealt with by other, cheaper hands.”

ALYSSA: Again, like, I'm so sorry, I feel like I'm just gonna keep reading Calanthe quotes. Um, and it is actually quite important. Because Calanthe hasn't given him much information, she asks him, like, “Are we done?” Geralt responds, “Unclear tasks can’t be clearly executed.” Calanthe says:

[Reading] “What’s unclear? You did, after all, guess correctly. I have plans regarding a marriage alliance with Skellige. These plans are threatened and I need you to eliminate the threat. But here your shrewdness ends. The supposition that I mistake your trade for that of a hired thug has piqued me greatly. Accept, Geralt, that I belong to that select group of rulers who know exactly what witchers do and how they ought to be employed. On the other hand, if someone kills as efficiently as you do, even though not for money, he shouldn’t be surprised if people credit him with being a professional in that field. Your fame runs ahead of you, Geralt; it's louder than Draig Bon-Dhu’s accursed bagpipes and there are equally few pleasant notes in it.”

CYPRIAN: His fame. His fame. “Old men at fairs and markets sing of the exploits.” Old men and Dandelion.

[Alyssa laughs]

CYPRIAN: As far as we are concerned and as far as Geralt can see, there are no monsters present. He doesn't really get anything out of this really happening. Surely, the only threat could be like an assassin or somebody trying to kill somebody or whatever, but no monsters. Or, if there is a monster, why is she waiting with this? Why is she keeping him in the dark? Like, she assures him that she knows that he's a witcher and what they do, and that he isn't a mere thug for hire. So, if anything, it's more confusing.

ALYSSA: Calanthe knows exactly why Geralt is here, and, again, obviously, he doesn't. She sets this up in such a way that there are clearly high stakes here. And Geralt seems to be aware of that, but doesn't understand his part in it. She has, again, like, this really wonderful excerpt where she tells Geralt:

[Reading] “Prick up your ears because I won’t repeat this. I want to achieve the ends which, to a certain degree, you have guessed. There can be no other solution. As for you, you have a choice. You can be forced to act by my command—I don’t wish to dwell on the consequences of disobedience, although obedience will be generously rewarded—or you can render me a paid service. Note that I didn’t say, ‘I can buy you,’ because I’ve decided not to offend your witcher’s pride. There’s a huge difference, isn’t there?” Geralt says, “The magnitude of this difference has somehow escaped my notice.” Calante replies, “Then pay greater attention. The difference, my dear witcher, is that one who is bought is paid according to the buyer’s whim, whereas one who renders a service sets his own price. Is that clear?” Geralt says, “To a certain extent. Let’s say, then, that I choose to serve. Surely I should know what that entails?” Calanthe says, “No. Only a command has to be specific and explicit. A paid service is different. I’m interested in the results, nothing more. How you achieve it is your business.” 

CYPRIAN: “So, why am I here again?”

ALYSSA: [Laughs] Exactly. Like, she still doesn't tell him anything. I think this is a really interesting excerpt. By day, I'm a product designer by trade—

CYPRIAN: And by night?

ALYSSA: By night, I'm an absolute mess, just making nothing but Witcher content.

CYPRIAN: [Laughs] Team No Sleep, right? 

ALYSSA: But it’s all good things. Honestly, I couldn't imagine doing anything else right now. And, at least, people are getting something out of it, I hope, right? 

CYPRIAN: Oh, I mean you're getting something out of this, right? You're doing what you like. So, what else is there in life? [Laughs]

ALYSSA: Absolute geek notoriety. I think that is the upper echelons of fame.

[They laugh]

ALYSSA: But I mean I bring up my day job as a designer, because, you know, I’ve–I’ve freelanced before. And I'm not gonna lie: I hate freelancing. I absolutely hate freelancing. But the idea that Calanthe proposes here: “One who has bought is paid according to the buyers whim, whereas one who renders the service sets his own price.”

ALYSSA: And this is something that I've just come across when people have proposed freelance projects to me. And sometimes I'll price myself out. I'll be like, “Hey, taking away some of my time to work on something else, like, that does come down to, you know, services rendered. That does come down to value. And I really think it's interesting here to know, in “The Witcher,” in the very first short story, Geralt puts out a price. He notices that, you know, this is a free market. He doesn't have to do that here with Calanthe. She says, “I understand your value. I'm gonna pay whatever you want, because you're doing me a favor.”

CYPRIAN: You would wish for clients like that, eh?

[Laughs]

CYPRIAN: I mean, just, name your price! She's not trying to force the issue. She is trying to hire a witcher. Just pay him really good money, so he does what she's telling him to do. The problem is she's not telling him what he's supposed to do. He's pretty much just going in blind. For a witcher, preparation is half the deal. And, um, now, Calanthe is just sitting here telling him to basically, “Trust me, right? It's gonna be fine. Just take the money and shut up.”

[Alyssa laughs]

CYPRIAN: I don't know. It's really suspicious.

ALYSSA: I mean I suppose that's the luxury of being royalty: “I have everything you could possibly want. I can pay you as much as you could possibly imagine. So, just shut up and do it.” You're exactly right.

CYPRIAN: That's true. That's true. Geralt is reluctant, because, again, what is his task? What's he supposed to do?

ALYSSA: As the banquet continues, the guests start to get a little antsy. One of them—I believe it's Eist—comes up to Calanthe and says, “Hey, we've been waiting for a while. You've been talking to this man for quite a bit. Where's Pavetta?”

CYPRIAN: Eist is coming in and telling her like, “Hey, you've been talking to this guy for a while.” Who is this guy, right? Nobody knows him. Geralt is there under, like, fake identity or whatever.

ALYSSA: Yeah.

CYPRIAN: He is made up noble, which is weird, I think, for everyone involved, including Geralt. I would imagine, like, Geralt is someone who's actually quite difficult to disguise. He's a witcher and, on top of that, he has white hair.

ALYSSA: I know. He's fucking famous.

CYPRIAN: Right, right, right! I'm kind of surprised nobody caught onto it. Like, “Hey, isn't that this famous Witcher guy?” Like, he looks exactly like him with his Witcher eyes, his hair.

ALYSSA: And he doesn't do a very good job of even attempting to pretend to put on airs and be this fake Lord of Fourhorn. There's this funny little part where, um, someone tries to make small talk with Geralt and asks, “How are the mares fowling in Fourhorn?” And Geralt just says, “Better than the stallions.” 

