Women of The Witcher

 

Adda the White

Cosplayer, photographer, and stylist Milligan Vick of Deviantart has created some mesmerizing portraits of The Witcher’s female characters, like the one of Adda the White at the top. Adda, for those who don’t remember Season 1 on Netflix, is the king’s daughter who becomes a striga, a vampirelike supernatural being whom Geralt must defeat, and cure. This portrait (not based on the TV show) seems to show her knowledge that she is changing in how she is hovering protectively over her meat, which is raw. There is tension in her face, and confusion, but she cuts into it anyway. I love the contrast of light and dark here, the red hair with red lips, dress, and gloves, while the meat is a different shade of pinkish-red. I mistook it at first for an oil painting, it’s that smooth and composed. The unadorned white plate, the silver utensils, the lonely pork chop, are Magritte-like in their simplicity and sense of surrealism, and that’s why I like it.

Below, portraits of two more lovelies.

Yennefer of Vengerberg

Princess Cirilla (Ciri)

 

Worldbuilding Wednesday 2/16/22: The Witcher

Which Witcher? Hot, hairy,  and handsome, in an open-collar shirt, or grizzled, scarred, and dressed for business?

 

Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series (reviewed by me here) has a naming convention for characters that is all over the map, yet taken as a whole, also unlike any Western fantasy I’ve read. There are names derived from French (Jacques), Italian (Vilgefortz), English folklore and fairy tales (Triss Merigold, Mousesack), Latin (Artorius), German (Reidrich, Sabrina) as well as Polish (Adda, Laszlo, Sigismund, Vesemir). The Elder language the mages speak for their spells, and that of the Elves, is based on ancient Celtish; for what else would an elf speak?

Despite the hodgepodge, the majority of names do stick out as sounding Polish or Eastern European, and I’ve chosen that model for the randomgennings here.

 

Proper names from The Witcher universe

FEMALE

Agánthe

Anra

Calaia

Cerina

Enetta

Esfor

Eyanthe

Falra

Gietta

Hadilla

Ílyrina

Jiranthe

Karoila

Kirra

Korina

Lédrua

Líra

Mádirina

Maiafa

Mimischina

Nadilla

Nalanthe

Odetta

Odilla

Pakarla

Patraia

Ramothy

Rowetti

Saia

Shaldra

Timirlana

Tissanthe

Yenenthe

Yerilla

Zaltina

MALE

Afel

Besemir

Dald Thyir

Esiel

Ethrald

Etir

Ildreld

Ithalt

Jirvyal Dugal

Kachnir

Kald Wialter

Mert Curcichel

Munalt

Obralt

Obrywald

Olithert

Othan

Othert

Ráfemal

Ralt

Rythralt

Shald Vael

Sysgert

Thibert

Threchald

Trevanthier

Trubel

Uriald

Usal

Vebremalt

Vercithal

Vestaujier

Weillan

Ygafort

Ythiert

The Witcher, Season 1 and 2 [Review]

henry cavill as The Witcher

Witcher Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) ponders how the candles of the chandelier behind him all burn at exactly the same rate and intensity.

The Witcher, based on the writings of Polish fantasy author Andrzej Sapkowski, debuted on Netflix in 2019 and has remained one of its top draws ever since. It’s not hard to see why. The series is full of action, adventure, and romance, tempered with a wry, dry, typically Polish sense of humor.

The Netflix show is actually the latest media production in a string of many that began 35 years ago when Andrzej Sapkowski wrote his first Witcher story. His creation has  gone on to spawn six novels, several collections of short stories, two collections of Witcher short fiction spinoffs written by other Polish and Ukrainian authors, two comic series, one Polish, one American; and a Polish language TV series. Clearly it’s a phenomenon the West has missed out on, save for a series of successful video games which began release in 2007.

Like the HBO version of Game of Thrones, The Witcher is fantasy for adults. There’s nudity and sex, gore, violence, and moral ambiguity; but instead of pre-Tudor England we’re in Eastern Europe, specifically Poland and the areas around Poland – Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania. There’s an ornate heaviness in the sets, costumes, and depictions of castles, while the commoner’s wooden cottages are scrubbed clean with painted designs on the walls and curtains at the windows. This world is civilized, more cultured. Yet superstition abounds – a very Balkan type of superstition, based on life debts, fear of magic and monsters, and xenophobia, for Elves are this world’s undercaste.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday 2/9/22: Let’s Talk About -stan

Central Asian warrior princess

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the 1990s a slew of new countries came into being that ended  with -stan: Uzbekistan, Kazahkstan, Tajikstan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. This Central Asian quintet joins two existing -stans, Pakistan and Afghanistan, bringing the total to seven. They are known collectively as “The Stans.”

And what does -stan, or more precisely, -istan, mean, anyway? Well, it’s from the Persian language, meaning nothing more than “land.” So, Uzbekistan is the land of the Uzbeks, Kazahkstan the land of the Kazahks, and so on.

By this definition, there are plenty of other -stan locales that never made it to full country status, such as Baluchistan (which gave its name to the world’s largest land mammal, the Baluchitherium), Nurastan, Dagustan, Uyghuristan (better known as Xinjiang) and Turkestan, which often serves as a catch-all name for the entire Central Asian region. The Persians also refer to Western countries by -stan suffixes. India was Hindustan, Hungary Majarestan, etc.

Need a fantasy Central Asian kingdom of your own?

