Book Summary – Season of Storms – The Witcher – Prequel 2

Book summary by chapter of Season of Storms. Includes spoilers from the first trial to the end of the book. Geralt doesn’t lose his swords—they’re stripped away by fate to test the weight of a witcher without steel, without justice, and without a name. Between palace betrayals, letters never meant to be read, and a wave that swallows entire kingdoms, the White Wolf survives everything but oblivion: even when an apprentice thinks she only dreamed of him, the legend has already rooted beneath the storm.

Geralt of Rivia and Lytta Neyd standing before Kerack’s port district after rain, with contrasting outfits and composed posture – Chapter-by-chapter summary of the book Season of Storms

Introduction – Season of Storms

Some storms don’t roar with thunder—they whisper in silence. In Season of Storms, Andrzej Sapkowski takes us to an uncertain time, where fate has not yet carved its symbol into the White Wolf’s medallion. This is neither a beginning nor an end, but a hidden rift in the legend, where Geralt of Rivia faces something worse than monsters: the loss of steel, identity, and purpose.

In a world where swords aren't enough, betrayal wears the mask of justice, and magic swells like a rising tide, the witcher walks without a map. Each chapter of this full summary reveals part of that unseen journey, where memories haven’t yet been made—but the scars already burn. Coral, Belohun, Degerlund—names that move on a board of power that never stops shifting.

And yet, even here, the Wild Hunt's echo and Yennefer’s shadow begin to creep into the wind. Because in this saga, nothing happens by chance, and every tale has a hidden origin. To follow the full journey from its earliest secrets to its final roar, don’t miss the reading order of The Witcher ➤

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Reading Order ➤

Chapter Navigation

• Chapter 1 Summary – Season of Storms – The Deception of the Idr and the Battle in the Forest

• Chapter 5 Summary – Season of Storms – Coral, Geralt, and Power Games in Kerack

• Chapter 10 Summary – Season of Storms – Patrols, Demons, and Warnings Amid Storms

• Chapter 15 Summary – Season of Storms – Swamp Illusions and the Vixen’s Judgment

• Chapter 20 Summary – Season of Storms – Swords Reclaimed and Shadows of the Past

• Epilogue – Season of Storms – Ruins, Legends, and the Eternal Promise

Chapter 1 Summary – Season of Storms – The Deception of the Idr and the Battle in the Forest

Hidden in the underbrush, the idr—a predatory creature—accurately perceives ground vibrations as it prepares to strike. It lives to kill, not out of survival instinct, but sheer violent pleasure. It watches its prey, a family passing through the forest, and selects the weakest: a lagging child. As it leaps, a scream shatters the silence. Geralt, the witcher, reacts instantly but falls into a trap: the real attack targets a man pushing a cart, who is mercilessly torn apart by the beast. Geralt manages to save the woman, though he realizes she, too, was a decoy. He faces the gray, swift monster in a brutal fight. Despite the lethal blows, he defeats it, severing its head. Later, in Ansegis, the reeve thanks him, but Geralt, tormented, blames himself for having used innocent people as bait. Outside, a storm begins to gather.

Interlude 1 Summary – Season of Storms – Coral and King Belohun: Spells, Abortion, and Power

The sorceress Lytta Neyd, known as Coral, appears before King Belohun of Kerack adorned with ruby jewels to impress. Belohun, heir to a lineage of merchants and pirates, accuses her of distributing abortive elixirs to the kingdom’s women, which he views as a threat to social order. Coral, poised and elegant, defends women's right to decide over their motherhood and asserts that her services are a legitimate source of income for her sisterhood. Tension rises as the king reveals his upcoming marriage to a seventeen-year-old girl and demands Coral not to provide her with potions. She agrees with an ironic smile. Coral then hints at fraud within the court, suggesting the king is being robbed. Enraged, Belohun demands names, but Coral only smiles. Meanwhile, Princes Egmund and Xander look on with disdain. Marine frescoes and a whimsical map decorate the royal hall walls.

