Triss

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Triss Merigold
Alias(es)	Fearless Merigold; Merigold of the Flame; the Fourteenth of the Hill 96
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Lodge of Sorceresses; formerly Temeria's Royal Adviser 96 371
Occupation/Role	Sorceress; organizer of the Novigrad spellcaster exodus 520 533
Status	Alive 562
First Appearance	Chapter 67

Background

Triss is a renowned sorceress, a founding member of the Lodge of Sorceresses, and formerly a Royal Adviser in Temeria. Her reputation includes surviving the Battle of Sodden Hill as the “Fourteenth of the Hill,” wielding Alzur's Thunder, and being counted among Geralt of Rivia's two great loves. Ciri regards her as an elder sister. 96

She is from Maribor, a city associated with Alzur's historical use of Alzur's Double-Cross. 291 Before Geralt's return, she had already earned goodwill at Kaer Morhen by helping care for Ciri and treating Geralt well. 14

Appearance

Triss is a fair-skinned red-haired sorceress with pale or light-blue eyes, freckles, and a beauty mark beneath her mouth. Her hair is variously worn loose, in a bun, or tied in a ponytail. 107 200 520

• Fiery red or chestnut-red hair. 107 200 520
• Light-blue eyes and freckles across her cheeks. 200 520
• A distinctive beauty mark below the corner of her mouth. 200 520
• Often wears a sapphire-set silver amulet; she also wore an emerald forehead ornament at Foltest's banquet. 107 198
• Her formal dress at Kaer Morhen was a low-cut white gown. 200

Personality

Triss is approachable and direct in personal conversation, notably maintaining eye contact when she speaks. She is protective of her friends and willing to travel immediately when she believes Victor or Geralt may be in danger. 108 197

Despite her title of “Fearless,” she is not ruthless. She hesitated to kill fleeing Witch Hunters, calling it meaningless slaughter, which brought her into conflict with Síle de Tansarville. 532 Her compassion later became a source of guilt: believing the Lodge's actions contributed to the persecution of spellcasters, she chose to help Novigrad's fugitives even while wanted herself. 520

The loss of Temeria, the Lodge's collapse, and the spreading witch hunts leave her feeling lost and directionless. Victor's plan to evacuate spellcasters to Kovir restores her sense of purpose. 520

Abilities & Skills

Sorcery

Triss is a high-ranking combat and utility sorceress, recognized as a wielder of Alzur's Thunder. 96

• Opens portals for rapid travel, including portals between Novigrad, Kaer Morhen, and other regions. 197 203 533
• Uses spatial folding magic to store luggage. 197
• Can cast and maintain offensive fireball barrages against Wild Hunt soldiers. 541
• Fought the Zerrikanian mage Savolla and helped dispel his magical barrier, though his access to the Circle of Elements exhausted and injured her. 201
• Attempted to break Savolla's control over an armored mantis during the attack on Kaer Morhen. 200

Healing and Magical Research

Triss treated Geralt after he was found alive outside Kaer Morhen with severe amnesia. She used the fortress laboratory to prepare treatments and directed Lambert in gathering and processing ingredients. 198 199

• Investigated methods to restore Geralt's memory for more than a month. 199 200
• Identified the strategic danger posed by a Circle of Elements and its capacity to support large-scale portal transport. 201
• Is allergic to magic and cannot safely consume magical potions, including those she makes herself. Victor instead prepares non-magical alchemical medicine suitable for her. 203

Political Organization

After becoming a wanted criminal in Novigrad, Triss organizes aid for persecuted spellcasters rather than seeking safety for herself. 520

• Coordinates an evacuation route through Novigrad's sewers. 533
• Works with Síle de Tansarville to gather fugitives and fight Witch Hunters. 532
• Leads several hundred spellcasters and their families toward evacuation to Kovir with Dijkstra's assistance. 520 533

Equipment / Items

• Sapphire-set silver amulet — regularly worn magical accessory. 198 358
• Emerald forehead ornament — worn at King Foltest's banquet. 107
• Mage's research equipment — left behind in Kaer Morhen's East Tower during an earlier stay. 530

