Eskels The Only One Who Packed Enough Snacks. Hes Also Driving, Because Its His Truck And No One Drives

Eskel’s the only one who packed enough snacks. He’s also driving, because it’s his truck and no one drives his truck but him. Lambert lost the rock-paper-scissors for shotgun so he’s in the back. With the snacks. Eskel hears a crunch and starts YELLING but he can’t DO anything bc they have to make time and can’t stop the car for him to beat up the motherfucker in the back eating all his chips.

Lambert: *starts to eat Eskel snacks*

Eskel: that better not be my can of Pringle’s

Lambert: *chews faster*

I honestly think that doesn’t hold him back, he’d probably get whoever’s in the passenger seat to hold the wheel for a second while he beats Lambert’s ass in the back seat. Should’ve listened to Eskel’s warning when they started the ride, and if he’s really hungry, he can have this knuckle sandwich Eskel’s got waiting for him.

I keep thinking about your post you made about Eskel wanting to do shrooms and be one with the forest and now I just keep thinking what Eskel is like when he can be that Wild Child, he’s had enough hard time on the path now it’s time to relax, what are your thoughts on that? Because I’ve been wanting to share (hi btw!!)

Howdy!!

I just wanna say, ABSOLUTELY. HE DESERVES SOME TIME OFF. HE DESERVES TO GO CRAZY!!! He’s the craziest out of all the wolves when he lets go but he’s just better at mellowing it down. That’s exactly the reason I mad the post and I’m so glad people have been expanding on it. He’s absolutely nuts. He could be competition for Vesemir’s crazy as a young Witcher.

What if things would have worked out with Deidre? What if Eskel had claimed her straight away and brought her back to Kaer Morhen to raise her? No Black Sun curse nonsense. No mages trying to kill her. No heartbreak. Nothing like that. Could you imagine Eskel being a father? Having a healthy, loving relationship with his daughter?

I absolutely think he’d be a great father. I see post all around saying how polite, loose and fun Eskel seems to be, books and games included. I think he’d make a great dad.

I also believe somewhere deep inside him, he still wants to be. It’s tiny now, not so much of a desire as before but I bet he thinks about what it would’ve been like.

He sees Geralt with Ciri and he’s just filled with this warmth after being cold for a long time. Maybe Geralt would go to him on nights he’s really scared, or he doesn’t know what to do, Eskel knows what that feels like, listens to him, holds him and tells him that the more time passes, the less scary it seems.

What I See in Eskel Based on His Physicality in TW3

I’ve recently been encouraged to share my thoughts regarding Eskel’s physicality in The Witcher 3 and what I’ve managed to intuit about his character. This is as much an exercise for me in verbalizing a very non-verbal thing as it is a fun little character study. Enjoy! 

Fighting stance

His feet are rooted into the ground, and his hips are wide and open. This not only lowers his centre of gravity, but also gives him remarkable access to what I will refer to as his Lower—the area of the body from the hips-down that we often lose track of due to our thoughts residing loudly in the Upper (specifically, our heads). Most martial arts and mindfulness practices include conscious activation of the Lower as a means to provide stability, both physical and physiological. 

Not only is this stance grounding his senses, it’s grounding his breath in the process, allowing for his intuitive responses to integrate with his intellectual responses to external stimuli. This allows him to maintain focus and a sense of calm-within-the-storm for a more extended period of time, granting him precision, and equal access to all his senses, not just sight—a sense which tends to dominate when our intuition and intellect are not integrated and working in tandem. 

Enhanced access to the Lower also means greater energetic control. Practices like Tai Chi and more combative forms of Kung Fu work not only with the physical, but also with the flow and mastery of Qi—the life force that connects us to everything around us. Those who can harness and control the flow of the life force in their bodies can then channel it to enhance the power of their attacks, but also to sync up with fellow combatants. For Eskel, this explains how he’s able to control his powerful magic and use it with such precision. 

Posture

There are areas of the spine I will refer to as Gates, which are found all the way from the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae (at the base), to the beginning of the thoracic vertebrae (middle back), the beginning of the cervical vertebrae (between the shoulder blades), to the occipital joint at the base of the skull. These Gates are places where residual mental/emotional tension are often stored as our body’s attempt to protect us from distress. When these gates are open, or relaxed, we have an easier time processing and moving on from heightened moments or experiences, and our intuition will again become more integrated with our intellect. 

Let’s have a look at Eskel’s posture…

The roundness of his back indicates that his gates are open, but more importantly his back ribs, and therefore his Lats which are huge areas of residual tension that, if and when released, hold a great deal of emotional and physical power. 

