Geralt

"If I'm to choose between one evil and another, I'd rather not choose at all."
— Geralt of Rivia in The Last Wish

Geralt of Rivia (Polish: Geralt z Rivii) is a witcher and the main protagonist of the Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski and its adaptations, including The Witcher, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt videogames. Like all Witchers, Geralt is a monster hunter for hire. He possesses superhuman abilities and is a master swordsman. During the Trial of the Grasses, Geralt exhibited unusual tolerance for the mutagens that grant Witchers their abilities. Accordingly, Geralt was subjected to further experimental mutagens which rendered his hair white and may have given him greater speed, strength and stamina than his fellow Witchers.

Geralt is also known as Gwynbleidd, meaning "White Wolf" in Elder Speech. He was given this alias by the dryads, and is also called the Butcher of Blaviken after an unfortunate incident in that town.

Despite his title, Geralt does not hail from the city of Rivia. After being left with the witchers by his mother, Visenna, he grew up in their keep of Kaer Morhen in the realm of Kaedwen. In the interest of appearing more trustworthy to potential clients, young witchers were encouraged to make up surnames for themselves by master Vesemir. As his first choice, Geralt chose "Geralt Roger Eric du Haute-Bellegarde", but this choice was dismissed by Vesemir as silly and pretentious, so "Geralt" was all that remained of his chosen name. "Of Rivia" was a more practical alternative, and Geralt even went so far as to adopt a Rivian accent to appear more authentic.

Later, Queen Meve of Lyria knighted him for his valour in the Battle for the Bridge on the Yaruga conferring on him the formal title "of Rivia", which amused him. He, therefore, became a true knight of Lyria.

Geralt is the son of the sorceress Visenna and, presumably, the warrior Korin. Shortly after his birth, Geralt was taken by his mother to the School of the Wolf at the stronghold of Kaer Morhen. There, Geralt was trained and made to be a witcher. He survived the many blistering mutations required to grant witchers their abilities, and passed the Trial of the Grasses. Geralt's training and physical modifications provided him with superhuman physical and mental abilities, including heightened reflexes, increased speed, great strength, and enhanced hearing.

Due to his brilliant success in training, Geralt was selected for additional mutation experiments. He is the only witcher to have survived these experiments, his stark white hair being a side effect of these additional mutations.

Geralt does not like to be ordered around or provoked. He can be cold and ruthless to people who are wicked and malevolent. He is by nature a loner and an outcast, with a ruthless streak to him that makes him extremely dangerous when provoked.

Most of the time he can be apathetic, cynical, and threatening. Despite his outwardly cold nature, Dandelion notes that behind his exterior hides a fiercely loyal friend, and a man of good humour and a giver of sound advice. Geralt is shown in the books and games to have many good friends all over the Northern Realms, such as Caldemeyn of Blaviken, Zoltan Chivay, and of course Dandelion. He is also very protective and loyal to his friends and companions and is willing to go great lengths for those who matter to him. He can be kind-hearted and caring with the people he loves.