CYPRIAN: Oh, my god.

ALYSSA: Which is really funny. But, apparently, the guy just “fuddles” off and just doesn't really say anything back.

CYPRIAN: He's just all-around irritated. Like, “What?”

ALYSSA: Yeah.

CYPRIAN: “What did he just say?”

ALYSSA: But Geralt thinks it's funny. And, I mean, I thought it was hilarious.

CYPRIAN: Yeah. I mean, right? It's quite amusing.

[Alyssa laughs]

ALYSSA: So, as the banquet continues, Calanthe summons for Pavetta. The princess enters the hall. Everyone stops dead in their tracks. She's incredibly beautiful and looks very much like her mother, the queen. Cyprian, you had, like, a small note here about heirs and the line of succession in monarchies, correct? 

CYPRIAN: Right. I mean it's quite an interesting situation right now, because, currently, we have Calanthe as ruling Queen of Cintra, because her husband, the king of Cintra, passed away. So, Calanthe is now ruling, which implies that there is no male heir. Because they just had Pavetta, right? She doesn't have any siblings. And she was underage until now for marriage. And I think the King of Cintra didn't have any brothers either. So, there's no option to go, like, from brother to brother. So, Calanthe was ruling right now as queen in, like, a transitional way until Pavetta can get married off. And, seeing that she's only 15, they are rushing it.

CYPRIAN: It's interesting, because, again, the rules of succession aren't clearly defined anywhere, right? We don't have this background information. But it's either the law dictates it, that, in this particular situation, it's alright for Calanthe to rule as Queen until Pavetta is of age to get married and then she gets married, and then we have a king. So, it's pretty much dictated by law that there needs to be a king as soon as possible.

CYPRIAN: Or maybe it's so urgent, because of the political situation. We have this urgency that Cintra needs Skellige as an ally for stability and, I reckon, military purpose. Again, we don't really know. Maybe it could even be both, right? But, um, it appears that there are actually no female rulers or female heirs in Cintra, like, by law. But, just because of this particular situation, Calanthe is able to rule, because there's pretty much nobody else. Through this, you see just how important this decision right now is, because the person who's going to marry Pavetta is gonna be the king of Cintra. So, this is the whole future of the kingdom. So, that's–the stakes are pretty high, you could say.

ALYSSA: Yeah. And Calanthe doubles down, toward the end of this section, where she tells Geralt:

[Reading] “Cintra has to form an alliance with Skellige because the interest of the state demands it. My daughter has to marry the right person. Those are the results you must ensure me.” And Geralt here says, “I have to ensure that? Isn’t your will alone sufficient for it to happen?” And Calanthe says, “Events might take such a turn that it won’t be sufficient.” And Geralt says, “What can be stronger than your will?” And Calanthe just replies, “Destiny.”

CYPRIAN: Well… that's just more confusion for Geralt.

ALYSSA: This is absolutely wild. And he responds:

[Reading] “So, I, a poor witcher, am to face down a destiny which is stronger than the royal will.” He tells her that, “This service you demand borders on the impossible.” Calanthe just responds, “If it bordered on the possible, I can manage it myself. I wouldn’t need the famous Geralt of Rivia.”

ALYSSA: Which…

[Chuckles]

ALYSSA: Ah, I love her so much. But she’s very frank with him. Frank in such a way that she knows she needs him, but mysterious in such a way that she won't tell him why. “You have to do this thing. It's practically impossible, but you are gonna do it.” Ah. [Cyprian laughs] it’s, it's such a bizarre situation for him to find himself in on so many different levels.

CYPRIAN: It is. And we, as the reader, are just as confused. We didn't get any info either. Like, it's just more confusion. It’s just, like, with every answer, it just gets more confusing. 

ALYSSA: Yeah. Toward the end of this section, Calanthe tells Geralt to reach behind her throne.  Behind there, he finds his weapons, his swords, which were taken away from him at the beginning of this short story. And Geralt just tells her, “Your Majesty, not to repeat what I said earlier about killing people, you do realize that a sword alone will not defeat destiny?” It's interesting to see what she's setting him up for. All of his weapons were taken away, because he was at a formal event. She needs him to be lethal from what she thinks.

CYPRIAN: There's no info. Who’s the target? What's going on? Why do I have to do this? He just now got handed a weapon under the table and, um, get ready.

ALYSSA: And, before we learn about the destiny that Calanthe fears, we're gonna hand it over to Lars from WitcherFlix for recent news on the upcoming Netflix show. When we come back, Cyprian and I will continue our discussion of “A Question of Price.”

“Tidings from Toussaint”

[“Tidings from Toussaint” theme music by Bettina Campomanes]

LARS FROM WITCHERFLIX: Hey, it's Lars from Witcherflix and this is “Tidings from Toussaint.” What's new in the world of the Witcher show on Netflix? Here is the answer.

There are several hints indicating that a possible Season 2 of the Witcher series is already in development. Writer Rae Benjamin could be part of the Writer's room for Season 2. She is new to the Witcher team, but she posted some funny little pictures and videos of her and other members of the writer's staff, such as Declan de Barra, Sneja Koorse, or Beau DeMayo. This also confirms that several writers for Season 1 will return for Season 2 of the Witcher show.

At this moment, the work on the Witcher soundtrack is well on its way. We already know that Sonya Belousova is in charge of the music and that she really likes her obscure instruments like the hurdy gurdy. And right now her work continues. On Instagram she wrote: "Plenty of recording sessions still to come, lots of music still to write but a lot of music already written! We do a lot of recording sessions here in the studio and we’ve had fantastic soloists come to record."

In other news, we have a new confirmed character on the show: Game of Thrones has its Qhorin with a “q”, The Hobbit has its Thorin with a “th”, and The Witcher has its Korin with a “k.” According to his IMDB profile, Hungarian actor Martin Berencsy was cast as the warrior Korin, who was Geralt's father. He only appears in the short story "A Road with No Return", released in the short story collection "Something Ends, Something Begins". The story is set before Geralt was born and also features Geralt's mother Visenna. Unfortunately, the book hasn't been translated into English yet. Even though Korin is only listed for the pilot episode up to this point, we now can conclude that we will definitely learn a lot about Geralt's past on the show, as a Young Geralt was cast, too. This is why I think it's only a matter of time when we finally know the actress for Geralt's mother Visenna.

