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Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy, better known simply as Regis, is a very powerful higher vampire, and more than four hundred years old when he first met Geralt of Rivia. He is the barber-surgeon of Dillingen but surprisingly intellectual for one in such a profession.
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What is the full name of the character known as Regis in the Witcher series?
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Andrzej Sapkowski
Regis used the fragrant scent of roots and herbs that constantly emanated from him, to cloak his own smell, and thus prevent animals from recognizing him as a vampire. His appearance is that of an ordinary middle-aged man, with an impressively crooked nose, greying hair and black, shining eyes. His smiles always conceals his sharp teeth, except for a couple of times.
He also chose to ride a mule, which he named Draakul, instead of a horse.
Geralt and his traveling companions first met the vampire in the old elven necropolis of Fen Carn, although they did not initially realize his true nature. Regis dwelt there during summertime, because of the large abundance of Mandrake roots, from which he brewed a strong liquor. After inviting the group to spend the night at his nearby cabin (and everyone getting drunk on his brew), he decided to join Geralt and his companions on their journey. Geralt's medallion did not give the vampire away, as higher vampires do not set off witcher medallions.
Arriving in a refugee camp at the river Ina, the group encountered a rabid priest who accused a young girl to be a witch, bringing up the usual questionable allegations. Geralt's intervention and appealing to the crowd's reason proved vain, and when the priest demanded a divine ordeal, Regis took a blazing hot iron from a firepit, without being burned, thus revealing himself to Geralt, who already had been a bit suspicious, as a vampire.
His true nature being revealed, Regis tells his companions that when he was younger he had been very cruel and stupid. For some time he had stopped "drinking" and become involved with a vampiress, but she left him, however, when the "addiction" took hold again, even more strongly.
The vampire began "flying drunk" which was considered to be completely unacceptable in his community. On one occasion while "drunk" on too much blood, he was captured by peasants who cut off his head, pierced his heart with wooden stakes, doused him in holy water and buried him. The regeneration took Regis about fifty years, leaving him with quite some time to reflect on his lifestyle, but he did regenerate completely. Although the companions had their initial doubts about him, Regis became a good and trusted friend.
After that he changed his way of life and vowed to never drink blood again. During the events at Stygga castle, he once again drank the blood of man, stating "The opportunity arises when you just can't resist the drink." Emiel Regis had a romantic relationship with a succubus while the witcher and his companions were in Beauclair. Regis was ripped apart and melted into glass by Vilgefortz during the assault on Stygga castle.
Character
Regis is an extremely intelligent and well-educated person, which shouldn't be a surprise considering his age, and likes to show off his knowledge. However, he had the annoying habit of interrupting his partners in a conversation mid-sentence, answering their questions before they had articulated them completely, and sometimes even before they had begun asking. At some point this enraged Milva so much, she started one of her infamous rants, which quickly made the vampire shut up and abandon his quirk.
Among Geralt's Hansa, he probably was the most even-tempered, peaceful and rational member. Due to his intelligence and experience, Geralt often consulted Regis on difficult matters.
He was particularly fond of tearing down the myths and legends about killing vampires with garlic or wooden stakes. During one feast at Anna Henrietta's castle he related a story in which the exact opposite transpired.
The Witcher
During Shani's party in Chapter II, Dandelion mentions that Geralt once had a vampire friend, Regis. To which Geralt derisively replies: "...and a dragon friend, too?" which is quite funny because in short story "Granica możliwości" (The Bounds of Reason), he did indeed make friends with a dragon. Zoltan also recounts that Regis could pull red-hot horseshoes directly from a fire with his bare hands. In Chapter III, the Queen of the Night mentions him as her past lover.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, a gwent card bears his image.
There is also a book called My Evening with a Vampire in which Regis is mentioned.
Blood and Wine expansion
Regis as he appears in the expansion.
