History Characters / TheWitcherVillains

[[WMG:Villains]]
Whether for her political status, or her other qualities, capturing Ciri was a crucial part of these people's nefarious plots. Their actions are behind many of the Saga's events. For other characters in the saga, go [[Characters/TheWitcher Here]]

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Vilgefortz of Roggeveen]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/023db817185a089fd07d3bfc8768dc1d_d5xvvu6.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I could smash your brain out from your ears. But this was supposed to be a lesson."'']]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tumblr_nlvan1ymhs1ru0pj9o1_1280.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"You constantly want to paddle against the current and piss into the wind. It had to end badly. Know that today, here in castle Stygga, you have pissed into a hurricane."'']]

->''"To you, Ciri was only a silly sentiment consisting of equal parts of the penalty of your infertility and your guilt. Yes, yes, Yennefer, a sentiment of guilt! After you had actively participated in genetic experiments, by which Ciri came into the world. Incidentally the trials failed because the experimenters lacked the knowledge."''

One of the most eminent and potent sorcerers in the world; though he is young (less than one hundred years, which is nothing compared to some of his elder colleagues pushing a millennium), he is nonetheless incredibly talented and powerful, traits which also won him a seat on the governing body of the Northern Kingdoms' magicians (the Council and Conclave) after he led them to victory over Nilfgaard at the Battle of Sodden Hill. His participation in the coup during the mages' symposium on Thanedd Island reveals that he is a defector with Nilfgaardian backing, aiming to deliver Ciri to the Emperor himself, although his true motives are far more sinister...
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* ArrogantKungFuGuy: An utterly egregious case of this. He opts to fight Geralt in single combat, weapon to weapon, out of desire to crush him utterly when he is capable of ending Geralt in the wink of an eye with a bolt of magic. Guess how ''this'' little stunt turns out for him.
* ArtificialLimb: After the magical explosion of the portal in Tor Lara took out one of his eyes, he replaces it with a magically-cultivated artificial one made from a gem.
* BigBad: His plans set the Witcher Saga in motion and he's by far the biggest threat Geralt faces in the novels.
* {{Bishonen}}: Described as "classically beautiful". Later, though, he gets [[GoodScarsEvilScars badly scarred]] in a magical explosion inadvertently caused by Ciri, ending with a freakish crystal eye of his own design replacing his ruined socket.
* CatchPhrase: ''"You've mistaken the stars with their reflection in a gladed pool."''
* ContractualGenreBlindness: For the most part, Vilgefortz ranks among the smarter villains. That doesn't stop him from sparing Geralt on two different occasions where he has the witcher at his mercy.
* CurbStompBattle: Dishes out a nasty one to Geralt in the second book. The fight goes so badly for Geralt that he concludes that he never stood a chance again Vilgefortz and the only mistake he made was choosing not to run away.
* EvilGenius: The intellectually inclined, schemer and part-time evil mastermind among the bad guys.
* EvilPlan: Like that of Emhyr, it involves Ciri, but some details of execution differ, and it's for personal-megalomaniac reasons rather than imperial-dynastic.
* EvilSorcerer: Easily ''the'' most scheming and talented wizard in the North, and he has let it go to his head.
* HiddenAgendaVillain: His motives aren't what they seem at first.
* KickTheDog: He is almost ''ludicrously'' cruel, for no other reason than his own amusement.
-->'''Vilgefortz:''' Try to remember that though my guests may destroy furniture and artwork, steal small valuables, and dirty the carpets and facility chambers. They cannot beat or rape other guests. The last, at least until the host has finished beating and raping and signals that you can begin.
* MadScientist: An almost textbook example, magic in the Witcher-verse being [[MagicAIsMagicA pretty scientific in nature]], but see MagicKnight below.
* MadScientistLaboratory: He has several, before he [[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon goes into hiding]]. When one of them, deserted, is found, cue VomitingCop.
* MagicKnight: He was the ''only'' human to soundly trash Geralt in a one-on-one fight. Though it is implied that his skill was magically enhanced.