Chapter 2 Summary – Season of Storms – Arrival in Kerack and Arrest at the Osteria

Geralt arrives at the port city of Kerack, passing through neighborhoods marked by inequality. From Palmyra’s slums to the walled district of the wealthy, the contrast is stark. At the guard tower, he must surrender his swords, encountering vulgar and aggressive female guards. After this unpleasant experience, he visits the elegant osteria Natura Rerum, where the owner, Febus Ravenga, welcomes him warmly. Things seem to improve—until he is arrested by three men in black just before tasting the turbot he ordered. In prison, his lawyer proves inept, urging him to plead guilty. At trial, Geralt defends himself with legal arguments, but the court accuses him of tax fraud. He refuses to confess, and despite the lack of evidence, a bail of five hundred crowns is imposed. He finds himself in a precarious situation, surrounded by suspicion, prejudice, and an indifferent justice system.

Chapter 3 Summary – Season of Storms – Bail, Stolen Swords, and Dandelion’s Help

Freed thanks to a mysterious bail payment, Geralt discovers his swords are missing: the court confiscated his bag containing the deposit receipt. When trying to retrieve them, guards accuse him of lying and attack. The brutal clash leaves several women injured, but Geralt is also battered. The elderly clerk, Gonschorek, suddenly dies. Ferrant de Lettenhove, the court instigator, orders an investigation. Though a receipt is found under a false name, no one saw Geralt retrieve his weapons. Geralt invents a story claiming the swords cause magical impotence to scare the thief. Later, Dandelion, his old friend and Ferrant’s cousin, reveals that it was Lytta Neyd—Coral—who denounced him… and later paid his bail. Geralt suspects a deeper scheme. As they walk through Kerack’s streets, three thugs ambush them. Unarmed, Geralt defeats them using a cooper’s stake. The city turns into a nest of intrigue.

Chapter 4 Summary – Season of Storms – The Witcher’s Fury and Coral’s Enigma

Freed, furious, and penniless, Geralt drinks brandy at the market before retrieving his mare, Roach. At the guard tower, he tries to reclaim his swords but is denied without the receipt. The clerk, Gonschorek, is dead, and the guards provoke him. Enraged, Geralt retaliates with violence, unleashing a fierce brawl, felling nearly all of them. Ferrant de Lettenhove arrives just in time to stop the massacre. Despite the accusations, Ferrant promises to investigate the theft. But the receipt found bears a false name: Gerland of Ryblia. Geralt warns the swords are enchanted and may cause impotence, hoping the rumor reaches the thief. Dandelion confirms Coral both accused and bailed him out. Distrusting the law, Geralt decides to confront her. As he walks, he is ambushed by three thugs who knew he was unarmed. Using a stake, he defeats them. His fate becomes entwined with Coral’s.

Chapter 5 Summary – Season of Storms – Coral, Geralt, and Power Games in Kerack

Geralt accepts Coral’s invitation to her luxurious residence in Kerack. The sorceress who had him arrested and then bailed him out greets him. From the start, their conversation is charged with hidden tension, sarcasm, and seductive games. Coral admits manipulating his legal situation as a control experiment, claiming it wasn’t her personal decision but that of other sorcerers with unclear agendas. Though she hints at attraction to Geralt, her words are steeped in manipulation and power. They speak of Yennefer, of bets about their past relationship, and of rumors within the magical brotherhood. Geralt, uncomfortable, tries to maintain composure but feels provoked. Coral proposes he stay in the city under her protection, offering him unlimited credit at a renowned establishment. Distrustful, Geralt declines for now. Yet, it’s clear their meeting has reignited dangerous magical intrigues.

Chapter 6 Summary – Season of Storms – Loge’s Tavern and Unleashed Magic

Geralt and Dandelion visit Loge’s tavern, a lively place where artists, mages, and nobles mingle. Dandelion delights in the atmosphere, reciting poetry and flirting, while Geralt remains alert. Unexpectedly, Coral appears, reigniting the tension. She is dominant, provocative, and makes it clear she is watching him. During the evening, a magical accident occurs: a young sorceress loses control of a spell, causing a ripple in the air that nearly harms several guests. Coral steps in with authority, but Geralt notices the growing imbalance in Kerack’s magic use. Later, Ferrant de Lettenhove enters the tavern and demands a private word with Geralt. In a back alley, he warns that power circles are toying with him. Though Geralt remains defiant, he understands his situation is more complex than it seemed.

