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Nivellen was a former human who fell under a curse, turning him into a beast.
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What curse turned Nivellen into a beast in the Witcher series?
How did Nivellen's relationship with his father influence his actions in the Witcher?
What role did Geralt play in Nivellen's encounter with the wyvern in the Witcher?
Who is the actor who plays Nivellen in the Witcher Netflix series?
How did Nivellen try to prove himself to his father in the Witcher series?
Biography[]
Early life[]
Growing up, Nivellen had a rather strained relationship with his father, who never seemed to approve of anything Nivellen did. One day when he was a teen, Nivellen's father hired Geralt to rid their forest of a wyvern infestation. Nivellen, wishing to prove himself, set out to try and kill one first but instead fell into the monsters' lair. However, Geralt rescued him and slew the wyvern trying to kill Nivellen, cutting its head clean off. Instead of scolding Nivellen though, Geralt instead handed him the wyvern's head and told his father his son killed it. This was the first and only time Nivellen ever saw his father proud of him. After this turn of events, Nivellen and Geralt struck up a friendship.
However, he later fell in with a bad group and at one point the group went and sacked a Temple of the Lionheaded Spider and raped the priestess. As he did so, the priestess cursed him, mentioning something about "love and blood", before turning him into a beast. He in turn accidentally killed all the servants of his estate when he didn't realize how strong his cursed form was.
Later life[]
He tried several times to kill himself to end his suffering, but it appeared the curse wouldn't allow him such an easy way out, forcing him to continue living in his cursed form and destined to live alone in this state. However, this changed some time later when he found Vereena, an injured and starving bruxa near his estate, and he took her in and cared for her as she healed. When she fully recovered, she chose to stay despite his cursed form. Nivellen knew she was responsible for attacking a nearby village, killing everyone there, but as Vereena also chose to overlook what he did to the priestess, they eventually fell in love. In turn, Nivellen hoped allowing her to feed off of him would help Vereena control her bloodlust and not attack others.
About 13 years later since he first met Geralt, Geralt arrived at the estate with Ciri in tow. Initially Nivellen attacked but quickly introduced himself as Geralt didn't know his friend had been cursed. With that, Nivellen welcomed the two into his estate that he was able to control by magic to do his bidding. However, as he entertained his guests, he had Vereena hide herself as he knew Geralt would try to kill her. When his cursed form was brought up, he only told them he'd ransacked a temple, leaving out how he'd raped the priestess as well.
Later that evening, Geralt confronts Vereena, having figured out that she was a bruxa. When Vereena tried to get the upper hand and got ahold of Ciri, threatening to kill her if Geralt didn't leave, Nivellen appeared behind them, impaling Vereena with a long pole, though she doesn't die immediately. She instead twists her body around and pulls herself along the pole as she reaffirms that she loves Nivellen, claiming that if she can't have him no one will. She then almost kills Nivellen but Geralt beheads her just before she can, splattering her blood over Nivellen, incidentally curing him. He then realizes the only way to lift the curse was by the blood of the one he loved.
However, Nivellen is still saddened at losing Vereena and finally tells the complete truth to Geralt and Ciri: he knew what Vereena had done and hoped her feeding off of him would help her control her killing sprees, but it didn't. However, as she overlooked him raping the priestess, the two found kindred spirits in eachother and fell in love. He then begs Ciri to not go, but disgusted by what he did, she and Geralt turn to leave Nivellen. He cries out asking Geralt to at least kill him to end his suffering at losing Vereena but Geralt refuses, noting as he's mortal again, Nivellen can do it himself now. Geralt and Ciri then leave Nivellen to decide his own fate.