Ep. 105 — Chapter 1 from "Tower of Swallows"
Ryan from the US and Sophie from Morocco join Alyssa for our discussion of Andrzej Sapkowski’s Tower of Swallows, Chapter 1. Very important bits include: ‘The Moment You Knew The Witcher Was For You’; how legends are born; first chapters throughout the saga; Vysogota, the raven, and fictional mentors; and where morality ends and survival begins.
This episode is available at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.
In this Episode
[0:00] Cold Open
[1:18] Introduction
[4:07] Guest Introductions
[11:10] Chapter Recap
[13:00] Overall Thoughts
[15:37] The Beggar’s Song and the Fable
[19:59] First Chapters Across the Saga
[29:32] Vysogota and Ciri
[34:05] Ciri’s Distrust
[39:14] The Ethical Debate
[45:03] The Cruelty of Destiny
[53:18] The Book’s Refrain
[57:14] Closing Thoughts
[1:01:28] Outro
[1:02:35] End Credits
Relevant Links
Transcript
Cold Open
Transcript to come.
[Breakfast in Beauclair theme music by Alex Berner]
Introduction
ALYSSA: Welcome to Breakfast in Beauclair, a global Witcher Podcast. My name is Alyssa from GoodMorhen, and I’ll be your host as you, I, and our international hanza accompany Geralt of Rivia and his destiny, Cirilla of Cintra, across the Continent.
[Announcements]
Breakfast in Beauclair, Season 8: Andrzej Sapkowski’s Tower of Swallows featuring co-hosts Kitty from the US and Softie from the UK!
GoodMorhen returns: Today, we're celebrating 7 years of the project that started it all: GoodMorhen. I'll be updating the page all season as we cover Tower of Swallows. Follow along!
Lengthy Tangent is Crowdfunding! Outside of ‘Breakfast in Beauclair’, I also work on a number of audio fiction series as an actor, producer, and story developer. Support the campaign at igg.me/at/lengthytangent2025
[Patron Announcements]
This episode we welcome Nate and BornOrpheus to our hanza on Patreon. Thank you to our patrons and our producer-level patrons: Katie (The Redhead of Toussaint), Jacob B., Charlotte from Vengerberg Glamarye, The Original Roach, Libby, John of Ryblia, Tom from Australia, Jill Cate, The Tabby Witch, Olle from Sweden, James Carson III, Miriam of Temeria, Softie, Lisa C., and BornOrpheus.
If you’d like to learn more about supporting Breakfast in Beauclair, visit patreon.com/breakfastinbeauclair.
[Episode Details]
As for this episode, Ryan from the US and Sophie from Morocco call in for Andrzej Sapkowski’s Tower of Swallows, Chapter 1. Join us as we discuss ‘The Moment You Knew The Witcher Was For You’; how legends are born; first chapters throughout the saga; Vysogota, the raven, and fictional mentors; and where morality ends and survival begins.
Without further ado, let’s get to our discussion of Andrzej Sapkowski’s Tower of Swallows, Chapter 1.
Discussion
[Breakfast in Beauclair stinger by Alex Berner]
Transcript to come.
ALYSSA (VOICEOVER):
In Chapter 1 of Tower of Swallows, the book opens with two interludes: a beggar’s ballad of the Dun Dare massacre, and a fable about a Witcher girl who must pay dearly for her many gifts. The scene shifts to an unusually ominous autumn equinox—blood-red moon, beann’shie cries, the Wild Hunt in the skies—events some in Skellige read as omens of Ragh nar Roog, death, or disaster for Cintra’s royalty.
In the temple of Melitele, Nenneke, Triss, and Jarre share a vision of Ciri’s bloodied face. Far to the south in Ebbing, a hermit named Vysogota awakes. Four days later, while checking traps, he finds a black horse ensnared and, nearby, the battered body of a youth. Cleaning away blood and dirt, he realizes it is a young woman, Ciri, and carries her to his hut.
Drawing on medical skills unused for fifty years, Vysogota treats her infected wounds, eventually reviving her. Ciri insists she must flee, revealing Bonhart has killed her friends and Tawny Owl has scarred her. Too weak to leave, she stays, questioning Vysogota’s supposed isolation and discovering he trades for food and news. He warns that horsemen are searching for her.
They argue over “missing days” between her wounding and her rescue, and slowly, their guard drops. Ciri perceives his scholarly past; he tells her of his life as a doctor, philosopher, and professor condemned to death in both the North and Nilfgaard for his writings They trade an elven rhyme about a raven and a swallow, and agree to exchange their stories.
Ciri begins her own account; a litany of betrayals by destiny, ideals, and people she trusted, countered by unexpected love and friendship among those she was told to shun. The chapter closes with a poetic passage: as they spoke, no one could see the old man and the ashen-haired girl hidden deep in the swamps.
Transcript to come.
Outro & Credits
[Breakfast in Beauclair theme music by Alex Berner]
ALYSSA: Thanks for joining us at the breakfast table! For show notes, transcripts of each episode, and a complete list of our social platforms and listening services, head over to breakfastinbeauclair.com.
Breakfast in Beauclair is created by Alyssa from GoodMorhen. It’s hosted by Alyssa. The show is edited by Alyssa and Caleb Buys with music by Alex Berner.
Breakfast in Beauclair is produced by Alyssa in New York City with Katie (The Redhead of Toussaint), Jacob B., Charlotte from Vengerberg Glamarye, The Original Roach, Libby, John of Ryblia, Tom from Australia, Jill Cate, The Tabby Witch, Olle from Sweden, James Carson III, Miriam of Temeria, Softie, Lisa C., and BornOrpheus.
Special thanks to Ryan and Sophie for joining us for this episode and our international hanza for their support.
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