Plague maidens are one of the fearsome wraiths that roam the world ofThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Though they’re arguably more powerful than other specters as they spread disease wherever they go.
There’s one side quest that features a plague maiden inThe Witcher 3. It’s the quest “A Towerful of Mice,” which must be completed for the player to influence Keira Metz’s actions in the endgame. To trigger this quest, the player has to travel to the town of Midcopse in Velen and undertake the quests involving Keira.
RELATED:Sylvans Are The Witcher 3’s Mischievous Devils
Supposed Bringers of Pestilence
Plague maidens, also known as pestae,are monsters associated with disease. During epidemics, they’re said to roam the infested lands, followed by an army of rats. These specters also delight in the pain of others, specifically in hearing the ill cry out in pain. Perhaps it is the plague maidens that patients see when they rave about ghostly women in hospitals.
The plague maidenslook similar to other wraiths, with their nearly skeletal frame and their tattered dresses. Though, unlike other specters, plague maidens take on a deathly ill appearance. Their flesh appears in a sickly green hue and looks as if it’s rotting off their bones. Moreover, they’re known to have slimy, elongated tongues that dangle underneath the jaw as they move across the disease-stricken lands.
That said, it’s unclearwhether plague maidens bring about epidemicsor are merely drawn to them. They simply appear where disease is ravaging the land. Thus, it’s hard to tell whether they’re the cause or merely a collateral effect. Either way, many have questioned whether plague maidens truly exist as they are much rarer than other wraiths. Only two sightings have ever been recorded, and both were in the middle of widespread epidemics.
The lack of information surrounding plague maidens extends to knowledge of their origins. It’s unclearhow these specters are created. Though some believe they are born from souls that have experienced emotionally charged deaths — in particular, those involving prolonged illnesses or debilitating ailments. Should that be the case, people are also unsure why it seems to only affect women as there have been no sightings of male pestae.
Regardless of origins, plague maidens are not to be trifled with. Like other wraiths, they’re capable of taking on an ethereal form that is impervious to all blows.Even silver swords do little to damagethem in this state. They can also sap their victims’ life force, which can lead to a person’s death. Though aside from this, plague maidens carry contagious diseases that they can easily pass on to anyone foolish enough to get too close. Luckily, witchers are likely immune from any of the illnesses the plague maidens carry.
RELATED:The Witcher 3: Succubi Are Capable of Driving People Mad
The Pesta in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Inthe quest “A Towerful of Mice,”Geralt agrees to help Keira lift the curse that plagues Fyke Isle, which seems to emanate from the old mage’s tower that has since been abandoned. Upon investigating the place, Geralt will meet the soul of Anabelle, the daughter of the lord who used to live there. Talking to her will reveal the truth of Fyke Isle and what had happened to its inhabitants.
According to her, the people of the nearby town of Oreton raided the mage’s tower with help from Anabelle’s lover, who was the lord’s fish merchant. They killed the lord and the mage, then abused Anabelle. Anabelle explains that she drank a powerful sleeping potion before the men could have their way with her and that she later woke up alone, with the entire floor swarming with rats. These rats used tobelong to the mage, who studied epidemiology. Though they were likely freed by the raiding townsfolk. Anabelle, still reeling from the effects of the potion, was unable to move and was eventually eaten alive by the rats.
A Sentient Wraith
When Anabelle finishes her story, Geralt will conclude thatthe curse stems from her. This will prompt the player to make a choice — either bring Anabelle’s bones to her lover or bring her lover to the island. Regardless of what the player chooses, Anabelle will reveal herself to be a plague maiden. This lends credence to the idea that plague maidens are the souls of women who died from disease, as the rats likely passed some sort of illness onto Anabelle’s paralyzed body.
It’s also worth noting that Anabelle is sentient, which is unlike other specters, like common wraiths, noonwraiths, or nightwraiths. In fact, when Geralt first meets her, she actively tries to fool him into thinking she’s a harmless spirit. The only way for the player to see past this is to thoroughly investigate the tower and find evidence of recent killings. That said, contrary to what’s in the bestiary entry, Anabelle doesn’t seem very interested in the suffering of others. She seems toofixated on seeing her belovedagain to care.
Should the player choose tobring Anabelle’s lover to Fyke Isle, Anabelle will drain him of his life force and take him away to where they can be together. This is generally regarded as the better ending to this quest as the other one has more damning consequences. Choosing to bring Anabelle’s bones to her lover will also lead to him dying. However, it will also free Anabelle, meaning a plague maiden is now free to run amok in Velen, spreading pestilence.
Regardless of what the player chooses, there’s no doubt that plague maidens are one of the more dangerous specters inThe Witcher 3. They’re capable of manipulating people to do their bidding, making them tricky to deal with. Additionally, they’re usually more powerful than other wraiths and are a challenge to defeat —even for a witcher. Even so, perhaps all it takes to calm these monsters is true love’s kiss (as well as the soul of their beloved). It’s a small price to pay to prevent a potential epidemic from spreading across the Northern Realms.
The Witcher 3: Wild Huntis available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
MORE:Witcher 3: Noonwraiths and Nightwraiths Are the Vengeful Spirits of Wronged Women
