Brianna Vassermiller

Brianna Vassermiller ( Circa, 1280 )

 August Van Der Ermius ( domestic partner ) [ According to Nilfgaardian laws ] ( husband ) [According to vampire customs ]
 Saov ( one time lover ) [ rumored ]

### Other

Juan Pablo Vassermiller ( grandfather )
 Roegner Vassermiller ( uncle )
 Ciri ( second cousin )
Syanna (cousin, unknown degree)
Anna Henrietta (cousin, unknown degree)

**Bridget Anna** **Vassermiller ,** better known as **Brianna Vassermiller** or **The Scarlet Sorceress**, **Daerienn aep Gàidh** (The Sorceress of the Garden ) by the Aen Woedde people and **Ulaan Uur Khilen** ( The Red Fury ) by the Haakgian people, was a sorceress and semi-mythical figure of Ebbing folklore, co-founder of the legendary group known as the Hansa of Ebbing together with witcher Cervin, she was also key to the defeat of the Haaki Invasion of 1350 along with other figures like Anika Marsir.

## Biography

### Early life

Brianna was born in the rainy season, which would mark her for the future because of her love for this season. She started with a difficult childhood because her mother, Rosalind, never treated her well because physically she did not look like her nor did she have the same aspirations, she was a negligent and abusive mother to the point of telling her daughter that she wished she had died in childbirth, on the other hand Joan Louise was an absent father who although he loved his children with all his heart always had in his head the responsibility of the crown, until due to war injuries he became lame and had to move to a second plane, one more of a strategist. Eventually Brianna's parents divorced, which was a scandal at court.

In her youth, Brianna was an incredibly idealistic and dreamy individual, qualities she maintained even during the most challenging moments. This conviction led her to a resolute decision at the tender age of 14: she was determined to eradicate the corruption plaguing Ebbing. Over the next two years, she tirelessly worked to persuade her grandfather, Juan Pablo, to allow her to become a mage instead of the queen of Ebbing or a consort queen in a distant kingdom. So, when she turned 16, her persuasive efforts paid off, and her grandfather generously covered the costly tuition at the Imperial Magic Academy. Although Brianna had initially harbored the desire to attend Aretuza, concerns about potential diplomatic issues with Nilfgaard led her grandfather, Juan Pablo, to guide her towards the Imperial Magic Academy instead. This decision, he believed, would provide Brianna with the tools and knowledge needed to become a wise and powerful force capable of addressing and ultimately resolving the issues that were afflicting Ebbing.

This meant that the crown eventually fell to her younger brother Wilson Vassermiller, who after realising the responsibility of carrying the weight of a crown abdicated to his younger sister, Thessa Vassermiller. Brianna became his advisor for most of his reign.

### Time at the Imperial Magic Academy ( 1265 - 1275 )

During her time studying at the academy, Brianna encountered individuals who would become both her friends and formidable adversaries. Among them was Anaïs, who quickly became not only her friend but also her lover. Soon after, Zeus Burkhan Khaldun entered her life, the son of the Great Khan of Haakgan (known mistakenly as Haakland among Nordlings). Zeus had been expelled from Ban Ard and sent to the empire for studies, with speculation suggesting his interest in forbidden magics as the reason for his expulsion.

Zeus's arrival marked the beginning of a romantic relationship with Brianna, initiated after an unpleasant experience with an Ofieri sorceress at the academy. Their relationship endured for a decade, spanning the entirety of Brianna's academic journey. Unfortunately, what started as a promising connection deteriorated into a toxic and abusive dynamic, with Zeus subjecting Brianna to both physical and psychological torment for his own gain, eventually leading to the end of their romantic involvement and Brianna's newfound friendship with Herna of Gemmeria in the final years of her studies.

The courtship between the son of the Great Khan and the former princess of Ebbing received strong support from the Vassermiller family. They saw it as a lucrative opportunity to enhance their business and wealth by exporting Haakgan materials more affordably. This strategic move aimed to compete with Redanian merchants, particularly in the export of silk from the province of Gadny-Gür.

