Magical Creatures & Monsters In Netflix’s The Witcher:
Starring Henry Cavill as the titular Witcher aka Geralt of Rivia, the series of the same name has managed to garner a huge fan base. While many diehard fans of the book and the game series have become fans of the show, there are a lot of other casual viewers that may not be as acquainted with the lore of The Witcher. The world of The Witcher revealed that humans co-exist with several other creatures and monsters that roam and terrorize the world. Some are known from their history in the games and the novels. Some are completely new to the series and are brand new concepts. It is time we explore all these creatures and monsters in detail.
1. Lilit
Nobody knows her origin story. Lilit was once a woman blessed with vast and powerful magical abilities. She was destined to end the human race and begin the world anew. But she was killed before she could do that. But another prophecy foretold the return of Lilit after sixty women wearing golden crowns will command huge armies and bathe the human world in their own blood. Lilit’s return will mark the end of days for the known world. This event is called the Black Sun – The Witcher’s version of Armageddon. Lilit was mentioned only a few times in the first episode of the series. Renfri was supposedly one of the sixty offsprings of Lilit and was thus being hunted down by the minions of Stregobor.
2. Necro-phage
Necrophages basically dwell in cemeteries and graveyards where they feed on dead bodies. The corpses are not their only source of nutrition though. Necrophages also sometimes raid nearby human dwellings and kill humans, feeding on their corpses after they have killed them. They also dwell near battlefields, waiting for fallen soldiers to rot so that they can have nourishment. They always travel in herds and their bite is venomous. One bite from a Necro Phage was enough to take down a warrior as might as the Witcher in a matter of seconds. They can see in pitch-black darkness and have a tremendously acute sense of smell.
3. Djinn
Djinn’s are beings made up of pure magical energy. They are trapped within a closed container and whoever frees them is liable to three wishes the Genie will grant. Geralt of Rivia was looking for a Djinn that was rumored to be hiding within a forest pool. After it was freed, it was quick to attack Jaskier proving they can be quite malevolent if need be, not even grateful enough to leave the one who freed him in one piece. Djinn’s are invisible to the naked eye. Yennefer of Vengerberg unsuccessfully tried to control a Djinn and become its Vessel. If she had been successful, she would have commanded chaos magic beyond anyone’s wildest imaginations.
4. Kikimora
A Kikimora was the first monster that the show revealed to us right in the first shot of the series. Geralt fights and defeats a Kikimora after it almost drowns him in a swamp. Kikimores live in marshlands and seldom travel alone. They are social beings. They have a strict hierarchy and caste system. A Warrior Kikimora is always accompanied by several worker class Kikimores. It was a wonder how Geralt managed to find a lone Kikimora in the swamps. They also possess toxic stings that can render any human being immobile and in worst cases, death.
5. Vukodlak
While the episode was very vague and only mentioned them once or twice, a Vukodlak is a very powerful creature. A Vukodlak is more popularly known as a werewolf. Lycanthropes have roamed the world of The Witcher ever since the Conjunction of the Spheres, where they first roamed and terrorized people in the Tonga Valley, which is why it came to be known as Dog’s Bane. While werewolves can make other humans a werewolf through their bite, a Vukodlak is a different case. It is formed when a werewolf kills a pregnant woman right before she is going to labor. They can also be created if a pure born Werewolf passes by a dead pregnant lady with the dead baby coming out of her rotten mother’s womb as a Vukodlak, according to legend.
6. Striga
Strigas are human females that mutate and become grotesque man-eating monsters due to a very rare but potent curse. Nobody really knows except a select few as to how to make a Striga. The show revealed that the daughter of King Foltest of Temeria was a cursed child that became a Striga and roamed the Winter Castle. A Striga is only driven by her predatory instinct to kill. She will kill whatever gets in her way. A Striga takes seven years to form, the curse making the baby thrive within her mother’s dead womb until it is strong enough to rip herself out of the corpse. Under a full moon, a Striga is even more powerful. The only known cure to stop a Striga is by making her stand in front of the morning sunlight.
7. Sylvan
Sylvans are herbivores. They may look menacing but they prefer peace and are pacifists. One such Sylvan was the Devil of Posada called Torque. Sylvans are very rare species and they live in the fertile areas of the Valley of Flowers. They rarely show themselves to humans but can be quite playful. When threatened, they resort to several tricks up their sleeves and if push comes to shove, they can even use their two menacing-looking horns to tackle their opponents. Geralt found it really difficult to contain one lone Sylvan. Imagine if three or four of them showed up together.
8. Doppler
Dopplers are shape-shifting creatures that can take the form of any being they touch as long as the target is the same or lesser size as theirs. Dopplers’ original forms are extremely hideous. They have long noses and pale white skin, with bent spines and jagged teeth. When taking the form of a target, a Doppler has the power to copy literally everything onto them, including their memories. This makes a Doppler an excellent infiltrator. Cahir of Nilfgaard once used a Doppler to retrieve Princess Cirilla from the safety of the Forest of Brokilon.
9. Hirikka
Hirrikas are creatures even rarer than dragons. They are omnivorous. They mostly stay hidden and seldom come out to meet humans. A Hirrika was encountered by the Witcher and his allies while they were on their way to slay a Dragon atop a mountain. Sir Eyck killed the defenseless creature even though Geralt asked everyone to sheath their weapons and let the poor guy go who was hungry and was only searching for food. Eyck got what he deserved for killing the innocent being when his throat was slit after he was trying to relieve himself.
10. Dragons
Dragons are rare winged beasts that breathe fire. Everybody knows that. In The Witcher, Dragons can be of various types. There are Green Dragons, Red Dragons, Black Dragons, and Golden Dragons, each rarer than the previous one. Not much is known about Dragons other than the fact that one single shriek from one dragon is enough for Dragon hundreds of miles away to come to listen and answer her call. A Golden Dragon like Sir Borch Three Jackdaws was born out of an extremely rare genetic mutation and it allowed him to shape-shift his form into looking like a human being.
The Witcher was released on Netflix on the 20th of December this year. The official film synopsis for The Witcher reads:
“Based on the best-selling fantasy series of books, The Witcher is an epic tale of fate and family. Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. But when destiny hurtles him toward a powerful sorceress, and a young princess with a dangerous secret, the three must learn to navigate the increasingly volatile Continent together.”
