Highlights

• Ciri's name is derived from the word "Zirael," which means "Swallow" in Elder Speech, symbolizing her desire for freedom.
• Ciri has been mentioned in all three Witcher games, with her first appearance being in the first game.
• Ciri possesses the Elder Blood, making her a target of the King of the Wild Hunt and imbuing her with enhanced magical abilities.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a game rich in both story and characters. As you make your way through this story, you'll come to know these characters, their backgrounds, temperaments, and whatever else it is that makes them special. However, in the main game, your goal as Geralt is always clear: to find Ciri.

There are times when you get to play as Ciri, of course. But it can still be a bit difficult to really get to know her and understand who she is. In order to correct that, here are some facts about Ciri from The Witcher you may not have known about.

Keep in mind that this list will have story spoilers!

Updated January 25, 2024, by Sean Murray: Ciri can be a mysterious character if you've only played The Witcher 3, but this list can give you important notes about her backstory as well as her potential future. That's why we've refreshed this list with improved formatting, some important notes, and more links to other helpful Witcher 3 topics.

13 The Origin Of Her Name

Ciri is a memorable character, in no small part due to the uniqueness of her name. The origins of her name were actually discussed in Blood of Elves, one of the books in The Witcher series.

Elder Speech plays a major role in The Witcher, and it also serves as the root of Ciri's name. Her name is derived from the word "Zirael," which means "Swallow" in the common tongue. The image of Ciri trying to flap her wings and attain freedom is a theme that is touched upon in both the books and the games.

12 A Tale Featuring Her In The First Game

While Ciri was only present physically in the third game, the second game definitely goes all out in mentioning both her and Yennefer's characters. However, most players don't realize that the first game also mentioned her, albeit in a relatively muted capacity.

In the first game, players can interact with an innkeeper in Murky Waters to hear the tale of "Cirilla," which is Ciri's full name. It's a great way to integrate Ciri's story into the game and is a great secret for fans of the books to uncover.

11 The Confusion Surrounding Her Age

Ciri is a pretty young character, but her age has been up for debate for quite some time. After all, Sapkowski himself hasn't clarified her exact age either!

Her age is stated to be thirteen years old in Blood of Elves. However, in The Lady of the Lake — a story that takes place a little under two years from the events of the first game — Ciri is stated to be sixteen years old, which is simply impossible.

10 The Gruesome Nature Of Her Scar

Ciri's scar in The Witcher 3 looks downright picturesque at times. This is a far cry from her look in the books, which was nowhere near as photogenic after she received this scar.

She received this scar from a member of Nilfgaard's Imperial Secret Service, Stefan Skellen. It was inflicted by an Orion and left a deep scar on her cheek that permanently marred her face and left her feeling very insecure about her looks.

9 She's A Source

In the world of The Witcher 3, there are certain people who are revealed to be something called a Source. A Source is a transmitter of magic that has no control over it but could flatten a town with it in times of emotional distress. Ciri is revealed to be a Source from a very young age.

She was staying with Geralt and a few other witchers when this was discovered. In an attempt to understand what was happening, Geralt called for Triss Merigold's aid. Triss was the first one to correctly recognize Ciri as a Source. Additionally, because of Ciri's trances, Triss found out one more important thing...

8 She Has Elder Blood

Someone having Elder Blood is important because of all the history involved with said blood. The Elder Blood was something the elves devised in order to fulfill a certain prophecy. This prophecy said that a Child of Elder Blood would save the elven race from extinction. It is also believed that carriers of this blood have enhanced magical abilities.

Ciri has Elder Blood because a certain elven sorceress named Lara Dorren fell in love with a human mage named Cregennan of Lod. Their daughter, later adopted by Cerro, the queen of Redania, was named Riannon. Ciri is the descendant of Riannon. Ciri's Elder Blood is another reason the King of the Wild Hunt is after her.

7 Heiress To Multiple Thrones

Ciri's history is fraught with intrigue, death, and so much more. She was born to Pavetta and Emhyr var Emreis. Pavetta was the princess of Cintra and Emhyr, who was using the name Duny and later became the Emperor of Nilfgaard. This means that Ciri could become the ruler of either nation except that, at a later date, Nilfgaard takes over Cintra.

