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Kill as many rulers as we could. Lay the blame on the sorceresses. Breed chaos. Prepare the North, soften it before the invasion. And you know what's incredible? We could not have imagined more fertile soil. No matter what the war's outcome, the Northern Monarchs'll accuse one another, pursue their god-given rights and be at each other's throats for years to come. |  | |
| - Letho explaining his motives to Geralt, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings | |||
Letho of Gulet, also known as The Kingslayer, was a witcher from the School of the Viper. His closest associates were Auckes, Serrit, and a fourth Viper—fellow kingslayers and witchers from the School of the Viper. Letho struck a deal with the Nilfgaardian Emperor Emhyr var Emreis to assassinate the monarchs of the Northern Realms in exchange for the restoration of their School.
Quick Answers
What is the significance of Letho's title, 'The Kingslayer'?
Who were Letho's closest associates in the School of the Viper?
What role did Iorveth and the Scoia'tael play in Letho's plan?
Which king did Letho kill to convince Iorveth to join his cause?
What is known about Letho's origins?
Biography
Letho's origins are not well-documented, and it is unknown if he actually hailed from Gulet. As a child, he ended up at the School of the Viper, where he was trained, underwent the Trial of the Grasses, and became a witcher. Here, he was also educated in the school's repository of knowledge on the Wild Hunt.
After becoming a witcher, the Viper School eventually fell into ruin. The Usurper demanded the school's submission, and when they refused, the Nilfgaardian Army laid siege to and destroyed Gorthur Gvaed after a costly battle. The remaining witchers were scattered across the Empire, becoming internal exiles forbidden from entering most cities, forcing Letho and his brothers into hiding.[1]
Letho once pursued a bounty on a wanted man named Louis in Aedirn. Struggling to find simple contracts, Letho decided to hunt Louis for the reward. He tracked him to the Golden Hanged Man inn in Hagge and successfully captured him. However, the guard post was closed until dawn, the two spent time talking and eventually became friends, prompting Letho to release him. After that, they occasionally worked together on various jobs.[2]
On July 25, 1270, in the forests of Angren, Letho was near death after being struck by a slyzard's tail. Geralt of Rivia, a witcher from the School of the Wolf, found and saved him while chasing the Wild Hunt to rescue Yennefer. In gratitude, Letho informed Geralt where to find the Wild Hunt and, alongside his companions, traveled with him to track down the spectral riders. They eventually caught up with the Wild Hunt on the Winter Solstice at the Hanged Man's Tree in Nilfgaard. Despite their skills, they couldn't defeat the spectral warriors, leading to a stalemate. Geralt then offered himself in exchange for Yennefer.
Respecting Geralt's sacrifice, Letho and his companions took care of Yennefer, who was suffering from amnesia. Her condition caused trouble for the group, as she attempted to drive wedges between them, including an attempt to seduce Auckes. Constantly on the move to avoid drawing attention, the group was eventually detained, imprisoned, and interrogated by the Nilfgaardian Military Intelligence, though no violence was used. Later, Emperor Emhyr var Emreis offered Letho a deal he couldn't refuse: to sow chaos in the North by assassinating key rulers and blaming the Lodge of Sorceresses for the turmoil, in exchange for the restoration of the Viper School.
Killing kings
King Esterad Thyssen of Kovir and Poviss was initially Letho's first target. He made contact with the sorceress Síle de Tansarville. At first, Síle closely watched Letho as she didn't trust him, though because of his appearance, everyone eventually treated him like a big oaf. Over time, he managed to get close to Síle by killing some beasts for her and complaining to her about how unfair the world was and how unhappy he was, even making her "gander up a few times." He also ensured that they were seen together by trustworthy witnesses in case he got captured. He was preparing to strike Esterad as soon as he figured out how to frame Síle when fate smiled upon him as Síle asked him to assassinate Demavend III.
