The recently released Witcher book, Crossroads of Ravens, finally establishes Geralt of Rivia’s birth year as 1211. This revelation indicates that the protagonist of the Witcher series is significantly younger than some fans previously believed.

Since his debut in a 1986 short story, Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski has consistently portrayed Geralt as a seasoned monster hunter. However, none of the previous Witcher books or short stories explicitly stated his birth year. This changed with the release of Rozdroże kruków (translated as Crossroads of Ravens) in Poland on November 29, 2024.

Geralt’s Age Throughout the Witcher Saga

The latest installment in the Witcher book series, Crossroads of Ravens, pinpoints Geralt of Rivia’s year of birth as 1211. Consequently, Geralt is 37 years old during the events of The Last Wish and 57 in The Lady of the Lake. In contrast, Geralt is depicted as considerably older in CDPR’s game universe. Vesemir, in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, implies that Geralt is nearing a century in age.

The Witcher 3 features a wide array of characters from Andrjez Sapkowski’s works, some of whom are arguably better developed in the source material than in CD Projekt RED’s adaptations.

According to Redanian Intelligence, Crossroads of Ravens confirms Geralt’s birth year as 1211. This places him at around 37 years old at the beginning of The Last Wish—the first novel in Sapkowski’s saga—and approximately 57 by the chronological end of the series, depicted in The Lady of the Lake. Crossroads of Ravens itself centers on a teenage Geralt, set in 1229, shortly after the monster hunter concludes his training at Kaer Morhen.

Discrepancies in Age Between Books and Games

The critically acclaimed games developed by CD Projekt Red, based on Sapkowski’s novels, present a different timeline regarding Geralt’s age. Notably, Vesemir suggests that Geralt is close to a hundred years old in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. However, it is important to note that CDPR’s RPG trilogy exists within its own distinct universe. Therefore, Crossroads of Ravens does not alter or contradict Geralt’s established age within the game continuity. Another notable difference between the game and book universes lies in the age gap between Geralt and Yennefer. In the games, Yennefer is portrayed as being only slightly older than Geralt, whereas, in the books, the sorceress is 38 years his senior.

Source: GameRant