Emiel Regis

Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godfroy is one of the main characters in the literary saga and the central character of the Blood and Wine expansion. He is an erudite higher vampire, barber, healer, and philosopher, a close friend and comrade of Geralt of Rivia, who lived in Bruges and Toussaint. Having met the witcher at the height of the Second Northern War, the vampire accompanied the White Wolf and his company on their trek through the Yaruga Valley to Nilfgaard, and then sacrificed his own health and nearly died at the hands of Vilgefortz during the assault on Castle Stygga to save Ciri.

Regis is a thin, middle-aged man. He has black hair tinged with gray, and his face is adorned with a distinguished, hooked nose. The vampire's eyes are anthracite black. His teeth are incredibly sharp, and his long fangs terrify anyone who sees them, which is why Emiel has a habit of smiling without moving his lips. Regis wears a black robe, belted with something resembling an apron, carries a linen bag filled with fragrant herbs, and carries no weapons. It is said that he resembles a tax collector. After visiting Toussaint, the vampire changes into an elegant black suit.

In the Blood and Wine expansion, most of Regis's appearance from the book is retained. Emiel has gray hair combed to three sides, a receding hairline, and sideburns. Furthermore, his delicate facial features, pale complexion, black eyes, sharp conical canine teeth starting just after the first pair of incisors, and triangular nails are retained.

Regis wears an old beige-gray doublet, over which he wears a black, rather tattered and patched, knee-length quilted vest. He also wears black trousers and black fingerless gloves, which bear a circle with inscribed circles and triangles. Unlike most characters in the game, Regis wears not boots, but rather half-boots with clasps and lapels. The collar of his doublet and vest is adorned with a silver brooch with a chain. As in the books, the vampire carries a bag of herbs and has a habit of holding onto its strap on his chest. Furthermore, when the vampire is in his crypt in the Mère Lachaise cemetery, he removes the bag and chain from his collar and unfastens his vest.

In his "battle" form, Regis significantly lengthens his claws and teeth, his ears become pointed, his facial features distort, and his color changes to purple. Regis's "winged" form is not shown in the game. The color of the mist he transforms into is also purple.

Diary text:

My last thought before bed

"If there is no death, is there life?"

"Hate is a very interesting emotion. I've noticed that people are capable of cultivating it with great enthusiasm."

"Sometimes I wish I could stop thinking."

"If we were to create a god for ourselves, as people do, what would he be like?"

"People justify evil actions with good intentions. I don't know if there is a greater idiocy."

"I would drink freshly drawn blood. I know I can't do it, but I hope I can dream of its velvety taste."

"I try to live like a human being, but as a result, I stop feeling normal, both among people and among my own people. Perhaps I've made a big mistake."

"I always wanted to write this: I'm very tired, and I don't give a damn about all this."

"People don't think about today. They usually reminisce about the old days or worry about the future. I don't understand it."

"I think my friend Dettlaff is going to die. I'm sad."

A book written by one person about Regis. (Secretly from Regis). Text:

"Dear reader, you will probably call me a liar, a deceiver, and a madman. You will shake your head in pity and snort in disbelief. But I promise you and swear by all the gods: everything you read on these pages is the truth and nothing but the truth.

I met the vampire in question many years ago in a tavern in Beauclair. He introduced himself as Regis and posed as a barber. Since he looked completely human, I would never have guessed his true nature had not a fire broken out in the establishment where we were enjoying some fine Toussaint wine. This Regis, if that was indeed his name, seemed completely impervious to flame, and my clothes were already engulfed in flames. The vampire carried me from the blazing tavern, saving me from certain death, and then bandaged my many wounds.

At first, the vampire refused to answer the question of how he'd miraculously emerged from the oven-hot tavern without the slightest injury. Finally, realizing that he was a citizen of the world who didn't judge people by appearances, he revealed his true nature and a host of other extremely interesting facts.

According to Regis, not all vampires are alike. This family of ghouls often includes katakana, fleders, and ekimma, who resemble enormous bats in appearance, as well as alps and bruxes, who resemble women. Then there are the powerful greater vampires, of which my interlocutor was one. Even a witcher cannot distinguish a greater vampire from a human. Contrary to popular superstition, they cannot be killed by a stake driven through the chest, by beheading, or—I can vouch for this—by fire. They fear neither running water nor religious symbols. As a consolation, it can be added that a vampire's bite does not transform a human into one of them, and they do not require our blood to survive. It is merely a delicacy they indulge in from time to time, a sort of exquisite drink.