Chapter 7 Summary – Season of Storms – Magical Circles and the Shadow of a Plot

Geralt is summoned before the kingdom’s Council of Mages, where he is unceremoniously interrogated by powerful figures including Coral, Ortolan, and other influential mages. They try to extract information about his mutations, his ties to Yennefer, and the location of certain alchemical substances. Though the tone remains cordial, every question has hidden motives. Geralt is evasive, sensing he’s caught in a much larger power game. Ortolan shows keen interest in the secrets of Kaer Morhen and witcher creation, hinting they wish to replicate the process. Coral seems more focused on emotional manipulation. After the meeting, Geralt decides to trust none of them. The session ends without overt threats, but with a clear sense that he is being watched, manipulated, and possibly marked for something far more dangerous. As he leaves, another storm looms on the horizon.

Chapter 8 Summary – Season of Storms – The Ravelin Fight and the Prince’s Offer

Geralt and Dandelion ride toward Ravelin, a fortress located in a crater known as the Elven Stronghold. As they talk about meteorite steel’s magical properties, Geralt clarifies that not all witcher swords have supernatural origins. At Ravelin, they’re received by Pyral Pratt, a local crime lord who subjects them to a grotesque test: Geralt must fight a vigilosaur unarmed before a crowd. Cleverly defeating it, he earns the promised information: his swords will be auctioned in Novigrad. Later, a mysterious prince intercepts him with a covert political offer—to assassinate the king and his brothers. Geralt refuses, only to learn it was a test orchestrated by the real Prince Egmund. Egmund then hires him to protect King Belohun during his wedding. On the way back, Coral heals his wounds and gives him a new mission: to travel to Rissberg Castle, summoned by Ortolan, an influential mage.

Interlude 2 Summary – Season of Storms – Dandelion Acquires a Sword and Uncovers Royal Intrigues

Dandelion recounts how, after the events in Ravelin, he took it upon himself to procure a new sword for Geralt, using his wit and the money from cashing a check given by Pyral Pratt. At the bank, he meets Etna Asider, a supposed widow who offers him a sword forged in Viroleda, appraised by House Giancardi. Dandelion buys it for one hundred crowns, convinced he has struck a great deal. When he gives it to Geralt, the witcher accepts it in silence, though clearly appreciative. Geralt then instructs him to remain in Kerack to spy on the royal family, withholding details about Pratt and the auction. Dandelion sarcastically describes the complicated succession line of King Belohun—his four legitimate children by different mothers—and the manipulative games between Princes Egmund and Xander. Geralt plans to travel to Novigrad in July to recover his swords before the auction. Dandelion promises to remain silent and watch everything from the shadows.

Interlude 3 Summary – Season of Storms – Pinety’s Letter to Coral About Geralt at Rissberg

Pinety writes from Rissberg Castle to Lytta Neyd, known as Coral, informing her of Geralt’s recent arrival. With sarcastic flair, he describes how the witcher managed to antagonize everyone in under an hour, including the revered Ortolan. While acknowledging Geralt’s competence in his trade, Pinety calls him arrogant, mediocre, and unhygienic, even mocking his unkempt fingernails. He thanks Coral for facilitating his involvement in the plan and releases her from any further obligations toward the witcher. He claims Coral’s apparent cordiality was merely a strategy and expresses relief that their relationship is over. Pinety also dismisses rumors linking his behavior to a supposed rivalry with Yennefer, hinting that she is romantically involved with a jeweler and no longer interested in Geralt. He ends by sweetly inviting Coral to visit Rissberg.

Interlude 4 Summary – Season of Storms – Coral’s Response to Pinety and Her View on Geralt

Coral replies from Kerack with an elegant yet firm letter. She thanks Pinety for his concern but clarifies that everything is unfolding on her own terms. She declares herself in full physical and mental health, having regained a peace she didn’t know she had lost. Regarding Geralt, she partially disagrees with Pinety’s view: while she confirms the witcher has many flaws, she also acknowledges virtues that some might envy. Coral downplays circulating rumors about her relationship with Geralt and rejects comparisons with past court gossip. She reminds Pinety that there were once rumors about him and Sabrina Glevissig, which were rightly ignored. She concludes by stating she is extremely busy and won’t be able to visit Rissberg anytime soon. Her tone is courteous but firm, subtly asserting control over her image and personal choices, allowing no one—not even allies—to dictate her actions.