* TheManBehindTheMan: He turns out to be the mastermind of the Thanedd coup, as well as the one (at least with most forces disposed towards) trying to kidnap Ciri. He's also the one who convinced Emhyr to father Ciri in the first place by faking his family's death, so (figuratively speaking) he's behind Nilfgaard's actions as well by poisoning Duny with the potential of the prophecy.
* MissionControl: For Rience, whom he constantly sends out to run his errands.
* OffWithHisHead: How Geralt eventually kills him.
* OrcusOnHisThrone: Starting with the end of the second novel, he is confined to his secluded castle and has to rely on his henchmen to do his dirty work. Justified as he has, by this point, become Public Enemy No. 1 and is being hunted by all the major powers in the world.
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: On top of everything else, he's a sexist pig.
* TheStarscream: He isn't so loyal to TheEmperor.
* SquishyWizard: [[HeroKiller Averted with flying colors]].
* StalkerWithATestTube: This example is even more sinister than you think it is (he wants Ciri's ''placenta''). Even [[EvenEvilHasStandards the other baddies]] are {{squick}}ed, although he finds it distasteful and responds with a rant that they're [[NotSoDifferent hardly better]].
* TakeOverTheWorld: Though he [[LampshadeHanging hangs a lampshade]], saying he's a little ashamed to admit such a down-to-earth motivation. Basically, he's in the game for the thought of being able to say "AGodAmI", that people pray to turn away his wrath.
-->'''Vilgefortz:''' I'm ashamed to admit, but I'm terribly attracted to power. It's trivial, I know, but I want to be a ruler. A sovereign, before whom all will fall on their face and glorify, only because he exists, and worship as a god if he deign to save their world from destruction – even if it is done on a whim. Oh, Ciri, my heart rejoices when I think about how I will generously reward the faithful and how I will cruelly punish the disobedient and rebellious. Whole generations will pray to me and beg me for pardon, mercy, and forgiveness. Generations of whole worlds. Listen, Ciri. Do you hear those prayers? Protect us from famine, plague, fire, wars, and your wrath, O Almighty Vilgefortz...
* VillainousBreakdown: One that begins when his guards interrupt his sadistic games with Ciri, continues as his forces get steam-rolled by Geralt's party, worsens when Regis comes within a fraction of an inch of ending his life and reaches a crescendo when Geralt maims him and brings him to his knees.
* VillainDecay: Downplayed. He begins his role in the Witcher Saga at the height of his power. He has a strong influence in the politics of his world, has numerous minions and resources at his disposal, successfully has both sides of the war dancing to his tune, and all while maintaining a VillainWithGoodPublicity image that masks his true nature. All of this goes out the window after the disastrous Thanned Coup. From this point on, Vilgefortz loses a lot of the charm and influence that made him so powerful to begin with. Despite this, however, he remains just as dangerous and cunning as before and, barring a couple instances of BondVillainStupidity, remains the biggest threat that the heroes have to face.
* VoiceWithAnInternetConnection: When playing MissionControl for Rience, through an artifact that's basically a magical walkie-talkie.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rience]]
Vilgefortz's [[TheDragon Dragon]] and errand boy, a wizarding school dropout expelled for theft and taken in by Vilgefortz to do the things not really suitable for a respectable sorcerer. His background shows he was up to no good from the start, but as merely a servant, he pales in comparison to the rest of the villains.
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* CatchPhrase: "With these hands, I will teach you pain."
* CoDragons: With Schirru the half-elf, but the latter gets less screen-time. Or sort of; he is definitely TheHeavy early in the Saga, until the plot becomes more complicated and his role becomes less pronounced. Ciri and Geralt also have to get through, respectively, him and Schirru at some point in their journey.
* TheHeavy: He fills this role in the early stages of the Witcher Saga. He starts off as the villain who the rest of the characters are most concerned with. After the first novel, he becomes less prominent after his master decides to take a more direct role in the events of the story.
