Dettlaff van der Eretein

"If you acknowledge any gods... start praying, now." Dettlaff van der Eretein, also known as The Beast of Beauclair, is a character in the for. He is a higher vampire who was responsible for regenerating Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy with his blood and nursing him back to health. Regis is forever indebted to Dettlaff for his selfless actions.

When Geralt of Rivia was hired by the Duchess of Toussaint to find The Beast of Beauclair, The Beast had already killed 3 knights and Geralt witnessed The Beast kill a fourth. Geralt chased and fought The Beast until Regis appeared and ran the Beast through with his claws. Calming down, The Beast then escaped, and Geralt found out that the Beast is a higher vampire named Dettlaff van der Eretein. According to Regis, the behaviour that Dettlaff had shown in Beauclair was unlike him, saying that because Regis and Dettlaff are bound in blood, Regis knows that Dettlaff must have a very good reason to commit his actions, citing some examples that shows Geralt and Dettlaff are quite similar in their beliefs and actions, among which are:

- Regenerating Regis himself, which took a significant amount of blood, time and patience on Dettlaff's side.

- Killing the Brute of Lyria in the year 964, out of anger that the Brute had killed a boy who offered him an apple, with the boy expecting nothing in return.

Because of this, Regis thought that something must be afoot due to Dettlaff's nature and bond with Regis. In trying to find Dettlaff, Geralt and Regis brewed a potion called Resonance and witnessed that Dettlaff killed the knights due to manipulation and blackmail, which was confirmed when Geralt and Regis went to a toy shop in Beauclair's port and found the names of the knights, how they are to be killed and an incriminating letter that showed his former lover being kidnapped.

Regis stayed behind in the toy shop and waited for Dettlaff, in which then Regis explained that Geralt wanted to help and then travelled to meet Geralt at Orianna's residence, whilst Geralt was with Duchess Anna Henrietta. After their meeting, Dettlaff and Regis went to Dun Tynne to assist Geralt and freeing his lover, both vampires killing a company of Nazairi mercenaries without much effort. However, when he found that his lover had used and betrayed him, he flew into a rage, and threatened war against the duchy unless his lover explained everything.

When Dettlaff made good on his threat, Regis and Geralt took matters to their own hands, either by rescuing his lover, or appeasing the Unseen Elder and forcing Dettlaff to meet in Tesham Mutna. Depending on Geralt's actions, Dettlaff will fly into a rage at being summoned without complying with his demand or tricked again, forcing Regis and Geralt to battle him until Geralt defeats him and Regis kills Dettlaff; or letting Dettlaff kill his former lover and both Geralt and Regis allowing him to walk away unscathed.

Character
According to Regis, amongst higher vampires, their actions on years gone by are considered "youthful" bordering on insanity; Dettlaff however, showed incredible maturity at such time, finding the actions of Regis and other higher vampires to be childish; because of his maturity, he is also charismatic, being able to converse with both vampires and humans at a very personal level. His maturity is also shown that in the stories that were told or the main story that he did not drink blood at all, unless he is absolutely left with no other choice: while Regis drank blood to help Geralt find Dettlaff, and Orianna drank blood as some form of addiction, Dettlaff was not shown to drink blood in his normal and vampiric forms; the only time he did drink blood was in his monstrous form, where he wanted to kill Geralt.

As a higher vampire, he is unique with abilities that is considered his own, he prefers to live amongst lesser vampires, while shunning humans. However, he is not above selflessness in regard to humans, as when a boy that offered him an apple without nothing in return was killed by the Brute of Lyria, Dettlaff defeated and killed the fiend, whilst giving a hunter a dagger and gifting the corpse of said fiend to the hunter to create a legend.

His selflessness also extend to other higher vampires, even to the extreme: When Dettlaff somehow end up in Stygga Castle, he found what remains of Regis that was melted by Vilgefortz; through vampiric codex, Dettlaff can leave him be, or help Regis regenerate and nurture him, Dettlaff chose the latter, sacrificing a significant amount of blood to regenerate Regis and giving time and patience to help Regis recover to a point where Regis can properly move.

Dettlaff is however also quite naive, not fully understanding how men can lie or deceive, having a one or the other mindset. He is also incredibly short tempered, which can end up in the deaths of either one individual or being or even more, as exampled through the Brute of Lyria and his actions in Beauclair.

Skills and Capabilities
As Dettlaff is a higher vampire, he is incredibly strong, up to a point where even a witcher or other higher vampire cannot best him in combat alone. His combat skill is also helped by his intellectual prowess and experience, which allows him to defeat beings of equal skills. If he is injured to a point, he can then transform to a more monstrous form, giving him even more strength and capabilities such as flight.