Chapter 9 Summary – Season of Storms – Rissberg’s Secret and Alzur’s Monsters

Geralt arrives at Rissberg Castle, a center for magical experimentation hidden behind a fair where artifacts and elixirs are traded. After passing a magically guarded gate, he is welcomed by the mages Pinety and Harlan Tzara. Though sarcastic and distant, they reveal his presence is needed for a delicate matter. They lead him to the aged Ortolan, a legendary figure obsessed with democratizing magic—though his creations often end in failure. Geralt presents plates taken from slain monsters: one from a vigilosaur created at Rissberg, another from a more ancient being linked to Idarran, a disciple of Alzur. Ortolan erupts in rage, calling it a crime against a work of art. Later, in private, Pinety confesses that an apprentice used goetia to summon a demon and lost control. Three massacres followed. They need Geralt to investigate and eliminate the rampaging fiend before it strikes again.

Chapter 10 Summary – Season of Storms – Patrols, Demons, and Warnings Amid Storms

Each day, Geralt is teleported across the Tukaj Hills to patrol vulnerable settlements. Though he hates teleportation, he accepts it as necessary. On his rounds, he speaks with Frans Torquil, a constable also investigating the massacres. Both suspect the culprit is someone from Rissberg, possibly a mage possessed by a demon, though the others won’t admit it. Torquil warns that if things go wrong, the mages will use Geralt as a scapegoat. As he rides through logging and charcoal-burning colonies, Geralt sees life continuing, despite fresh blood in the air. Pinety shows him the massacre sites—Yew Trees, Arches, and Rogovizna—where victims were mutilated and decapitated. Geralt accuses the sorcerers of allowing such invocations out of greed and ambition. When silence falls again in the forest, Geralt senses the horror may be closer than expected. A new storm approaches.

Chapter 11 Summary – Season of Storms – The Horror at Pinetops and Degerlund’s Fall

At Pinetops, a charcoal camp, Geralt finds a horrifying scene: mutilated corpses, a torn child, and human entrails leading to a hut. Inside, he discovers Sorel Degerlund, blood-soaked and tied with intestines. Though hesitant to kill him, Geralt interrogates the mage, who admits to being possessed by a demon. Faking weakness, Degerlund teleports them to a secret lair, where he imprisons Geralt. Degerlund reveals his true nature: he murdered dozens of villagers with two monstrous hybrids made in Rissberg. He used the massacre to fake demonic summoning and rise among the mages, even seducing Ortolan to gain favors. Drugged with white scorpion venom, Geralt becomes paralyzed, but his physiology helps him resist. As Degerlund prepares to extract his eyes for experimentation, Geralt uses the Sign of Somne. A violent fight erupts against Pastor and the hybrids Bue and Bang. Forcing Degerlund to activate a sigil, Geralt escapes via teleportation, emerging wounded but alive beneath the stars.

Interlude 5 Summary – Season of Storms – The Border Between Redania and Temeria

A group of soldiers led by Shevlov forcibly expands the Kingdom of Redania’s territory by uprooting Temerian boundary stones and repositioning border markers. They evict the peasants of Woodend with threats and whippings, demanding double payments for newly annexed lands. Meanwhile, they hand over a mysterious hooded prisoner to an envoy named Fysh, implying her fate will be cruel. The brutality of the territorial takeover reveals systemic corruption and disdain for the settlers. Shevlov is relentless but avoids uncomfortable questions, showing that some topics are better left unexamined. The faceless prisoner struggles as she is moved, raising suspicion. The scene paints a grim picture of political manipulation, military abuse, and violence against civilians. The soldiers press on, determined to move more markers and enforce the new order, indifferent to the suffering they leave behind.