* KarmicDeath: During the battle on the ice in the penultimate book. Made doubly awesome by the way it was done -- Ciri cut off his fingers that were clutching the ice (he slipped and fell into the water) with her skates.
* ForTheEvulz: He ''loves'' his job, what's to say.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: He has a huge burn on his cheek, from Yennefer's fireball and Vilgefortz's refusal to heal it.
* IneptMage: If you stretch the definition a bit. Most of the time, he's more a magic-using agent than a real mage. Spells that he actually casts, though working as intended, don't come out as very impressive.
* SmugSnake: He loves to gloat at his victims and generally be a jerk, knowing that his boss will always support and cover him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Schirrú]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schirru.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Time to look death in the face."'']]
Vilgefortz's second [[TheDragon Dragon]]. A vicious half-elf, wanted for manslaughter and arson. In comparison to Rience, he is more of a side-character. He is responsible for killing Codringher and Fenn.
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* TheBrute: He is a murderer for hire, and that's pretty much the only thing to say about him.
* CoDragons: With Rience, though he has way less screentime.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Burned alive by the Caed Myrkvid, as an example.
* EvilIsBigger: Is described as very tall.
* FantasticRacism: Repeatedly insults Geralt by calling him ''mutant''. Ironic, considering he is a half-elf.
* LaserGuidedKarma: As mentioned above, he is burned alive. The same thing he did to poor Fenn.
* SmugSnake: Like Rience, he is far too full of himself.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: ''S''chirrú
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Leo Bonhart]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/leo_bonhart_in_colour_by_afternoon63_d7vz0s0.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I’ll release the blood from your veins, Witcheress,'' ''[[ILoveTheDead and then, before it gets cold, we will celebrate]].'' ''You’re mine. All mine. [[InterplayofSexAndViolence Raise your weapon]]!"'']]

->''"It was once so, that good people were afraid of the witchers more than the monsters. Monsters, after all, will stay in the woods and caves, however, witchers had the nerve to walk the streets, enter taverns, and hover near shrines, temples, schools, and playgrounds. Decent people were offended, so they started looking for someone who could bring the insolent witchers to heel. They found someone. Not easily or soon, not even close. But they found someone. You see, I have killed three. Not another mutant appeared in the area to upset the honest citizens. And if he appeared, I do to him what I did to the previous ones."''

An infamous bounty hunter hailing from south of the Yaruga, tasked with eliminating Ciri's highwaymen friends and capturing her for Nilfgaard. Which he does efficiently and without any incident save for those he will make for others. Bizarrely smitten with the heir of Lara Dorren's swordsmanship, he decides not to take her to his true master just yet and instead brutalizes her physically and mentally for as long as his depravity allows. Yet despite his sociopathic nature, Bonhart is as cunning as a fox, relentless as a magic construct and seemingly fearless. A trait only acceded by his skill with a blade.
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* BadassNormal: He claims [[HeroKiller to have killed three witchers]], despite having the advantage of neither their mutations nor any magical abilities. In light of that, taking on six bandits at once is hardly worthy of mention.
* BloodKnight: Leo loves nothing -- ''nothing'' as much as fighting and killing.
* BountyHunter: And a very successful one.
* TheBrute: Despite his wiry almost skeleton-like appearance.
* CurbStompBattle: Dishes these out like candy. The Rats and poor Cahir never stood a chance.
* DeadpanSnarker: Has his moments.
* DirtyCoward: When he loses the advantage he's always held and gets seriously injured, Bonhart reveals himself to be a coward at the precipice.
* TheDogBitesBack: He ends up on the receiving end of this trope when he meets his KarmicDeath at the hands of Ciri, the girl he kidnapped and abused.
* TheDreaded: Even the most deadly of cutthroats quake in fear at the mention of Bonhart's name.
** UpToEleven in Ciri's case. It's safe to say that he effectively replaces Cahir as the nightmarish figure that haunts her dreams. Whereas Cahir turned out to be a decent guy who was JustFollowingOrders, Bonhart is a legitimate monster hellbent on endless bloodshed.
