Katakans are one of the many vampiric creatures ofThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Though not higher vampires, they’re capable of taking on human form and using cunning methods to capture their prey.
Geralt can encounter multiple katakans inThe Witcher 3, and many can be found within the world’s populous cities. The most notable, however, are met during the quests “Carnal Sins” and “Contract: The Oxenfurt Drunk.”
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Katakans: Bat-like Bloodsuckers
Katakans are atype of vampire inThe Witcher 3, and they have two distinct forms: their human form, and their monstrous form. When posing as humans, it’s difficult to tell them apart from other civilians, even for Witchers. However, one important thing to note is that Katakans aren’t fond of sunlight.
Because of this, the Katakan is more likely to hunt at night. Given that it is smarter than the more primitivevampire species ofThe Witcher 3, Katakans know to lie in wait for their prey and to pounce only at the most opportune moment. This allows them to live in populated cities, like Novigrad and Oxenfurt, right under the noses of the temple guard, the witch hunters, and even the most seasoned Witchers. Even worse is that their natural abilities make them more difficult to catch in the act.
In their monstrous form, Katakans resemble large, misshapen bats, but with much longer fangs and talons. They can also turn invisible, with only their shadow manifesting. This, paired with their immense speed and powerful attacks, makes them a force to be reckoned with. Most of all, they’re invulnerable to steel and can regenerate when wounded. As such, even an entire squadron of guards would struggle to defeat it. AWitcher and their silver swordmay be the only solution.
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Katakans in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
There are two quests that prominently feature Katakans. The first is “Carnal Sins,” which triggers after Geralt assistsDandelion inThe Witcher 3with his new tavern. Priscilla is attacked by an unknown assailant, and Geralt sets off to find out who is responsible. At first, the player is unaware that the antagonist of the quest is a Katakan as it’s structured like a whodunnit mystery. However, investigating the matter and making the right decisions leads the player to the culprit: the coroner of the Novigrad morgue, Hubert Rejk.
During the final standoff, Hubert reveals that he is a higher vampire. This, however, isn’t the case as higher vampires are a variant distinct from Katakans. Why Hubert lies about this is unknown, though some believe it may have been an oversight on the developer’s side. Regardless, Hubert had been living in Novigrad since the spring of 1272 — mere months beforethe start ofThe Witcher 3. This coincided with the string of murders, including the failed attempt on Priscilla’s life.
When asked why Hubert kills, he reveals that he is a staunch believer in the teachings ofthe Eternal Fire inThe Witcher. Novigrad, according to him, has devolved into a cesspool of immorality and sin. So, he’s taken it upon himself to cleanse the city with fire. All his victims had acted against the Church of the Eternal Fire, so Hubert had made an example of them. This peculiar turn of events reveals that Katakans are very much capable of higher-order thinking, and that they’re capable of practicing faith in a way that’s similar to humans.
Fortunately, the player can end the devout Katakan’s twisted moral crusade in the“Carnal Sins” quest inThe Witcher 3. This prevents any more victims from cropping up and rids Novigrad of the vampire zealot. That said, if the player acts too hastily during the events leading up to the showdown with Hubert, they may lock themselves from the confrontation altogether. So, a word of advice: Speak to the reverend before deciding what to do with him.
Once Hubert has been dealt with, Geralt can come across another city-dwelling Katakan. This time, the creature is prowling the streets of Oxenfurt. Labeled “The Oxenfurt Drunk,” thismonster contract inThe Witcher 3is a lot more straightforward than the previous quest. It follows the classic monster hunt route, with Geralt speaking to witnesses and collecting evidence until he figures out what he’s dealing with. In this case, it’s a Katakan who enjoys collecting jewelry and drinking alcohol-spiked blood.
To complete the quest, the player must thendrink copious amounts of alcohol, then walk around the vicinity of the tavern to draw the Katakan out. Once the vampire reveals itself, Geralt must attack, chase it down to its hiding place, and finally defeat it. What’s interesting here is the Katakan’s penchant for shiny baubles and cheap alcohol, further showcasing just how similar Katakan tastes are to that of humans.
Slumbering Beneath the Cities of The Witcher 3
Katakans are tricky monsters to deal with as they’re capable of rational thought. This categorizes them under Geralt’s list of “sentient monsters.” However, given that they’re vampires, they need blood to live, and are more than happy to prey on humans to get it. It would seem that dealing with the Katakans of the Continent hinges primarily on what they do to sate their hunger, and in most cases, Geralt ends up killing them.
That said, there’s one unique Katakanencounter inThe Witcher 3,in the quest “A Tome Entombed.” This requires Geralt to travel down the sewers of Oxenfurt until he comes across a man named Vairmont Jonne, a professor of applied archeology at the university. The professor explains that he’s looking for a specific elven manuscript and that he believes it to be inside the sealed sarcophagus that he’s found.
Should the player help him open the sarcophagus, they’ll find a slumbering vampire who simply asks the pair to not wake him up until 1358. Geralt can then choose between opening the sarcophagus again or letting the grumpy vampire rest. Choosing the former prompts the Katakan to change into its monstrous form and attack, while the latter simply completes theeasily missedWitcher 3quest. Whatever the player chooses, the short encounter suggests that there may be countless other vampires slumbering in the elven ruins beneath Oxenfurt, and even hiding in plain sight among theWitcherworld’s populated cities.
The Witcher 3: Wild Huntis available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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