What Is a Lark in The Witcher: Blood Origin? Explained

Witcher: Blood Origin introduced us to a plethora of new characters and terms we might not be familiar with. One of the terms used throughout the series is “Lark” we’ve seen it inciting great inspiration among the lowborn elves of Xin’trea and the like. And we’ve seen it inspiring emotions in Éile, one of the main characters in the series. So, what exactly is Lark in the Witcher: Blood Origin
Lark is an alias Éile used when she was traveling as a bard, singing the songs that inspired low-born elves to rise up against their oppressors. It was a name she used after she abandoned her Raven Clan and the name that has stuck with her ever since. After her sister Niamh was killed by the forces of the new elven empire, she reverted back to using her name Éile once again for a time, and she corrected people that addressed her as Lark constantly.
Now that we’ve cleared up what “Lark” means, it’s time to explain in a bit more detail. If you’re interested in more, stay with us and keep reading!
Éile’s origins and how she became a bard?
Éile was born into the Raven Clan. Raven Clan was just one more Clan that trained elite warriors for the protection of elven royalty. In this case, to be more precise, she was born into the Clan that served as protectors of the King of Pryshia. Éile was the daughter of the Clan’s chieftain, and her mother put great hopes into her becoming the deadliest blade the world has ever seen. Only we see in her memories while she was trying to reach Zacare in the swamp that something happened that left a sort of trauma in Éile.
Under duress by her mother, Éile was forced to put to the torch a family who allegedly “greatly offended their king.” Éile complied and burned down the family, but this was the moment she realized she never actually worked for her own interests but for the interests of elven royalty.
After the scene where she burns down the family passed, we see her pulling a bird out of her wound, that bird turns out to be a Lark, and it is sort of metaphorical birth of new Éile. Éile wants to move away from bloodshed and death and instead want’s to inspire people and bring them joy, love, and hope.
Éile trained to be a warrior under the tutelage of Scian, the last of the Ghost Clan. While the two trained, Éile saw that Scian had a key harp on her wall, and she quickly discovered that the key harp brought her more joy than the blade, and she decided to pursue the path of a bard. Much to her mother’s chagrin, Éile decided to abandon everything Raven Clan stood for.
We see Éile discussing this with young Ithlinne. What we find out later is that because Scian inspired Éile to become a bard, she was exiled from the Raven Clan and Scian held a grudge against Éile because of that for the better reminder of their past.
Why do people call Éile lark throughout the show?
Éile chose the name Lark herself, after a songbird, and it has stuck with her ever since. It was her stage name and a name under which she performed to escape her past and try to erase some horrible deeds she was forced to commit while she was still officially part of the Raven Clan.
We also see that people address Éile as Lark still. And recognize her inspiring songs, especially the song about Black Roses and the uprising. In fact, Fjall heard about Éile as well before he even met her. He and many other people took a liking to her songs, promising hope and a better future.
Why does Éile stop being a Lark?
Éile stops being a Lark when her sister Niamh is murdered by the forces of the new elven empire. We’ve seen back in the first episode that Niamh came to summon Éile to help her family in these trying times, and just when Éile accepted to return to her old Clan, she and her sister were ambushed by the forces serving the new empress and assassinate Nimah in cold blood. The soldiers wanted to kill Éile as well but were stopped by Fjall, who arrived just in time to save Éile but not her sister.
Éile decided then and there that the world needed her to be a warrior now, not a bard. But she was wrong. Throughout the rest of the series, we see her correcting everybody that addressed her as Lark. She claims she is not Lark anymore. But things change in the last episode of the Witcher: Blood Origin.
Why did Éile become the Lark again?
Éile becomes the Lark so she can inspire the rebellion among the smallfolk of Xin’trea. She has seen what kind of power her songs have and that she can inspire people to help them assassinate Empress Merwyn. Sometimes, songs can be far deadlier than any blade, and for that reason alone, Éile decided to return to singing, as her days as bard were far from over.
In the end, we see Éile performing again, this time in the company of Ithlinne, who prophesizes that the child born of her blood will have very special blood, and “and one of her blood shall sing the last note in a song that ends all times.”
With everything said, it’s obvious that Éile’s singing was crucial in that part of history and will be crucial in the building of the new elven future as her descendants will use their songs to shape the new reality.