The specters in the world ofThe Witcherare not to be trifled with. Often shifting from corporeal to ethereal form, they are difficult to harm. Even the most skilled witchers struggle to best such monsters. One such specter is the barghest, a phantom taking the form of a dog. Though similar to wolves and wild dogs, they’re much more dangerous, given their spectral nature. And Geralt has plenty of opportunities to encounter these foes.
Barghests can be found inThe WitcherandThe Witcher 3,specifically in the Blood and Wine DLC. Their appearance in specific areas and quests reveal more about their nature.
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The Witcher: Phantom Hounds Drawn to Curses and Ill Will
The common folk believe many things aboutThe Witcher 3specters, barghests. Some say they used to be normal dogs, transformed by some sort of curse. Others say they’re hounds of the Wild Hunt, scouting the Continent for whomever their spectral masters are searching for. Still, others argue them to be agents of divine retribution sent by angry gods. Holy men take advantage of this belief, demanding the peasant folk to renounce all evil and sin in order to protect against the bloodthirsty barghests.
Witchers know better, of course. Barghests are mere monsters drawn topowerful curses inThe Witcherworld or concentrations of ill will. If a sequence of tragic events occurs or a spell of malevolent magic is cast, one can be sure that barghests will soon appear around the site of the event. Though in some cases, particularly in the firstWitchergame, these creatures can be summoned.
The phantom hounds often arrive in packs, and they do not distinguish between the benevolent and the sinful. They willingly attack both. Like wolves and dogs, the barghests rely on strength in numbers, overwhelming their victims with flurries of attacks. Though they can also release blasts of spectral flames and temporarily blind those they attack.
Barghests and the Hellhound in The Witcher
In the firstWitchergame, Geralt encounters barghests in the outskirts of Vizima at night. They are summoned there every night by a creature known as “the Beast.” This monster turned out to be a ghostly hellhound. It was terrorizing the peopleinThe Witcher 3settlementfor an undisclosed reason. Though if it’s similar to the lesser barghests, then it might have been drawn to the outskirts as the locals had been ravaged by war and plague.
The Witcher Berengar’s notes on the hellhound reveal that it’s a monster known as Alzur’s demon. According to thebooks, Alzur was apowerful mage inThe Witcherknown for inventing many spells and creating fearsome monsters. At one point, he came face to face with a monster like the hellhound that was immune to magic. However, before doing battle, the beast asked him a question. It’s said that Alzur answered the question correctly, thus allowing him to defeat the hellhound, which was since then known as Alzur’s demon.
By the end of Chapter 1 inThe Witcher, Geralt will have to face off against the Beast. It is one of themost difficult boss fights inThe Witcher(though not for good reasons). The hellhound will summon a pack of barghests to fight alongside it and can easily stun the player before whittling down their health.
The connection between barghests and Alzur’s demon is unclear inThe Witcher. Though perhaps the hellhound is a greater form of the barghest, similar to how there are higher and lesser vampires. Whatever the case, Alzur’s demon seems to be a rare beast as it only ever appears in the firstWitchergame. Barghests, on the other hand, make another appearance inThe Witcher 3’sBlood and Wine DLC.
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Barghests in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
After Geralt travels to Toussaint and takes on the contract for the Beast of Beauclair in the DLC’s main story, he’ll eventuallyhappen uponThe Witcher 3quest“La Cage au Fou.” This involves meeting Regis and then traveling to the Trastamara Estate Ruins, where the player must acquire a special ingredient for Regis’ concoction. There are spoons everywhere as well as barghests lying in wait for any unfortunate souls who pass by. This comes as no surprise as the estate and its former owner have been afflicted by a curse.
The spotted wight that lives within the ruins and collects spoons was a woman named Marlene de Trastamara. She loved hosting parties and inviting people from all around Toussaint. One day, a beggar (heavily implied to beGaunter O’Dimm from the lastWitcher 3DLC) passed by the estate to ask for food, but Marlene refused his request. Thus, the beggar cursed her, turning her into a wight. Marlene remained in her cursed form for centuries, and the curse’s energy likely made the barghests start to appear around the estate grounds.
This, however, isn’t the only time the player finds barghests in Toussaint. Another lesser-known occurrence can be found in one ofThe Witcher 3’sguarded treasure locations. Found southwest of the town of Fox Hollow, the player will find a ghastly site waiting for them. A limp corpse will be hanging from a tree, with a farewell letter and some loot waiting to be taken. Surrounding the location is a pack of barghests, and reading the letter reveals why the phantom hounds have appeared.
The farewell letter was written by a man named Neil Poiré. In it is a sad and bitter poem detailing why the young man opted to end his life. Neil had wanted to become an actor, but his father had other plans. He wanted Neil to join the army. And when the young man refused, his father sold him away. Learning of this, Neil took the sack of crowns that was his father’s payment and pocketed it before tying the noose.
Thus, the grim verse ends with, “And you, Father, soon you must / Reach up to your son’s hanging corpse / And take the sack full of crowns for which you sold his life / to butchers.” Indeed, barghests andcurses inThe Witcher 3walk hand-in-hand. However, the most tragic circumstances — even without any magic involved — are also sufficient to call upon the phantom hounds.
The Witcher 3: Wild Huntis available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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