Amidst the complexities of her relationships and studies, Brianna, thanks to Herna of Gemmeria, gained access to the works on hemokinesis by the Melukkan sorceress Chamunda Randhawa. After years of dedicated study, this knowledge eventually led to Brianna being the consequence of the diplomatic incident of 1275 between Nilfgaard and Haakgan. As a result, she faced punishment in the form of arena combat, where she would encounter Cervin. Following these events, Brianna went on to found the Hansa of Ebbing along with the Bear Witcher, who became like a brother to her.

### The Nefandi ( 1273 - 1360 )

At some point after learning about the power of hemokinesis, Brianna met Orlevi Aep Llwanwoch, a mage belonging to the secret mage organization of Chasm Magic scholars known as the Nefandi, who took a keen interest in her due to her perceived "potential." He convinced her to join the organization, and there she began studying ancestral objects related to the Goetia. For some reason, she ended up meeting the demon god, Yrrhedes, with whom she made a deal: the demon god would seek revenge against those who banished him, and in return, she would gain the power to save Ebbing.

Ironically, her deal with the demon god allowed her to write the book known as "Artes prohibitae," an extensive treatise on Chasm Magic, its various types, their effects and consequences, and the reasons not to practice them. All of this was presented from a close and familiar perspective rather than an authoritative and prohibitive one. Later, due to its popularity, it would be cited in the multivolume treatise known as "Ars Magica" in its 60th edition.

During her time in the organization, upon realizing the nefarious plans that the Nefandi had for the world, she decided to remain within the organization and destroy it from within. This goal she would achieve almost entirely, with the exception of one member, Mimit Sova, who survived to attempt experiments on creating a vessel to harness the power of the Cosmic Horror known as Dagon. All of this was thanks to the help of the School of the Cat Witcheress (although not completely mutated), Tubiel of Brenna, who had discovered the Nefandi conspiracy in 1275.

Brianna, without the knowledge of the Hansa to avoid endangering them (with the exception of August), and Tubiel collaborated for five years to put an end to the organization. Unfortunately, Tubiel wouldn't live to see the organization's demise, as she died in 1280. The organization was definitively destroyed many years later by Tubiel's adoptive sister, Jolanta Dinmarb, who killed Mimit in the year 1360. By then, Brianna was the only "member" still alive.

### Ebbing confederation insurrection ( 1265 )

News of the insurrection eventually reached Brianna's ears, profoundly affecting her due to the loss of her grandfather, who, as the king of Ebbing, was one of the commanders of the insurrectionary army, along with other figures such as duke Rudiger from Maecht. This, combined with the unmistakable pro-imperial atmosphere at the Loc Grim academy, subjected her to enduring bullying for a while. Herna of Gemmeria seized this opportunity to get close to her and attempt to corrupt her, with the goal of gaining access to the top echelons of power in Ebbing and replacing her to carry out a coup d'état, especially since Ebbing was entering a transitional period after the death of Juan Pablo. Herna believed that mages should govern rather than serve as counselors, and she was willing to make this idea a reality. Although this scenario never materialized, it inspired the mixed sorceress to aspire to more.

The closeness between the two sorceresses, while not evolving into a friendship, did result in them becoming relatively close figures. They corresponded and kept in touch through a megascope for a time. Ironically, this connection would have a positive influence on Brianna in the long run. During this period, Brianna also formed close bonds with different mages from Geso and Maecht, who, like her, began to suffer bullying because of the failed insurrection.

### Diplomatic incident ( 1275 )

Due to her position among the Imperial aristocracy, Brianna could have assumed roles such as her sister Thessa's advisor and the head of the Ebbing Merchants Guild directly after her graduation. However, during this time, due to her newfound status, she instead sought a future husband for her younger sister to create an alliance that would benefit Ebbing as much as possible. Brianna's relationship with one of the sons of the Great Khan propelled her to the top, allowing her to hobnob with the Emperor and his closest associates. Because of this, she tried to arrange possible marriages with foreign monarchs for her sister.

