Fans of The Witcher game franchise are more than just familiar with the Aen Siedhe elf known as Iorveth. Commander of the last Scoia'tael unit to break in the second war with Nilfgaard, he is a fearsome leader who saw more than his share of hardship, including losing his eye. Known for having defeated numerous commanders of Northern special forces units, Vernon Roche and his Blue Stripes eluded him, sparking a vicious and deadly rivalry between the two men that dominated plotlines in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.
According to lore created by CD Projekt Red while working on Assassins of Kings, Iorveth and Isengrim Faolitiarna were the only Scoia'tael to escape the massacre of the Vrihedd Brigade when Nilfgaard made peace with Cintra after the second war. Iorveth's appearance actually matched Andrzej Sapkowski's description of Isengrim Faolitiarna in the novel, Baptism of Fire, which suggested the game's writers simply created a new character based around Isengrim's origins and history. Iorveth rallied elves dissatisfied with the outcome of the war and Nilfgaard's broken promises and built a new commando that followed him fearlessly on his quest to wipe out as many of the Northern Special Forces as possible.
Letho of Gulet, who became known throughout Assassins of Kings as the Kingslayer, approached Iorveth in 1270 and asked for his commando's help in his quest to wipe out the kings of the north. As a bargaining chip, he produced the head of King Demavand of Aedirn. He promised Iorveth his Scoia'tael would have their vengeance in exchange for aid on the secret paths and trails that would allow Letho to navigate the north undetected.
Prior to events in Assassins of Kings, Iorveth met a young dragon named Saesenthessis and befriended her. The two concocted a plot to rally the races together for freedom. They created a backstory for her, claiming her to be a human girl who slew a dragon, and people came to know her as Saskia the Dragonslayer or the Virgin of Aedirn. Iorveth and Saskia planned to create an independent state in Upper Aedirn, where people, no matter their race, would be equal and free. His involvement in Saskia's plans brought her own character and motivations into question with some, as his terrorist activities were all that seemed to come to mind whenever his name came up.
When Geralt encountered Iorveth, Vernon Roche painted the elf as a brutal criminal, claiming he and his band were no better than terrorists with the blood of innocents staining their hands. When presented with a choice to side with and help the Scoia'tael over Roche and his Blue Stripes, Geralt quickly learned there were two sides to the story behind Roche's and Iorveth's bitter rivalry, and according to the Scoia'tael commander, Roche's hands were no cleaner of the blood of innocents than his.
Despite the enmity between them, Iorveth obviously had a great deal of respect for Vernon Roche, and at times even he started to question the nature of his own hatred. Iorveth's bitterness of Nilfgaard's betrayal after the second war drove his lust for vengeance against all humans, but there came a time when that vengeance wasn't truly enough for those who followed his lead. Even Saskia, whom he respected a great deal, believed him to be little better than a murderer and criminal, but the vision of equality they shared began to soften some of the elf's rage, stirring hope within him. For a time, he had hope for the future of his people, whose way of life was quickly dying out. He even dreamed of the day he could at long last lay down his bow and his swords and be at peace.
Related: The Witcher: Yennefer's Complicated History With Geralt of Rivia
Regardless of the outcome of The Witcher 2, Iorveth and his men disappeared from Aedirn in 1272, never to be heard from again. Originally, CD Projekt Red had promised Iorveth's return, tying his character to a major subplot in Wild Hunt surrounding the Catriona plague outbreak. It would have been up to Geralt to foster an alliance between Iorveth and Roche to help them find a cure for the plague. He would have taken place in several important key quests, including the battle at Kaer Morhen, but the plot he belonged to was severely altered, with the majority of it being cut entirely from the game.
Fans of the franchise were eager to see Iorveth again, but when the final version of the game was released, all he received was a mention by his fellow Scoia'tael warriors and a Gwent hero card. Iorveth's actual fate remains unknown, with rumors of his death lingering in the air.
For many players, Iorveth was a fan favorite, despite his character's brutality and criminal nature. For him to completely disappear from the story was a major disappointment, especially since the writers brought Vernon Roche back. With their rivalry playing such a significant role in The Witcher 2, seeing Geralt forcing them to actually work together for the greater good could have added even more depth to the overall story.
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