[SPOILERS] HoS - Olgierd and Guanter's contract explained

[GotItFromEbay]

This is just my thoughts on the contract between Olgierd and Guanter. The contract/pact itself has many different parts and each one seems to have it's own bit of "fine print." A lot of it can be confusing. Please feel free to clarify anything or correct me.


Olgierd was going to marry Iris, but some bad luck struck his family causing them to go into debt. Horst Borsodi bought their debt and wasn't very nice when it came to negotiating the terms. This caused the von Everecs to become bankrupt and lose their status. Iris's family no longer viewed Oligerd as a suitable husband and was going to marry her off to the Oferi prince. Olgierd had always found black magic/arts fascinating and had been reading/studying about them for a long time. He cursed the Oferi prince in a drunken rage at one time which caused the prince to become the toad monster. This however didn't solve his problems.

Oligerd seeked help from a witch who mentioned Master Mirror as a person who could help him with his current situation.

So Olgierd finds and asks Guanter for: Restored fortune, love (not 100% on this one, but I could of sworn it was mentioned at some part and explains the choice he makes that leads to Vlodimir's death), and to live like there's no tomorrow. In exchange for those, he would give Gaunter his soul but only after Gaunter completes 3 tasks for him. These tasks can only be completed by a proxy and after that they must stand upon the moon. (Oligerd obviously uses these as a kind of "fail safe" because of what he will have to pay in order to get his wishes.)

• The first wish (restored fortune) is granted via the bank notes that his in-laws provide stating they have paid off his debts.
  Catch: This hurts Olgierds pride and ego (I believe the whole stone heart thing wasn't an immediate effect as you see his love for Iris FADES and isn't an immediate consequence, therefore he still has some emotions).
  
  
• His second wish is for love and it's granted but there's a catch (as with all wishes Guanter grants.
  Catch: he must choose the love of his wife or his brother. This explains why he signs the blood letter that causes his brother to be killed. (Like I said, I'm not 100% on this but I don't understand why/what caused Olgierd to have to choose between his wife or brother).
  
  
• His third wish is to live like there is no tomorrow. Granted via immortality.
  Catch: his heart is turned to stone causing him to become immortal. Since he is immortal he can do what he pleases no matter how crazy (live like there is no tomorrow).

Also, has nothing to do with the contract, but when the black cat and dog leave, the dog says right before they disapper: "Before we go, some advice - beware of the one called the Man of Glass. Stand in his way, and you'll meet a fate worse than death. Seek salvation in glass that can't be broken." Thought it was pretty interesting and easily missed/forgettable.

[_bDp^]

I really like that quote from the black dog. A little bit of forshadowing into not only the danger/power of O'dimm, but also forshadowing the answer to the riddle - Seek salvation in glass that can't be broken.

When I first heard the dog say that line, I did not think to deeply into it and simply thought that the "glass that can't be broken" was referring to O'dimm, the Man of Glass. My rational initially was the Man of Glass is a being so powerful that he cannot be beaten through conventional means, therefore he is the glass that can't be broken. So I interpreted the line as a warning to Geralt, telling him that he cannot hope to confrot of O'dimm, thus he must side with him - seeking salvation in the process.

*Spoilers to siding with Olgierd ending*
But hearing that line a second time in game, after completing the expansion and choosing to confront O'dimm on the first playthrough, I realise that the line could also be interpreted as aiding Geralt in confronting and beating O'dimm. "Seek salvation in glass that can't be broken". As we know, in order to 'beat' O'dimm, Geralt must win a wager by solving a riddle and if he loses, O'dimm gets to keep Geralt's soul as well as Olgierd's. Whilst attempting to solve said riddle, O'dimm plays games with Geralt by tricking him into thinking mirror was the answer and subsequently shattering every mirror he comes across. Water is the ultimate answer - O'dimm is unable to shatter water, thus Geralt attained salvation through 'glass' that can't be broken.

As you said, that line is pretty interesting. One thing I like about CDPR's writing is that even seemingly mundane and inconsequential lines can be interpreted in multiples ways which elude to the bigger picture or serve to express core themes of characters/stories. Something a lot of game writers sadly miss nowadays, oftens times with dialogue/writing so one dimentional which talks so much yet has little to actually say.

[noobsbane]

"Seek salvation in glass that can't be broken."

You're right I did miss that, the riddle was easy to solve in the end but that's a nice touch.