Regis plays a major role in the Blood and Wine expansion as he has a vested interest in seeing why Dettlaff has been killing prominent members of the court. Regis feels that he owes Dettlaff an immense debt as Dettlaff helped to regenerate Regis after Vilgefortz had seemingly killed him, an act which as explained by Regis was "no small undertaking" as Dettlaff took on the burden of regenerating at great expense to himself in terms of time, energy and blood.
During Geralt's first confrontation with Detlaff, they are by Regis who appears and puts himself between them in order to prevent any further injury. He talks Detlaff down, calling the witcher his friend, and quickly heals from the wound dealt him by the other vampire. Happy to see his old friend Geralt once again, Regis explains that he is there to investigate why Dettlaff is murdering veteran knights; he also explains how the act of Detlaff regenerating him essentially made the two vampires family (regenerating another vampire has significant physical and social responsibilities in vampire society).
While Regis understands that Geralt has been hired to hunt Dettlaff, he insists that due to their blood bond he come to understand that Dettlaff would not be killing in such a way unless he had very good cause or reason to and thus hopes that the murders can be stopped without killing Dettlaff. Despite that, Regis does reveal while drinking a homemade mandrake moonshine with Geralt that even if someone cut down a higher vampire of his caliber they could be brought back via regeneration afterwards and it would take another higher vampire to administer a final killing blow.
Regis is able to help Geralt by helping him make "Resonance", a potion that had similar properties to a narcotic could give visions of what Dettlaff was planning and other insights into his patterns; however it would require vampire blood related to Dettlaff in an agitated state, meaning Geralt had to induce Regis into a blood lust frenzy to acquire the needed ingredient. While Geralt was hesitant to do so, Regis insisted that this was the only way but did admittedly inform Geralt that there was a being that could force Dettlaff to appear but the risks were so great that he refused to disclose details.
After taking the potion Geralt learned that Dettlaff had initially befriended one of the intended victims in their initial encounter at the boot cleaners stall where a man had pushed in front of Dettlaff. The victim had berated the man about his lack of manners and allowed Dettalff the other chair thus showing a complete stranger common decency. However, as Detlaff was drinking with his victim, he was handed a note ordering him to kill the man. Though feeling immense grief and shame, the vampire proceeded to butcher his victim.
Through helping Geralt figure out that Syanna, the woman Dettlaff was in love with, was the mastermind behind the murders, Regis helps to lure Detlaff into the open after Dettlaff summons vampires to attack the citizens throughout Touissant in retaliation for Syanna's arrest. Regis can help do this in two ways: the first was to track Syanna's disappearance into a powerful and enchanted story book that was a very carefully illusion that acted as its own world which Anna Henrietta had placed her sister into. The second method however was much more dangerous as it required to meet the unseen elder a vampire so powerful that Geralt could not possibly kill him and is required to appease him using a specific sacrifice.
After meeting Dettlaff and having battled Dettlaff to the point of defeat Geralt was about to land the killing blow but Regis stopped him and administered the killing blow himself despite his blood bond after coming to the realization that Dettlaff would have killed many more humans if not stopped. After Geralt is rewarded for completing the contract Regis meets with him one last time before leaving Toussaint. It was no longer safe for Regis to remain in the duchy as word of him killing Dettlaff had reached the other higher vampires, and according to old law it is expressly forbidden for one vampire to kill another. Regis however tells a worried Geralt that vampires also adhere to the unspoken rule that as long as he stays away from other vampires they will ignore him.
Journal entry
- Geralt chased Sir Milton’s murderer with mad intensity. How this chase ended stands as clear witness to the fact Geralt was facing a highly dangerous foe: the killer led Geralt to an old warehouse, where it set a trap for him. A fight ensued, and at a crucial moment Geralt was saved by Regis, a higher vampire and old friend. Here I must explain that, years ago, Regis had joined Geralt’s band of fellow travelers (of which I was a proud part) and set off with us in search of Ciri. Together we lived through many fascinating adventures and Regis proved himself a loyal friend, the kind you can trust with your life. Sadly, the expedition ended tragically for Regis. He was killed by Vilgefortz, who reduced him to nothing more than a wet stain.