* ForTheEvulz: His main motivation. He's a psychopath and ''proud of it". When a psychic scans him once, she compares the experience to putting her head into a freshly opened grave.
* GoodEyesEvilEyes: Empty, fishy eyes.
* HeroKiller: He toys with and brutally dispatches the Rats when they taunt him for a washed-up-has-been and later he unceremoniously kills Cahir when the younger man tries to protect Ciri from him.
* ImplausibleFencingPowers: You wouldn't think it to look at him. But he is a ''monstrously'' skilled fencer. A staple of The Witcher series' fans' EpilepticTrees is how he would fare in a duel with Geralt.
* IronicName: It doesn't take a linguist to see Leo Bonhart stands pretty much for Lion Good-Heart. While the first one might arguably fit, the rest ''definitely'' won't.
* KilledOffForReal: By Ciri.
* KickTheDog: His treatment of Ciri. He abuses her to no end and causes her devastating psychological trauma.
* KickTheSonOfABitch: Bonhart's no saint himself, but few tears were shed when he slaughtered the Rats.
* MusclesAreMeaningless: In addition to his age, he is described as goulishly thin and yet makes short work of several young and vigorous adults, one of them even being a knight in [[ArmorIsUseless full armor]].
* PragmaticVillainy: He is merciless, but not stupid. He knows when to behave.
* PsychoForHire: As he claims, he's lucky like nobody, save perhaps certain whores. He's paid for work he truly enjoys.
* TheSociopath: A textbook example. Just read the rest of his tropes to get a clearer picture.
* UnderestimatingBadassery: People find his thin, bony frame to be very underwhelming and mistake it for a sign of weakness. Said mistake often turns out to be fatal. Just ask the Rats.
* UnknownRival: Funnily enough, Bonhart is as desperate as the readers are to see if he can test his mettle against Geralt and gloats of how he'll be the best swordsman in the land to both Ciri and Yennefer once he beats the White Wolf. Geralt never even crosses paths with him even when they're in the same fortress.
* VillainousCrush: He develops one for Ciri, after witnessing her fighting skills. While probably not averse to sex, he may even be {{asexual}} as what really turns him on is fighting and killing. It means he'd like to [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice impale her on his sword]] [[GladiatorGames in the Claremont Arena]] and feel her die, though raping her before or afterwards would be nice as well. And his last words are that their fight would have been a great show.
* VillainousFriendship: He has...something...akin to this going on with Esterhazy - the sword smith who gives Ciri her unique blade. Out of all the people Leo meets, Esterhazy is the only one to earn his genuine respect and gratitude. Naturally, given Bonhart's [[TheSociopath nature]], the feeling isn't mutual.
* VillainousValor: The people he kills, he tends to kill in single combat -- but that's the one and only admirable quality he gets. And even that's subjective!
* WickedCultured: Though not exactly in the sense of refined taste, this trope (or its cross with GeniusBruiser) does appear in that Bonhart is actually quite intelligent. He and his brother have set up legitimate business enterprises and it speaks well of his wealth and standing that bounty hunting is more or less his freakin' ''hobby''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Stefan Skellen]]
[[quoteright:308:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stefan_skellen.png]]

A Nilfgaardian black ops specialist, sometimes nicknamed the Great Imperial Nobody by those few in the know. Initially tasked with cleaning up the mess after the failure of the Thanedd coup, he later received orders to search for Ciri when hints began to show up that she might be within Imperial territory. He however had ambitions beyond those of his superiors.
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* CharacterDeath: Sentenced to death by hanging for treason.
* DarkChick: Differing motivation, teamworking, more socially minded than the other bad guys. Male however.
* DragonAscendant: He became one of those for a short while after Vilgefortz's demise.
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: He serves this role along with his team, as well as providing the manpower for several minor occurrences.
* RogueAgent: From Nilfgaard.
