The Beasts of Velen & Novigrad Quiz

Answer: Vampress

The cursed, cannibalistic Crones of Crookback Bog, by far, are the most disgusting of all the monsters encountered by Geralt on his journey across the land. Before her escape, they had intended to cut off one of Ciri's limbs and turn her over to the Wild Hunt.

When Geralt comes along, they enlist his help to rid an ancient oak tree of a spirit trapped inside, in exchange for information on Ciri's whereabouts. Though the Crones' true forms are a truly awful sight, their magic allows them to also take on almost nymph-like forms, beguiling males with their advances and ending with them being consumed.

Answer: Insectoids

Arachasae can be just as tricky to fight up close as from afar. Their venom attacks can wither away Geralt's health in the blink of an eye if he's not careful, while attempting to gain some distance can cause the arachas to spit an immobilising web at him, often followed by a powerful charging attack. Arachasae are most often encountered in the dark depths of Velen's cave systems and can be found in various forms - armoured arachasae can be particularly painful to deal with due to their added protection.

Answer: Werewolf

This side quest can be picked up from Blackbough and sees Geralt helping a hunter called Niellen track down his missing wife. Geralt searches the local area and finds clues leading him to a shack. Tracks leading down to a cave underneath reveal the lair of a werewolf and Geralt does battle with this beast when it attacks him. Before Geralt is able to strike the final blow, the werewolf capitulates and reveals himself to be Niellen.

He had killed his wife in a rage, caused by his sister-in-law (who secretly loved him) and who wanted his true werewolf form to revealed and for his wife to leave him.

Answer: Leshen

These great, tree-like monsters roam silently through the forests of Velen and have no problem calling upon their innate powers to stop Geralt in his tracks. The Igni sign is particularly effective against this type of foe (given that it's primarily woody) and it can be easy to get a few attacks in after it teleports around the battlefield. Just keep an eye on its root attacks - these can knock Geralt down and leave him exposed.

Answer: Necrophages

Drowners, despite their squishy and weak appearance, can quickly overwhelm the unwary traveller if they happen to stray into their territory. Found along the water's edge primarily, drowners are almost always in groups and can attack hard and fast if provoked.

Their "safety in numbers" approach can often mean Geralt is surrounded on all sides, so effective use of signs (particularly Aard to knock them back and Igni to ignite them) can keep the tide of battle from turning unfavourably.

Answer: Ekimmara

In the quest "Following the Thread", Lambert and Geralt discover they are hunting the same beast, which turns out to be an ekimmara. While Geralt's intentions were purely for his own benefit (after all, there was a contract to get rid of the beast), the ekimmara proved to be a mere stepping stone in Lambert's quest to track down those who had killed a close friend of his. "The Mystery of the Byways Murders" also sees Geralt track down a particularly powerful ekimmara inside some elven ruins. Though they are classified alongside "traditional" vampires, ekimmaras are a lot less humanoid and much more beastlike with their acquisition and consumption of blood, opting for a "tear and slurp" approach rather than the more usual "bite and suck".

Answer: Geralt

Dopplers are shapeshifters, able to assume the shape of anything they want. Though with this ability comes a reluctance to harm; thus, dopplers are generally not noticed and tend to blend in. Geralt's run-in with a doppler in Novigrad culminates in a battle against himself, as the doppler copies his opponent. Luckily, Geralt's superior swordplay skills prevail and he is then given the option of killing the doppler or letting him go.

Answer: Johnny

Compared to most other creatures that Geralt encounters, godlings are amongst the nicest. Resembling children (and possessing the rare ability to talk), godlings have good intentions towards the settlements they watch over. Geralt's arrival in Crookback Bog kicks off with helping a young godling called Johnny get his voice back.

In return, Johnny arranges an audience with the Crones, in the hope that they can help Geralt track down Ciri.

Answer: Nightwraith

Robbed of a life of love thanks to her untimely death, Zula is stuck in this plane of existence as a nightwraith, haunting the area around Midcopse. With silver sword in hand, Geralt is able to track down the specter known as Jenny o' the Woods and bring her peace, sending her into the afterlife. Nightwraiths require special tactics to defeat; they are normally immaterial unless forced into a material form by trapping them with the Yrden sign.

This allows a brief window for Geralt to attack before it breaks free. Nightwraiths can also create duplicates; though these are usually weaker, they can nonetheless pose a threat to Geralt, particularly if he is distracted long enough for the nightwraith to strike a few blows.

Answer: Botchling

A dead foetus not receiving a proper burial spawns a botchling, a gruesome creature that preys on pregnant women. Geralt encounters one at Crow's Perch and discovers it to be the daughter of the baron. He is then presented with a choice - kill the botchling to protect the village, or try and turn it into a lubberkin, a good spirit that can watch over the family.