She helped Letho prepare for the assassination and advised him to contact the Scoia'tael leader Iorveth. When the day of the assassination came in 1271, Letho infiltrated Demavend's ship on the Pontar. Using a Northern Wind-based capsule, he froze most of the ship, killing nearly everyone aboard except a few protected by Abelard of Hagge's counterspell. Letho then slaughtered the remaining guards and decapitated the king, keeping the head as proof. He managed to escape his pursuers with Iorveth's help, offering the Scoia'tael a deal: aid him and his fellow kingslayers, and they would eliminate other monarchs for them. While under the Scoia'tael’s protection, Letho and his companions remained out of reach of the Lodge of Sorceresses and planned the assassinations of Foltest and Henselt.
Aware of the imminent siege at La Valette Castle, Letho and Iorveth devised a second attempt on Foltest’s life after the first failed. Letho reasoned that Foltest would want to secure his children, so he disguised himself as a monk to gain access to them. He staged an encounter where Scoia'tael appeared to attack him, ensuring that one of Aryan La Valette's patrols would rescue him and bring him to the monastery. Once there, he paid off a monk who treated him to remain silent about his lack of injuries, later killing the monk to ensure his secrecy.
As the siege progressed, Foltest arrived in the monastery’s solar. Letho momentarily feared failure when he saw that Geralt of Rivia accompanied the king, but Geralt’s amnesia prevented him from recognizing Letho. When the royal children left to wash their faces and Geralt was momentarily distracted, Letho struck. He sliced Foltest’s throat, dropped his disguise, and revealed his identity as a witcher to Geralt before escaping. Letho then leaped out of the window into the river and fled with Iorveth’s Scoia'tael, leaving Geralt framed for Foltest’s murder.
Letho relocated to the border town of Flotsam, where he regrouped with Iorveth. However, Letho found Iorveth to be so observant and cunning that he feared the elf would eventually see through him. As a result, Letho decided he wanted to remove Iorveth from the picture. He attempted to convince Iorveth's adjutant, Ciaran aep Easnillen, to turn against his commander and take control of the commando. However, Ciaran refused, and Letho attacked him and his men, killing the latter but accidentally leaving Ciaran wounded.
Some time later, Letho witnessed the arrival of Geralt, together with Vernon Roche and Triss Merigold. Letho commented to Iorveth that he knew Geralt quite well and was aware of his weaknesses. Because Ciaran had survived Letho's earlier attack, Geralt was able to drive a wedge between Iorveth and Letho. This culminated in Geralt and Iorveth confronting Letho together. As they talked, Iorveth grew frustrated and ordered his Scoia'tael to attack. At the same time, the Blue Stripes, supported by guards from Flotsam, assaulted the elves, causing Letho and Geralt to engage in a fight. Letho managed to defeat Geralt but spared him, telling him that Geralt was not his enemy.
Letho then left for Flotsam to force Triss to teleport him to Aedirn, mortally wounding Cedric in the process.
Near Vergen, Letho abandoned Triss in the gullies and regrouped with Serrit and Auckes. Knowing that the Scoia'tael would soon discover his betrayal, the trio massacred their unit, leaving only one survivor. Upon hearing about the upcoming summit at Loc Muinne, Letho decided to head there
If Iorveth's Path was chosen: Before he left, their hideout was discovered, and Letho escaped to Loc Muinne with Auckes and Serrit covering his escape.
If Roche's Path was chosen: Before he left, he entrusted the assassination of Henselt to his fellow Kingslayers, telling them that they wouldn't kill Síle yet and to be careful.
While in Loc Muinne, Letho kept a low profile to avoid drawing attention to himself. He also sabotaged Síle's megascope so it would explode when she used it.
If Geralt didn't save Triss: During the summit, Letho was brought forward by the Nilfgaardians as the culprit in the murders of Demavend and Foltest, claiming he had committed them at the behest of the Lodge of Sorceresses, fulfilling his end of the deal with Emhyr. As chaos erupted when the dragon Saesenthessis attacked, Letho kept his distance from the fighting between the troops and the mages gathered in the city. He entered the Nilfgaardian Quarter and freed Triss from imprisonment. Together, they waited in the Temerian Quarter for Geralt.
If Geralt saved Triss: After the city descended into chaos following the dragon Saesenthessis's attack, Letho kept his distance from the fighting between the troops and the mages gathered in the city. He then made his way to the Temerian Quarter and waited for Geralt.
Eventually, Geralt arrived as well. The two witchers had a long conversation about everything that had happened, from their battle against the Wild Hunt to the assassinations of the Northern monarchs. During the conversation, Geralt began regaining his memories.