* VisionaryVillain: It's ultimately subverted when one of his statements puts his own motives in question. We are never told whether it means he only pretended to believe in his cause, or it's merely a spat of cynicism.
* WeaponOfChoice: His is an orion (which is pretty much a shuriken), explicitly stated as highly popular within cloak-and-dagger society due to how easy it is to conceal coupled with deadliness in a skilled hand.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Emperor Emhyr var Emreis]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/emhyr_var_emreis_by_wanderer1812_d8w4l10.jpg]]
->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/CharlesDance (''Wild Hunt'')

Deithwen Addan yn Carn aep Morvudd, the White Flame Dancing on the Barrows of his Enemies. The ruthless, calculating and implacable emperor of Nilfgaard, King of Cintra, lord of Metinna, Ebbing and Gemmera, sovereign of Nazair and Vicovaro. Through his iron-fist statesmanship, his expansive black-helmed power from the south of the Continent has overturned more and more of the Northern Kingdoms over the course of three separate military expeditions. His invasion of Cintra and secret alliance with Vilgefortz pretty much jump-starts the whole Saga, and even after that he's the driving force behind many of the events in the games as well.
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* ArcVillain: In the novels. He’s the BigBad of the WarArc that runs parallel to Geralt and Ciri’s respective stories.
* AffablyEvil: He's a ruthless evil emperor and he's fine with it, but he's not TheCaligula either, and knows when there is no need to play up the fearsome image. Though he has a sudden change of heart at the last moment. In fact, he considers Geralt ''his friend'' and is still grateful to him for his role in removing the spell that made him into [[BalefulPolymorph a giant hedgehog knight]] in his youth. It still doesn't stop him from his machinations and conquests (and trying to ''kill'' Geralt -- nothing personal, only business), though.
* TheBadGuyWins: Depending on what choices Geralt makes in ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt''. He can finally accomplish what he set out to do in the books and conquer all the continental Northern Kingdoms. And if Ciri chooses to become Empress, then he gets his heir as well.
* BalefulPolymorph: Back in his youth, he was turned into a hedgehog knight. Geralt helped him then.
* BigBad: Surprisingly averted. He’s TheEmperor of the local evil empire, but he rarely takes an active role in the ordeals of the main characters. In the novels he remains focused on his conquest of the Northern Realms and reserves the task of dealing with the protagonists to his agents, all of whom end up betraying him to pursue their own agendas. This trend continues in the video games. See GreaterScopeVillain and VillainOfAnotherStory for details.
* ChekhovsGunman: He makes an appearance in the first book without anyone realizing it, including the reader. He's the hedgehog knight, Duny.
* TheChessmaster: The extent of it depends on how much of his machinations he actually developed on his own, as he has a number of competent and trustworthy underlings, but the fact remains that he keeps up with the best of them.
* DarkIsEvil: Like all of Nilfgaard, black is the primary color that he wears.
* TheEmperor: Of the EvilOverlord type (though more in image than in personal brutishness).
* GambitPileup: What happens when ''everybody'' (and their little dog too) have plans upon the plans, and are [[TheDeterminator determined enough]] to see to their completion.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Of the second game. Despite never taking a direct role in the events of the story, it is eventually revealed that the resident BigBad was acting on his orders all along.
* KarmicDeath: If Redania wins the war in ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'', Emhyr will be assassinated, just like all the Northern Kings who were killed on his behalf in the Witcher II.
* LukeIAmYourFather: He is Ciri's biological father.
* TheManBehindTheMan: He has a hand in many of the schemes that happen over the course of the books. He is also behind the chaos that Letho causes in the second video game.
* MoralityPet: False Cirilla is this for him.
* NobleDemon: Cruel, despotic, and ruthless as he is, he still has some basic decency left in him.
