Stefan Skellen

Stefan Skellen (d. ), known as Tawny Owl, was a Nilfgaardian coroner and member of the Imperial Secret Service.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Little is known about Skellen's life prior entering in the Nilfgaardian Secret Services. Before becoming Imperial Coroner, he was probably a bandit or the leader of a free company, the kind of company that wanders through villages robbing, raping and killing.
His friendship with Vattier de Rideaux permitted him to quickly climb the career ladder until he became one of the Emperor's main agents.
===Capturing Ciri===
After the Slaughter of Cintra, since Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach failed in the task of bringing Princess Cirilla to the Imperial court, Stefan Skellen was tasked with finding, capturing and bringing Ciri and Cahir to Emperor Emhyr var Emreis. To achieve this, he formed a gang full of various mercenaries and also hired Leo Bonhart, a famous and noted bounty hunter.
However his plans were different: indeed, he wasn't fully convinced of a totalitarian regime in the empire and so, as a believer in a constitutional monarchy that could later evolve into a democracy, he took part in a conspiracy along with Joachim de Wett, Count d'Arvy, Berengar Leuvaarden, Count Broinne, and Ardal aep Dahy to overthrow Emperor Emhyr var Emreis and he planned to use his gang to kill Ciri instead of capturing her as Emhyr ordered.
Bonhart managed in the task of finding Ciri, who in the meantime joined the Rats, but he didn't keep the deal: indeed, instead of killing the girl, he captured her and brought her to Claremont, where he forced her to fight in the arena of his cousin Houvenaghel.
Later Skellen, Bonhart, and Rience had a meeting in Unicorn, where they discussed Ciri's fate, who in the meantime was tied up in the main square of the village. During their discussion however, Neratin Ceka managed to free Ciri during a comotion and the princess began to run away. During her escape, Skellen threw an orion after her, causing a deep gash on the left of Ciri's face but she ultimately got away from the group.
===Execution===
After the death of Vilgefortz, the Impera Brigade captured him in Stygga Castle. He was declared a traitor, tried, and sentenced to death by hanging on the Millennium Square, despite Vattier de Rideaux's attempts at mercy for him from Emhyr.
== Notes ==
* In , the rope with which Stefan Skellen was hanged is among the various bits of Nilfgaardian paraphernalia collected by Caesar Bilzen and discovered by Geralt during the course of the quest "A Dangerous Game".
* He also appears on a gwent card.
*In David French's translation of the novels, his name is written as "Stephan".
== Gallery ==
Tw3 cardart nilfgaard stefan skellen.png|Gwent card
Stefan Skellen concept art.jpg|Concept art
Tw3 Stefan Skellen rope.png|Stefan Skellen's hanging rope
== References ==
== External links ==
*
cs:Stefan Skellen
de:Stefan Skellen
es:Stefan Skellen
fr:Stefan Skellen
it:Stefan Skellen
pl:Stefan Skellen
pt-br:Stefan Skellen
ru:Стефан Скеллен
uk:Стефан Скеллен
Category:Humans
Category:The Witcher 3 mentioned-only characters
Category:Time of Contempt characters
Category:The Lady of the Lake characters
Category:Sword of Destiny characters
Category:Baptism of Fire characters