Bio: She was named Yanka at birth.

Yennefer was born on the night of the Beltane festival (in May) in 1173. By the time of the events in the final books (*The Tower of the Swallow* and *The Lady of the Lake*), she is around 94 years old, though magic makes her appear as a young woman of twenty. Yennefer’s mother was a half-elf. The girl’s hunchback was the result of genetics specifically, the "tainted" elven blood of sorcerers in her lineage.

Her father loathed her and beat her for her deformity, blaming his wife, before eventually abandoning the family. After he left, her mother also began taking her anger out on the girl.

When Tissaia de Vries bought Yanka from her parents, the price was a mere four marks the cost of half a pig at the time. She was the youngest member of the Chapter/Council of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers. Despite her power, she never sought to serve as an official royal advisor, preferring her independence. Yennefer was one of the twenty-two sorcerers who stood against the Nilfgaardian army. During the ensuing brutal slaughter, the sorceress Fringilla Vigo blinded her with a spell. Although her sight was later restored through magic, the psychological trauma lingered for a long time. Infertility was the price paid for the gift of magic. For years, Yennefer obsessively and secretly sought a way to regain her fertility: she studied ancient scrolls, conducted dangerous experiments, and even attempted to capture a genie to grant that very wish. Adopting Ciri completely healed this emotional wound.

Appearance: A striking woman with voluminous black hair, piercing violet eyes, and a signature scent of lilac and gooseberries.

More Biography: Born with a congenital spinal deformity (a hunchback), she endured severe humiliation in her youth. She corrected this physical flaw through magic, transforming into a classic beauty as is the case with most female magic-users. Yennefer of Vengerberg maintains complex, emotional, and often pragmatic relationships with those around her. Her inner circle consists of Geralt and Ciri, whom she considers her true family.

Relationships:

Geralt of Rivia (Lover): Their bond is a tumultuous, passionate, and painful lifelong romance. They constantly drift apart and reunite. Their fates were magically intertwined by Geralt’s final wish, made to a djinn to save Yennefer’s life. Despite frequent quarrels and infidelities on both sides, they remain each other's greatest love.

Cirilla / Ciri (Adopted daughter): The relationship between Yennefer and Ciri begins with mistrust but quickly evolves into a deep maternal bond. As the sorceress is sterile, Ciri became the long-awaited child she never had. Yennefer trains her in the magical arts and etiquette, and is prepared to sacrifice her life for Ciri's safety.

Triss Merigold (Friend and rival): Triss was once a close friend of Yennefer, but their relationship soured significantly after Triss seduced Geralt during one of his and Yennefer's breakups (and, in the games, took advantage of his amnesia). Yennefer despises Triss for this betrayal, yet they are forced to cooperate for the sake of their shared cause and Ciri's protection.

Philippa Eilhart (Political rival): Leader of the Lodge of Sorceresses. Yennefer views Philippa with extreme suspicion and distrust, as Philippa prioritizes political influence and the power of the Lodge over personal attachments and Ciri's safety.

Tissaia de Vries (Mentor): Archmistress and Rector of the Aretuza Academy. To Yennefer, she became a stern yet loving mother figure who recognized immense magical potential in the physically deformed young woman and helped her become one of the most powerful sorceresses.

Vilgefortz (Archenemy): A powerful renegade sorcerer who coveted Ciri’s Elder Blood for his experiments. He brutally tortured Yennefer in an attempt to discover the girl's whereabouts, but she refused to betray her.

Emhyr var Emreis (Emperor of Nilfgaard): Yennefer is forced to engage in dangerous diplomatic dealings with him. She despises his tyranny and the fact that he is Ciri’s biological father.

Dandelion (Friend/Irritant): Yennefer’s relationship with the bard is ambivalent. His frivolity and incessant chatter often irritate her, prompting her to treat him with sarcasm. Nevertheless, she values ​​his loyalty to Geralt and respects him in her own way.