Why do we love Geralt of Rivia?

If you didn’t know about the series of books written by the Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski about the titular character, Geralt of Rivia, you most likely have heard about and played the games by CD Projekt RED.

If you have not played those games or read those books, I’m almost completely certain you’ve heard of the Netflix Series The Witcher starring Henry Cavill as the White Wolf.

I stand in all three categories. As a fan, I gush over the richness of the world. As a writer, I examine how Sapkowski built the world of The Witcher as a master class.

As a reader, gamer and blossoming screenwriter, I am beyond intrigued by own captivity. I love this protagonist. I’ve spent more time with Geralt than with actual humans this year.

I think I prefer him, actually.

Is there some formulae out there for writers to imbibe? I think so. I have noticed common elements in my favorite protagonists. In this writing, I just want to examine one. Geralt of Rivia.

Let’s examine what makes Geralt of Rivia such an iconic character. Perhaps, we can uncover how to craft such icons of our own.

1. Geralt has depth. The Witcher’s Code is they do nothing for free. However, a little known fact in Geralt’s world is there is no code. It’s a façade so people pay him. Geralt does what he wants.

When his compassion and humanity are on display, it is a shock to most people.

He’s got a heart of gold. He’s strong, but also bears his wounds and is prone to bitterness. He was abandoned by his mother. Consequently, he grabs affection whenever he can. Why not? He is immune to diseases, after all. He is a killer, a calculating killer, but chooses to preserve life if he can. Yet, he is constantly called a freak and an accursed thing.

The professional tip, not from me, from Sapkowski, is

1. Give your reader concrete positive traits that allow them to be endeared to them. Think “Save the Cat” but understand the trait must fit the theme. Geralt being hated because he’s the most beautiful witcher there is doesn’t fit, does it? We would all understand if Geralt is cold hearted to everyone he meets. Yet, he shows kindness and wit. That’s admirable.
2. Give your character real flaws, real wounds. Sure, you can start superficial traits. Geralt likes sex and he likes women. Now, this might be a bad thing to a lot of people, but when you understand he is ostracized by society, with no hope of a wife or family, and his career outlook is bleak, you understand he’s probably very lonely. When you learn that he recalls his abandonment with clarity, you ache for him.

Give your reader a universal connection to your character. Everyone understands pain, loss, loneliness abandonment. Be strategic. Emotional connections are things everyone understands. Build your protagonist as a person someone a world a part can relate to.

1. Make your character a person of action. Geralt is a doer. He’s a person of action. Even if it revealed his actions are mistakes, talking about the books now, the story doesn’t just happen to him. There is a world where things are happening, but Geralt is pushing himself through it, over it, and under it.
2. Geralt grows. From The Last Wish to The Lady of the Lake, Geralt is a changed man. I encourage everyone to read this books. Play the game with a reusable bottle of water on deck. Watch the show. I think Henry Cavill plays a great Geralt. (Although, I’d love to see more witcher’s work in the show.) Consider your protagonist’s journey. Have you planned for them to grow?

A great example is when Geralt’s child surprise helped him realize that neutrality is not an option at this point in their journey. He realizes it too late. There are significant consequences to his life. Now, that’s what I call good storytelling.

Even if you are the most militant of pantsers, writers should think about how this character is going to develop. What causes them to change?

I refuse to spoil the books, but Sapkowski manages social consciousness or “wokeness”, if you will, in a masterful, seamless way. Just read Baptism of Fire.

His obvious mommy issues play out in his love life…repeatedly. We love him for it because he’s good to all his women. What a scamp, that Geralt.

Geralt teaches us that good characters are developed by showing facets of humanity.

2. Geralt is smart. I recently learned the word “Himbo”. It means male bimbo. A big guy who isn’t smart. Geralt is big. All witchers are mutated to be big, but they are raised in schools. We witness Geralt’s awareness of the laws of the lands he is in. Geralt is able to parley about politics. He has a great knowledge about science also. After all, he is nearly a hundred when we meet him. He should be smart, right?

Sapkowski teaches us that a good character is crafted through logic. No one likes deus ex machinas. Two thousand years ago, that’s fine. Hell, Geralt’s child surprise could be consider godlike, but we don’t see her throwing her weight around…until the end that is. (Oh, it’s so good. Just read the books.)

Geralt is far from being a “Mary Sue”. His knowledge was cultivated through his travels. He’s had a lot of lessons from Vesemir, his father figure, his dead beat sorceress mother, and life. Hard lessons.

Our characters should not be outstanding in their world simply because we want them to be. That’s a cheap character. Who needs that? I could go on on and about animated Mulan vs. live action Mulan. I won’t do that here. Moving on.

3. Geralt doesn’t wallow. He didn’t ask to be a witcher. He was abandoned. He was endured a lot of pain. He suffered tremendous loss. Geralt’s entire future was thrown away, for convenience. We watch him be self depreciating. We watch him endure abuse from people who should praise him. He is prone to bouts of bitterness, but Geralt keeps it moving.

Geralt has a right to be an angry, bitter man. Instead we have a character whose disposition is towards empathy. Moral relativism haunts this man through out his whole life.

He accepts that he will probably die a violent death. When his neck meets the edge of an elf king’s blade, he tries to help someone else evade it.

It’s dark, but admirable. It’s admirable because pity parties are easy. We admire Geralt because in a lot of ways his rage at the world would be justified. Don’t let your protagonist have it easy. They are meant to be punished.

I found myself wanting to punch NPCs who called me (as Geralt) a freak right after I slew some rotfiends. Then, I realized Geralt wouldn’t do that, would he? Man, he’s a good guy.

Geralt was written in such a way that we discover more about him, we want to walk his path with him.

4. Geralt is a great twist on a trope. It is difficult to not spoil the books. I believe that I can do this. In a world of knights, Geralt is a knight of another kind. He protects the weak and helpless. He slays dragons and protects princesses.

Good characters are usually echoes of tropes that we are already familiar with. Geralt is this trope overlaid with magic and genetic manipulation.

Sapkowski teaches us that you can apply modern ideas to different eras that could be anachronistic and make it work. No limits people. No limits.

Think about the themes of your story. Consider the setting. What concepts could you apply to existing tropes to craft something wholly unique?

Geralt of Rivia is a hero. He stands right up there with the Jon Snows, Drizzt Do’Urdens, and Aragorns. Strong body. Strong mind. Strong heart.

As scarred and damaged as his skin, Geralt of Rivia is one character any writer should get to know. He’s compelling from the first day we meet him until he passes from the pages. We stan, Geralt. We stan.

Geralt of Rivia is just one case study. I think I did my best here without spoiling the books? I hope so? Writers should look to the characters they love and think about what they love about them. What is it about the character we cling to that makes what to keep reading? Fire up your readers, put those ear buds in, or crack open those books.

Good reading makes us better writers.

Write on, y’all.