Chapter 12 Summary – Season of Storms – Degerlund’s Ambush and the Witcher’s Awakening

Geralt awakens battered in a swamp after being thrown through a faulty portal triggered by Degerlund. Thanks to the Golden Swallow elixir, he fights the effects of white scorpion venom, though in great pain. Exploring the area, he realizes he’s in disputed land between Redania and Temeria, formerly Emblonia. While trying to orient himself, he witnesses Redanian soldiers led by Fryga, Shevlov, and their gang beating and looting peasants. When he intervenes, he is outnumbered and arrested. Bound, he’s accused of being a Temerian mercenary. On the way to Findetann, a portal opens, and Degerlund appears with the hybrids Bue, Bang, and Pastor. A massacre ensues—Shevlov and his men are slaughtered. Geralt, using the Igni Sign to free himself, escapes on Fryga’s mare, fleeing the carnage. He rides away without looking back, burdened by surviving the psychopathic mage once more.

Chapter 13 Summary – Season of Storms – The Waystation and the Dwarf’s Cunning

At a remote waystation, Geralt meets Addario Bach, a witty and wise dwarf who offers him soup and company. Soon, Fryga and her accomplices burst in, seeking revenge for the recent massacre. Geralt defeats them one by one using only a broom, disarming them and hanging their swords from the ceiling. Things get complicated when Temerian soldiers led by Sergeant Kovacs arrive, searching for the Redanian bandits. Addario improvises, pretending Fryga is his lover and Trent and Ligenza are his servants, saving them from arrest. Once the soldiers leave, the dwarf reveals his disdain for criminals but also his opposition to executions. Geralt decides to head to Novigrad before July 15, and Addario joins him. As they walk together, they share tales and songs, and the dwarf promises river transport from Wiaterna. With jokes and stories, they begin their journey with renewed hope.

Chapter 14 Summary – Season of Storms – The Cursed Cutter and the Hunt Begins

Geralt and Addario arrive in Wiaterna, where they find the Prophet Lebioda, a sleek cutter anchored in calm waters. The ship belongs to Kevenard van Vliet, a merchant in gloves accompanied by shady figures, including Javil Fysh and a burly thug named Cobbin. Upon revealing Geralt’s identity, the group offers him a deal: protection for their voyage to Novigrad in exchange for passage. Van Vliet mentions the rescue of an elven girl kidnapped by an aguara—a shapeshifting creature. Though Geralt warns such rescues are impossible, he discovers a girl already locked in the hold. She’s not the one sought, but another victim captured for sale. Horrified, Geralt demands her release, but it’s too late—she has been murdered by Parlaghy, a crew member. Soon after, a storm hits, and the cutter drifts into an eerie swamp. There, a female figure watches from a tree: the aguara has found them. The hunt has begun.

Interlude 6 Summary – Season of Storms – Journey to Aretuza Amid Rumors and Legend

Nimue, a young sorceress apprentice, travels alone toward Gors Velen, repeating her route like a spell: Vyrva, Ford, Sibell, Brugge, Casterfurt, Mortara, Ivalo, Dorian, Anchor, Gors Velen. At Ivalo, a noisy, foul-smelling industrial town, she sells mushrooms and medicinal roots, pretending to be simple. In a tavern, she hears men debating the discovery of the Prophet Lebioda, a ship lost over a century ago, tied to legends and ghostly tales. While some mock the idea, Nimue claims to know the real story: the ship vanished after ignoring a witcher’s warning. A drunk threatens her for appearing half-elven and warns her about the Magpie Woods she must cross. She cleverly avoids revealing her true destination and continues her journey. Deep inside, she reaffirms her mission: to reach the sorceresses’ school on Thanedd Island. Nothing will stop her. Her name is Nimue verch Wledyr ap Gwyn.

Chapter 15 Summary – Season of Storms – Swamp Illusions and the Vixen’s Judgment

The Prophet Lebioda becomes lost in a swampy maze under the influence of illusions conjured by the aguara, a vengeful magical being. The crew panics amid visions of snakes and whirlpools; some are real—like a vodyanoy that shatters the rudder. The corpse of the murdered elven girl adds tension, and the sailors try to offer it as a sacrifice. Javil Fysh flees in a boat but is devoured by a crocodile and a giant turtle. The aguara boards the ship, and Geralt presents her daughter’s body, pleading for the crew. She spares them only for Geralt’s sake, vowing to seek him again one day. As freedom seems within reach, a final illusion shows a fake shore; the sailors jump and die among leeches. Geralt, Addario, and Van Vliet escape in a boat. Pudlorak stays behind with his ship, determined to meet his fate. As Geralt rows under the storm, he laughs: he’s still alive.