* OlderThanTheyLook: To save the Calanthe's first husband and demand his (yet unborn and unknown) daughter, he must've been at least in his twenties, so when he finally married Pavetta sixteen years later, Emhyr should've realistically been [[MayDecemberRomance pushing forty]]. Add to that some twenty three years that The Saga happened in, and [[VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt by the third game time]] he has to be at least about sixty. Yet he's depicted there as just a forty-something man with nary a worry in the world. However, it's been said before: people in the Witcher universe are very long lived and age slower.
* OverlyLongName: Emhyr var Emreis ''Deithwen Addan yn Carn aep Morvudd'', technically more of an overly long title/nickname. Doubles as NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast, as it means something along the lines of: ''The White Flame Dancing on the Graves of His Foes''. A note on how he earned this sobriquet: After all the power struggles of ascending to the throne, he had all of his political enemies (now all dead) disinterred and used their gravestones to pave his ballroom.
* PragmaticVillainy: Emhyr engages in equal amounts of cruelty and mercy, but not because he's a cruel or merciful man. He is a ruthless and calculating emperor, and if his soldiers are raping, torturing, and murdering their way through a land, it's because he's decided that's the most efficient way to conquer it and break his enemies' morale. If his soldiers are being gentle, he's forming stalwart alliances, and he's being generous and kind to conquered peoples, it's to ensure their loyalty and make his invasions easier. Pragmatism is one of his defining traits, even toward those he likes and is fond of, like Geralt.
* VillainOfAnotherStory: In the third game. He’s responsible for an unprovoked war of conquest against the neighboring Northern Kingdoms. In any other story, he would be the legitimate BigBad who the heroes have to fight. Here, however, his villainous actions are largely detached from the main narrative involving Geralt and Ciri. If anything, his role is spent helping them.
* WifeHusbandry: He intended on fathering a savior of the world with his own daughter, Ciri, a Magical Source of potentially immense power.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: His plans are ultimately to save the world from the oncoming Ice Age that Ithlinne's Prophesy has foretold.
* YouHaveFailedMe: When his generals lost at the Battle of Sodden Hill and his armies were driven back in their first invasion of the North, Emhyr had the generals responsible executed. Not out of cruelty or anger, but because the old, established leadership was ineffective and weak, and he purged it to replace those officers with younger, ambitious, and aggressive ones.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Eredin Bréacc Glas, King of the Wild Hunt]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/king_of_the_wild_hunt.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Your flight from Death, ends here."'']]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/eredin_breacc_glas_by_v_raider_d847oka.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"White Wolf! At last!"'']]

->''"So know, witcher, that you will surrender unto me the soul of a dear one. It is written. A person both dear and distant, a traveler beyond time. I shall ever be on your trail. [[BlackSpeech Aen'drean, va, saov Leo, tuv'le]]!"''

->'''Voiced by:''' William Roberts '' '''(The Witcher)''' '' and Steven Hartley ''' ''(Wild Hunt)'' '''

The top ranking military leader and monarch of the highly-advanced, other-worldly and morally degenerate Elven people known as the Aen Elle, or 'Alder' Folk. Most don't even know they exist, but he himself -- from a certain point of view -- has gained the infamous visage of the Omen of War as the leader of TheWildHunt. For information about said Wild Hunt, see in [[Characters/TheWitcher3WildHunt The Witcher 3 characters.]]
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* ArcVillain: In the fifth novel, along with Avallac'h. The two of them serve as the main villains during Ciri's visit to the world of the Aen Elle.
* ArchEnemy: Geralt's most powerful and persistent foe.
* ArrogantKungFuGuy: In the third game, he comes across as this when compared to his CoDragons, [[HeroKiller Imlerith]] and [[EvilSorcerer Caranthir]].
* AscendedExtra: While he was a big threat, he was quite the minor character in the novels, where he formed more of a BigBadDuumvirate with Avallac'h rather than being the biggest threat by himself, and he also only met Geralt once in ''Time of Contempt'' novel. In the games, he becomes Geralt's ArchEnemy and his machinations are the engine behind most plot points of the first two games. In the third game, he takes center stage as the BigBad.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: The leader of the Wild Hunt and an opponent even Geralt is weary of facing.