Thanks to redditor u/KieranofRivia of the awesome r/netflixwitcher subreddit we know that French Magazine Première published an article about the Witcher show. Nothing too exciting is written in this article, but there are some interesting tidbits nonetheless. The Première reporter visited the set and interviewed Andrew Laws, the Witcher show's production designer. He talked about CGI and practical effects. The designer mentioned that everyone wanted to use as little CGI as possible, as they didn't want actors to play in front of green screens all the time, instead they wanted scenes that feel human and real. Andrew Laws added that the problem in good CGI is maintaining the the same level of quality for all the scenes of the show. In addition, the Première reporter said that he saw dozens of extras in armor and more than a thousand costumes for extras, as well as 200 more for the actual actors. This is really spectacular and I can't wait to see them on the small screen.

Anyway guys, that's it for me. We'll talk again in the next episode of Breakfast in Beauclair. Until then, thanks again for listening and good luck on the path!

[“Tidings from Toussaint” theme music by Bettina Campomanes]

Discussion

ALYSSA: Hey, everyone! Welcome back from the break. I’m here with Cyprian discussing “A Question of Price” from Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Last Wish. When we left off, Geralt of Rivia attends a banquet in the Kingdom of Cintra at the request of Queen Calanthe. The witcher is told he’s there to ensure an alliance between Cintra and Skellige, and that Princess Pavetta marries the right man.

ALYSSA: So, we're finally here learning about the destiny that Calanthe fears. The banquet is interrupted by Urcheon of Erlenwald, whose identity is completely concealed by armor until midnight. Still masked, the stranger presents his story: the late King Roegner of Cintra became lost while alone on a hunting trip. Urcheon rescued him, and as a reward, asked for “whatever the king had left at home without knowing or expecting it.” On the king’s return, Calanthe was unexpectedly in labor, making Urcheon’s reward Princess Pavetta herself. There’s an uproar at this information, which is calmed by Coodcoodak, the Baron of Tigg. He explains the Law of Surprise to the crowd, which reveals children marked by Destiny, of which Geralt is one himself. After Geralt’s true identity and nature as a witcher is revealed to the guests, the guardhouse bell strikes announcing midnight.

ALYSSA: We got a lot of information here, where Urcheon of Erlenwald comes into this banquet. Before the break, the stage was set. Geralt comes to Cintra. He meets Calanthe. Everybody tells him literally nothing. And, finally, we learn what Calanthe has feared this whole time, and it's this armored person.

CYPRIAN: Erlenwald. Like Erlenwald is, again, German. “Wald” is woods, forest. And “erlen” is just like – I think it's a kind of a tree. I'm not sure. I'm not that much into trees.

[Alyssa laughs]

CYPRIAN: But, yeah. So, again, German influence. Isn't that weird? I mean he's just coming in in a full set of armor with the visor down. So, you can’t see his face. I mean, I have this picture in mind with somebody stepping into a bank with, like, a motorcycle helmet. 

ALYSSA: Yeah.

CYPRIAN: How are the guards letting him in like that? Yeah. I mean sure they stripped away his weapons, probably, because he's unarmed as far as we know. But still, I mean medieval armor, like, plate armor, which he seems to be wearing is really tough. I mean you become a tank, right? So, even without weapons, you become the weapon. That's, that’s crazy that they let them in like that, especially in the throne room where there's the queen and everyone. The second thing that appears strange to me is King Roegner became lost while alone on a hunting trip. Hunting trips, that was a really widespread hobby around nobility.

ALYSSA: We need something to do. Let's just go outside and poke things.

CYPRIAN: Definitely. Definitely. Kings, noblemen, like, they just didn't ride out on their own. They had whole hunting parties with them. There were hunters in these parties and what they would do is they would track down wildlife and guide them into the line of fire of the noblemen. So, the nobility, the high society, didn't actually really do a lot of the hunting. They would get the wildlife presented in front of them and they would just shoot away. 

ALYSSA: Oh, my god. 

CYPRIAN: Yeah. I mean, come on, he’s a king, not a hunter. So, what's irritating about this is it says here that he was lost while alone on a hunting trip. Especially, people of the nobility, they didn’t–didn't go alone on hunting trips, because exactly of these things. It was too dangerous. So, that's… kind of weird that he was alone. I mean, I don't know. Maybe it was dark, and he lost his companions or whatever. And I'm not sure. It's, it's just weird in that context. But the king supposedly said to him, “Hey, I just got lost on the hunting trip, whatever. Can you help me? Blah, blah,” right? So, because the circumstances are so strange, could it be that he wasn't hunting? Like, he was doing something, something else, something naughty, or maybe he just got drunk at a tavern or something. I mean it's just strange. I guess we're just gonna have to roll with it.

ALYSSA: I know, Sapkowski doesn't provide a lot of reason for why the king ended up by himself other than he got lost and then ended up in a ditch basically. I think you're right. Like, Sapkowski does leave, like, a huge hole in why is this even happening in the first place. And he just kind of glazes over it in order to push along the plot. 

CYPRIAN: Yeah.

ALYSSA: Before Urcheon actually presents the reason why he's here, he does weird out everyone by not taking off his armor or his visor. As you would have put it, “wearing a motorcycle mask in a bank” or something. He does tell the crowd, “My face must remain hidden for the time being with your permission.” And then he just kind of pushes it aside as a matter of  "knight’s vows" that he can't reveal his face before midnight. We don't see this here, but we do see this in the very last book, Lady of the Lake, when Geralt is in—well, when he's in Beauclair! Where the podcast is named from. When he's in Toussaint, we do see a lot more of these knight’s vows then. But, at the moment, this isn't something that we've come across in the saga yet.

CYPRIAN: It's also, like, a weird vow to take. Why? It’s just–it's just so unusual. I mean—

ALYSSA: It sounds like he just uses it as an excuse in order to, kind of, get himself out of trouble. As a reader right now, we don't really know why yet, but Calanthe allows it. And, as he's telling everyone his story, Calanthe takes a small break to whisper command to a page who, puzzled, needs to have the command repeated before running off. And we're gonna find out eventually what she says to him. But, for the moment, it's a complete mystery to Geralt. He notes the page is puzzled, but he doesn't know what was said.