If Geralt let Letho go: As Geralt began regaining his memories he decided that killing Letho wouldn't change anything. The two parted ways, each believing they would never see the other again.
If Geralt fought Letho: Geralt simply stated that it was time to fight and asked Letho if he was ready, to which Letho replied that he was as ready as he'd ever be. The two engaged in a final battle, with Geralt ultimately defeating and killing Letho.
On the run
If Geralt let Letho live: After successfully destabilizing the North, Letho discovered his efforts were in vain. Emperor Emhyr reneged on his promise to restore the School of the Viper. Worse yet, Letho became a liability, as he was now a living witness to the emperor's schemes. Assassins were sent after him, and with a bounty on his head, Letho was constantly pursued by bounty hunters. At one point, he was ambushed and nearly killed. Realizing he needed a new plan, Letho reconnected with Louis in Velen, who suggested he hide at Reardon Manor. The manor was overrun by wraiths, which kept people away, and Letho could deal with anyone brave enough to approach.
Letho didn’t just sit idle—he devised a plan to be free of his pursuers. He learned that the Nilfgaardian bounty hunter Arnout Vester was after him and bribed Vester's arbalist as part of his scheme. One day, Letho observed Geralt exploring Reardon Manor. The two eventually met in the barn, where Letho explained what had happened to him after Loc Muinne. Their conversation was interrupted when a group of bounty hunters entered the property. The two witchers dealt with them, and Letho concluded that Louis must have betrayed him. He then asked Geralt to accompany him to confront Louis.
If Geralt accompanied Letho to Louis: The pair set off and arrived at Louis's hideout, where they quickly dealt with him and his men. They learned that Louis had betrayed Letho after striking a deal with Arnout Vester. Letho and Geralt then headed to Lindenvale, where the bounty hunter was staying. Upon arrival, Letho asked a child if his family had guests, gave the child money, and told him to take his parents and leave. He then instructed Geralt not to interfere, no matter what happened. Letho confronted Vester and his men, and during the confrontation, the bribed arbalist shot Letho as planned. A fight broke out, during which most of Arnout's men were killed, and Letho seemingly died. Geralt then confronted the survivors.
- If Geralt killed Arnout Vester: When Arnout claimed he would take Letho's head to the Emperor, Geralt killed him and the remaining men. Smelling Zanguiberian venom on Letho, Geralt took his body into the hut and waited for him to wake up. When Letho regained consciousness, he explained his plan and expressed disappointment that it had failed due to Geralt killing Arnout. With his plan foiled, there was nothing left for him to do but disappear.
- If Geralt invited him to Kaer Morhen: Geralt invited Letho to Kaer Morhen. Weeks later, Letho participated in the Battle of Kaer Morhen. After the battle, he headed east to Zerrikania.
- If Geralt didn't invite him to Kaer Morhen: Geralt and Letho parted ways, with Letho heading east to Zerrikania.
- If Geralt didn't kill Arnout Vester: Geralt remained calm and convinced Arnout to take Letho's medallion instead of his head. Smelling Zanguiberian venom on Letho, Geralt took his body into the hut and waited for him to wake up. When Letho regained consciousness, he explained his plan and was pleased it had succeeded. With his plan complete, there was nothing left for him to do but disappear.
- If Geralt invited him to Kaer Morhen: Geralt invited Letho to Kaer Morhen. Weeks later, Letho participated in the Battle of Kaer Morhen. After the battle, he headed east to Zerrikania.
- If Geralt didn't invite him to Kaer Morhen: Geralt and Letho parted ways, with Letho heading east to Zerrikania.
If Geralt didn't accompany Letho to Louis: The two parted ways, with Letho heading off to take care of his business alone.
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
Journal entry
- Disguised as a blind monk, the mysterious assassin took Geralt by surprise. Displaying immense self-control and lightning reflexes — not to mention a talent for acting — he murdered the king before the witcher's very eyes. He then leapt out the window of the solar before Geralt could grab him. Surviving the fall unharmed, the assassin fled with the aid of some Scoia'tael.