She attempted to arrange a union with Zerrikania, but after the fall of the School of the Manticore and thus the failed attempt at marriage between the prince of Zerrikania and the princess of Metinna, coupled with the dictatorial status that the country had under the reign of the sorceress queen Merineaevelth, prevented it. She also attempted to arrange a marriage for her sister with a monarch from the region where Zeus was from, but the expansionist plans of the future Great Khan to conquer territories such as Qunlun, once he ascended to power after his father's death, prevented her from doing so.

So, during a diplomatic council between representatives of Nilfgaard and what the Nordlings and Nilfgaardians knew as Haakland, the sorceress found Zeus Burkhan Khaldun with a lover from Ofir, Dayo, one of the concubines gifted by Nibras during Zeus visit to the country in 1274. The woman entered a state of maximum anxiety and rage. Brianna wounded them both to the point of leaving Zeus with a permanent limp and his lover with a scar on her face. As a result, she was charged with the death penalty. However, Emhyr, aiming to avoid another insurrection due to the state of the Nilfgaardian army after the Third Northern War and the problems he faced in the Imperial Court, offered her the punishment of becoming a fighter in the reconstructed arena of Claremont. It was there that she met Cervin, and shortly afterward, they founded the Hansa of Ebbing.

### The Nilfgaardian Arena

Unlike Cervin, who, due to his mutant status and being sold as a slave, spent a month fighting for his life in the arena, Brianna was thrust straight into being an employed gladiatrix in the final of that year's Imperial Gladiator Tournament, held in Ebbing as a way for Emhyr to punish Brianna for having destroyed the diplomatic relations between Nilfgaard and Haakland, and to remind her that Ebbing, de facto, was not as independent as she would like it to be. Bought by the Aep Brelchlohn family, she was to be used to support its major asset, namely Cervin, and thus win the tournament. During the journey from Skellige to Ebbing, Cervin had tried to escape but failed. Ironically, this failure benefited him in the long run as he met Brianna.

The relationship at the beginning between Brianna and Cervin was, we could say, rough, to say the least. Neither difficult nor easy. This was primarily due to Cervin, who, due to his upbringing as a School of the Bear Witcher, lacked the necessary social skills, fitting the Nordling stereotype of an outcast and pariah of witchers, and especially the stereotypes associated with his witcher school. Additionally, due to the betrayal he had suffered, he was mistrustful of sorceresses. However, as they fight together in the arena, they grew increasingly close, to the point that, over time, they came to consider each other as siblings.

In the arena, they participated in a spectacle that combined not only fights against other gladiators, some of them very well known, such as Kullo and Verusio, but also naval battles, fights against monsters, such as vigilosaurs, and battles on difficult terrain, like marshlands. All of this was made possible with the help of sorcerers who overcame the technical difficulties. Given that it was not only the final but also featured the presence of important figures such as the Emperor himself, it became a grand spectacle. They ultimately emerged victorious, winning the 100th annual Nilfgaardian gladiatorial tournament and taking the title of champions, securing their freedom with the prizes awarded.

Two statues were built in their honor. However, over time, Cervin's statue was lost, and only Brianna's statue was found during excavations in the distant year of 1850.

### Traveling with Cervin

Once they got their freedom, Cervin and Brianna, despite getting along quite well, were on the verge of parting ways. Mostly because Cervin wanted to continue his solitary life as a witcher and not "bother" the sorceress. But the loss of his swords, which had been sold by the Aep Brelchlohn to pay for Cervin's registration for the Imperial Gladiator Tournament, prevented him from doing so. Cervin lacked the money or the contacts to order swords as unique as his lost witcher's swords. Brianna, on the other hand, did not, and after the sorceress offered to help him get new ones, and he reluctantly accepted her help, they began to travel together.

