Sword of Destiny marks Andrzej Sapkowski’s inaugural venture into the celebrated action-fantasy series, The Witcher. As of 2023, The Witcher series is comprised of three short story collections and five novels. Published in 1992 and translated into English in 2015, the stories featured in Sword of Destiny occur between the events of The Last Wish (a short story collection) and Blood of Elves (the first novel in The Witcher saga). The titular “witcher,” Geralt of Rivia, is a man at once cynical and honorable, who has been enhanced through an arcane process to become a monster hunter for hire. Throughout the series, he faces monsters, prejudice, and self-discovery while navigating the complexities of his destiny. The tales in Sword of Destiny play a pivotal role in the overall success of The Witcher series, and in addition to being translated into over 25 languages worldwide, the collection’s impact has resonated beyond literature, inspiring highly successful video games and multiple television adaptations.

This guide refers to the 2015 Kindle edition, translated by David French.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide contain descriptions of sexual assault, drug and alcohol abuse, graphic violence, sexual violence and exploitation, and misogyny.

Summary

Sword of Destiny focuses on the adventures of a witcher named Geralt of Rivia, whose body has been enhanced through a transformative magical process to increase his ability to hunt and kill the world’s most dangerous monsters. Gifted with superhuman abilities, Geralt makes his living as a monster hunter for hire, and amidst his day-to-day struggles, he must also grapple with the predetermined path set for him by destiny, which has linked his fate to that of the wayward Princess Ciri, granddaughter of Queen Calanthe. As the story unfolds, the looming shadow of destiny weaves through Geralt’s relationships with the sorceress Yennefer, the bard Dandelion, and Princess Ciri over a period of approximately 10 years.

In “The Bounds of Reason,” Geralt encounters the knight Three Jackdaws and the Zerrikanian warriors, Téa and Véa. Despite their queries about dragon slaying, Geralt clarifies he does not kill dragons but agrees to join them. Their journey is interrupted by King Niedamir’s soldiers during a dragon hunt. They join King Niedamir’s diverse dragon-hunting party, which includes Sir Eyck, the Crinfrid Reavers, a group of dwarves, the sorcerer Dorregaray, and Geralt’s ex-lover, the sorceress Yennefer. They face many challenges and encounter the legendary golden dragon, Villentretenmerth. Tensions rise as Dorregaray tries to protect the dragon, resulting in him, Dandelion, and Geralt being bound to a wagon. Yennefer, seeking a cure for infertility, threatens the group and wishes to face the dragon alone but is overpowered and bound to the wagon herself. Villentretenmerth incapacitates the dwarves and the Reavers, prompting the local villagers to attack. The adventurers realize that Villentretenmerth is protecting a baby dragon and work together to defeat the villagers. When the dust settles, Villentretenmerth shifts to human form, revealing that he is Three Jackdaws. He explains that he serves as a witcher of sorts: one who fights on behalf of wronged monsters. He states that Yennefer’s infertility cannot be cured and affirms that her fate lies with Geralt.

In “A Shard of Ice,” Geralt slays a zeugl in a muck heap in the city of Aedd Glynvael. Annoyed by the place, Geralt joins Yennefer at an inn, hoping to leave, but she refuses due to her attachment to the town’s sorcerer, Istredd.

Geralt seeks payment for the zeugl slaying from Mayor Herbolth. Haggling and taxes follow, souring the reward. Geralt meets with Istredd, who confesses his love for Yennefer. Istredd requests Geralt’s departure, believing that the witcher’s presence troubles Yennefer and voicing the commonly held prejudice that Geralt has a witcher’s stunted emotions and is therefore incapable of love. Later, Yennefer and Geralt discuss their relationship; she desires his love, but he deems himself incapable of it due to his witcher-related enhancements. At an impasse, Geralt and Istredd agree to duel for Yennefer’s affection. Later, the mayor states that Geralt cannot kill Istredd because the sorcerer is vital to the town. The next day, Istredd offers to fight Geralt with swords. Geralt learns that Yennefer has ended her dalliance with Istredd. Istredd rejects her decision and desires to proceed with the duel. Geralt advises against involving others in his suicide and returns to the inn, where a message of rejection from Yennefer awaits.

In “Eternal Flame,” Geralt reunites with Dandelion in the city of Novigrad after the bard’s tumultuous parting with Vespula, his ex-lover. They meet a halfling merchant named Dainty Biberveldt, but a second, battered Dainty soon interrupts their conversation. Upon realizing that the first Dainty is a doppler, or shape-shifter, Geralt subdues him. The doppler’s real name is Tellico; he attacked the real Dainty and stole and sold the halfling’s horses. Despite Dainty’s calls for retribution, Geralt recognizes the doppler’s intelligence and refuses to kill him. Tellico, alias Dudu, escapes as Dainty faces hefty taxes imposed by city official Schwann, which the halfling cannot afford. Soon, Minister Chappelle intercepts the trio, concerned over the spreading rumors about the doppler and asserting that the renowned Eternal Flame protects the city from all monsters. The trio visits Dainty’s banker and learns about Tellico’s many profitable transactions, all of which were cleverly conducted in Dainty’s name. Eventually, the narrative reveals that Chappelle, who is also a doppler, wants to establish Tellico as Dainty’s purported cousin, ensuring his place in Novigrad as Dainty’s proxy.