- The information in Vernon Roche's possession served to confirm what Geralt had witnessed. A man matching the kingslayer's description had been seen in the company of Scoia'tael near the trading post of Flotsam. Finding him seemed like the witcher's only chance.
- The mysterious individual now had a name. It appeared that this Letho, whoever he might be, was playing his own game — one in which the Scoia'tael had become an impediment. Yet his ultimate objective remained a mystery to Geralt.
- Letho had indeed been working with the Squirrels, doing their wet work for them. Geralt would soon learn the answers to many more questions.
- In the ruins of the elven bath, Geralt and the mysterious assassin stood eye to eye a second time. Geralt was surprised by what he learned. Letho of Gulet had been a witcher! What is more, there were other kingslayers, and they and Letho had worked together to assassinate the two dead northern monarchs. The witcher and the assassin were also no strangers — in fact, Geralt had once saved Letho's life. Their discussion ended abruptly as arrows whistled through the air and swords clashed. Letho demonstrated his strength and skills by beating Geralt black and blue. Before leaving, he announced that he was on his way to Aedirn.
- The kingslayer proved true to his word and kidnapped Triss, wounding Cedric mortally in the process. He forced the sorceress to aid him by teleporting them both to Aedirn.
- The magic sent Geralt a vision and gave us another bit of information. Letho had been in the area earlier and had ordered his accomplices to assassinate King Henselt. The kingslayers had been working with Síle de Tansarville, but, just as with Iorveth, their paths had diverged. Whatever finale would conclude this story, Letho claimed it would take place in Loc Muinne.
- I listened to the rest of the tale with bated breath. Led to the summit by Nilfgaardian envoys, Letho publicly accused the sorcerers of commissioning the assassinations of the northern monarchs.
- The kingslayer's intricate plan was revealed too late. Letho had been working for the Nilfgaardian Empire from the very beginning — his mission, to seed chaos before the Black Ones embarked upon a new war. Taking advantage of the ambitions of the Lodge of Sorceresses, its contacts and financial means — not to mention the support of the oblivious Scoia'tael partisans — Letho had eliminated two of the Nordlings' most important monarchs, plunging their realms into chaos.
- On top of that, he had thrown suspicion on the sorcerers, who were just regaining their standing. Thus was the force which had stopped Nilfgaard at Sodden dealt a truly shattering blow.
- Now Geralt had only to confront the kingslayer himself, so that the man could confirm or deny the witcher's suspicions. Only Letho knew the truth of the backroom intrigue which had left the north running with the blood of kings. Now I shall tell you about their final meeting, and its conclusion...
The Witcher Battle Arena
Letho of Gulet was one of the playable heroes in the now defunct MOBA and had a lot of interesting weapons, skills, and skins. He was a warrior class hero.
Hero Presentation
- Letho of Gulet - a witcher, a mighty warrior also known as The Kingslayer. Letho is a fantastic tank (i.e. a warrior whose main occupation is to keep enemies busy) and is very efficient against mages.
- He excels in one-on-one fights, in which, thanks to his QUEN sign, he can sustain a fair number of magical and physical damage. It's also worth mentioning that his shield, rather than just decreasing damage by a fixed amount, takes the full blow of a given enemy skill and allows Letho to remains unscathed as long as the spell is active. In practice, this means that each layer of QUEN (quantity depending on the ability level) will completely absorb both a mere hand-to-hand attack performed by a mage, as well as a powerful spell that would otherwise take half of Letho's HP.
- Letho's AARD sign is a "crowd control" ability. CC (short for Crowd Control) is usually used to stun, displace and slow down opponents, and it can play a pivotal role in a fight. If cast at the right time, the AARD Sign can put an enemy right in the middle of your group, allowing others to finish him or her off quickly. On the other hand, if used without thinking, it can facilitate an enemy's escape, or move them away from a friendly offensive spell's area of effect.