CYPRIAN: Which I mean is quite unfortunate, especially since he's a witcher and he, supposedly, has enhanced hearing and he's sitting right next to Calanthe. I mean, come on, if you're gonna pick up anything, like, pick up these little lines. It's kind of a blunder on Geralt's part.

ALYSSA: You're just sticking holes through the swiss cheese tonight, Cyprian.

CYPRIAN: I am. I am! But maybe that's why she had to repeat this command because she was [whispered] whispering.

ALYSSA: I mean, lovingly, critical of Sapkowski’s work, which we both adore. If not, we wouldn't be here.

[They laugh]

ALYSSA: Urcheon made the king promise whatever he had left at home without knowing or expecting it. So, Urcheon's demanded reward was to be the Princess Pavetta before she was even born. Everyone gets very upset, understandably, that they've made this whole journey and, suddenly, there's this person, this mysterious figure who won't even unveil his face to the crowd saying that he has this claim over the princess. And Coodcoodak steps up and says, “Actually, there's some validity to this.” He says:

[Reading] “Let us not pretend that we’ve never heard of such requests, of the Law of Surprise, as old as humanity itself. Of the price, a man who saves another can demand, of the granting of a seemingly impossible wish. ‘You will give me the first thing that comes to greet you.’ It might be a dog, you’ll say, or a halberdier at the gate, or even a mother-in-law impatient to holler at her son-in-law when he returns home. Or, ‘you’ll give me what you find at home yet don’t expect.’ After a long journey, honorable gentlemen, and an unexpected return, this could be a lover in the wife’s bed. But sometimes it’s a child. A child marked out by destiny.”

ALYSSA: Coodcoodak goes into this huge long exposition about what this means, about all these examples of children marked out by destiny. This exposition is still met with an uproar. Geralt, here, says:

[Reading] “Everyone heard Baron Tigg tell us about the famous heroes taken from their parents on the strength of the same oath that Urcheon received from the King. But why should anyone want such an oath? You know the answer, Urcheon. It creates a powerful, indissoluble tie of destiny between the person demanding the oath and its object, the child-surprise. Such a child, marked by blind fate, can be destined for extraordinary things. It can play an incredibly important role in the life of the person to whom fate has tied it.”

ALYSSA: And Geralt continues saying that Roegner knew the power of the Law of Surprise and the gravity of the oath he took. And he took it because he knew law and custom have a power which protects such oaths, ensuring they are only fulfilled when the force of destiny confirms them.

[Reading] “I declare, Urcheon, that you have no right to the princess as yet. You will win her only when the princess herself agrees to leave with you.  This is what the Law of Surprise states. It is the child, not the parent’s consent which confirms the oath, which proves that the child was born under the shadow of destiny.”

ALYSSA: Urcheon asks, “Who are you?” And Geralt—he’s been masquerading as the Lord of Fourhorn for this whole time—unveils himself as Geralt of Rivia. Urcheon asks, “Who are you, Geralt of Rivia, to claim to be an oracle in matters of laws and customs?” Mousesack cuts in and says:

[Reading] “He knows this law better than anyone else because it applied to him once. He was taken from his home because he was what his father hadn’t expected to find on his return. Because he was destined for other things. And by the power of destiny he became what he is.”

ALYSSA: Urcheon asks, ”And what is he?” And he's told that Geralt is a witcher. We're gonna get to what that means for Urcheon. But you and I, Cyprian, have a lot to unpack about the Law of Surprise.

CYPRIAN: This is, I mean, maybe the single most important thing in the short stories, in the whole saga, I mean, without the Law of Surprise… a lot of things wouldn't happen. 

ALYSSA: Super cryptic. 

CYPRIAN: Let's just put it that way. Let's just address the first thing: why would anyone take this over normal payment? I'm just going to go on a limb here, right, and say, most of the time, the guy who owes you something… his wife isn't expecting a child. Okay.?

ALYSSA: Yeah.

CYPRIAN: And this is just such an uncertain request. If there's no child, I mean you pretty much go empty-handed. It's a gamble, pretty much. And only one worth doing if you believe in destiny. I don't know. I guess most people don't. Well, I think I'd rather have the coin.

ALYSSA: More often than not, I would imagine nothing comes of this request and only sometimes does a child of destiny appear under certain circumstances. And it's applied here that the Law of Surprise really comes down to life debt, right?

CYPRIAN: Yes. Yes. You save somebody's life, you'll get his child's life, I guess. Well, yes, it says here the child needs to consent to it, which is great. 

ALYSSA: Right.

CYPRIAN: I like that. [But] it's a decision you can’t entrust to a child.

ALYSSA: But I'd imagine that the child of destiny would just come about very naturally and very organically if destiny was to be fulfilled.

CYPRIAN: Yeah, you're right. That's kind of implied here. If it's destiny and it's supposed to happen, then it's just meant to be. Again, you have to believe in destiny. Moreover, you have to believe that you have some kind of destiny with some child, which isn't even born yet. It's just so vague. It's kind of hard to wrap your head around it.

ALYSSA: Do you think having a belief in destiny is required for invoking this? You know, from everything that’s said, it sounds like it does. But we hear repeatedly, Geralt doesn't believe in this, even though he is a child of destiny himself. But he kind of says repeatedly throughout the short stories and throughout the series, “I spit on destiny,” basically. He seems to see himself as a realist—whether or not he actually is is up for debate, but he seems to at least pretend to be a realist.

CYPRIAN: That's a very interesting point. Yeah. If it's necessary to believe in destiny because it may very well be that you don't have to believe in it and it just happens. It's an interesting concept. Your guess is as good as mine. So—

ALYSSA: You actually did a little bit of research about the concept of the Law of Surprise in our own world, right? 

CYPRIAN: Yes. I mean, research might be a little–a little overstatement. But I was just curious, because—

ALYSSA: You looked into it, right?

CYPRIAN: A bit. A bit. Yeah. I was just so intrigued, again, by this whole idea of this Law of Surprise. To me personally, it's just ludicrous. I had to look up if there's actually some real-life equivalent to it if this maybe has some kind of basis in history like many things in the Witcher universe. And the only thing I managed to find is a small note on actually, The Witcher Wiki, which said that this is based in Slavic mythology that the Law of Surprise was a form of payment for the devil’s services, which is very interesting for a couple of reasons. If you leave all this destiny things aside, it's fitting that it's a payment for the devil’s services. Maybe it's not your soul. You're just giving away your child, which is—it may very well be worse. But, on the other hand… I'm not an expert on Slavic mythology, but I know a bit. As far as I am concerned, there is actually no devil-like figure in Slavic mythology, especially not the devil as there is.