* BigBad: After being the GreaterScopeVillain throughout the novels and the previous two games, Eredin finally takes center stage in ''The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt''.
* BlackKnight: He and his ilk wear dark, menacing, skeletal-looking armor. Though in the first game, he looks more like a [[OurLichesAreDifferent lich]] (which is explained in the story, see FightingAShadow).
* DarthVaderClone: Dark clothing/armor with scary mask? Check. Magic? Check. Towering over most of the cast? Check. Deep voice? Check.
* DemonicPossession: At three points in the first Witcher game, he will possess Alvin when the boy is susceptible as he goes into prophetic trances in order to taunt his former horseman. The first time, he recounts Ithlinne's Prophecy to remind Geralt of what's ultimately at stake, the second to taunt him of his escape from death by his foster-daughter's abilities, the third when Geralt is trying to supply his charge with a dimeritium pendant to control his nightmares... Well, just take a look at this low blow to Geralt's mutated testes.
-->'''Eredin[=/=]Alvin:''' Would you want to live with ordinary people? Witchers protect people like these. Simple, defenceless, ''normal''...\\
'''Geralt of Rivia:''' Put on the necklace. \\
'''Eredin:''' Dh'oine! Look into my eyes -- See your death! I don't need to hear this, [[InsultToRocks you're not even human]]. \\
'''Geralt:''' Alvin!\\
'''Eredin:''' Now do you see the necessity of this action, no matter the price? Geralt, open your mind.
* DimensionalTraveler: A villainous example. The Aen Elle wish to traverse the multiverse, conquering the limitless worlds. In the third game it's heavily implied by Ge'els that they possess enough military power to overwhelm the multiverse.
* TheDreaded: During multiple instances in ''the Wild Hunt'' Geralt himself will doubt his chances of besting Eredin and he even tells Ciri that she stands no chance against him in full battle-regalia. The only time she did fight him in the book series, her victory was the result of luck.
* EvilSoundsDeep: In both ''The Witcher'' and ''The Witcher III: Wild Hunt'', his voice is incredibly deep and menacing. This seems to be an effect of an enchantment on his skull mask, since when he takes it off he speaks in a gruff but otherwise fairly normal-sounding voice.
* EyeScream: In the third game, Geralt takes out one of his eyes before mortally wounding him.
* TheFairFolk: As the King of the Wild Hunt, he kidnaps human children so they can serve the Aen Elle as slaves or disposable pets.
* FantasticRacism: He utterly despises humans, seeing them as sub-elven. Even Ciri, who is of vital importance to his people's plans, is little more than "a gold nugget buried in dung" to him, and the part about "gold nugget" referred to her Elven ancestry.
* FightingAShadow: Is capable of sending [[AstralProjection 'spectral emanations']] of himself through time and space, like the horrific-looking one you encounter in the first game.
* GenericDoomsdayVillain: To non-book readers, he might seem this way in the third game, where you have to dig and deduce to get the full extent of his motives and he has barely a dozen lines.
* GreaterScopeVillain: His plans for Ciri are probably the greatest threat the world faces, but he doesn't play much of a role in the novels.
* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: In ''Lady of the Lake'' it's made quite explicit that Ciri is attracted to him and though he clearly despises her human heritage, there's enough of Lara Dorren in his dear little Swallow to make you wonder at his intentions beyond simply elevating his world beyond all others. In ''[[VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt The Wild Hunt]]'', during a deadly battle he looks straight at her, removes his helmet and holds out his hand, for all the world as though he's asking if he may have the pleasure of a dance.
-->'''Eredin:''' You were fascinated with me, and you were afraid of your desires. You still want me, Zireael. My hands, their touch...
* ImplausibleFencingPowers: He ''annihilates'' Crach en Craite like a child and only Geralt can stop him from carving a swathe through a deck full of battle hardened Skelliger warriors. During the final boss fight he can ''parry an entire Whirl flurry''[[note]]the fast special attack that even experienced human opponents will only block once before being cut to pieces[[/note]] from Geralt with one-handed contemptuous ease.