She can, however, become the Empress of Nilfgaard later on.

To go with her royal heritage, she has also been under threat of death and other forms of violence multiple times. Except for the intervention of her mother, Ciri may have drowned at sea. Afterward, the castle Ciri was staying in with her grandmother was attacked, and she was forced to flee. She ultimately ended up staying with Geralt.

Ciri is also the heiress to both Inis Ard Skellig and Inis An Skellig.

6 Claimed As Law Of Surprise Twice

In a strange twist of fate, Ciri has been the supposed boon of the Law of Surprise twice. The Law of Surprise says that when a man is saved by another, the man saved must offer a boon that is unknown to one or both parties. Geralt enacts this Law twice, once when he saves Duny, also known as Emhyr var Emreis, and a second time on a traveling merchant he saves.

The first time, Duny does not know his wife is pregnant with Ciri. The second time, the traveling merchant (named Yurga) doesn't know his wife has adopted Ciri. This further solidifies just how tied Geralt and Ciri are together. Geralt does try to avoid Ciri at first, but then relents and becomes her mentor and adoptive father.

5 Has Been Engaged Multiple Times

Because of the varied history that has been Ciri's life, she has naturally had her own share of romances. Some of these have been temporary, the innocent crush of a little girl, while others have been official engagements. Her first engagement came early on when her grandmother, Calanthe, engaged her to Windhalm of Attre. This engagement was broken off some years later. But Ciri's grandmother wasn't done yet.

The next engagement was to Kistrin, the prince of Verden. Ciri didn't like the idea of being engaged to him and didn't like him much either. As a result of this, she ran away while visiting him, resulting in almost becoming a dryad. After all that, there were a couple more engagements, one of Ciri's choosing and another to someone younger than her, although both of these were quickly called off.

4 Involved With Unicorns

Another strange tale from Ciri's life is that she has both saved and been saved by Unicorns. Her first encounter happened soon after she escaped through an unstable magical portal that dropped her in the Korath desert. She attempts to escape this desert and almost dies in the process. While wandering the desert, she meets a Unicorn and names it Little Horse. Little Horse was poisoned by a sand monster.

She saves Little Horse by tapping into the Force found in the element of Fire. Little Horse helps her find her way out of the desert afterward. Later on, when she finds herself in the world of the elves, she gets further help from the Unicorns. As thanks for saving Little Horse, they tell her how to escape the elven world. Little Horse also acts as a guide for her as she readies to world jump.

3 Became A Member Of The Rats And An Arena Fighter

After escaping the desert, Ciri was saved by a group known as the Trappers and their leader, Sweers. Due to Sweers's untimely death, she is left off in the town of Glyswen. While there, Ciri decides to save a member of a band of misfits and ne'er-do-wells known as the Rats. She then becomes one of them as she continues to recover emotionally. The rats are eventually killed by a well-known bounty hunter, Leo Bonhart.

Because Leo had two contracts on her, one that wanted her brought in alive and the other that wanted her dead, he instead enslaved her. Leo drugged her and forced her to fight in an arena owned by his cousin. It was at this time that Ciri received her famed sword, Zireael. She did, of course, later escape.

2 You Decide Her Fate

Most of Ciri's long and oftentimes terrible history happens before the time of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. However, during the game, there are quite a few decisions that you can make which decide her fate. These decisions can sometimes be small things that change her mood.

One such decision is whether to visit her biological father, Emperor Emhyr, and whether you accept the reward for bringing her to him. Later on, you can also decide whether to smash some furniture with Ciri or try to calm her down. These and a few more will determine two things: whether she lives or dies, and whether she becomes a Witcher or an Empress.

1 Trained In Might & Magic

Because of all the things she has gone through, Ciri is undoubtedly one of the strongest characters in The Witcher universe. Not only has she been trained by Geralt in the ways of the Witcher, but she has also been taught by several famous sorceresses. Both Yennefer and Triss have been important figures in her life, helping Ciri to become the woman she is.

Furthermore, her time in the arena, though terrible, undoubtedly sharpened her skills with the sword. Finally, as mentioned, she herself is a Source and has Elder Blood. This allows her to travel between worlds. It's hard to imagine many other people in the world of The Witcher that are stronger than her.