ALYSSA: In, like, Christianity, right? Compared to the [Christian] idea of the devil.

CYPRIAN: Yes, exactly. Because there was no devil figure in Slavic mythology. There were a lot of gods, half-gods. You could compare it to Greek mythology in that regard. Once Christianity was introduced into Poland and the rest of Eastern Europe, with Christianity, came the idea of a devil. But there was no, like, devil in Slavic mythology. So, I'm not sure where this reference is coming from exactly? I haven’t managed to find anything else. Maybe, at a later point, I'll, I'll get a quick update in our subreddit or something. I will let you all know. Again, pretty interesting, but not as conclusive as I would like.

ALYSSA: I mean I would have just assumed that this was something that Sapkowski made up, especially because of how much of a role it eventually ends up playing in the Witcher universe. But it's really interesting to hear from you that there's even a adjacent historical background on this.

CYPRIAN: Supposedly. Or, maybe some of you guys know some more information on that. 

ALYSSA: Yeah!

CYPRIAN: Let us know. I mean I'm, I'm really curious. Like genuinely. 

ALYSSA: Yeah. So, if our international hanza has a few words on it, write to us. The Law of Surprise is something that we're gonna revisit throughout the short stories and throughout the saga. But, for the moment, we get a small introduction to it here.

CYPRIAN: One other thing: it might sound silly, but what jurisdiction is it belonging to? Like, what is this law based on? Like, it looks like it's a universal law of some sort. But this is just a law. Like, what law? Like, who decides that and when? Is this a magic law? Is it just a law of nature? Like—

ALYSSA: Oh, my god. So much with the swiss cheese, Cyprian. Just poking holes in Sapkowski left and right. I think this is definitely a, like, “not behind the curtain” moment for, for Sapkowski.

CYPRIAN: Okay. Like, listen, Andrzej, okay? I need more context here. Okay? I mean, come on. No. But, in all seriousness, I'm just, like, where does this come from? Like, why do we have to adhere to the law? Like, where does this come from?

ALYSSA: So, from this discussion, we just know that Sapkowski made a bunch of shit up. And, as illogical as some of it is, we're just gonna roll with it, because it plays such a large part in the rest of the saga.

ALYSSA: Geralt is unveiled to the entire crowd in this banquet hall as Geralt of Rivia, a witcher. As soon as this happens, we hear the bell from the guardhouse signal midnight. And everybody kind of gets a little uneasy, because Urcheon has told them he has to remain hidden until midnight. Supposedly, it's midnight and he removes his helmet and visor, revealing a monster’s head beneath it. And he completely shocks the banquet guests. With his form revealed, Calanthe asks Princess Pavetta if she wants to go with the creature and Pavetta says, “Yes.” There's a moment of silent astonishment and the entire hall breaks out into a brawl with the Witcher running to defend Urcheon. Pavetta suddenly throws the whole room into a frenzy using uncontrolled raw magic. Geralt and Mousesack, with the unexpected aid of the Baron of Tigg, subdue the princess. There's so much here.

CYPRIAN: Yes. Okay. Well.

ALYSSA: We could probably start with the description of Urcheon now that he's got his helmet off. His big ol’ motorcycle helmet. This description that Sapkowski gives here. Urcheon takes off his helmet and:

[Reading] […] above the wide, semi-circular breastplate, two bulbous black, button eyes looked out. Eyes set to either side of a blunt, elongated muzzle covered in reddish bristles and full of sharp white fangs. Urcheon’s head and neck bristled with a brush of short gray, twitching prickles.

ALYSSA: Cyprian, you have. like. a very small funny note about Urcheon.

CYPRIAN: Yes, because, again, that's quite interesting, the differences between Polish into English version. Because, in the Polish version, he’s called “Jeż”, which is Polish for hedgehog. Just literally hedgehog. In Polish, It's not that strange, because there's actually a Polish name which Jeży, which is pretty much the same. Just one letter added at the back. But, on that note, that's why I was intrigued by this name. Like, Urcheon, like, where does it come from? Like, I can’t imagine where it's come from because being called hedgehog, like, as a name in English sounds quite strange even to me, not a native speaker.

ALYSSA: Yeah.

CYPRIAN: I can understand why they didn’t [choose] that. But, actually, it turns out Urcheon [ur-che-on] or Urcheon [ur-kee-on]—I'm not sure on the pronunciation—is a Middle English term for hedgehog. So, the translation is actually spot on, which is quite interesting, I mean. And I think it fits his description quite well, doesn't it?

ALYSSA: It was sort of like a subtle unmasking if he just kind of tells the room, like, “I'm a hedgehog!” without having actually unveiled himself. And then he takes off his mask. And then everyone's like, “Ugh… I mean, I guess?”

CYPRIAN: Yeah, the name fits the description.

ALYSSA: Everyone understandably freaks out at this being that's in the middle of this royal hall. Calanthe has a look of success. And she asks Pavetta, “You see the person who's laying claim on you. Do you want to go with him?” And Pavetta says, “Yes,” which throws the entire hall into a frenzy. Calanthe calls for the guards. They start going out for Urcheon's blood. Geralt immediately goes to defend Urcheon. Eist Tuirseach throws a chair down, smashes it, and starts shanking people left and right. And it's an absolute wildfire. Doesn't the skald smack Crach an Craite, like, with the bagpipes and just knock him out? Like, it's a wild, wild scene.

CYPRIAN: I think so. And, while doing so he shouts, “World star!”

[Alyssa laughs]

CYPRIAN: I mean—

ALYSSA: The hall here just turns into absolute WWE madness.

[Cyprian laughs]

ALYSSA: It is insane. This is not befitting of the throne room in Cintra. And, to everyone's surprise, Pavetta enters the fray with uncontrolled magic. Furniture starts flying everywhere. Calanthe’s throne, with her in it, flies across the room. 

CYPRIAN: It's crazy. 

ALYSSA: This is the first time that we're seeing something supernatural like Pavetta. We had Nevillen in “A Grain of Truth”, who kind of seems to be like what Urcheon is. This humanoid beast thing, but we haven't seen anything quite like Pavetta. She's suspended in the room throwing out this swirling force.