* KarmaHoudini: In the books; averted in the third game where he is the final boss which, naturally, goes down by Geralt's blade.
* KarmicDeath: Killed by a human he had enslaved and forced to fight as a soldier. Adding to the karma is that Geralt uses the silver sword to deliver the death blow, which is reserved for monsters.
* LargeAndInCharge: He towers over most of the Aen Elle, who are taller than humans on average.
* TheManBehindTheMan: He, along with Avallac'h, are the quintessential leaders of Aen Elle, due to King Auberon's reclusive nature. After Auberon's death and Avallac'h's defection, Eredin is the de facto leader of the Aen Elle.
* ObviouslyEvil: Video game version: [[EvilIsBigger seven feet tall]], [[EvilAlbino incredibly pale]], CreepyBlueEyes, [[EvilSoundsDeep deep voice that gets deeper when he puts on his mask]], [[TinTyrant and dressed head to toe in black armor with a skeleton motif]]. In the books, he's not much above your typical elven dick, as far as first impressions go.
* OverarchingVillain: Despite Salamandra and the Kingslayers forming the first two games' immediate threats, his conflict with Geralt forms the basis of the MythArc.
* PrettyBoy: DependingOnTheArtist. He's depicted this way in the flashback scenes in ''The Witcher 2'', but in ''The Witcher 3'' he's shown with a burlier, more masculine face.
* PsychoticSmirk: It seems to be the ''only'' expression he's capable of wearing. No matter what kind of setback he's facing, he's still got that smug smirk on his face. Even dying does nothing to sour his mood. Though he does drop it after Geralt takes his eye out.
* RedBaron: Also known as the King of the Wild Hunt and the King of the Red Riders. The Unicorns fear him as 'Sparrowhawk'.
* SlashedThroat: How Geralt kills him.
* TheStarscream: Willingly or not, the aphrodisiac/performance enhancer that he supplied Auberon with ended up killing him.
* TinTyrant: Especially his original concept design for the third game.
* ThanatosGambit: He attempts one after his and Geralt's final duel. As he lays dying, Eredin tells Geralt that Avallac'h has deceived him and has abducted Ciri. Geralt races off to confront Avallac'h and comes close to killing the elf, only for Ciri to step in and reveal that it was all a lie. The issue is never fully explained, but it seems that Eredin was attempting a TakingYouWithMe ploy by setting Geralt against Avallac'h in the hopes that one, or even both, of them would kill the other.
* VillainousBreakdown: Suffers one after Geralt takes out his eye; as he and Geralt face each other he looks terrified rather than smug and desperately reaches for his sword even after Geralt slashes his throat.
* VillainOfAnotherStory: In the fifth novel, where he's a mix between this and an ArcVillain. His goals for inter-dimensional conquest are a bigger threat than anything the heroes have faced before. However, this aspect of the book is never thoroughly explored and is rendered secondary to the main story.
** Acts as this again in the second game. He is the villain of the flashback narrative that Geralt experiences. Much like in the novels, however, this is treated as a secondary story to the main one.
* VillainRespect: Despite his disdain for humans he does seem to possess a VERY grudging respect for Geralt (during their final battle he says Geralt was taught well, and when Geralt escapes Eredin actually devotes time and effort to reclaiming him, indicating he considered Geralt a valuable asset).
* WalkingSpoiler: He and Avallac'h serve as Ciri's (and our) introduction to a greater universe.
* WhatTheHellHero: Gives several delicious ones to Geralt over the course of the first game but one of his best is from the rarely chosen Order path.
-->'''Eredin:''' The Order to which you handed power, aims to eradicate ''all'' who are not entirely human. What say you to that, ''mutant''?
* TheWildHunt: His Dearg Ruadhri are seen as this by most people. It's not clear if their ghastly visages are solely a psychological weapon, or an imperfection of their ability to travel between the worlds.
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