Tissaia de Vries ("The Witcher" by Andrzej Sapkowski): character description

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

There are fantasy books in every country today. True, not all of them manage to achieve popularity outside their homeland. However, the Polish fantasy cycle "The Witcher" by Andrzej Sapkowski (Saga o wiedźminie) was a happy exception. The books of this saga are loved by readers of many countries. And after the release of the TV series of the same name and a series of games based on the works, they completely acquired the status of a cult. Let's find out about the fate of one of the heroines of this cycle - the sorceress Tissaia de Vries. And also consider the most famous Russian-language fanfiction with her participation.

The Witcher book series by Andrzej Sapkowski

The world described by Sapkowski in his Sadze o Wiedźminie is in many ways similar to the human Middle Ages. But there are sorcerers, elves, dwarves, dryads and other fabulous creatures that are perceived by others as commonplace.

At the same time, the author himself raises in his books far from fabulous problems, more familiar to our time. Such as genocide, racial intolerance, destruction of the environment, the price of scientific progress, and the like. Also in the books, the author cruellyironic over modern ideas about knightly or noble nobility. Instead, he shows the baseness of the motives of the "noble" class and the boundless variety of meanness in the ways to achieve them.

Inhabitants of the world of the Witcher are deprived of that romantic touch, which is typical for most works of the fantasy genre. And this makes them closer to us, the readers.

As for the plot, the Witcher monster hunter named Ger alt is at the center of all events. Technically, he's not really human. As a child, she was exposed to various magical elixirs, which caused him to gain some supernatural powers. But still inferior to sorcerers.

Although this hero throughout the saga tries not to interfere in the wars for the power of kings and wizards, he does not succeed. The fact is that his adopted daughter Ciri is the only heir to the throne of the kingdom of Cintra and is able to influence the outcome of wars. In addition, the girl has incredible magical abilities, which is why wizards also hunt her.

In addition to Ger alt, Ciri's adoptive mother, the sorceress Yennefer, also plays an important role in Ciri's life, who not only teaches the little girl her skills, but also introduces her to other sorceresses. In particular with Tissaia de Vries. Which, by the way, played, albeit not a big, but an important role in the fate of this trinity.

Who is Tissaia de Vries?

This is the name of a great sorceress who became a legend during her lifetime. Her mind and foresight helped her not onlytake the post of rector of the female magic school in Arethusa, but also eventually become one of the heads of the Chapter (council) of sorcerers.

This heroine does not belong to the main characters and is more of an episodic character in the saga.

In which books of the Witcher cycle does this sorceress appear

Tissaia first appears in the fourth part of the series - in "Blood of the Elves". True, in this book, it practically does not affect anything. But with the help of this character, Sapkowski manages to tell readers more about the world of magicians.

But the next appearance of this heroine in the fifth part - in the "Hour of Contempt" largely decides the fate of the main characters and the entire fairy-tale world.

In the next three parts, de Vries does not appear.

Heroine skin

The appearance of Tissai de Vries, like any sorceress, was very attractive. Despite her very advanced age (about 500 years old), she looked great thanks to the active use of magical elixirs.

This sorceress was tall with a taut and slender figure, which was envied by many. She had sharp features, pale skin, and dark hair, usually slicked back.

Unlike her colleagues, Tissaia de Vries, although she liked to dress beautifully, she preferred to emphasize her own dignity, not sexuality. Therefore, her outfits were never provocative and amazed others except perhaps with their grace.

The sorceress's eyes were dark and shining. Because of this theyfeatures, she sometimes resembled a predatory animal.

As for cosmetics, de Vries used them quite sparingly, unlike other magicians.

Sorceress Character

As for the temperament of Tissai de Vries, she was widely known for her pedantry and the desire to streamline absolutely everything. Despite the fact that many made fun of this quality of her character, the enchantress herself was indifferent to the opinions of others.

During her long life, she managed to see a lot, so she strove to maintain neutrality, or at least balance in everything. Tissaia was also against racism and has always defended members of other species, believing that all creatures should live in peace with each other.

De Vries also had outstanding administrative skills. She was a skilled and far-sighted leader, although she never really aspired to power.

Another feature of the sorceress was attentiveness. She noticed and remembered a lot. I also tried to be polite to people who really deserved it.

Intrigues were alien to her nature, and so Tissaia tried not to let herself be drawn into them. But at the same time, she managed to find out almost everything that they wanted to hide from her. No defensive spell could resist her.

Despite her intelligence and her many contributions to the magical community, Tissaia de Vries was not vain. For this reason, whenever she was offered to lead the Council of Wizards, she refused.

The magician considered her main merit to be the leadership of Aretuza, and nothing more. Although themselvesgraduates and administration did not like her very much for her strict disposition.

