Uma

"Do you really wish to know?" — Spoilers from the books and/or adaptations to follow!

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Uma, also known as the Ugliest Man Alive, is a cursed humanoid living at the Bloody Baron's castle at Crow's Perch. There, he serves as a diversion for the Baron's men, akin to a "court jester" as per Geralt's description.

Background

Uma first came to be at Crow's Perch after the Baron won him at a game of cards in Novigrad. Uma's previous owner was experiencing particularly bad luck that day, and in a desperate attempt to win back at least some of his losses, he wagered Uma. The Baron won and took Uma with him to Crow's Perch, where the being became an oddity and diversion for the castle's residents. Given that Uma ate very little, and did not prove troublesome, the Baron let him stay.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Geralt first encounters Uma at Crow's Perch, though only briefly, after helping the Baron find his family. Uma unexpectedly stumbles through the door, shortly followed by Sergeant Ardal. The sergeant catches Uma and leads him back out of the room, saying "pretend we were never here". A bewildered Geralt questions the Baron about what just occurred, who then tells the backstory concerning Uma.

During his investigation into Ciri's whereabouts, Geralt concludes that Uma must be the key to finding Ciri. He attempts to take Uma to Kaer Morhen where he hopes to lift Uma's curse, though he is apprehended en route by some Nilfgaardian soldiers who escort both Geralt and Uma to the Royal Palace in Vizima. There, Geralt reports his progress to Emhyr var Emreis, after which he is free to leave and continue his investigation.

At Kaer Morhen, Yennefer reveals that in lifting Uma's curse she intends to subject him to the first stage of the Trial of the Grasses, which earns her the ire of the witchers there. However, Vesemir first attempts an alternative, safer procedure which ultimately fails. Thus, Uma is restrained and imbued with the Decoctions of the Grasses while Yennefer maintains a stabilizing spell on him for an entire day in order to prevent the potions from destroying his organs. After the Trial, Uma transforms into his real form as Geralt and Yennefer use a phylactery to contain the curse.

Journal entry

When Geralt encountered a misshapen midget at the Bloody Baron's court, he didn't think much of it. Yet when he heard a similarly deformed being has washed up on Skellige's shores in the same boat in which Ciri and her mysterious companion had sailed off shortly prior, he connected the two at once. It was clear this rough-hewn hunk of flesh was the key to finding Cirilla.

Sadly, there was no communicating with Uma. The gnarled twiglet lived in his own miniature world. Yet Geralt knew Umana was the key to finding Ciri. Even if no pertinent information was forthcoming from the creature's stunted lips, surely further investigation would squeeze some solution out of this riddle.

Though Yennefer and Vesemir agreed Uma was suffering from a powerful curse, they could not reach a concensus about how to go about lifing it. Sharp words were exchanged before Vesemir stepped in and announced that before Yennefer did anything he would try one of the traditional witcher methods.

All that was left to the others was to wait.

Though Vesemir's method had worked to disenchant the famous Swan of Poviss, it brought no breakthrough here. Vesemir did, however, succeed in confirming that Uma's body was a sort of magic prison in which some other being was trapped.

Yennefer's method did not prognosticate a high chance for Uma's survival – yet was now the only remaining option for lifting the curse.

The ritual succeeded beyond their wildest expectations. The person cursed inside Uma turned out to be none other than Avallac'h, a powerful elven Sage the witcher had met before.

Associated quests

• The Mysterious Passenger
• Ugly Baby
• Va Fail, Elaine