Ciri’s mother, Pavetta, tragically died in a shipwreck.
Pavetta was the daughter of Queen Calanthe of Cintra and the mother of Cirilla, commonly known as Ciri. She possessed the Elder Blood, which gave her access to powerful magic. Pavetta married Duny, also known as Emhyr var Emreis, the Emperor of Nilfgaard, who was cursed to live as a hedgehog-like creature until the curse was lifted by her love.
The circumstances of Pavetta’s death are shrouded in mystery and tragedy. She died when Ciri was very young, during a storm at sea. Pavetta and Duny were aboard a ship that sank, and while the official story is that it was an accident, there are hints and rumors in the Witcher series that suggest foul play. Some believe that Duny, who survived the wreck, may have orchestrated the disaster to further his own political ambitions in Nilfgaard. After Pavetta’s death, Ciri was raised by her grandmother, Queen Calanthe, until the fall of Cintra, after which she became Geralt of Rivia’s ward and the central figure in the Witcher saga.