- Cleave, Letho's special skill, is a perfect finisher ability. You can use it to finish off fleeing and wounded enemies. Cleave makes Letho become invisible for a short period of time, and also gives him a huge speed boost. The witcher can then easily catch up with his enemy, and dispose of them with one powerful strike. Cleave, just like AARD, should be used with great consideration. It's an awesome finishing move, but it can also be used as an escape tool, which will save your skin on multiple occasions. There is one more aspect of Cleave you need to be aware of - when used, it silences the enemy making him or her unable to use abilities for a short time. Thanks to this, Letho can also take the role of an initiator - a fighter who spearheads the fight, taking the most dangerous enemy out of the equation first.[3]
Skins
- Primal Instinct - ?,€99 - 1500
- Scoia'tael Rags - €1,99 - 1000
- Crimson Armor - €1,99 - 1000
- Mutation - €1,99 - 1000
Weapons
- Kingslayer - €2,99 - 750
- Bone Sword - €2,99 - 750
- Assassin's Blade - €0,99 - 500
- Bone Shredder - €0,99 - 500
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
|
Gotta understand, Louis. You don't betray men like me. | | |
| - Letho of Gulet | |||
Journal entry
- Some friends you see after many years apart and you immediately develop a headache. Not out of antipathy, but as a somatic premonition of the hangover sure to follow your drunken reunion. Seeing others, however, gives you an itching pain in your back and a desire to reach for your blade.
- For Geralt, Letho of Gulet had a foot in both of these camps. This renegade witcher of the school of the Viper had the blood of at least two Nordling kings on his hands, the fruit of his cooperation with Nilfgaard's emperor, Emhyr var Emreis. Accused of these crimes, Geralt was forced to chase down Letho to clear his own name. Though both walked away from their final confrontation in the ruins of Loc Muinne alive and unharmed, Geralt did not think he would ever see Letho again.
- It thus came as quite a shock when he happened across Letho in a barn loft somewhere in the war-ravaged Temerian borderlands.
- If Geralt decides not to follow Letho:
- It turned out Letho's former employer was less than satisfied with his performance and had set a variety of blood hounds on his trail. In these circumstances, the presence of another witcher to guard his back was more than welcome. Geralt, however, could not shake the bad taste left in his mouth by their prior interactions and went his own way, leaving Letho to clean up his own mess.
- If Geralt decides to help Letho:
- It turned out Letho's former employer was less than satisfied with his performance and had set a variety of blood hounds on his trail. In these circumstances, the presence of another witcher to guard his back was more than welcome. Geralt remembered the care Letho had given Yennefer and, in a show of solidarity, decided to help his former companion deal with his pursuers.
- If Geralt kills Letho's pursuers:
- In order to shake the hounds off his trail, Letho had decided on a risky maneuver — faking his own death. His plan would have worked perfectly, too, had Geralt's hero reflexes not been a tad overstrung, causing him to butcher any and all witnesses who might have spread the news.
- If Geralt goes along with Letho's plan:
- In order to shake the hounds off his trail, Letho had decided on a risky maneuver — faking his own death. Although Geralt had no forewarning of this, he improvised with aplomb and sent Letho's pursuers off convinced they had rid the world of a kingslayer.
- If Geralt asks him to go to Kaer Morhen:
- After that, there was nothing more for Letho to do but disappear. Geralt proposed he hide out at Kaer Morhen for a while, and after a bit of thought Letho agreed.
- Though some of Geralt's companions did not extend Letho a very warm welcome, the decision to invite him to Kaer Morhen proved wiser than Geralt could have known. During the battle against the Wild Hunt Letho proved his courage and valor while contributing to the victory over the Red Riders.
- If Geralt doesn't ask him to go to Kaer Morhen:
- After that, there was nothing more for Letho to do but disappear. He and Geralt shared a brief farewell and then went their separate ways once more.
Associated quests
- The Fall of the House of Reardon (proximity)
- Ghosts of the Past
- The Battle of Kaer Morhen (dependent)
- Blood on the Battlefield (dependent)
Trivia
- Letho is derivred from Greek name λήθω meaning "hidden" or "forgotten".[4]
Notes
- According to Arnout Vester, Letho's bounty is enough to buy an estate in Kovir.
- In The Witcher 3, Letho talks about heading to Zerrikania if not asked to go to Kaer Morhen, citing a possible reason that it's a matriarchy and he's always had a deep belief "that it's women who should rule the world." Whether this was in jest or what he really thinks, however, is uncertain.
Videos
Gallery
References
External links
See the GWENT standalone game version card: Letho of Gulet