 

Central Asian Nations

Anghirastan

Amaristan

Aprastan

Azbakastan

Bachuqstan

Byrustan

Chakrastan

Dadjistan

Hachustan

Janchustan

Kaligstan

Kimezstan

Kurkushtan

Lakapstan

Lingustan

Lozistan

Mundustan

Pellistan

Pungustan

Qibiristan

Rhaabistan

Rondistan

Sarzistan

Szyrgistan

Tandestan

Tzubakistan

Ursustan

Usakistan

Uzwachustan

Vindestan

Yaschestan

Zundistan

Djinn

 

This lovely cover for Vol. 12 of the graphic novel series Djinn is by Spanish illustrator Ana Miralles, who also serves as the series’ artist. Djinn is an adult-oriented (read: lots of sex) action-adventure-intrigue story about harem life in the Ottoman Empire.

Worldbuilding Wednesday 2/2/22: Emotions You Never Knew You Had

Plutschik Wheel

The Plutchik Wheel of emotional states, a useful tool for therapists, and writers.

There’s a meme that keeps coming around, a list of terms for emotions that other cultures have, but not the English-speaking world. One of them is the marvelous term Schadenfreude, from German, that means the shameful joy you feel at another’s distress — like, say, Sarah Palin contracting COVID. Unlike many of the other feelings on the list, it’s one that’s actually worked its way into American culture, and seems here to stay.

So, in the spirit of fun, here are some randomgenned emotions in the same vein, filled out with some creative aryopschia.

 

Emotions you never knew you had

Triscience:  The discovery that a cruel, hated teacher is actually deeply unhappy

Udransis:  The fearful urge to run away from a stranger with facial hair

Opealisma:  When you feel skeptical of a sibling’s seeming neglect of you and feel it’s all just an act to get your attention

Elosis: The nauseating feeling that comes from attending a friend’s wedding when your own romantic situation is deeply shameful

Uchopsia:  The anxious vulnerability that comes with eating your favorite food in a public place and fearing someone you know will pass by and you’ll be obliged to exchange pleasantries with them while your food gets cold

Blanguine:  A state of complacency experienced by walking in the rain with no protection, but knowing that the weather will change soon.

Shriritia:  Feeling an improper desire in the presence of a member of the opposite sex who is sweating heavily

Yecszaty:  The unabashed urge to kiss a dying enemy and thank them

Cryregalosmamic:  Feeling too cold on Christmas morning to get out of bed and go downstairs to open your presents

Drafiolism:  Desperation one feels after graduating from a course of study and realizing you have no career plan

Aryopschia:  When you feel artistically inspired by the depth of a celebrity’s or other public figure’s grief

Odardstät:  The sudden urge to talk to a political figure and note the odor of their breath

Reading Challenge 2022

My Authors Water Cooler Reading Challenge selections for 2022. The rules are: out of a list of 50 categories, the participant chooses 12, the idea being you read one a month, more as extra credit if you’re ambitious.

My challenges for 2021 and 2020 were, I’m sad to say, a bust. In 2020 I got through 6, in 2021, only one. I can only blame it on the stress of living through a pandemic in which I found it hard to concentrate and immerse myself in a book. That can be a whole other post on its own.

This year I hope I’ll do better!

1. Read it again, Sam: Reread a book you have already read.
At The Mountains of Madness, H.P. Lovecraft

One of my favorites for horro but I haven’t read it in many years.
2. Still time for more chapters: A memoir/biography by/about someone who’s still alive (as of January 1).
Wonderful Tonight, Patti Boyd

I found this one at a little free library. It should add to my Beatles knowledge. The Beatles were a living myth of my younger years.
3. Just the facts, Ma’am: Nonfiction on any subject.
You Look Like a Thing and I Love You, Janelle Shane

I was sooo looking forward to reading this when I bought it but I still haven’t!
6. Out of Africa: A book taking place in Africa (including North Africa).
We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda,
Philip Gourevitch

Heavy subject matter.
9. Coming to a theater near you: A book made into a major motion picture.
Blood of Elves, Andrzej Sapkowski

I’ve finished watching The Witcher series on Netflix (both seasons) so am interested to see how the book compares.
21. Three-color mythology: A graphic novel or comic book.
Locke & Key, Vol. I,  Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Had this one for a while. Goes with the Lovecraft theme.
23. Getting started: Read the first book of a series.
The Book of Three, Lloyd Alexander

This series has always been praised to high heaven on every YA list, every fantasy list, from the 1970s forward. I want to see what all the fuss is about.
24. Continuing on: A book from any point in a series that is NOT the first or the final.
Kushiel’s Avatar, Jacqueline Carey

Another series I’ve been interested in reading. But this wasn’t the first book, to my chagrin. Still, it’s my belief that a series is only truly successful if it can interest the reader who picks up any book, not just the first one. So I’ll put that to the test.
32. Old world charm: A book taking place in or about Europe.
The World of the Castrati, Patrick Barbier

How to make a eunuch in three easy steps.
34. Tag team: A book by more than one author.
Roadside Picnic, Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

Another classic of SF that I just happened to find at a little free library.
36. Ye olde booke shoppe: A book written before 1800.
Saga of the Volsungs

Way way back.
50. Loose ends: A book you started last year and haven’t yet finished.
The Dragon Quartet, ed. Marvin Kaye

I still have to finish this one.

Black and White Swans

This lovely illustration, for the MG book series The School for Good and Evil, is by Italian illustrator Iacopo Bruno. It’s the cover art for the third book, The Last Ever After. Bruno’s previous covers were OK, but this one really knocks it out of the park with its black and white swans and twin female faces, one with black hair, the other white, who stare mournfully at each other with a sexual tension that brings to mind the psychological ballet movie Black Swan.

Here’s another of the artist’s illustrations.