- Hence the witcher’s immense surprise at encountering his old friend – after all, he had seen Regis die with his own eyes. But the thing is, that was not Regis’ “final” death, nor even his first. As a young man, Regis had been a bit of a free spirit and overindulged in the drinking of blood. This lifestyle led to him being butchered by angry villagers. Regenerating from that took him fifty years – or nearly no time at all, for an immortal. When he was back in full health, he kicked the habit of blood drinking for good.
- For years, we’d all thought he was gone forever. Yet there he was, standing in front of Geralt in that dockside warehouse.
- Regis explained he had regenerated and come to Toussaint to find Dettlaff, a friend.
- Such were the dramatic circumstances bringing Regis and Geralt together again in Beauclair. They did not have long to enjoy their reunion, however. They could hear others approaching and Regis, not wanting to risk an encounter with angry humans, agreed to meet back up with Geralt at the cemetery where he had made an altogether comfortable temporary home for himself.
- Geralt found Mère-Lachaiselongue Cemetery and the crypt where Regis not only lived, but had also managed to set up a well-equipped alchemist's workshop. The began to confer. Regis explained he believed his friend had become implicated in some serious trouble. When they figured out they had overlapping goals, they decided to join forces and together seek out the vampire Dettlaff, better known in the duchy as the Beast of Beauclair.
- Geralt also learned how it was Regis had returned to the world of the living. He had been helped by none other than the very one they sought: Dettlaff. In light of this, Regis insisted they find a peaceful solution to the "Dettlaff problem."
- Geralt and Regis decided that an aid was needed to find Dettlaff, a certain potion called Resonance. To brew it, Regis needed some bodily tissue from the object of their pursuit. Luckily, Geralt had earlier found a dismembered hand belonging to the murderer. Another ingredient needed to brew Resonance was saliva (or salivary glands) from a spotted wight. Having discovered that one such creature resided nearby, Regis sent the Witcher to hunt it down.
- Geralt's encounter with the wight left him with the ingredient Regis needed to brew Resonance. Once he'd delivered, however, he learned there was still one thing missing: the blood of a higher vampire. Geralt thought this would prove no trouble until Regis explained only the blood of a vampire in a highly aggravated state would do. They thus would need to invoke maddening bloodlust in Regis, who had abstained from that vampiric vice for years.
- Regis brought Geralt to Tesham Mutna. This grim place had been used by vampires ages ago to raise humans like cattle. Geralt later said even the air in that place smelled of pain and fear. Regis could not vouch for how he would handle the upcoming ordeal and had Geralt lock him in a hanging cage, from which he was to watch as Geralt butchered.
- Having placed bait to lure out monsters, Geralt began his slaughter. Blood flowed at Tesham Mutna once again, and Regis nearly went mad with desire. In the end, the two friends came to possess the blood of a higher vampire in a state of aroused fury.
- Geralt imbibed the Resonance potion Regis had prepared, allowing him to see a fragment of the day Dettlaff had committed his most recent murder. The trail led the friends to the shuttered up toy shop where Dettlaff had been staying.
- Sadly our heroes did not find Dettlaff at home. They did not leave empty handed, however. After searching the shop, Geralt found a letter which revealed Dettlaff was being blackmailed. The blackmailers had kidnapped his lover, Rhenawedd, and threatened to torture her if he did not do as they said. Thus Dettlaff had killed the targets they designated. After a short consultation, Geralt and Regis decided to split up. Regis was to wait for Dettlaff, while Geralt would go to Anna Henrietta and report on the investigation's progress.