CYPRIAN: I think it's important to emphasize that, during this whole mess, Urcheon gets stabbed despite his armor. But, only once Urcheon gets stabbed, Pavetta goes mental. As it appears, the trigger for this whole shit show. So, yeah, I just thought this would be an important point to keep in mind, people, for later on.

ALYSSA: Yeah, for sure. Geralt and Mousesack together with the magic that they have between the druid and the Witcher try to subdue Pavetta. And the thing that actually distracts her is the Baron of Tigg, Coodcoodak. We haven't really talked about it. But, through the whole entire story, he's making animal noises, which is how he got his nickname, Coodcoodak. They get increasingly bizarre as the story goes on. At this specific moment, he's found the skald’s bagpipe. And he just screams into them and, for whatever reason, this is enough to distract Pavetta. And, when she's distracted by whatever the hell kind of noises are coming out of this bagpipe, that's when the Witcher and Mousesack hit her again.

CYPRIAN: Behold the power of the Scottish bagpipes.

ALYSSA: [Laughs] It is–it is a very worthy, worthy opponent.

CYPRIAN: Right. Right. I mean damn. Again, this is a mess. Everyone was just really puzzled I imagine, not only because of their concussion. Okay. Let's just break this down. You have a talking humanoid hedgehog. The princess has just gone completely mental. 

ALYSSA: She just went supernatural. 

CYPRIAN: She just went Super Saiyan. Yeah. Another crossover. That's an interesting situation.

ALYSSA: By the time everything calms down and Pavetta is subdued, we have Calanthe who'd been thrown across the room with Eist from Skellige coddling over her. I think there might be a guard or two, who is dead. Geralt, I think, cut one across the temple. The room is in shambles. There are people everywhere. Geralt and Mousesack go over to the queen and start assessing the damage.

ALYSSA: Okay. I want to address this. After everything sets down, Pavetta kind of brushes off the guards that are coming over to aid her and she walks over to Urcheon. In the English translation it says, Mousesack snorted. He says, “The youth of today they start early. They've only got one thing on their minds.” And Geralt says, “What's that?” Mousesack says, “Didn’t you know, witcher, that a virgin, one who’s untouched, wouldn’t be able to use the force?”

ALYSSA: I, I just hate this so much as a concept. I feel like, as a society, we just need to stop vilifying the loss of virginity and praising the preservation of it. And I just hate things like this that talk about, like, virgins having magical powers, whether that's, you know, virgins and unicorns or loss of virginity and the ability to tap into this magical force that's out there. I just think it's so ridiculous.

CYPRIAN: I'm with you on that point. And I don't want to say that it's not a big deal, losing a virginity, because—

ALYSSA: Yeah.

CYPRIAN: —it surely is. I mean it's, it's something special. Like, without going into sex ed or something. Like, but, um.

ALYSSA: That's exactly why people are listening to our podcast.

CYPRIAN: Again, people, if you still have it, that's fine. If you want to lose it, just make sure it's with someone you trust, someone you love. You don't have to marry them in my eyes, but, if you want to, that's fine, too. I mean to each their own.

ALYSSA: Like, for me personally, I think it's definitely up to that individual person. I just find it so bizarre in a literary context, in a cultural context that we would demonize people either way, whether they keep it or whether they lose it. And I just–I feel like we shouldn't be perpetuating this fascination with virginity. I mean, granted, you know, this was–this was written quite a while ago.

CYPRIAN: Right. Right. I mean, but look, generally speaking, during the Middle Ages, it was quite of a big deal, especially for nobility and noble marriages. I mean it was expected that the princess was untouched. Okay. I–I just think, what you do with your partner, that's your thing. I really, really couldn't care less what you do. As long as, like, you have everyone's consent and everyone likes it, do whatever the hell you want. And I think this is just the healthiest way of going about it.

ALYSSA: As much as I don't like the argument about “you can have superpowers or not have superpowers if you're a virgin”, it does end up being important to the story, the loss of Pavetta’s virginity, which we’re gonna find out in a bit.

[Reading] Mousesack and Geralt calm the princess. She wanders over to Urcheon. We see him transform back. He turns into a man. And everyone is confused, except for Pavetta, who calls him Duny. And the Witcher figures out that Calanthe's order to the page earlier had been to ring the bell earlier.

[Reading] At the end of Part II, Calanthe summons everybody to her chambers, which takes us to part III: In her chambers, Urcheon or Duny, as Pavetta calls him, tells the Queen and her escort about the curse that had been placed on him. Calanthe announces a marriage between herself and Eist of Skellige and allows Pavetta and Duny to stay in Cintra. She asks Mousesack to remain in Cintra as Pavetta’s teacher. As dawn breaks, the queen is surprised to see Duny unchanged. Mousesack and Geralt reveal that Calanthe’s acceptance of Duny and her gift of Pavetta to him broke his curse. Duny tells Geralt that he is in debt to the witcher and promises the Witcher anything. Geralt asks Duny for what he already has, but does not know. And Pavetta, blushing, tells her mother and future husband about her pregnancy.

CYPRIAN: So, here we are again.

ALYSSA: Yeah. So, here we are. And we have kind of a full circle on this concept of the Law of Surprise in this conclusion to the short story, “A Question of Price”.

CYPRIAN: Right. You're right. We're coming full circle with the Law of Surprise. Um, wow, this introduces a lot of things. I mean, first off, Calanthe's wish was granted. Yeah. She has the alliance, not by her daughter's marriage, but through other means. So, hooray! 

ALYSSA: The two requirements that she asked of Geralt were to ensure an alliance with Skellige and to make sure that her daughter marries the right man. Both of these things ended up coming true with her own upcoming marriage to Eist of Skellige and also Pavetta marrying the "right man," which is Duny or Urcheon in this case.

CYPRIAN: How lovely.

ALYSSA: And, as she's working through this monologue of acceptance, dawn breaks and Calanthe is surprised to see that Duny is unchanged, he hasn't changed back into his Urcheon/hedgehog form. And Geralt and Mousesack just kind of laugh at her, because they realize the moment that this curse had broken on Duny. And it was when Calanthe said, like, “I'm giving you Pavetta and we'll call it quits.” It's very casual. And just that little thing is what the Witcher and the druid say breaks that curse for him.

CYPRIAN: Turn out better than everyone hoped for, right? I mean pretty much everyone got what they–what they wanted, except for the four people who ended up dead.

