Some of the sorceresses of the Lodge in The Witcher 2
Lodge of Sorceresses arose from the ruins of the Council of Sorcerers after the incident on Thanedd Island essentially killed the older order among mages. It was a secret organization comprised entirely of female mages and even referred to as a sisterhood. Started by Philippa Eilhart about six weeks after the coup, the first meeting was attended by Philippa, Triss Merigold, Keira Metz, Margarita Laux-Antille, Sabrina Glevissig, Sheala de Tancarville, Francesca Findabair and Assire var Anahid, though only some of the sorceresses were physically able to join the proceedings. For the second meeting, all the members did attend physically.
The Lodge's meetings took place in the castle of Montecalvo, Philippa's home base.
Notable members
Founding ones:
- Philippa Eilhart
- Margarita Laux-Antille
- Triss Merigold
- Keira Metz
- Sabrina Glevissig
- Sheala de Tancarville
- Francesca Findabair
- Assire var Anahid
Later members:
- Fringilla Vigo (invited by Assire var Anahid)
- Ida Emean aep Sivney (invited by Francesca Findabair)
- Yennefer of Vengerberg ("invited" by Francesca Findabair)
- Cirilla of Cintra (present only during one meeting)
History
First Meeting
Philippa, along with Triss, Keira, and Margarita met and opened a channel between Assire, Francesca, Sabrina and Sheala. At first, Sabrina was about to break talks after seeing Francesca present so shortly after the Thanedd coup, as well as the Nilfgaard sorceress, Assire. Sheala, however, was able to hold peace, allowing Philippa to pitch her idea. She told the sisters that the Lodge would be a secret, all women organization who's goal is to protect and preserve magic in the world above all else, even before their respective nations. Before the meeting ended, they agreed to meet in person in the future and that Assire would bring with her one other member from her nation and Francesca would introduce two more potential allies to the group, and Philippa said she'd bring in a surprise member for the Lodge.
Second Meeting
The second meeting at Montecalvo in Redania was in person. In addition to the original members, Assire brought Fringilla Vigo as a new member, and Francesca brought Ida Emean aep Sivney and Yennefer of Vengerberg (though Yennefer was brought to the meeting unwillingly). Once all had arrived, Philippa established that the Lodge's goals were to protect the interests of magic. She announced her plan in hope to wed Tankred Thyssen, the prince and heir of Kovir, to the possible candidate of the Lodge, Ciri, in hopes to create a nation ruled by them. When the meeting breaks, Yennefer, with some advice from Fringilla, is able to make her escape and teleport away.
Further Actions
After Yennefer's escape, the Lodge focuses on tracking down Vilgefortz, as well as finding Ciri, who both disappeared from the Thanedd coup without a trace. Triss is sent to Skellige to track down traces of Ciri's whereabouts, while Fringilla Vigo seduces Geralt to find out what he knows about Vilgefortz' whereabouts. After Geralt reluctantly reveals Vilgefortz' castle, the Lodge tries and fails to besiege his fortress of Rhys Rhun. Phillipa then works closely with Dijkstra and his mages to find a way to dismantle the hurricane surrounding the castle. Ironically, Geralt and his hanse manage to dismantle the hurricane with Phillipa's indirect help, and after Vilgefortz and his men killed nearly all of his hanse, the strongest mage in the North was cut down.
As the Lodge is a neutral organization, none of its members had a hand in fighting the war. However, at the end of the Second War, nearly all of its members had either a mouth to every Northern King's ears, or a seat on the Emperor's personal advisory board. Thus, they had a hand in negotiating the Peace of Cintra.
Legacy
From the evidence gathered, the Lodge's fall from power was harsh. Several sorceresses were thrown into dungeons, tortured and ultimately executed, their portraits destroyed (especially thorough in Nilfgaard) and chronicles manipulated. However, years later the "Great Lodge" and the "Grand Mistresses" were held in high esteem at the Magical Academy of Aretuza. Apparently, some of the Lodge's members, like Phillipa Eilhart, even gained the status of Saints and martyrs among the followers of the cult of the "Great Mother Goddess".
The Witcher
Glossary Entry
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The Lodge of Sorceresses
The Lodge of Sorceresses was founded after the mutiny on Thanedd Island as a substitute for the Council of Sorcerers. The founders' aim was to bring the war between Nilfgaard and the Northern Kingdoms to a close while maintaining the mages' influence on the fate of the world. It is effectively an association of the most powerful female mages from both the northern and the southern realms. The Lodge has significant political influence, although its activities are not entirely understood by the public. |
Source
Notes
- During the game, several references are made to the Lodge itself, or its members.
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
In The Witcher 2, the Lodge of Sorceresses has an important influence game narrative.
Template:SpoilerAs in the novels they seek to create a country ruled by magic. So some members of the Lodge hire Letho to murder King Demavend and support a peasant revolt lead by Saskia in order to turn the Pontar Valley into a separate country under their control.
Depending on the player's choices, some of the sorceresses may find their deaths. Among these are Assire var Anahid killed by Shilard, and Síle de Tansarville, who is ripped apart by magic if Geralt does not remove the stone. Furthermore Sabrina Glevissig has previously been executed by King Henselt three years earlier. Philippa Eilhart is imprisoned and blinded by King Radovid V, who charges her with treason. Yennefer of Vengerberg lost her memory and is in Nilfgaard. The entire lodge is thus destroyed, but it is not known yet what will be the fate of sorceresses still alive, such as Triss Merigold, Fringilla Vigo and Francesca Findabair. Template:Endspoiler
Associated items
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Template:Spoiler
Lodge members helping on Undvik
Ida and Keira go into hiding after the massacre at Loc Muinne, Francesca stays in Dol Blathanna and Fringilla Vigo is taken prisoner by Nilfgaard. Keira hides out in Velen, and depending on Geralt's choices, either dies (by Geralt or Radovid), or relocates to Kaer Morhen. Margarita makes preparations to protect and relocate her students at Aretuza, but also begins to work with Philippa to reform the Lodge with the hope of recruiting surviving members. However, those plans were put on hold when Philippa is trapped as an owl with a dimeritium band locked on her by an ex-lover, and Margarita is captured by witch hunters.
After the battle at Kaer Morhen, Geralt and his allies agreed that they needed help from the surviving members of the Lodge. Ida and Francesca refused and, if Keira is still alive, she is out of their reach, traveling with Lambert.
Eventually, Philippa is obtained by Dijkstra, who unwittingly releases her from her dimeritium band and she turns back into human form, before she is recruited by Geralt against the Wild Hunt. Geralt and Yennefer break Margarita out of prison, where they find Síle de Tansarville in the same cell. If Síle is in the prison, she has suffered greatly at the hands of the witch hunters, and asks to be put out of her misery, which either Geralt or Yen grant.[1] After they are reunited, Phill and Rita continue their plan to reform the Lodge and, once again, extend an invitation to Ciri, this time promising her a place as an equal partner in the group, rather than as a puppet. Before leaving Novigrad, Yennefer informs the sorceresses that Emperor Emhyr would grant them amnesty if they help protect Ciri. This pardon was extended to Fringilla Vigo, who he had released to Geralt to aid the other sorceresses.
However, differences remain between the members of the Lodge: as Yennefer has become an advisor to Emhyr, Philippa fears that she will use her newfound influence to take control of the Lodge, and the elven Sage Avallac'h says at one point that the witches would start fighting among themselves if the Wild Hunt did not strike soon. The sorceresses use their magic to prevent the Wild Hunt from retreating through magical means in the final battle on Skellige.Template:Endspoiler
Notes & references
- ↑ If she was saved from the faulty megascope at Loc Muinne.