Le légendaire Loup Blanc, Geralt de Riv, revient pour l'hiver à Kaer Morhen, la forteresse secrète des sorceleurs tapie au cœur des Montagnes Bleues. Là, il constate que des invités inattendus sont arrivés avant lui, amenant les ennuis dans leur sillage. Empêtré dans leur conflit, Geralt doit choisir entre deux maux et décider s'il est prêt à payer le prix de sa neutralité.
Résumé[]
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The famous bard Jaskier has stopped by at an inn. Naturally, the patrons wish to hear a ballad and so he sings the lay of the "Bitter, Evil Hearts".
Set in the fall of 1232 in the valley surrounding the Kaer Morhen stronghold, the ballad finds Geralt coming back to the sorceleurs' base of operations for the winter when he unexpectedly spies a small camp just outside the stronghold. This comes as quite a surprise since the way to Kaer Morhen is a closely guarded secret. One could count on one hand the number of non-witchers who know the way.
At the camp, Geralt meets a nobleman named Merwin Ademeyn and a magicienne named Sabrina Glevissig, who, along with a band of hired mercenaries, are trying to find a young woman staying in the stronghold.
Born under the Soleil Noir and prophesied to ruin the world, Deidre is Eskel's enfant surprise and rightful heir to the throne of her own (unusually feminist) country. Her brother, the nobleman who also happens to be second in line, wants to make sure she will not have the crown. Sabrina wants to kill her as well, but for her own reasons. She wants to examine the girl's body and discover the truth about the Black Sun — being The Witcher, Geralt has to choose with whom he sides.
Geralt has ample opportunity to consult with his fellow witchers: Eskel, Lambert and Vesemir who are all wintering at the old fortress. He will also have time to get to know both Deidre and Sabrina much better before finally making his decision.
References to the books
The story shares many similarities with the short story "Le moindre mal".
- Noble girl born under the Black Sun and the mage after her.
- A mage with a highly realistic illusionary abode, complete with a partner of the opposite gender.
- A letter of safe conduct from a king with a spelling error.
The story also quotes quite a lot about the Black Sun and the girls born under it, and the discussions Geralt may partake in with Sabrina Glevissig are more or less a repetition of the ones he shared with Stregobor, whereas certain parts of the dialogue exchanged between Geralt and Deidre echo conversations between Geralt and Renfri. There is even a book within the game called la malédiction du soleil noir.
Sabrina Glevissig herself is a character that appears in the Witcher saga.
Inconsistencies with the books
"The Price of Neutrality" takes place before the Witcher saga, even though in the books Geralt first met Sabrina on the île de Thanedd, in Le Temps du Mépris.
The mention of the duchy of "Vspaden" in the journal entry for Kaedwen is an error based on a fan-made map from Andrzej Sapkowski Zone, even though CD Projekt RED created a more correct map of their own for the game, which does not include it. The fan-made map includes the duchy based on a (misspelt) reference to Yspaden in "Le moindre mal". According to Andrzej Sapkowski's own notes, which were released after the map was created, Yspaden is a city in Redania.
This being a ballad and knowing Jaskier's tendency to artistic license, this might explain the inconsistencies. Perhaps it is even his version of "Le moindre mal".Personnages[]
- Cuisinier
- Deidre Ademeyn
- Eskel
- Fille
- Francesca Findabair
- Geralt
- Henselt (Seulement mentionné)
- Ida Emean aep Sivney
- Lambert
- Merwin Ademeyn
- Merton Bringgs
- Quartier général
- Reim, le scout elfique
- Roben (Seulement mentionné)
- Sabrina Glevissig
- Vesemir