Relationships

• Geralt of Rivia — Lover and longtime companion. Triss cared for him during his amnesia, and they confessed their feelings after the Kaer Morhen attack. She later ended their relationship when his recovered memories drew him back toward Yennefer, though their feelings remained unresolved. 198 203 312 471 520
• Victor Corleone — Close friend whom Triss calls her “little brother”; he considers her a friend of Kaer Morhen and supports her personally and politically. 108 520 523
• Ciri — Ciri regards Triss as an elder sister; Triss also helps defend Kaer Morhen alongside Ciri during the Wild Hunt assault. 96 542
• Yennefer of Vengerberg — Fellow sorceress and Geralt's other great love. They cooperate at Kaer Morhen and in Novigrad, though Geralt's relationships create recurring tension. 530 556 562
• Keira Metz — Rival and fellow sorceress. Their hostility is overt in Vizima, but Keira later helps Triss begin her search for Victor and had covered for her absence from court. 108 197 229
• Síle de Tansarville — Uneasy ally in the spellcaster exodus. Their disagreement over mercy toward Witch Hunters exposes sharply different methods. 532 533
• Assire var Anahid — Revived Triss after she had been encased as a jade statue; their interaction is described as familiar and almost familial. 358

Story Role / Major Arcs

Reunion with Victor

Triss meets Victor in Vizima after learning from Dandelion that he has arrived. She offers to arrange accommodation for Victor and Angoulême, treating him as a friend of Kaer Morhen. Her encounter is interrupted by Keira, whose accusations trigger a hostile exchange between the two sorceresses. 108

When Keira reports Victor's exploits in Skellige, Triss travels through Skellige and Novigrad looking for him. At Victor's smithy, Yuna gives her the funds Victor had specifically left in case Triss came searching. 197 198

Geralt's Return and the Kaer Morhen Attack

Triss answers Kaer Morhen's call after Geralt is discovered alive but without his memories. She remains at the fortress to prepare treatments, help him reconnect with his past, and defend the keep from Savolla and the Professor. 198 199 200

She is wounded during the battle, and Geralt personally looks after her while Victor prepares a potion that avoids her magical allergy. Afterward, she and Geralt confess their feelings and begin a relationship. 201 203

Kingslayer Crisis and Captivity

After Foltest's death, Triss loses her position as Royal Adviser and worries that Geralt's returning memories will end their relationship. 304 Letho forces her to cast a teleportation spell to Vergen, where she is left weakened and is carried away by a troll. 327 328

While seeking Philippa in Vergen, Triss is betrayed by Philippa's apprentice and encased in jade. Assire later revives her in Loc Muinne, leaving her disoriented and in severe pain. 358 She is subsequently rescued from captivity by Geralt, Victor, and Angoulême, suffering three arrow wounds during the escape. 371

Novigrad Witch Hunts and the Spellcaster Exodus

With the persecution of mages escalating, Triss kills Witch Hunter commander Caleb Menge and goes into hiding in a dilapidated Novigrad residence. 499 520 She uses her remaining resources to help spellcasters escape, accepting responsibility for the Lodge's part in the kingslayer conspiracy. 520

Following Victor's proposal, Triss organizes a large-scale evacuation to Kovir. She and Síle escort the refugees through the sewers to Novigrad Harbor, where Dijkstra enables their departure by ship. 520 532 533

Battle of Kaer Morhen and Later Reunion

During the Wild Hunt's assault on Kaer Morhen, Triss defends the walls with fireballs and later fights beside Ciri against Wild Hunt troops. 541 542 She also aids Yennefer after Caranthir's ambush disrupts Yennefer's barrier. 548

Triss later reunites with Geralt, Ciri, Yennefer, and their allies at the Rosemary and Thyme in Novigrad. She attempts to mediate the tension between Victor and Yennefer while helping gather support against the Wild Hunt. 556

Notable Quotes

“With greater power comes greater responsibility. Until I am forced to leave, I'll help whoever I can.” 520

“I sincerely feel guilty about their miserable circumstances.” 520

“Don't be like this, Geralt. I hate goodbyes. I'm about to cry, and tears are the most pathetic thing for a sorceress!” 203