ALYSSA: Whoops.

CYPRIAN: We're just gonna glaze over that.

ALYSSA: I mean we can get into fatalism and the role of fatalism and destiny. And did those people have to die for this whole thing to come true? I don't know. That's a lot to unpack.

CYPRIAN: Maybe another time. Yeah.

ALYSSA: Another time. We can get into some crazy philosophical and metaphysical stuff. 

CYPRIAN: Oh, yeah. 

ALYSSA: At this point, everyone kind of turns to Geralt. Again, we see Geralt in all these sorts of situations where everyone seems to enjoy his company, whether he's done something for them or something's happened. Calanthe turns to him and says, like, “Thank you for ensuring these tasks have been completed. And thank you for ensuring these outcomes. What do I owe you?” And she takes off this enormous emerald necklace. And then Duny steps up. And he says, “I owe you my life. Without you, I surely would have died in that banquet hall.” He says I can give you anything.”

ALYSSA: Geralt freezes. And I imagine this being very cartoonish when I think about it, but Geralt turns to him and says, “A witcher that has that question asked to him needs to have it asked again.” And Duny doubles down and says, like, “No, anything you want.” Geralt says:

[Reading] “Duny, Calanthe, Pavetta and you, righteous Knight Tuirseach, future King of Cintra, in order to become a witcher, you have to be born in the shadow of destiny, and very few are born like that. That’s why there are so few of us. We’re growing old, dying, without anyone to pass our knowledge, our gifts onto. We lack successors. And this world is full of evil, which waits for the day none of us are left.”

ALYSSA: Calanthe whispers, “Geralt,” realizing what's about to happen. Geralt says, “Yes. You’re not wrong, Queen. Duny! You will give me that which you already have but do not know. I’ll return to Cintra in six years to see if destiny has been kind to me.” And the chapter closes with the princess lowering her eyes and blushing.

CYPRIAN: Oh, my god. Oh.

ALYSSA: Where are we picking our bones here?

CYPRIAN: Shit's getting crazy and crazier. Well, I think it's safe to assume that she is indeed pregnant.

ALYSSA: Yeah. So, Pavetta here is pregnant. We've come full circle from being introduced to the Law of Surprise to seeing it invoked at the very end with Geralt.

CYPRIAN: Okay. This is very interesting, because why did Geralt say that? And, of course, yes, you could argue “destiny”. [He] just knew to ask. But let's just put that to the side. Why would he say that? What could be his reasons? Why didn't he just ask for money or whatever?

ALYSSA: I’d imagine it could be a few things. They've just been talking about it so much that it's just top of mind for Geralt to be like, “Oh, yeah, this is a thing that exists. Uh, let's ask for this reward.” But I think, on top of that, I think he's just so familiar with the Law of Surprise that there are all these things in place for him to ask. He, actually, he brings this up to Calanthe very, very early on. And it's obvious in a second read, but it's not obvious on the first. Calanthe tells him, “If you ensure these results, I'll give you anything that you want.” And Geralt freezes. And this is maybe only a third of the way into the story. And this is the first time that this concept comes up or that we see Geralt question this twice. And then, at the very end, again, we see Duny. Duny, again, doubles down on his offer that he'll give Geralt anything that he wants. And, again, Geralt says, “I'll need to ask you again.” I think it might just be the phrasing. Like, “I'll give you anything.” I think that has something to do with it, because both times that's what triggers Geralt to actually take a step back and be, like, “Hold on. There's an opportunity here.”

CYPRIAN: Right. Right. On the one hand, why would he engage in this gamble? Because surely he doesn't know that Pavetta is pregnant. I mean how, how could he know?

ALYSSA: I wonder if he does though. I wonder if he's, like, witcher senses are tingling and he just knows. 

CYPRIAN: That would be quite interesting.

ALYSSA: Either that or he and Mousesack realized.

CYPRIAN: Maybe. Maybe. But we don't have any info on that. But the concept of why we want a child instead of money, I mean he could surely use it. And what baffles me is it’s quite cruel. Again, you're taking these children out of their homes, put them through, basically, torture with all these experiments. And Geralt knows what life as a Witcher is like. It's not pleasant. If you disregard destiny, at least in my eyes, that decision doesn't really make a lot of sense, unless, he knows that Pavetta is pregnant for sure and he really wants an apprentice.

ALYSSA: As we see Geralt repeatedly, throughout the short stories up until this point, he's very opportunistic. In the very first short story, we see this in “The Witcher”, when Ostrit just kind of shows up and Geralt uses him as bait because he's there. I think it's just him not really having anything to lose to be honest by asking for this. If destiny isn't on his side, then nothing will come of it. But, if it is, there's quite a bit to gain.

CYPRIAN: That's true. That's a good point you mentioned actually. He really doesn't have anything to lose, because of the fact that he pretty much already got paid, right, by Calanthe.

ALYSSA: Yeah. I mean Calanthe gave him a freaking huge reward in terms of her necklace—

CYPRIAN: Yeah.

ALYSSA: —which it notes very early on in the short story that the smallest emeralds in that necklace is the size of a very large bumblebee or something like that. So, it's a very hefty reward for the work that Geralt did tonight, which… is arguable.

CYPRIAN: Right. But then, again, the fate of the whole kingdom? Coin well spent.

ALYSSA: Maybe a part of it is that Geralt looks at Duny, and he's just, like, “So, you broke. What have you got?” Like, that might be part of it, too. Like, we don't know anything about Duny's backstory, aside from his curse. So, it could just be Geralt being like, “If I'm gonna cop something from this kid, it's probably gonna be his own kid.”

CYPRIAN: Although, no, I'm not quite sure. Wasn't it mentioned that he was nobility as well?

ALYSSA: He does mention that he is from some sort of royal dynasty, but it doesn't seem like he's returning to his homeland.

CYPRIAN: That's true. He was traveling a lot. And, after that, even alone. It doesn't seem like he's really in touch with his fiefdom or whatever.

ALYSSA: Yeah. We have no insight into his backstory at all.

CYPRIAN: Arguable.

ALYSSA: Spoilers!

CYPRIAN: Stay tuned.

ALYSSA: So, we don't totally know what motivates Geralt in this specific moment and what he values that is going to bring him to evoke this Law of Surprise, but we do know that there is now a child involved in it, even though we don't yet know the outcome. 