In “A Little Sacrifice,” Geralt translates Duke Agloval’s failed proposal to the mermaid Sh’eenaz. Each party refuses to transform for the other’s benefit. Facing financial struggles, Geralt and Dandelion find a windfall when the bard is hired to perform at a betrothal party. At the gathering, Geralt encounters the bard Essi Daven, and Agloval hires Geralt to investigate a sea monster that has destroyed a pearl-diving boat. Geralt and Essi share an unexpected kiss. While Geralt tries to find a boat willing to take him, Sh’eenaz advises them to avoid the area altogether. Ignoring the warning, Geralt and Dandelion find themselves attacked by sea creatures during low tide. Sh’eenaz rescues Geralt from near-death. Later, as Essi tends to Geralt’s wounds, she confesses her love for Geralt, who cannot reciprocate because he is devoted to Yennefer. Later, Geralt refuses Agloval’s demand that he kill the sea creatures; to Geralt, they are intelligent beings, not monsters. Agloval declares war on the creatures, but suddenly Sh’eenaz intervenes, sporting human legs. Dandelion, Essi, and Geralt set off traveling together. Geralt and Essi consummate their relationship but soon part ways. Essi succumbs to smallpox four years later, and Dandelion buries her.

In “Sword of Destiny,” Geralt embarks on a mission to Brokilon Forest, carrying a message from King Venzlav to the dryad queen, Eithné. On arrival, he discovers bodies left by the dryads, and he also finds a man named Freixenet, who is a friend and a wounded survivor of the recent battle. Assisted by the dryad Braenn, Geralt saves a young girl named Ciri from a giant centipede. Ciri is intrigued by Geralt and discloses her escape from an arranged marriage. The trio reaches Duén Canell, the capital of Brokilon, where Ciri realizes the dark truth: The dryads plan to assimilate her into their society and transform her into a dryad, robbing her of her memories and personality in the process. Geralt discusses the nature of destiny with Eithné, who offers Ciri a choice—to stay in Brokilon or follow her destiny. Although drinking the water of Brokilon is meant to erase memories and transform girls into dryads, this process does not affect Ciri at all. Geralt challenges Eithné, claiming that she did not give Ciri the water. Accepting her challenge to try the water himself, Geralt hallucinates and loses consciousness. Awakening at Brokilon’s edge, Geralt and Ciri head to Brugge. En route, they confront Verden mercenaries who are trying to incite war with the dryads. Geralt fights them, aided by dryads and the druid Mousesack, who is an advisor to Queen Calanthe of Cintra, Ciri’s grandmother. Mousesack implores Geralt to fulfill the Law of Surprise by taking charge of Ciri, but he resists and attempts to leave as she sleeps. Ciri awakens, insisting on their intertwined destinies, but Geralt walks away.

In “Something More,” Geralt rescues the merchant Yurga from a horde of monsters, invoking the Law of Surprise as payment for his services. (The Law of Surprise dictates that the payment must be whatever the merchant finds unexpectedly at home.) Geralt defeats the monsters but is gravely injured, prompting Yurga to put him in the wagon and tend to him. En route to the merchant’s home, Geralt imbibes several potions and hallucinates past experiences. The first vision reenacts Geralt’s last meeting with Yennefer during Beltane celebrations. The sorceress emphasizes that destiny requires “something more.” He also recalls an encounter with Queen Calanthe, during which he refused to claim Ciri from a group of children. Waking to find his long-estranged sorceress mother, Visenna, healing him, Geralt seeks answers about his early childhood, but she withholds all information. Later, as Geralt recovers, Yurga recounts the Second Battle of Sodden, in which 14 sorcerers were killed. At the memorial stone, Geralt encounters Death herself and asks about the last name on the stone—fearing that it might be Yennefer’s. He asks Death to take him, but she refuses. Yurga later explains that the last sorcerer is not Yennefer. Geralt crosses the Yaruga River with Yurga, recalling a past crossing with Dandelion, in which Dandelion informed Geralt of Cintra’s fall and Ciri’s likely demise. Now, Geralt ponders the nature of destiny and “something more.” When they reach Yurga’s home, Yurga’s wife surprises them with an orphaned girl—Ciri. Embracing Geralt, Ciri questions if she is Geralt’s destiny, and he tells her that she is more.