Their first joint endeavor was to procure a silver sword for Cervin, a task that proved challenging during visits to various blacksmiths, as none of them managed to convince the Bear Witcher. It was only upon reaching Ebbing capital that their fortunes changed. There, they encountered a hawmin master blacksmith named Euquerio Stromholz, who successfully persuaded Cervin after seeing his work in the Annual Ebbing Blacksmiths Tournament. Euquerio offered not only to craft the silver sword but also to fashion an armor set and a steel sword if they helped him obtain the necessary materials. Since the blacksmith's caravan had fallen victim to bandit attacks during its journey to the capital, leaving Euquerio as the sole survivor but without anything to work on, Brianna and Cervin agreed to assist with his problem. They swiftly resolved the issue by killing the bandits and gathering the required materials. After their return, Euquerio, true to his word and after a few days (that Brianna took to visit her family), presented Cervin with what would become his iconic sword, the "Reach of the Damned," an elven steel sword, and the "Armor of a Thousand Flowers," crafted from Dol Blathanna diagrams recovered from the assaulted caravan. It was a significant act, the first of many that the Hansa of Ebbing (even before its official establishment) would do for the kingdom. Thus, embarking on their journey to become the semi-mythical figures that they would be.

### Creating the Hansa of Ebbing ( 1275 - 1276 )

There are many versions of how the Hansa of Ebbing came about and how it became part of the collective mind of the people, not only in Ebbing (which was the region where they helped people the most) but also in surrounding regions such as Metinna, Nazair, and Maecht. However, their exploits also reached the duchies of Toussaint and Vinland, and if the latest legends are true, as far as Barsa and the Far South region of Skepimos (however, unlike the renowned Golden Griffin and the mage and explorer Finn Thordvison, no one was able to verify their presence there). The only thing the different tales agree on is the order in which the members joined.

#### The Duke of Neveugen

Brianna and Cervin were the first, followed by August, a Higher Vampire belonging to the Ammurun tribe, who was exiled to the Old Continent along with his family, and later in his life became the duke of the region of Neveugen (not to be confused with Dominik Bombastus Houvenaghel, who became mayor of the city of the same name in 1301). Subordinate to the Vassermiller family, he held territories near the border with Maecht, dedicated to protecting it so that the small skirmishes that arose between this province of Metinna and Ebbing did not escalate.

The story of August is complicated and extensive. Although he was young by vampiric standards, he had lived a lot. If we go far back in time, there are sources that even depict him as a mercenary participant in the wars that Nilfgaard waged against the various taifas of the Barsa region during its first expansion, and the so-called Reconquest which aimed to reclaim what once belonged to the empire of Nilfgaard's ancestors, the Aen Nílfe. Some say that he even governed one of these Barsamen kingdoms quite efficiently until, after the war, the taifa was completely incorporated, and its government was completely ceded to the then republic. In a nutshell, he spent most of his years travelling from Kovir as far away as Eastern Barsa ( in fact, the maps that the Nilfgaardians have of the region of Barsa were made by him with such precision that they only need in the future minor adjustments), exercising various trades until he finally made Ebbing his home. Despite being a corrupt place, August loved that kingdom with all his soul and ended up forging a dukedom and forging an alliance with the Van Moorlehem (whom August himself would call "cousins" to feel a little less lonely).

August spent his younger years with his clan until he fell in love for the first time with a Higher Vampire. Those tender years of vampiric "childhood" started to become hell as the vampire demanded blood every day, a prospect August did not relish. Finally, that relationship ended in a two-year-long fight, during which August had to regenerate his heart, as the vampire had ripped it out along with part of his inner organs. This, combined with his unsuccessful defense alongside his family of the vrans of the Western Continent (since they believed that both could coexist), attempting to avoid the genocide that the vampires perpetrated against the lizardmen (resulting in his and his family's condemnation to exile by the rest of the Ammurun), led him to make the decision to cross the Great Sea and travel to the Old Continent searching for a new life far from his tribe.

