Can anyone offer an explanation for the origin and purpose of the PHYLACTERY?

[bkschulthies]

*This thread may contain major spoilers to the main story*

I am currently on my 5th play-through of the game and am still confused about the phylactery. I have looked through many forums to find a satisfactory explanation with no luck.

1. What exactly is the purpose of it?
2. Was it used to cast the curse in the first place? If so, how did Ciri get the phylactery in her possession--was it taken out of Eredin's hand?
3. Is it just needed to remove the curse? If so, why is this particular phylactery needed? Why not find another one that isn't broken? Or are phylacteries too rare for this to be a viable option?

I'm happy to explain my confusion further if necessary. Thanks.

[v0]

My wild guess it's like gigantic general battery for magical energy and "yes" to last part of your Q3. And "no" to first part of Q2. Given that though one wonders why special places of nature such as Freya's garden in Skellige, if it werent destroyed already wouldn't be able to hold even more energy and thus be more useful.

[v0]

Hmm trap idea sounds good too :) From what BB wrote I wager none of this appears in books.

[bkschulthies]

Thanks to both of you. That helps!

It still seems convenient that they couldn't get an unbroken phylactery. Maybe your'e right v0 and they are simply rare.

But if not, why is this specific phylactery so important? and where did it come from?

[bkschulthies]

Sorry BuzzardBee, I didn't see your entire comment at first. I really like your suggestions. For some reason I hadn't considered that Ciri didn't have the phylactery with her when she and Avallach were separated. I like the idea that they were each searching for a different way to fix/slow the curse.

Also, a very good point that Ciri was on the run and probably didn't have the luxury of finding a working phylactery. Thanks!

[bkschulthies]

Also, since this is related, what exactly caused the magic explosion on Ard Skellig? I have heard it explained a number of ways and it isn't clear to me in the game.

Did Avallach cast the spell to decimate the riders of the Wild Hunt ? That is what I have always thought. But I read a few places that the massive explosion was the result of the curse that Eredin cast. I have also heard that Avallach tried to deflect the curse and the explosion is the result.

Like I said, I lean towards the first explanation--that it was a spell cast to help them get away. I'm curious what others think, or if I've missed some in-game clarification.

[bkschulthies]

Originally posted by BuzzardBee:

Originally posted by bkschulthies:

Thanks to both of you. That helps!

It still seems convenient that they couldn't get an unbroken phylactery. Maybe your'e right v0 and they are simply rare.

But if not, why is this specific phylactery so important? and where did it come from?

From your friendly neighborhood knick-knack store? Who knows. She probably did pick it up in Novigrad however since that's where the largest concentration of mages was at the moment and finding someone who might have even a rare item such as a phylactery when the possessions of so many mages who had been captured and executed, probably wouldn't have been that impossible for Ciir to find.

Remember those two who were trying to pilfer Triss' possessions when she went into hiding? Or the guy who sold artifacts that belonged to the mage Aeramas?

I do remember those two. Your'e probably right that she got the phylactery in Novigrad. And with all the persecution against mages, it make sense that the mages there would not have the best selection of magical goods.