Interlude 7 Summary – Season of Storms – Auction of Secrets and Steel

At the prestigious auction house of the Borsody brothers, the room fills with nobles and collectors ready to bid on rare items. The charismatic auctioneer, Abner of Navarette, presents elven books, artworks, and ancient artifacts—until a surprising lot emerges: two witcher swords. Tension rises among the bidders until wanted assassin Jerosa Fuerte is arrested mid-auction. Ultimately, Molnar Giancardi offers four thousand crowns and wins the swords. Days later, Antea Derris collects her commission while Nikefor Muus, greedy for his share, demands it in cash. But when he opens his coin pouch, he discovers his money has been magically turned into excrement. In a humiliating scene, Ravenga drags him to a latrine and dunks him in the filth, declaring that shit always ends up where it belongs. Meanwhile, Yennefer—the spell’s author—makes sure the swords end up in safe hands.

Interlude 8 Summary – Season of Storms – Rotten Gold and Latrine Punishment

Nikefor Muus, euphoric after receiving his share of the sale, enters the osteria Natura Rerum flaunting his supposed fortune. Arrogantly, he orders the most expensive wine and tosses coins on the table—only to watch them turn into excrement. The spell reveals his gold was an illusion. Under the gaze of the owner, Febus Ravenga, Muus is dragged to the back courtyard and thrown into a latrine without mercy. Submerged in filth, he barely stays afloat among straw, torn books, and organic waste. Ravenga repeatedly plunges him into the muck with a pitchfork before leaving him there, stating that filth ends up where it belongs. Humiliated and coated in refuse, Muus is abandoned. The scene stuns onlookers, serving as a public lesson. His greed and arrogance led him to a fate befitting his baseness. What was gold became manure—and he, buried in his own pride.

Chapter 16 Summary – Season of Storms – The Viroleda Sword and Coral’s Farewell

Geralt returns to Kerack and visits Coral, who greets him coldly after a failed childbirth. Mozaïk, stronger and more composed, confronts him with sarcasm. Coral asks him to return another day, and Geralt realizes a deep rift separates them. He meets Dandelion, who tries to console him and suggests accepting the role of royal bodyguard for the wedding. The witcher admits he failed to recover his swords—the auction ended before his arrival, and no one would give him information. Then, the mage Pinety appears, returns Roach to Geralt, and gifts him a Viroleda-forged sword inherited from his father. They discuss Degerlund, now imprisoned in the Citadel under magical protection. Disillusioned by Rissberg’s hypocrisy, Pinety leaves the brotherhood for good. Geralt accepts the sword and departs without saying goodbye to Coral. When Dandelion asks about her, he simply replies she’ll be busy… saying goodbye to someone.

Interlude 9 Summary – Season of Storms – Report from Rissberg

The Rissberg facility team sends a confidential letter to Grandmaster Narses to cover up the atrocities committed by the mage Degerlund. They justify his genetic experiments with eugenic goals and claim the deaths on the Temerian border—about forty people—were the result of a psychotic break. They assert the mage is undergoing treatment and continue to protect his research. The report suggests silencing investigator Torquil and, if necessary, the witcher Geralt, who might uncover the truth.

Chapter 17 Summary – Season of Storms – The Monster Hunt

Geralt reaches Frans Torquil, wounded after an ogrotroll attack. An incompetent doctor wants to amputate his leg, but the witcher saves him with elixirs and the help of an elderly herbalist. He then seeks Otto Dussart, a werewolf he once saved, to track a secret path to the Citadel. Together they explore caves infested with bats, trolls, and other creatures until they find an entrance marked by the scent of a domestic cat. Geralt proceeds alone and discovers a hidden lab filled with horrors: mutilated bodies, imprisoned children, and human remains used in experiments. He kills the ogrotrolls Bue and Bang and, with Dussart’s help, defeats Pastor, the third creature. Finally, he snaps Degerlund’s neck, ending the mage’s reign of terror. Degerlund’s cat watches, and Geralt justifies his action: it had to be done.