August was a rather humanitarian figure among vampires—humanitarian in an authentic sense, unlike the case of Orianna, for example. This had earned him exile along with his family (and it would take several centuries before it was finally discovered by humans) from the Western Continent. Similar to figures like Regis or Mikhail (better known as Saint Michael by the people of Cidaris), he believed that the role of higher vampires was not to remain indifferent to humanity and other sentient races, nor to use them solely as cattle. Instead, he believed in helping and occasionally guiding them (in that sense, he was less paternalistic than Mikhail).

Brianna and Cervin would meet August in 1275 in the library of Neveugen's capital after he returned to the duchy from helping in Beauclair during the Night of the Long Fangs. Regis had called upon him since they both knew each other to defend the humans of Beauclair from the vampires commanded by Dettlaff. As a plan B, knowing the natural charisma that August possessed despite being a tlesvl eslešat (a dishonored one, translated from the vampire language, an "outcast" who had not regained his status, so to speak), he was also called to attempt to convince Orianna in case the initial plan to find Syanna failed for some reason.

Brianna and Cervin were present in the library because they were researching the second coming of the Catriona plague after both had spent a season dealing with an excess of Plague Maidens. It would be there where the paths of the three would cross. August would kindly offer them his help and knowledge, for in his long life (by 1275, he was approximately 275 years old, having been born at the beginning of the 10th century and being very young when he came to the Old Continent), he had exercised multiple professions. From a mercenary to a ruler, philosopher, and even a cartographer (helping figures such as Markus Hohlenberg and the aforementioned Finn Thordvison in their exploration and mapping work), among many other professions.

Cervin, like with Brianna initially during their time in the arena, did not trust August. In this case, he thought August was "too good a person" to be a nobleman. However, due to how well Brianna and August got along, Cervin reluctantly let go of his suspicions and accepted August into the group, although he remained suspicious of August´s intentions to cure the people of Neveugen. Initially, his skepticism was rooted in Ebbing's endemic corruption, but later, he began to suspect August might be a monster, specifically a vampire (a suspicion that would prove correct), who wanted to use the people as a stock, although it would take time to confirm.

That night also marked the first occasion when August felt the need to call Brianna "Rhena," a nickname once carried by a certain distant relative of hers. The vampire would later resignify and affectionately give her this nickname in the future, unaware at the time that she was the true heir to the throne of Ebbing.

The confirmation for Cervin would come once the plague problem was (at least until Keira's cure, which would take years to come) alleviated, when August invited them to lunch at his palace on a sunny late summer day that year, and Cervin, returning from the latrines, noticed that August had no shade, which became the last confirmation he needed, drawing the silver sword and putting it around August's neck before sitting down at the table with lunch already set.

Cervin's eyes narrowed, fixated on August, waiting for an explanation. The vampire, unfazed, calmly began to recount part of his life story, revealing the intricacies of his journey and the struggles he faced. As the conversation unfolded, Cervin couldn't help but feel a growing sense of understanding and empathy towards the Higher Vampire, realizing that appearances could be deceiving, even when it came to creatures of the night.

The lunch became a pivotal moment in their relationship. August's sincerity and the depth of his experiences gradually thawed Cervin's distrust. After that, much like in the case of another white-haired witcher and a vampire, they became good friends.

He was an intelligent man, more for his age than for his academic experiences (which as already mentioned, he also had), his clan, the Ammurun drank little human blood as there was a shortage of humans on the continent where they lived having to consume vran blood, which, compared to human blood, was worse and more difficult to obtain, which ended in the aforementioned genocide that August tried to stop, when the vampires got fed up with the vran civilization that the future Nordling colonists of Fabiola would nickname "The Valley of the Ancient Reptiles". August may have looked like a weak and easily killed superior vampire, but he was fifteenth in the line of succession in the vampire hierarchy.

