The Witcher 3 is lauded not only for its great story, but also for its excellent cast of supporting characters. Each of Geralt’s allies has a distinct background as well as a role to play in the greater plot, adding to the game’s already rich lore. This trend carries over to the game’s main expansion packs.
In The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine DLC, Geralt reunites with an old friend — the barber-surgeon and friendly neighborhood vampire, Regis. When they meet in Toussaint, it’s clear that the two have a long history. In fact, it spans across most of The Witcher book series, which is why it was right to include him in the game.
Regis in The Witcher Books
Regis first meets Geralt in the year 1267, five years before the events of The Witcher 3. Geralt and his company are on a journey to find young Ciri, and they chance upon Regis in his dwelling in an old, elven cemetery. They’re understandably wary of the strange man living among the dead, but quickly warm to him when he offers them mandrake distillate.
Regis then joins Geralt’s party as he believed it was time to move on from the cemetery. After traveling for some time, Geralt and Dandelion are captured by Nilfgaardian troops. It was Regis who saved them, infiltrating the prison and freeing the two — all without alerting the guards. It was then that Geralt realized Regis was a higher vampire in The Witcher. Though the Witcher warned him not to return, Regis did, stating that someone needed to tend to Dandelion’s wounds.
By then, Regis was a staple in Geralt’s party. The rest of the company was wary of having their blood drained, but Regis assured them that he didn’t drink blood. Thus, he grew to be one of the Witcher’s most dependable companions. He leaned on the vampire’s judgment in the most dire situations and even trusted him to save Ciri when they infiltrated her prison.
Unfortunately, this was also where Regis’ story ended, at least in the book canon. In the final confrontation with Vilgefortz — a powerful mage in The Witcher who captured Ciri — Regis swoops in before the mage can kill Yennefer. However, the vampire was no match for Vilgefortz, and the mage reduced him to slop with his fire magic. When Geralt finally defeats Vilgefortz, Yennefer asks him who the man was. To which, he replies, “A friend. I'm going to miss him.”
What Makes Regis A Great Character
In the books, Regis’ motivations for helping Geralt were never explicitly stated, though one could argue that he first tagged along out of curiosity. Witchers are often seen as self-serving monster slayers, after all. So, Geralt’s quest to save a loved one — and the Nilfgaardian Emperor’s potential wife, at that — is a rare sight.
Later, however, mere curiosity evolved into genuine friendship. Geralt’s personal rule against killing sentient monsters kept him from harming the vampire. Moreover, the Witcher didn’t let any preconceived notions or flimsy myths taint his view of Regis. Most of all, Geralt genuinely cared for his companions and didn’t want them to come to harm. He even tried to get rid of them, arguing that the mission to find Ciri in The Witcher books was his alone. No one paid heed to him, of course.
This is what makes the main quest of The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine so meaningful. Regis is intent on saving Detlaff, the vampire who brought him back to life. Geralt joins him in his quest, often going against his contract with Duchess Anarietta for Regis’ sake. The vampire even comments on the lengths Geralt is going for him, asking why he doesn’t just walk away. To which, the player can choose to reply, “For you. […] Seen you die once already. That one time was enough.”
CD Projekt Red was right to bring Regis back to The Witcher 3. Apart from being a well-loved and interesting character from the book series, he’s also one of Geralt’s closest friends. The main questline in Blood and Wine is a testament to the bond between two supposed freaks.
The Witcher 3 is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