These open gates, combined with the softness of his trapezius muscles (tops of the shoulders) tell me that Eskel is a man who channels—emotions, energy, power—and feels intensely. With this openness also comes easier access to his animal intuition. When we allow ourselves to release the occipital join at the back of the head, our rear and peripheral awareness increases, and we have easier access to the responses of our amygdala—our lizard brain. Not only is it involved in survival instinct, but also in flocking and our capacity to sense one another in space and be sensitive to the physiological changes of others. I will therefore put forth that Eskel has high emotional intelligence as well as high sensitivity to changes in atmosphere.

The broadness of his chest indicates to me that he isn’t trying to close off to his vulnerability by guarding in the front instead. He remains tall and open in the chest, showing a softness and vulnerability to him that, without the sturdy grounding of his Lower, could become overwhelming, and probably does at times. 

Body Centre

The notion of body centre is one that I take from my training as an actor (along with the rest of this essay-ette). It’s based on the idea that we have areas of our bodies that “lead us” forward when we walk—we might go into the world chest-, shoulders-, head-, or pelvis-, first depending on our “disposition.” This is not by any means a suggestion that we boil people down to Overthinkers if they lead with their heads or Lascivious if they lead with their pelvis. 

Due to his inclusion of his Lower space and the openness in his hips, Eskel has a tendency to lead with his pelvis. However, we also see that he occasionally will lead with his head. Looking at character archetype, one might (and I do) discern that he is confident (tending towards cocky at times) and stable (both emotionally and physically). 

All of this, combined with the softness at the back of his neck makes for a character who is confident, capable, grounded, extremely powerful, highly-intuitive, and vulnerable. 

All of this is coming from the perspective of a trained stage actor and my shared experiences with fellow performers of embodying these same principles. This is not to say that any of this is universally true for those with or without specific characteristics mentioned. However, when it comes to discussion of the Upper, Lower, and the Gates, these are more universally impactful on the central nervous system. I’m looking at Eskel as a character represented by a computer-generated actor of sorts. If anyone has any questions or is curious to learn more about how I came to these conclusions, and how the heck I know all of this, please feel free to reach out! I love to talk about what I do :) 

This is for @maythefandomsbwithu btw. I’m thinking of this headcanon for modern Geralt/Jaskier, and Jask is taking new adhd medication, and if you know anything about it, it’s either going to work or it will not work. A hit or miss kinda thing. Anywho, after a while of being on schedule, an everyday thing, Geralt begins to notice... things.

Jaskier has stopped humming and singing around the house. Everybody gets busy yeah, but while cooking, or cleaning, or bouncing around, or work, it’s silent. That’s just the first thing.

Next, Jaskier’s movements have slowen to a stop. His back is curled in on himself, he sits to himself, his step are gentle, he never bounces around Geralt anymore..

And after Jaskier’s lost of appetite and not coming out of his room, Geralt begins to just slightly panic. When he goes inside, he always just sees a sad burrito Jaskier and every time he tries to get him to talk, to play something, he gives tired eyes back instead of those bright ones Geralt has fallen in love with.

It was hard, trying to find out what it was and stay steady. Geralt got Jaskier to eat with a little bit of stubbornness and stern talking, but getting him to leave the room without carrying him out was a hard one. He had talked to everybody too, Eskel and Lambert came over once a week with groceries, Ciri also came over for game nights and sleepovers. Even Yen and Triss dropped by, and gave him a plant. He remembers Triss talking to Jaskier who was curled up, telling him “not only will you take care of it, but it will take care of you”. That was a hard day.

When Jaskier’s next appointment came around, Geralt had written down questions to ask. Both he and Jaskier sat together through it, Geralt holding his hand to calm his own nerve, thumbs sliding over knuckles on a hand that would barely clench back. Luckily, the doctor explained it could be a side effect of the new medication, and that they would be willing to change out the prescription. Geralt gives Jaskier side eyes, because it wasn’t his choose, but that limp hand in his tightened, just a little bit.

After two weeks of slowly coming off the meds and starting the new one, both Jaskier and Geralt enjoyed a night out together, seeing and counting how many dogs they saw with little coats on, and feeding ducks too.

Geralt’s favourite place to kiss Eskel is on the back of the neck. It’s a vulnerable spot that no one else gets to touch, always covered by the collar of his gambeson or his thick mop of hair. Gentle, pale lips touch bronze skin whenever Eskel’s bent over a task, focused and distant. Geralt takes a deep breath of warm scent; clean sweat, woodsmoke, leather and something deeper. Eskel.  

 It’s easy to get Eskel to tilt into it; Geralt cradles his broad jaw in the palm of his hand, thumb stroking over the rough ridges of his scars. He noses black hair aside, and kisses slowly, passionately, until Eskel melts against him with a contented rumble, amber eyes lidded. His skin prickles with delight, and Geralt can feel the soft sighs of bliss puff over his fingers.

 It’s their secret. A phrase in the private language they’ve shared for decades. Yet another way to say, “I love you.”