The Witcher universe was once home to many monster slayers, each coming from a distinct Witcher school. One such school is that of the Griffin, and it set itself apart from other Witcher schools by staying true to the knightly virtues held by then the defunct Order of Witchers. The school also emphasized the utility of magic in combat as its fortress, Kaer Seren, had a huge library filled with magical tomes.
Admittedly, there aren’t a lot of Griffin School Witchers present in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Many of their stories are told outside of the mainline games, though they are still stories worth learning.
Erland of Larvik – Founder of the Witcher School of the Griffin
Erland of Larvik was one of the first Witchers to ever be created — that is, he was one of the few children who survived the earliest Trials at the hands of mages. Thus, he became part of the original Order of Witchers, which existed long before any Witcher schools were established. Though he loathed the mages and the experiments they conducted on him, Erland went along with his training. He even grew fond of one of his swordsmanship instructors, whom he called “Gryphon.”
Gryphon was a knight errant in The Witcher who valued duty. Thus, he taught the young Witchers that they were created for a reason and were capable of doing much good for the world. Erland took this to heart, so when he set out as a Witcher, he swore to protect people from threats they could not face. In between his travels, he fostered a bond with his fellow Witchers. Later in his life, however, the Order began to fracture.
Soon after, Erland decided to leave the Order of Witchers to create his own school. He and his friends set up shop in Kaer Seren, then Erland established the School of the Griffin in The Witcher, naming it after the late Gryphon. He became its Grandmaster and emphasized knightly values in the school’s teachings. As such, would-be Witchers were not only trained to fight. Their Griffin School teachers also instilled in them the values of honor and conviction.
Keldar – A Harsh Tutor
One such teacher was Keldar or “Old Keldar,” as he was called. He was a skilled Witcher and had extensive knowledge of the monsters found in The Witcher world. However, he was a strict teacher and was easily annoyed when his students gave him the wrong answers. Keldar was known to mock such students, saying that they’d hunt for vampires armed with garlic and Lebioda statuettes.
During Keldar’s time in Kaer Seren, a group of mages grew angry with the Witcher School as they’d refused to share their knowledge. Thus, the mages caused an avalanche that damaged the Witcher fortress and harmed many of its inhabitants. It’s said that Keldar was the only one who survived the catastrophe, and that he still guards the ruins of his structure.
Coën – A Griffin Among Wolves
Note that The Witcher books never mention what school Coën is from. However, Szpony i kły, an anthology of short stories set in The Witcher world and written by various authors, states that Coën is from the School of the Griffin. He was also said to have been a student of Keldar’s and was fond of the old Witcher.
That said, Coën is most known for his presence in Kaer Morhen in The Witcher book Blood of Elves. It was reportedly his first time there, during which he met Geralt and Ciri. He trained with the other Witchers and also grew close to Ciri, often playing with her. It was at this time that Ciri saw a vision of both Coën and Geralt’s deaths. The former came true, with Coën dying in the Battle of Brenna during the Second Northern War. It’s a shame he only had a passing mention in the first Witcher game.
George of Kagen – The Famed Dragonslayer
George of Kagen was most known for his act of slaying a green dragon in Gors Velen. Most Witchers — Geralt included — often turn down contracts to slay dragons as they are sentient creatures, unlike other draconids in The Witcher. George, however, had no problem taking up the job. The Witcher was confident that his armor would withstand the beast’s fiery attacks and virulent poisons, so he rushed to face the dragon.
In the end, the Witcher managed to defeat the dragon, but he was terribly wounded from his encounter with the beast. A peasant by the name of Balstick came across George in his injured state and promised to help him, much to the Witcher’s delight. Unfortunately, Balstick was merely deceiving the Witcher, serving him food laced with poisonous herbs and diluted medicines to hasten his death. The peasant planned to steal the Witcher’s secrets and use them to make a fortune.
Thus, George of Kagen perished. He was then buried in the Dragonslayer’s Grotto in Velen of The Witcher 3. And all the way in Kaer Morhen, his story was used as an example for would-be Witchers, warning them of the dangers of misguided faith.
Jerome Moreau – The Unwilling Test Subject
Jerome Moreau of The Witcher 3 arguably has the grimmest story of all the known Griffin School Witchers. Taken to Kaer Seren as a Child Surprise, the young Jerome accepted his fate and trained to be a Witcher. Unfortunately, his father, Tomas Moreau, was unwilling to part with his son. Thus, when Jerome grew up, his own father captured and imprisoned him in a laboratory. There, Tomas had intended to reverse the effects of Jerome’s Witcher mutations so that he could have his son back.
The experiments were brutal and painful, making Jerome’s life a cycle of unending agony. This made him despise his own father. What’s worse, Tomas’ methods didn’t reverse the Witcher mutations, but instead strengthened them. Jerome slowly became more mutant than human. Eventually, Tomas gave up, and it’s hinted that Jerome died by his father’s hand.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