Regis doesn't drink blood at all, having graduated. However, in his youth, the vampire loved, so to speak, to have fun in good company, and in this respect, he was no different from most of his peers. Young vampires enjoy complete freedom, so it's common to develop truly youthful stereotypes and behavior patterns. Regis, not wanting to lose his friends and popularity, followed them: wild revelry and mischief, feasts and drinking parties, and every full moon, vampires flew and drank from anyone they could find. Moreover, blood inflamed the vampires—after it, they were full of courage and "mischief" with the vampires. And then things got worse: the games became increasingly risqué, and Regis would not return to his crypt for several nights in a row.

He later became extremely addicted—any blood satisfied him, and drinking and friends were no longer necessary. The vampire also noticed that he was not reflected in the mirror. Regis then met a vampire with whom he had a serious relationship—one might say, the love of his life—but she soon left him, and Regis began drinking again, with renewed fervor. One day, while going to fetch blood in a neighboring village, Regis missed his target—a girl—and drunkenly crashed into the well, destroying it. The villagers nearly finished him off, but weren't sure how: they pierced him with stakes, cut off his head, doused him with holy water, and buried him. In the grave, Regis had plenty of time to think. About fifty years later, Regis fully recovered, pulled himself together, rethought his values, and found peace and solace in helping his loved ones. He hasn't drunk since.

Regis debunks several myths about vampires. First, vampires don't feed on blood, but rather enjoy it—for them, it's just like drinking alcohol. Second, you can't become a vampire by being bitten. Third, the legend that a vampire is not quite dead, but lies in its grave, always ready to come out and bite, is also false. Fourth, the sun doesn't harm them.

• vampires do not possess dark magic, although they have supernatural abilities; • Vampires do not exist by consuming human or any other blood. They survive without it, and this substance is akin to alcohol or a drug for them, which induces euphoria in the vampire. However, like the aforementioned alcohol and drugs, blood can cause severe addiction in higher vampires; • You cannot become a greater vampire by being bitten by another greater vampire; • Higher vampires are not afraid of sunlight, holy water, garlic, even silver does not harm them, and so on

Witchers consider greater vampires to be opponents of the highest order, and they demand a hefty price for the head of such a monster. In the book "Baptism of Fire," Geralt of Rivia mentions that he charges the price of a good horse for a common vampire, but when Regis asks how much he would charge for eliminating one, the witcher coldly replies that it's unlikely anyone could afford such a service.

Furthermore, greater vampires don't require oxygen, food, or even blood to survive. They can survive for centuries without any connection to the outside world (like the Hidden One of Toussaint). They don't tire and have a heightened pain threshold. Vampires don't feel cold or heat, don't freeze, and can't burn in fire, yet Vilgefortz managed to melt Regis with magical flame. Vampires' bodies also aren't reflected in mirrors or cast shadows. A greater vampire can become invisible or turn into mist at will. Apparently, different greater vampires, each unique, turn into mist of different colors, which may relate to the vampire's personality. For example, Regis's color is purple, while Dettlaff and the Hidden One's are red. Since higher vampires are creatures from another world, they are undetectable by the senses, unaffected by divination magic and long-range magical scanning, and no megascope will reveal their presence. Witcher medallions also do not react to higher vampires. However, animals, especially horses, are acutely aware of their presence, which is why Regis, for example, always carried a bag of strong-smelling herbs, which confused animals.

Outwardly, greater vampires are virtually indistinguishable from humans, but they have distinctive features: their skin is very pale, their teeth are unusually sharp, and except for two front and four lower incisors, all are fangs. Their nails are triangular or almond-shaped. At will, a vampire can significantly lengthen them (by ~25-30 cm), transforming them into claws. This is one of the characteristics of a partial skin shift: the vampire's face monstrously changes, and their teeth and, correspondingly, claws lengthen. These changes are unique to each vampire. During a full moon, a greater vampire can transform their body into a giant bat, in which form their powers are significantly increased.