Chapter 18 Summary – Season of Storms – The Wedding Day and Rise of a New King

King Belohun’s wedding begins with summer pomp and uneasy calm. Geralt, in a new doublet, arrives with Dandelion, who had been snubbed as a guest artist. Prince Egmund tasks Geralt with his protection while political tensions simmer beneath the festivities. Coral reveals the king’s fiancée, Ildiko Breckl, was expelled from Aretuza, and that the infamous ship Acherontia has docked. Soon after, a medallion gifted by Ildiko activates magically and strangles the king. Chaos erupts, and the exiled Prince Viraxas seizes the throne with Acherontia’s mercenaries. In secret, Egmund had ordered his father’s murder and intended to frame Geralt—but the witcher foils the plot. Ferrant, the instigator, warns Geralt to vanish. Amid official mourning, Viraxas announces his coronation and immediate wedding to Ildiko, consolidating his coup.

Chapter 19 Summary – Season of Storms – The Wave That Devours a Kingdom

From a terrace, Geralt, Coral, Mozaïk, and Dandelion watch rats fleeing uphill and sense a storm building under a clear sky. Suddenly, monstrous winds erupt and a massive tidal wave strikes Kerack: ships splinter, the port is destroyed, and coastal districts vanish beneath walls of water. Geralt, Mozaïk, and the formidable commander Violetta rush to rescue children amid the chaos; Antea Derris also helps but dies crushed by palisade posts. Exhausted and injured, Geralt is pulled from the water. Coral reappears, only to say goodbye, wounded in pride. Ravenga calls for rebuilding amid corpses and wreckage; a bell stubbornly continues to ring above the ruins. When Geralt searches for his sword, he discovers it was stolen during the disaster. Disillusioned with Kerack and what it stands for, he decides to leave—far and fast.

Interlude 10 Summary – Season of Storms – Wine, Rumors, and Old Wounds

In a villa untouched by the tidal wave, Yennefer and Coral (Lytta Neyd) sit peacefully in a courtyard, sipping wine and discussing Kerack’s changes under King Viraxas. Coral reveals she must sell her villa and go into exile due to royal decrees banning unlicensed magic and expelling non-humans and sorcerers from property ownership. With irony, she jokes about rumors following the regime’s fall and pretends to be pregnant with Geralt’s child, momentarily surprising Yennefer—before admitting it was a jest. Coral reveals her disciple Mozaïk fled with Geralt for a brief romance, but he left her after one night, leaving flowers and a note that convinced her to return. Upon seeing the young woman’s face, Yennefer smiles faintly, silently recognizing a familiar gesture. The interlude ends with both sorceresses reflecting on how even fleeting connections with Geralt leave lasting marks.

Chapter 20 Summary – Season of Storms – Swords Reclaimed and Shadows of the Past

Geralt departs at dawn with Dandelion, leaving Mozaïk behind. Along the road, they stop at an inn that seems ordinary—until Brehen, a witcher from the Cat School, appears and threatens to kill a priestess unless Geralt fights. Geralt refuses, but everything changes when a young woman named Tiziana Frevi delivers his stolen swords, sent by Yennefer. Upon receiving them, Geralt warns Brehen that if he spills blood, he’ll die instantly. Brehen withdraws and leaves the inn. Tiziana reveals Yennefer sent her and that she’s training as a dwimveandra. Dandelion mentions rumors about King Foltest’s bounty for breaking his daughter’s curse, but Geralt says he won’t get involved in politics. That night, he receives a court summons from Rissberg accusing him of fraud. Geralt ignores it and spends the night with Tiziana, grateful for her company and the return of his swords.