- In their pursuit of the blackmailers, Geralt and Anna Henrietta found themselves at a private residence used for meetings of the Mandragora - an exclusive club for the boheme of Toussaint. The residence's owner turned out to be a woman named Orianna. To the witcher's great displeasure, later that evening they were joined by Regis, in the company of... Dettlaff. In the conversation that ensued, Geralt gathered Regis and Orianna were old friends.
- The entire conversation had a rather surreal nature, seeing as how the duchess had no idea she was speaking to the dreaded Beast himself. Its key outcome was the conclusion that the blackmailers were holding Dettlaff's lover at a place known as Dun Tynne. Geralt pulled Regis aside and they conferred briefly. Geralt was firmly against revealing this information to Dettlaff. To his thinking, this could lead to serious trouble. I must say, I agree with the witcher's reasoning. When a higher vampire loses his self-control, trouble always ensues. Bloody trouble.
- Geralt went to Dun Tynne alone, leaving Regis behind to watch Dettlaff. Or such was the plan, but life has a habit of making a mockery of men's plans. The vampires kept tabs on Geralt's progress through the use of avian allies and thus were the instant he found himself in dire straits. They reacted at once. Soon, Dun Tynne was drenched in blood.
- If Geralt decided to see the Unseen Elder:
- Regis helped Geralt gain an audience with the mysterious vampire known as the Unseen Elder. Thanks to this Elder's help, Geralt and Regis found the place where Dettlaff had been hiding. Events then unfolded at a rapid pace. Dettlaff flew into a rage and a fight ensued. Geralt managed to defeat him in a bloody battle, but a higher vampire can only be truly killed by one of his brethren. This was perhaps the most difficult decision Regis had ever faced in his life. He killed his friend, having decided Dettlaff's failure to adapt to this world was a burden his friend could no longer bear.
- If Geralt decided to get Syanna:
- Regis helped Geralt find a way to enter the Land of a Thousand Fables. There Geralt found Syanna and brought her to a meeting with Dettlaff.
- ...and got the ribbon:
- As Regis had feared, his friend proved incapable of restraining his rage and tried to kill his one-time love. Yet right before his blow struck, Syanna disappeared, whisked away to a safe place by the magic ribbon she had taken from the Land of a Thousand Fables. Dettlaff then vented his fury on Geralt and Regis. A fight ensued. Geralt managed to defeat Dettlaff in a bloody battle, but a higher vampire can only be truly killed by one of his brethren. This was perhaps the most difficult decision Regis had ever faced in his life. He killed his friend, having decided Dettlaff's failure to adapt to this world was a burden his friend could no longer bear.
- ...and got the ribbon:
- ...and didn't get the ribbon / attacked Dettlaff:
- Alas, during this meeting Dettlaff proved unable to control his rage and killed his one-time love. He then said he bore no ill will towards Geralt and Regis and wished to leave, but Geralt refused to let him. A fight ensured. Geralt managed to defeat Dettlaff in a bloody battle, but a higher vampire can only be truly killed by one of his brethren. This was perhaps the most difficult decision Regis had ever faced in his life. He killed his friend, having decided Dettlaff's failure to adapt to this world was a burden his friend could no longer bear.
- ...and didn't get the ribbon / attacked Dettlaff:
- ...and didn't get the ribbon / let Dettlaff go:
- As Regis feared, his friend proved incapable of restraining his rage and killed his one-time love. He then said he bore no ill will towards Geralt and Regis and wished to go his way. The witcher let him do so. Regis decided to accompany his friend and followed after him, hoping to help him regain spiritual balance.
- ...and didn't get the ribbon / let Dettlaff go:
Associated quests
Trivia
- Regis is a name of Latin origin, meaning "kingly". Godefroy is an Old German name meaning "God-peace".
- During the events of Baptism of Fire Regis is 428 years old by the human calendar and 642 years old by the elven calendar.
- In his lab there are pages of the Voynich Manuscript hanging on the walls.
Notes
- There's a bug with his journal entry where it shows both the entry for killing Dettlaff and letting him go if Syanna was killed.
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