August used to dress in dark brown leather trousers, boots, a shirt and a black coat, giving him the look of an adventurer. In his human form, his hair was slightly long and he adorns his face with gold-rimmed glasses that give him a more human look, or so he thought. If he could have chosen a trade for all his life without gettin bored, August would have chosen to be a cartographer or historian as he loved maps, laws and the ancient history of the places he visited.

He had a standard Koviri accent which he adquired during the time he spent in the kingdom, although over the years he managed to soften it a bit too much and had almost adopted the standard Ebbinger accent.

Eventually, August and Brianna would fell in love, and would get married. With a marriage that will last thirty-six years (wedding which, depending on the Hansa story, would be more people or less. With some tales, saying that even, the Lady of Time and Space, was present at the wedding) What is known for sure, is that if not all members of the Hansa, the majority of them were present at the ceremony. Their marriage could have lasted longer, but unfortunately, August was notified of a civil war among his people and was compelled to return, with the hope, that he could help change things, and make his vampire culture better than in the past.

#### The Wood Elf

Soon after, Aëte, an Aen Woedde elf (though they called themselves Aen Mait, "The Free People"), would join the group. This occurred when Brianna, Cervin, and August, traveling through the interior of Ebbing, were mistakenly assaulted by a group of Aen Woedde led by the aforementioned Aëte. Feeling cornered as they were pursued by mercenaries hired by the corrupt elite of Ebbing, who believed them to be possessors of mythical riches such as the philosopher's stone, they decided to go on the offensive, despite their more peaceful nature compared to their Aen Seidhe cousins by that time.

Aëte was born in one of the boggy forests of Ebbing. She was a warrior, her favorite weapons being a bow and arrows, followed by a pair of daggers hidden in her boots. Her daggers were relics from a time when the Aen Nílfe and Aen Woedde didn't split into two cultures due to the question of slavery. She always wore baggy clothes so that she could be mistaken for a man, hiding her chest. She covered her head and ears with a hooded cloak of a beautiful leaf-green color.

It is also said that, physically, she could sometimes be mistaken for an Aen Manche. Exposed to the sun, it was said that she acquired a tanned skin, which contrasted with her blonde hair and made her look like one of this exiled group of elves.

Fortunately, they were saved thanks to Brianna, who had known the elf since her teenage years when they became best friends after getting lost in the woods while she was going to relieve herself. This incident occurred during a visit to Cintra when the Ebbing Royal Crown carriage suffered an accident, and they had to change the wheel. It was during this period that Brianna met Aëte, and they formed a strong bond, since Aëte helped Brianna return to her family. After that, they never lost contact, and in fact, during her time at court, Brianna became a notable defender of the elves, actively opposing the more Nordling-minded factions within the aristocracy of Ebbing who sought to subject them to a pogrom, like the Great Cleansing that had occurred in Aedirn many years prior.

However, despite the pleasant encounter, Aëte would not immediately join the Hansa. It would only be after they had dealt with the issue plaguing her people that she would join the group. To achieve this, the Hansa split into two, with one group, consisting of August and Brianna, handling the more political aspect of the matter, and the other, comprised of Cervin and Aëte, taking care of the more violent side. It was in this way that Cervin, despite his reserved nature, formed a friendship with Aëte, who managed to strike up a conversation and grow close to him. As an interesting note, due to his partly elven heritage, Aëte initially mistook him for a witcher of the School of the Cat, for whom she had some appreciation, having helped in the past with bandit issues in Ebbing affecting both human and elven populations. It wasn't until Cervin demonstrated his bear-style combat that Aëte realized she was mistaken.

She was very fond of music but couldn't play any instruments, so she often spent her free time drawing with Brianna or listening to Cervin's songs (since the Bear had a short musical talent besides his hard Bear Witcher upbringing). Her hair was so blonde that it looked white but shone like the sun, and her eyes were a dark honey color. She wore hardly any makeup, yet she was a beautiful woman. In time, she would become the leader of the village where most of the Aen Woedde people in Ebbing resided (since they were in all Nilfgaardian forests) because, as the Heroine of Ebbing, she had protected that place and that village countless times.

