The Law of Surprise is a covenant seemingly as old as time in the world of The Witcher , which actually has its roots in Polish and Slavic folklore. In short, the law states that a great deed such as saving someone’s life deserves a repayment equally as great and unexpected. In return, a person can place a claim on something the person returning the favor doesn’t have yet (or at least know that they have). Whatever the indebted would not have possessed had it not been for the great deed seems to be what most people invoking this law receive. “By tradition, I chose the Law of Surprise as payment,” Duny explains in the episode. “Whatever windfall he came home to find would be mine.” In this instance, it was King Roegner’s daughter, Pavetta, because the king came home from the trip to find out he was going to be a father. The Law of Surprise acts as destiny. Once claimed, it is inevitable. Making the whole “claiming her hand in marriage” thing a little less creepy, we learn that Duny and Pavetta met by chance, fell in love, and spent a magical night together before he came to ask for her hand in marriage (keep that in mind for later).