The anatomy and body structure of a greater vampire are largely similar to those of humans, but with some unique characteristics. Firstly, unlike humans, greater vampires are truly immortal, and therefore can live forever, regenerate wounds and injuries of any severity over time (the longest known lifespan is 50 years), and even regrow lost limbs in just a few days. Geralt of Rivia cut Dettlaff in two, but he "fused" in seconds. Similarly, in his fight with Regis, Dettlaff managed to almost instantly reset a dislocated shoulder and heal a broken arm. Furthermore, no weapon can permanently kill such a creature. Dettlaff also has a scar on his forehead—it's unclear what could possibly leave a scar on such a creature. With the possible exception of a special enchanted silver—manticore silver—used by the witcher Sorensen to hunt greater vampires, which prevents them from regenerating. Furthermore, greater vampires' bodies are stronger than those of humans and can easily break through brick walls. A greater vampire's matter requires no form, meaning their mind exists as if separate from their body, though still connected to it, and therefore injuries do not affect their thought processes.

Thus, even if a vampire's body is destroyed, they remain alive and capable of primitive thought and a sense of the world around them. If their wounds are too severe and the vampire cannot recover (for example, as happened to Regis, who was melted), another higher vampire can revive their fallen comrade by giving them their blood. Regis describes the feeling a vampire experiences when they are "not completely" killed as anxiety, although he later qualifies it as closer to fear. As far as is known, only another higher vampire can permanently kill a higher vampire by draining every drop of their blood.

Vampires have their own rules and laws, which form a kind of code of honor. This code is primarily intended to ensure the safety of vampires as a race, and therefore it prescribes not revealing one's true nature to humans, destroying the non-viable remains of another higher vampire, as Regis did with Dettlaff's severed hand, and so on. The code also forbids higher vampires from fighting each other, and any vampire who violates this prohibition is cursed and exiled. Regis mentions that, according to the vampire code, Dettlaff could have safely left his [Regis's] remains unattended. Apparently, the code says nothing about hunting humans and drinking their blood, provided the vampire exercises caution and does not compromise himself or his species. One of the rules also states that vampires do not pursue a fellow vampire who violates the code.

The "young" of the higher vampires enjoy absolute freedom and are likely exempt from the code until a certain age, or simply lack the "legal capacity." Perhaps the permissiveness of young vampires is also due to the lack of specialized bodies to enforce these norms. The creation of youthful stereotypes in behavior is common, manifested primarily in the immoderate consumption of blood.

In ancient times, feeding on human blood was perfectly normal for vampires, but over time, it became undesirable. Regis calls those vampires who kill for sport or to gain sustenance "decadents" and treats them with disdain. However, even today, higher vampires consider it acceptable to kill a human if they attack or display aggression.

By the late 13th century, greater vampires typically lived solitary lives, rarely in groups of two or more, due both to their small numbers and to the fact that greater vampires, unlike humans, are not social creatures and therefore do not require other vampires to thrive. However, young vampires often form groups. Adult vampires generally have two dominant lifestyles: either a vampire, like Regis, lives in cities or villages, blending well into human society, or, like Dettlaff, prefers solitude and isolation, sometimes in the company of lesser, lesser vampires. Being intelligent and highly intelligent creatures, greater vampires possess a developed culture and a rigid social hierarchy, as well as a sufficient set of norms and rules of conduct to which vampires adhere.

Higher vampires are a highly advanced race, capable of working metals, crafting jewelry, forging weapons and armor, and creating precision mechanisms and art even before the Conjunction of the Spheres. For example, Regis possesses a ring of an unknown metal, which he received from an ancient kin, who, in turn, was transported with him from the vampire world. Also in Hen Gaidt, the abode of the Hidden One of Toussaint, one can find strange black metal jewelry in the form of pendants and brooches set with bright red gemstones, statues depicting a vampire in the form of a bat, frescoes depicting the Hidden One himself, symbols of vampire tribes, and chimeras. The Hidden One himself wears a circular symbol on a chain around his neck, apparently symbolizing his power and status—altars with the same symbol painted on them are scattered throughout Toussaint.

Regis notes that his long, five-word name (Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godfroy) is in keeping with vampire tradition.

Physical characteristics: • Truly immortal, cannot be truly killed by those not of their own race; • Possess unusually keen senses; • Possess superhuman speed, strength, and endurance, with vampires' physical fitness improving with age; • Possess impressive intellect, advanced culture, science, and engineering; • Can transform their body into smoke, the so-called "battle" form, and a bat; • Can control animals, people, and other vampires; • The mind and soul of higher vampires are not tied to the body, and therefore they can exist separately from it.