Epilogue – Season of Storms – Ruins, Legends, and the Eternal Promise

Long after the events, Nimue—a young woman on her way to Aretuza’s school of sorcery—walks through a dark forest and is attacked by a monstrous creature. A white-haired man wielding two swords saves her and walks with her afterward. As they speak, Nimue suspects he is the legendary Geralt of Rivia, but the man denies it, claiming Geralt died over a century ago. Yet, his words reveal deeper knowledge. They talk of the persistence of evil, the eternal need for witchers, and how darkness endures despite the world’s progress. He leaves her with a white rose and a kind gesture. Nimue wakes up believing it was a dream. A woman in a cart picks her up, and she continues her journey—unsure of what happened, but feeling that stories like Geralt’s never truly end.

Conclusion – Season of Storms

When the storm clears, what remains isn’t silence—it’s a bell still tolling among the dead. Season of Storms doesn’t offer answers—it leaves cracks. And in those cracks, Geralt survives: without swords, without allies, with a new threat behind every smile. Andrzej Sapkowski doesn’t build a story; he excavates the roots of a legend that was already cursed before it began.

This full chapter-by-chapter summary makes it clear: chaos has always walked beside the White Wolf. Not kings, not mages, not tidal cataclysms can break him—but they reshape him. Every decision, every betrayal, every loss echoes through the books to come, like a distant thunder that never truly fades.

And that’s where your path leads next. Because what follows isn’t peace—it’s a destiny more cruel, more beautiful, more fierce. Continue with the next entry in Geralt of Rivia’s saga: Sword of Destiny – Book Summary by Chapter ➤

FAQs – Chapter by Chapter Summary – Season of Storms

What role does Coral play in Season of Storms and why is her relationship with Geralt so ambiguous?

Coral, also known as Lytta Neyd, is more than just a sorceress in Season of Storms—she’s a strategist, a manipulator, and a test Geralt never saw coming. She arrests him, frees him, seduces him, and betrays him—all while keeping her motives unreadable. Coral’s presence constantly blurs the lines between desire and control. She doesn’t love Geralt, but she’s fascinated by what he represents: the unpredictable element in a world of schemes. Their relationship remains unbalanced and unresolved because it was never meant to be safe—it was meant to expose their flaws.

Why does Geralt lose his swords in Season of Storms, and what does that loss reveal about his identity?

Geralt’s swords are taken from him not by chance, but as part of a greater scheme to break him down. Without them, he is stripped of more than his weapons—he loses his title, his fear factor, and his confidence. The absence of steel forces him to rely on instinct, intellect, and diplomacy. This symbolic loss exposes the heart of the series: a witcher is not defined by swords, but by what he does without them. Season of Storms tests that truth with every betrayal and bruise Geralt endures.

What does the aguara shipwreck episode in Season of Storms reveal about Geralt’s view of the wild and the feminine?

The aguara is a shape-shifting, vengeful force of nature—female, ancient, and beyond human rules. In this chapter, Geralt doesn’t slay the monster; he pleads with her. He recognizes the justice in her wrath and offers her child’s body in atonement. This encounter shifts the narrative: strength isn’t about dominance but understanding. It challenges Geralt’s notion of control and forces him to face powers that don’t fit into his usual hunter-prey logic. The aguara spares the crew only for him, marking him not as hero, but as witness to forces he cannot tame.

Who is Degerlund in Season of Storms, and why is he one of the saga’s most disturbing villains?

Degerlund is a mage whose ambition has no moral compass. He uses dark science, emotional manipulation, and political clout to commit atrocities in the name of progress. He fakes demonic possession, creates hybrid monsters, and orchestrates massacres just to rise in magical ranks. He isn’t driven by hate—he’s driven by ego, and that’s what makes him terrifying. Unlike chaotic villains, Degerlund is cold, calculated, and convinced of his superiority. When Geralt kills him, it’s not revenge—it’s justice. And it’s one of the few times the reader feels there was no other choice.

Why does Season of Storms only truly resonate after reading the rest of the Witcher saga?

Though technically a prequel, Season of Storms wasn’t written to introduce the Witcher world—it was written to echo it. The novel is filled with nods, shadows, and unresolved threads that only land emotionally if you already know the future. Yennefer’s ghost, Ciri’s absence, and Geralt’s raw edges all feel sharper if you’ve seen who they become. The book doesn’t answer questions—it plants the seeds of chaos. It’s not where the story begins; it’s where the storm first trembles.