Dettlaff is also unique in his skills, having an indomitable will that can force lesser vampires to help him, and controlling animals to his favor. And as he is a higher vampire, he cannot be killed by normal means or even by a witcher's silver sword, allowing for regeneration at an increased level.

Journal entry

 * Milton's murderer was very swift. Even with years of witchering under his belt, Geralt could barely keep up with him. Soon, it became clear the killer was as clever as he was fast, by entering an old warehouse where he set a trap for Geralt. In this way Geralt had his first face to face encounter with the Beast of Beauclair – and discovered it was a higher vampire named Dettlaff.


 * A fight immediately ensued which might have ended very badly for the witcher, had he not been saved in the nick of time by an old friend, Regis, who put a stop to their battle. After that, Dettlaff fled away in a puff of fog…


 * When Geralt went to Orianna's residence with the duchess, he was certain Dettlaff was somewhere far away, safe in Regis' care. He was wrong, as he found out while watching both vampires stroll into the room, his surprise quickly turning to irritation. In the conversation which followed, the duchess had no idea she was talking to the murderer she so wished to have slain. In fact, the Beast of Beauclair even came off as… charming.


 * Afterwards, Geralt set off for Dun Tynne, but not before first extracting a promise from Regis to keep Dettlaff at a safe distance this time.


 * At Dun Tynne Geralt was dragged into a fight against bandits with considerably superior forces at their disposal. There's no knowing how this might have ended, had the proverbial cavalry not ridden to his rescue. Birds in service of Geralt's vampire friends had been following him the whole time. Thanks to them, right at the battle's pivotal moment, Dettlaff and Regis appeared to fight at his side.


 * Believing he was battling the men responsible for his beloved's kidnapping, Dettlaff killed with unseen passion. He only stopped when there was not a being left on the battlefield giving out the least sign of life.


 * Upon learning the woman he loved was using him for her own ends, Dettlaff lost all will to keep on living. The only thing left to him was a longing for vengeance – blind, unrestrained vengeance. Dettlaff issued a clear ultimatum: Syanna was to meet with him alone and explain everything. If she failed to do that, Beauclair would be awash with blood. No one had any doubts Dettlaff meant exactly what he said.


 * If Geralt visits the Unseen Elder:
 * Geralt and Regis arrived at the meeting with Dettlaff, but without Syanna. As predicted, Dettlaff flew into a rage. This time, however, Geralt was ready for him and stood to fight. After an exhausting battle, Dettlaff had been defeated.


 * Yet no man can truly kill a higher vampire – that takes another higher vampire. As he died, Dettlaff harbored no hard feelings for Regis, knowing death was his best option, there no longer being anything in this world he wished to live for.


 * If Geralt brings Syanna...
 * ...and gave her the ribbon:
 * Regis and Geralt brought Syanna to Dettlaff. Clearly not having grown one iota less enraged with Syanna, Dettlaff slashed out at her with his razor-sharp claws, hoping to rip her to shreds. She was saved, however, by a magic ribbon taken from the Land of a Thousand Fables, which transported her to a safe place in the nick of time. Dettlaff, more furious than ever, then attacked Regis and Geralt. In the fight that ensued, Dettlaff was defeated. Yet no man can kill a higher vampire – that can only be done by another of its own kind. As he died, Dettlaff harbored no hard feelings for Regis, knowing this was the best option for him. There was no longer anything in this world he wished to live for.


 * ...and didn't get the ribbon and let Dettlaff go:
 * Regist and Geralt brought Syanna to Dettlaff – and the vampire murdered her without blinking an eye. Geralt understood the vampire's pain and did not hinder him in his vengeance. Dettlaff appreciated the witcher's neutrality and stated he had no more quarrel with him. He also had no reason to stay in Beauclair and decided to leave. As his friend, Regis decided to go after him. He knew Dettlaff would need him now more than ever.


 * ...and didn't get the ribbon but did attack Dettlaff:
 * Regis and Geralt brought Syanna to Dettlaff. The vampire then murdered her without blinking an eye, Geralt attacked him and a final fight took place in which Dettlaff was defeated. Yet no man can truly kill a higher vampire – that takes another higher vampire. As he died, Dettlaff harbored no hard feelings for Regis, knowing death was his best option, there no longer being anything in this world he wished to live for.

Associated quests

 * The Beast of Toussaint
 * Blood Run
 * The Night of Long Fangs
 * Tesham Mutna

Trivia

 * Dettlaff van der Eretein has the surname of Marta Dettlaff, a Concept Artist at CD Projekt RED.
 * Dettlaff is voiced by the same actor who voiced Ge'els in the base game.

Other
Dettlaff Dettlaff van der Eretein Dettlaff van der Eretein pt-br:Dettlaff Детлафф Деттляфф ван дер Еретайн