Another distinguishing feature of this heroine was her sobriety. She skillfully sensibly evaluates both others and herself in the first place. Tissaia almost never succumbed to emotions, except during the Thadden Riot.

The main feature of this sorceress was the desire for beauty. That is why she tried to give grace to everything that surrounded her - both things and people. Even her death was beautiful, as was the sorceress herself.

What is known about the sorceress's past

Since de Vries was considered the oldest of the female magicians, almost no one knew anything about her childhood.

Judging by the prefix "de" in her magical name, it can be assumed that the sorceress was of noble birth. However, in The Hour of Contempt, it is mentioned that before becoming a sorceress, Tissaia was called "Lark". So, perhaps her parents were not of noble birth, and the girl took the name "Tissaia de Vries" when she began to study at school in Aretuza.

This magician became one of the first graduates of this educational institution and one of the most famous. Even while studying there, she proved herself to be an incredibly talented and hardworking sorceress, which subsequently helped her become one of the most powerful of her kind. And even at the time of her death, she remained so.

After graduating, the graduate of the Aretuza Arcane School devoted herself to magical science and achieved significant success in this field as well.

As rectorAretuza

It is not known exactly when Tissaia headed her native school, but at the time of the events of the saga she had already left this post.

During her tenure as Arethusa de Vries, she did a lot to systematize the program, which made it easier to master the magical arts. She also initiated the introduction of mandatory sterilization of all students. Tissaia explained her action by the fear of gene mutations in sorceresses, which could have catastrophic consequences.

Besides this, over the years of her rectorship, the severity of the charter and morals at the school reached its maximum. And although she was not very loved for such a policy, it was she who helped raise the prestige of the graduates of this educational institution. Thus, a certain feminization of the profession took place. Now the sorceresses who graduated from Arethusa were valued more than the sorcerers from Ban Ard (the school that trains magicians).

"The Witcher" does not give answers to why and when exactly de Vries left her post. It is known that at the time of the story, Marguerite Lo-Antil was already the rector of the school.

Among all her students, Tissaia de Vries singled out Philippa Eilhart, whom she considered the best. Later, Philippa founded the female equivalent of the Council of Wizards.

Tissaia and Yennefer

In addition to Philippa, de Vries once took Ger alt's beloved under her wing. Yennefer was a very capable girl, but for some reason, at first, Tissaya did not like her, and she refused to teach her.

It affected the girl a lot,who was a hunchback, and therefore had no other prospects in life, except to become a sorceress. In desperation, Yennefer tried to commit suicide. Her attempt was unsuccessful, but she made Tissaia take pity on her and take the hunchback as her apprentice.

Later, the rector helped the girl to find beauty, but otherwise she herself succeeded, becoming one of the best graduates of Aretuza.

It is worth noting that Yennefer herself probably did not really love her mentor, although she respected her. Since de Vries was the indirect culprit of her infertility.

Participation in the rebellion of sorcerers

Unlike Tissaia, the young and very talented wizard Vilgefortz strove for power with all his might. That is why he intrigued against his colleagues and, together with Artaud Terranova and Francesca Findabair, prepared a coup during the Great Gathering of Wizards on the island of Thanedd.

However, this became known and the conspirators were stopped. At the same time, Tissaia took them under her protection, trying to resolve everything peacefully.

Unfortunately, the other wizards couldn't agree. Their squabbles infuriated de Vries so much that she removed the protective spells from the instigators of the rebellion, and they tried to get their way again. The massacre has begun.

Seeing what she had done, de Vries tried to help the innocent victims of what was happening. In particular, she helped the wounded Ger alt escape by teleporting him and Triss to the dryads in the protected forest of Brokilon.

Death of Tissai

After the Thanedd rebellion, the war between the Northern Kingdoms and the Southern Kingdoms broke outwith renewed vigor. In addition, many talented wizards died fighting each other. The Council of Wizards has collapsed, and all magicians have lost their former prestige and respect.

De Vries understood that her rash act was largely the reason for this. Reproaching herself for what had happened, the sorceress wrote a farewell letter and cut her wrists.

Fanfiction featuring Tissai

This magician, although she played an important role in the fate of her world, was only an episodic character from the point of view of the saga. Therefore, Russian-speaking fans of The Witcher Tissaia de Vries usually do not dedicate individual works.

She appears more often as a minor character in Yennefer or Arethusa fanfictions.

Thus, the heroine appears in such stories as Percival's "One Question", MaemaGia's "Prisoners of Arethusa", Vixen Vincent's "Sister, I've Been at War Too Long" and the Knight Lautrec of Knight's Lark crossover. Carim, who is currently in the process of being written.

It is a pity that this character has not yet seemed to the fans so entertaining as to dedicate a separate story to him. However, let's hope that things change in the future. Moreover, Netflix plans to launch its own TV series based on the Sapkowski saga. Perhaps Tissaia will be given more attention in it.