The Witcher 3 is considered by many to be one of the greatest games of all time, serving as a massive improvement over the first two games in the series. The combat system was polished, exploration was taken to a whole new level, and the open world of the game was expanded to an enormous degree. Of course, it certainly helped that all the characters were brilliant in their own right as well, with Dandelion being a notable mention in that regard.
His character has been quite faithful to the books since the first game, although there are several facets of this character that only book readers would be aware of. Here are ten such facts about this lovable bard in this context that most fans of The Witcher 3 simply aren't aware of.
Updated on January 20th, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra: The Witcher 3 has several amazing elements that make it a brilliant action-adventure RPG, with its characters certainly being quite memorable in this regard. One such character that people absolutely adore in the games is Dandelion, with the goofy yet lovable bard becoming a fan-favorite due to his infectious and charming personality. Here are some things about Dandelion that only fans of the book know about.
15 Dandelion's Iconic Lute Was Received From Toruviel
At one point, both Dandelion and Geralt were captured by a group of elves when their source of food was unwittingly endangered by the witcher. This led to Dandelion's lute being broken by an elf named Toruviel, who subsequently received a headbutt courtesy of Geralt.
Thankfully, these misunderstandings were cleared out and both travelers were let go after a lot of discussion. Toruviel might've broken Dandelion's lute, but she gifted him a way better one as a way to say sorry.
14 He Was Tortured By A Mage Who Was Searching For Ciri
Dandelion might seem rather cowardly at first glance, but he's fiercely loyal to his friends. This could be seen in the instance where he was captured by the mage Rience, who was searching for any whereabouts of Ciri.
Dandelion refused to give up any information, following which he was tortured by the mage and his lackeys. Thankfully, Yennefer came in the nick of time to save Dandelion and gave Rience a scar as payback for his excessive measures.
13 He's The Cousin Of Ferrant De Lettenhove
Most people know that Dandelion has royal blood in him, but the connections to this family aren't really mentioned in the games. This isn't the case in the books, where some light is shed on this matter.
It's revealed that Dandelion is actually the cousin of a noble by the name of Ferrant De Lettenhove. He was the royal instigator of Kerack and played a minor role in the story when he tried to test Geralt's loyalty with falsified documents.
12 He Met Geralt For The First Time In Gulet, A Town In Aedern
Given how Geralt and Dandelion are steadfast friends, most people would want to know how the two met in the first place. This fateful encounter happened in Gulet, a town in Aedern.
Dandelion's entrance completely fit his character, with the bard trying to run away from the brothers of a woman he'd slept with. The two met during this unfortunate event and have been comrades ever since.
11 He Fled North During The First Northern War
The First Northern War was a pretty savage affair, forcing people to leave their homes and seek out other sources of income. Dandelion was no stranger to this struggle and fled North during this war in search of work, money, food, and a bed.
He formed several contacts during this time while traveling to different courts. The most notable of these connections was when he became an associate of the Redanian Secret Service and answered to none other than Sigismund Dijkstra himself.
10 He's Blond In The Books
Given the fact that he's been portrayed as a brunette in both the games and the show, it wouldn't be the worst thing to assume that this was Dandelion's actual hair color all this time.
However, that's not the case — Dandelion is actually blond in the books... which could very well be an intentional choice given his iconic airheadedness.
9 Dandelion's Mount Is A Gelding Named Pegasus
Dandelion doesn't use his mount in the games, which is quite sad since this horse has a story of its own. For starters, this horse is a gelding — something that would obviously be rare in the world of The Witcher.
Furthermore, this gelding's name is... Pegasus. It goes without saying that Geralt has made a ton of fun of Dandelion for owning a horse that perfectly fits in with his character.
8 His Early Education Was Pretty Much Beaten Into Him
Being born into nobility, it was clear that Dandelion would be afforded a level of education that most common folk would be missing from their lives on the Continent. However, it's the manner in which Dandelion was educated that is quite... interesting, to say the least.
Dandelion was taught in a temple school, where — according to the worlds of Geralt himself — he was pretty much beaten with a cane regularly as a part of a rigorous and demanding curriculum.
7 He Studied And Taught The Seven Liberal Arts At Oxenfurt Academy
Since Dandelion was a part of the nobility, it was only a given that his education would also be at the highest level — something that can be seen with the legend he carved for himself at Oxenfurt Academy.
Not only did he study the seven liberal arts at Oxenfurt Academy, but he also taught students there as well after a point. Regardless of how goofy Dandelion might seem, there's no denying the fact that he's very well-educated indeed.
6 His Love For Poetry Was Ignited After He Fell Head Over Heels For Countess De Stael
However, throughout his education, Dandelion never really developed a passion for the craft that he's become so well known for now.
This passion was ignited when he was nineteen years old after he fell head over heels in love with Countess De Stael. He started dabbling in poetry as an outlet to profess his love... and never looked back since.
5 His Need To Sing Is Constant In The Books
One thing that the games have definitely missed out on when it comes to Dandelion's character — aside from his hair color, that is — is the fact that he never really showcased his talent all that much whenever he took the spotlight.
This is a stark contrast from Dandelion's character in the books, who never missed an opportunity to let his talents be heard... regardless of how appropriate the situation might've been.
4 His Best Known Song Is A Ballad About Ciri
Given the close nature of the bonds Dandelion shared with Geralt and the rest of his friends, it's only a given that his most famous ballad would be a song about the child of the Elder Blood herself.
The song itself is named "The Ballad of the Lion Cub of Cintra", and serves as an ode that captures Ciri's exploits and accomplishments over the course of her tumultuous life.
3 He Was A Supporter Of Sigismund Dijkstra Out Of Blind Patriotism
Given the fact that Dijkstra was such a reviled and despicable character in the third game, it's rather jarring to find out that Dandelion was actually a supporter of this man's ideologies at one point... although his reasoning for doing so is certainly quite hollow.
In Blood of Elves, Dandelion states that his reasons for supporting the head of the Redanian Secret Service simply out of hollow patriotism. Given the nature of Dandelion's character, this could very well be a well-hidden slight... but the manner of this declaration was so serious that people are bound to assume otherwise.
2 He Was Willing To Die With Geralt Rather Than Be Spared
If there's one thing that can definitely be stated about Dandelion's character, it's the fact that he's extremely loyal to his friends... especially when it comes to Geralt, whom he considers to be his closest friend — a decision that Geralt had no say in.
Even when he's captured along with Geralt by a group of elves in hiding and the witcher implores that the elves spare the bard, Dandelion bravely declares otherwise and states that if he's left alive, then he'll scour the ends of the earth until the killers are brought to justice.
1 His Real Name Is Julian Alfred Pankratz, Viscount De Lettenhove
Given the debacle around Dandelion's name — something that fans of the Netflix show are more than aware of — it's certainly jarring to figure out that his real name is even more of a headscratcher.
Dandelion's real name is Julian Alfred Pankratz, Viscount de Lettenhove — something that's revealed in The Lady of the Lake. It's a name so ridiculous that even his friends have a hard time believing this to be real... only for this fact to be confirmed later on.
The Witcher 3 was released on May 19th, 2015 and is available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.