CYPRIAN: Yeah. 

ALYSSA: Which sets us up for the whole entire saga.

CYPRIAN: Oh, yeah. This is a very interesting and important story.

ALYSSA: Yeah. It is very important. And thank you for being a part of it, Cyprian.

CYPRIAN: Yeah. It was a pleasure.

ALYSSA: Before we pop up, what do you think the moral of the story was?

CYPRIAN: I think there's two lessons to the story. One, you could argue, especially with this last part, destiny, apparently, is a thing. And things are just gonna happen. Like, if something is supposed to happen, then it will. There's not much you can do about it. If you believe in destiny or maybe you believe in God, that's something you can identify with. Maybe the whole concept of “God has a plan for everyone.” We don't know it, but we'll know in time. Also, regarding the figure of Geralt, Calanthe has a plan. 

ALYSSA: Yeah.

CYPRIAN: But Geralt doesn't know anything of it. But it just plays out and plays out pretty well in the end.

ALYSSA: And, as a follow-up, do you agree with Queen Calanthe that everyone can be bought and it's only a question of price? Is payment worth abandoning your own morality? 

CYPRIAN: I would like to think not, but that may be just wishful thinking, you know? I think we would all agree on that. We all view ourselves as very noble. That's good. I hope everyone's thinking that. However, you don't really know how you would react if you would be presented, like, an ungodly amount of money or something else you desire. It could be argued that everyone has a trigger of some sort. Maybe, in some cases, it's power. In another case, it's money. In another case, it may be your life or the life of someone you love. It's difficult. Everyone would like to think of themselves as unshakable in their morals. But, um, that's probably, to an extent, not true. You can't really say with certainty how you would react if you will be presented with such a situation. Mhmm. Maybe some thoughts on your side?

ALYSSA: Yeah. I know that there's a quote somewhere. Oh, it's–wait, It's one of the Stoics. I mean I'm paraphrasing. But one of the stoics [Epictetus] has a quote about, you know, whatever price you choose to sell your soul at, make sure it's the right price, which is very applicable to the idea that Calanthe proposes here. I would probably argue here in favor of her point. You know, I would say that the things that everyone values are quite different. And I would infer that everyone sets the price for their own morality and their own services. And it's gonna be different for everyone. And it doesn't necessarily have to be selling out. You know, it could be for value. You know, I don't think that she's necessarily wrong here in that everybody has some sort of price.

CYPRIAN: Sure. I mean it's hard to argue against. There’s always something, right? Either something someone desires or something someone fears. 

ALYSSA: Yeah, that's a good point. 

CYPRIAN: We could sit here for another three hours and discuss it more thoroughly. Midnight thoughts. 

ALYSSA: But it's 1:00AM for you.

CYPRIAN: It is in Berlin right now. Yeah.

ALYSSA: Cyprian and I have been on the phone for four hours now. 

CYPRIAN: But it's been lovely. I've enjoyed it. 

ALYSSA: Yeah! You know, over the course of these two episodes, we've gotten to unpack such a huge volume of Geralt's values and his morality, like you said. We see a lot of him in The Lesser Evil, where we understand where his views on neutrality stem from. And then we also see him here in this huge, huge, huge plot point about the Law of Surprise and his very first brush with destiny in a way that will be incredibly relevant for the rest of the series. And I'm very glad that you were here to be able to join me for it. And I guess we're gonna see if he gets that return on his investment in six years in Cintra.

CYPRIAN: Oh, yeah. That's gonna be one interesting episode. I can tell you that, folks.

ALYSSA: Yep. It's gonna be a while before we get there, but I promise it'll be a good one.

CYPRIAN: That's true. That's true. Hey, but even better for everyone else, right? More awesome content coming up.

ALYSSA: Fingers crossed that I don't just keel over and die before that happens.

CYPRIAN: That's true. We got to protect you right now like George R. R. Martin. You cannot die before you finish this. Like, you've committed.

ALYSSA: Oh, this is it. I think that takes us to the end of our–of this episode. 

CYPRIAN: Yeah.

ALYSSA: Yeah?

CYPRIAN: Finally.

ALYSSA: Finally! It is–it is officially 1:00 in the morning for you in Berlin. 

CYPRIAN: It is. it is.

ALYSSA: And this takes us to the end of our episode. So, that is it for our show today. Cyprian, thank you so much for joining us for this episode— for these last two episodes actually—and thank you to our community for listening. 

CYPRIAN: Thanks for having me. 

ALYSSA: Yeah, of course. It's been such a pleasure having you. You have just been an absolute rockstar in this community and in this hanza. I'm really grateful that we got to meet through it. If any of you listeners want to connect with Cyprian, he is on Instagram. You can find him probably in the comments of GoodMorhen or Breakfast in Beauclair, as well as in our subreddit, which is called r/thehanza because I got that name.

CYPRIAN: I love what you're doing, and this podcast is just–I mean it's a really good idea. I was wondering actually that nobody has done anything like this before. But, hey, more power to you.

ALYSSA: Fingers crossed it keeps going up from here.

CYPRIAN: Well, again, it's been a pleasure talking Witcher with you and, um… I'm going to go to sleep.

ALYSSA: Next episode, we're going to come back to New Jersey for a conversation with our friend Oleg to learn how Geralt met his very best bard friend in the next short story from Last Wish, “The Edge of the World.”

Outro & Credits

[Breakfast in Beauclair theme music by MojoFilter Media]

ALYSSA: Thanks for joining us at the breakfast table! For show notes, transcripts of each episode, and a complete list of our social platforms and listening services, head over to breakfastinbeauclair.com.

Breakfast in Beauclair is created by Alyssa from GoodMorhen. It’s hosted by Alyssa with the “Tidings from Toussaint” News Segment by Lars from WitcherFlix. The show is edited by Alyssa with the Breakfast in Beauclair theme by MojoFilter Media and the “Tidings from Toussaint” theme by Bettina Campomanes.

Breakfast in Beauclair is produced by Alyssa in New York City with Rangel, Gary Watts, The Owner of the Churlish Porpoise, coolguyhenry, Arix the Godling, Katie (The Redhead of Toussaint), Jacob, and David.

Special thanks to Cyprian for joining us for this episode and our international hanza for their support.

Transcriptionist: Rachelle Rose Bacharo 
Editor: Krizia Casil

 

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