A highly evolved subspecies of vampires, they are among the most dangerous and powerful creatures found on the Continent. These vampires stand out significantly from other blood-drinking and non-human creatures, being among the most mysterious and least studied creatures in the world and belonging to a different order. Vampires of this category command respect and fear even among witchers, as they possess incredible nature and pose a genuine threat to the survival of any living being. They are virtually immortal, possessing high combat and regenerative abilities and social organization skills, and their culture and history spans hundreds or even thousands of years.

The race of higher vampires arrived in the world of the Continent during the Conjunction of the Spheres, coming from their own world. After moving to the Hen Gaidt cave in Toussaint, the vampires settled there for a long time. However, unlike humans, of whom thousands arrived, there were only a handful—around 1,200. Those who arrived were divided into two groups: those who cut themselves off from the world (like the Hidden One of Toussaint), and those who began to seek ways to coexist with humans, and, many, many years later, with the first humans, a very fragile species compared to vampires. Apparently, all other vampires of the lower and transitional stages also migrated to the Continent from the world of higher vampires.

Regis is incredibly loyal to his friends and is willing to sacrifice everything for them. When Dettlaff saves him, sparing no blood, Regis becomes his blood brother; during the quest "Echoes," the vampire experiences incredibly painful and excruciating trials, yet claims he would immediately endure them again for Dettlaff's sake. However, when Regis realizes his brother is struggling to adapt to the human world, he kills him, believing this will ease Dettlaff's plight.

Regis doesn't hate his enemies, such as Vilgefortz. Rather, Regis understands the mage's actions and holds no ill will. He also understands the difficulties his brethren face in society and tries not to judge them too hastily, even for the human blood they shed. However, Regis is disdainful of sadistic vampires and calls those of his kind "decadents" who kill for sport or to get drunk. Emiel is ashamed of his people's past, which is marked by years of murdering innocents, and sincerely regrets the events that took place back then. When it comes to killing, the vampire feels no pity, but prefers to refrain from senseless bloodshed whenever possible. Having lived for several centuries, Regis has accumulated a vast amount of knowledge about everything under the sun and has mastered many crafts and occupations. At the same time, the vampire has acquired wisdom, prudence, and the ability to keep his head even in the most difficult situations. Regis had a period in his life when he abused blood, but he overcame his addiction and, by the time Geralt meets him, doesn't drink any blood at all. Regis appears to be a determined and extremely resilient spirit; nothing can discourage him or shake his worldview. The vampire enjoys conversation and scholarly research, often thinking at length and possessing an insatiable curiosity. Regis also enjoys saturating his speech with complex syntax and describing objects and events in great detail, and has a habit of answering questions before they are asked.

At his first appearance, Regis appears to be a reserved, cool, and shy man of incredible intelligence and erudition. In Dillingen, where Emiel practices, he enjoys the respect and honor befitting his position and profession. He is extremely calm throughout all the adventures that befall him, maintains excellent control of his emotions, and is adept at making difficult decisions.

As a higher vampire, Regis possesses certain unique character traits and emotional makeup—for example, he feels no fear of anything, sees no need to lie, and doesn't understand why it's so important for humans to live twenty, forty, or a hundred years—to him, such periods seem equally insignificant. Despite his complete lack of fear, Regis describes the feeling he experiences in the "quasi-life" state he entered into thanks to Vilgefortz as a kind of unease. However, Emiel later corrects this, claiming it was an icy fear of emptiness and death.

What sets Regis apart from his peers is his incredible empathy and compassion: he genuinely sympathizes with people and tries to help them as best he can. Indicative of this are his profession and the episode during the trial by ordeal, where the vampire saves a girl accused of witchcraft, despite thereby exposing himself to Geralt. He also mentions that he deeply pities humans because of their fragility and the fact that they will eventually die.

Compared to other vampires, Regis has a keen understanding of human nature and social norms, though he still remains an outsider. In his diary, Emiel laments that his attempts to integrate into human society were not only unsuccessful but also left him an outsider among his fellow vampires.

Furthermore, Regis doesn't hate his enemies, such as Vilgefortz. Emiel rather understands the mage's actions and holds no ill will.

“It is better to move forward without a clearly formulated goal than to stand still without a goal, and certainly much better than to retreat without a goal.”

"I am, to put it delicately, considered a monster. A bloodthirsty monster."

"Who doesn't know how a vampire thirsts for blood... Doesn't know what thirst is."

"During the Conjunction of the Spheres, a gateway from our world to this one opened here. We saw these lands first."

"Ah, this is a very dark chapter in the history of my people. I would prefer not to summon the demons of the past."