The Unseen Elder

The Unseen Elder, whose true name is never revealed, is one of the unseen elders, very old higher vampires that have inconceivable powers and serve as a sort of leader figure for their brethren. The Unseen Elder of Toussaint is guarding the gate between the realm of the vampires and the human world. He is extremely aggressive towards everything that enters his domain, and even other higher vampires must have a very good reason to disturb him.

Personality and Powers
Isolating himself from the rest of the world, he lives in a cave only opened by crystals that are owned by higher vampire. The Unseen Elder speaks slowly with a rough voice, as if every word brought suffering. Every word must be carefully measured when talking to him, or it can lead to a death sentence.

He looks like a self-mutilated, skin and bones, and sick to death individual. Appearances cannot be more deceiving in this case, however, for he moves quicker than the blink of an eye, he needs just to say a word and he can paralyze other vampires on the spot, and shows superhuman strength. Not even Geralt can catch his movements and falls to him from a single strike. He also has the power to "summon" another vampire to a specific area. The summoned vampire is obliged to answer the Elder's call.

He is probably the second strongest enemy ever to appear in the Witcher series, losing only to Gaunter O'Dimm.

During the quest What Lies Unseen, Geralt must be careful not to irritate the Unseen Elder as any unrelated side questions annoy him and puts Geralt one step closer to death. That said, he can be asked one side question which he will answer, but asking a second will result in him instantly killing Geralt.

Journal entry

 * Geralt was as intrigued as I was, and as I imagine you shall be, to learn higher vampire society is organized in a strict hierarchy based on age: the older a vampire, the greater his say in their matters and the stricter the punishment for going against his will. One extremely elder vampire lived in Beauclair, in the cave where he had been deposited during the Conjunction of the Spheres. Geralt and Regis decided they had to go see him to get his help in finding Dettlaff.


 * The only problem was that the more ancient members of the vampiric race were not very… how to put this… amenable to company. This particular elder so deeply disliked visitors Regis trembled at the very thought of having to disturb his peace. Geralt had a difficult decision to make: should he risk a visit to the Elder's domain, or try to find Syanna?


 * If Geralt seeks out the Unseen Elder:
 * Regis' reservations about visiting the Unseen Elder were not at all unfounded. Though in the end Geralt was able to convince this being to help, he almost had to pay with his own and Regis' lives. Luckily, however, all ended well and Geralt and Regis left the Elder's cave alive and unharmed (though perhaps a little shaken up), with a guarantee Dettlaff would soon meet them at Tesham Mutna.

Biography
In the crags and caves that pock the earth below Toussaint's vineyards, an ancient vampire stands watch by a mysterious gate, patiently awaiting another Conjunction of the Spheres. To his brethren, he is known as the Unseen Elder... and to mortals, he is not known at all.

As the eldest vampire, the Unseen Elder commands the obedience of all other vampires, be they higher or lesser, katakan or ekimmara. He need but utter one word and all his ilk will appear in his lair, read to carry out his orders.

Nekkers can always be found scurrying about the caves near the Unseen Elder's lair. These small, nimble humanoids keep out of sight until the vampires finish their feeding, then set about devouring the blood-drained bodies with their foir rows of razor-sharp teeth.

One might think that an army whose soldiers eat each other would not march far... but the monsters which fight on the Unseen Elder's summons constitute no normal army. They are wildness embodied, an elemental force, a swarm where the strong absorb the weak and grow stronger still.

Associated quests

 * Blood Simple
 * Tesham Mutna
 * What Lies Unseen