Context question

[Candyman]

Just started Witcher 3. So, I’ve played the first 2 Witcher games within the last 1-2 years. From what I can remember, I basically learn about Yen in the events of the 2nd game. And I guess geralt sets off to find her in the event of the third game.

If someone could explain these things to me without too many spoilers, that would be helpful and appreciated. Like, please just let me know if it gets explained in the third game and, if it doesn’t, please help me to understand.

1) Why do I have a letter from Yen to start this game? Where did I pick this up? Like, why didn’t I have this letter during the first two games? Why hasn’t she reached out before just now when I conveniently wrapped up the events of the first two games which ultimately led to the current war. I already know she’s my long lost love or whatever… she didn’t bother to come find me during the events of the first two games? I know I didn’t bother to find her because of the amnesia. I suppose she also had amnesia? And she somehow gets her memory back at around the same time I did?

2) Why in my dream does it just start me out with this daughter, Ciri, with such little explanation? Like, am I just supposed to roll with “hey, guess I have a daughter now” even though I can’t remember this being mentioned in the first two games?

[SŦĐ Kaas]

I haven't YET played the first two games sadly so I fear I will be unable to answer the first question, im guessing a time skip happens but I really have no clue so if anyone else does id be interested in the actual answer :) But for the second part, she isn't your actual daughter, Witchers are infertile after all, and so are Sorceresses I think, or at least less likely to be fertile. She is your adopted daughter and has been for a long time if I remember what I heard about the books properly. I think the books cover this, but that's just a guess on my part. Another case of I would like to read them sometime soon, but haven't as of yet.

Maybe I am wrong, but I think the part about Ciri being your adopted daughter, not actual daughter is 100% correct, and the part about it having been established in detail in the books is just an educated guess but likely correct imo.

[SŦĐ Kaas]

I just so happened to come across an excellent video that (somewhat unexpectedly for me) covered this whole thing video i mentioned I found it very informative

[Valden21]

1) Simplest answer? She couldn't. Between the first two games, she had been a prisoner of the Wild Hunt, and Geralt made a deal with them whereby he would take her place. That left Yenn with severe amnesia, and Letho looking after her. During the second game, she was Nilfgaard's prisoner, and the Imperial mages helped her get her memory back. Emhyr told her that he wanted her to find Ciri, and because Yenn's basically Ciri's adoptive mother, she agreed.

2) Why does Geralt not know about Ciri in the first two games? That's because he DOES know, but knows that it's useless to find her as she's on another world. So where is she? She's on our world. Specifically, she's on the version of Earth that appears in Arthurian legend, and Sir Galahad's travelling to Camelot with her.

[Candyman]

So once she is released by Emhyr to find Ciri (which I'm assuming will be discussed at some point during the game) she takes the time to pen a letter to geralt to meet up with her?

Oh, I thought maybe he just forgot about Ciri like he did Yennifer following the death/escape from the WH. I can't remember if Ciri is even mentioned at the tail end of the 2nd game.

[Valden21]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Candyman:

So once she is released by Emhyr to find Ciri (which I'm assuming will be discussed at some point during the game) she takes the time to pen a letter to geralt to meet up with her?

Oh, I thought maybe he just forgot about Ciri like he did Yennifer following the death/escape from the WH. I can't remember if Ciri is even mentioned at the tail end of the 2nd game.

No, Ciri's not around at all for the second game. At that time, she was in our world. At least, she was in the Arthurian version of our world, chillin' in Camelot.