Evils of the Continent Week 1 — The Bruxa
A Witcher’s Bestiary for Season 2 Monsters
Something Begins
Season 2 of Netflix’s The Witcher is almost here, and with that comes an exciting new line-up of ghosts, ghouls, and other terrible beasties for the Butcher of Blaviken, A.K.A Geralt of Rivia, to, well… butcher.
As an avid fan of Andrzej Sapkowksi’s Witcher book series and the video game trilogy, I am beyond the level of acceptable excitement for Season 2. So with only five weeks left until the Dec. 17 release date, I wanted to take one day of each week to explore five of the evils (and lesser evils) confirmed or teased for Season 2. Witchers beware, here there be spoilers for the books and games.
Monster of the Week — Bruxae
“From behind the pale lips glistened white, spiky fangs. The vampire jumped up, arched her back like a leopard and screamed. The wave of sound hit the witcher like a battering ram, depriving him of breath, crushing his ribs, piercing his ears and brain with thorns of pain.” pg. 82, The Last Wish.
Combine the luring capabilities of a siren with the speed and hunger of a vampire, and you’ve got yourself a Bruxa. If it’s not evident from the selected text, Bruxae are a formidable classification of Higher Vampires equipped with a diverse arsenal of killing tools at their disposal. Many a witcher — including the White Wolf himself — are wary of taking contracts on these beasts.
You can see the danger of a Bruxa first-hand in this epilogue encounter between Geralt and Olienna from the Blood and Wine DLC. Potentially NSFW — unless your work involves hunting monsters.
What to Expect from Geralt’s Season 2 Bruxa Encounter
In the short story, A Grain of Truth, Geralt encounters a bloody crime scene along the road. As he investigates, a boarish creature — part man, part monster — charges him and orders the Witcher to leave. Geralt does not challenge the beast but instead prefers to make pleasant conversation. Before long, the pair become buds, and the beast — a cursed man named Nivellan — invites Geralt for dinner.
As they dine, Nivellan explains how he came to be cursed (something we will discuss in a later story.) Meanwhile, Geralt develops a sneaking suspicion that Nivellan does not live alone.
In the gardens of Nivellan’s estate dwells Vereena, a beautiful young woman and Nivellan’s supposed lover. However, after being tipped off by the uneasiness of his horse — Roach — Geralt identifies that the young lady is no lady at all, but something much worse; a Bruxa manipulating Nivellon with trance-like dreams to hunt on her behalf.
An epic fight ensues that shows off all there is to love about a series based on magic and monster hunting.
Bruxa Powers and Abilities
- Shapeshift — Bruxae typically take the shape of beautiful human women but can quickly transform into terrible beasts such as giant bats.
- Sonic Wave — The screech of a Bruxa is enough to topple a full-grown man, making him an easier target for further attacks.
- Invisibility — Some Bruxae have demonstrated the ability to disappear into thin air and move at incredible speeds.
- Vampiric Song — Bruxae control and manipulate the minds of their prey through a song sung in their native vampiric language. These songs are described as vile and menacing and cause powerful, amnesic nightmares.
- Intelligence — Unlike Lesser Vampires that hunt by instinct alone, Bruxae are intelligent beasts capable of invading human society and hiding in plain sight. They establish communities to hunt in packs or develop complicated strategies to feed without raising suspicion.
Origins of Bruxa Lore
Several notable inspirations throughout folktales and literature are influences for Sapkowski’s female vampiress and the Bruxa that we will see face-off with Geralt come Dec. 17.
Portuguese Bruxsa
A Bruxsa is a type of undead witch found in Portuguese folklore. Bruxsae became the culprit of much superstition and accusation in the Middle Ages and Inquisition. Women believed to practice witchcraft and demon worship would be accused of being a Bruxsa, or becoming a Bruxsa after a brutal death by trial.
According to the beliefs, the Portuguese Bruxsae prefers to drain the life from small children and travelers, very similar to the diets of notable Witcher Bruxae, Vereena (The Last Wish), and Olienna (Blood and Wine DLC). They also share the commonality of being immune to sunlight.
Brides of Dracula
It’s hard to talk about any vampire without referring to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. But it’s not the king of Vampires himself that shares the most similarities with Sapkowski’s Bruxa, but rather his three brides.
Dracula’s brides manifest out of thin air to harm Jonathan Harker in the first act of Dracula, taking the appearance of three seductive women — simultaneously flirtatious and repelling. They entrance Jonathan and create in him a burning desire for a vampire’s kiss.
The alluring capabilities of vampires are repeatably apparent in Dracula, and it’s these fundamental abilities to enthrall and apparate with the wind that are clear influences for Sapkowski’s work.
Carmilla
Carmilla is a work of vampire fiction written by Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu in 1872, predating Dracula by about 26 years. It’s the story of a young woman (Laura) and her parasitic relationship with Carmilla, a vampiress disguised in plain sight who simultaneously grooms and feeds on Laura.
Carmilla can shapeshift into a giant monster as opposed to the small animals we frequently see in vampire lore. But her most significant similarities to Sapkowski’s Bruxa are her abilities to plan an elaborate hunt and infect Laura’s dreams — controlling her thoughts through nightmares.
Protection on the Path
When battling a Bruxa, it’s advised to cast a hearty Quen sign or another form of magic protection spell to resist its sonic blast. But given the Bruxa’s incredible speed, agility, and invisibility, you can safely assume at least one good bite to the neck. Increase your chances of survival by keeping the Bruxa in front of you with a well-timed Moon Dust Bomb, and drain a Witcher’s Black Blood elixir before each hunt to make your blood a poison to drink.
I look forward to many more monster deep-dives in the coming weeks. Join me next week as we look at three well-kept secrets of season 2. Good luck on the path!
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