After Cervin and Aëte finished with the problem of the mercenaries, they would meet again with August and Brianna at the same point where they had been mistakenly assaulted, to be informed that, at least on the political side, the issue was not solved. The elites who had hired the mercenaries had fled to Nazair, waiting for all the elves to be killed so that the crown of Ebbing could not retaliate against them, as there would not be enough evidence to link them.

And that would be how Aëte would join the Hansa, supposedly temporarily, but finally staying. The Hansa then, would set course to Nazair, where they would put an end to the problem once and for all, and also, they would meet the next member to join.

#### The Seductress

The tale of how Coshunee (or Nee for the members of the Hansa) joined the Hansa of Ebbing is amusing, at least in most versions of the later group myth. The most popular one recounts that once the group reached the shores of Nazair, specifically its new capital, Nova Assengard (or Assengard Ur in Nilfgaardian), and dispelled the corrupt elites of Ebbing who had sought refuge there after gathering more evidence and reporting them to the governor of the province. In return, they received a generous reward (since killing elves who had done nothing was punishable by law, unlike in the Northern Realms). They decided to stay for a while, each for different reasons—Aëte contemplating what useful items she could buy for her people, Brianna dealing with matters related to the fall of the Nefandi, August checking on Regis's emotional state (who, after Detlaff's death, had spent some time with a close friend and had gone to Nazair to take care of the vampire's affairs, including Detlaff's home and Toy Shop), and Cervin, being a witcher, looking for some work, which he would find.

This is how ***Pellgledd Arth*** (an affectionate nickname Aëte had given to Cervin, "Bear of the Far North," as his hair, along with his witcher school, reminded her of the Far North bears' skins that occasionally reached Ebbing through trade) would come across Coshunee after one of the messengers of the provincial governor found him and called him to the palace. There, the governor explained to him that there was a succubus in the city causing trouble. The succubus had been seducing all the men and women in the region for some time, and no one had been able to stop her, and now she was in the capital.

Cervin accepted the job, though charging the governor a high fee because dealing with sentient beings was always a nuisance for him. It wasn't as simple as going, killing the monster, and collecting the reward, especially with a succubus. There were too many factors involved, such as listening to the "monster's" side of the story.

So, Cervin got down to work and started investigating. It was a tedious and boring task, mainly because he had to interrogate many affected individuals, both men and women. He also realized that he couldn't kill Coshunee since the succubus hadn't killed anyone. Had she broken marriages and relationships? Yes, many, but she hadn't killed anyone. Thus, he didn't have justification to draw his silver sword and simply end her, as a ranger from the Northern Realms would do with any non-human. Cervin decided to continue investigating.

After several interrogations, he realized that she belonged to the subspecies of succubi that lacked goat legs, and therefore, she could blend more easily into society. This made the job more challenging but interesting at the same time.

Therefore, Cervin continued his investigation with determination until he finally found her, and the amusing part of the whole story began. Once located, Cervin, opting for a more diplomatic approach, warned her that she had to stop, or she would get into trouble. However, Coshunee paid no heed, finding amusement in Cervin's "paternalistic" attitude, which, coupled with his exotic appearance, led her to attempt to seduce him, as she had done with many other men and women.

Despite Cervin's mutant physiology and, consequently, heightened libido, he resisted Coshunee's charms. He ignored his body's reactions, maintaining a cold demeanor. Ironically, this only fueled the succubus's infatuation with him and started a story of intriguing interactions between the two.

Cervin remained steadfast, even as Coshunee persistently tested his resolve with her beguiling wiles. The succubus, intrigued by the unusual challenge presented by the stoic witcher, found herself drawn to him in more ways than one. The dance between them became a delicate interplay of words, desires, and a mutual curiosity that neither had anticipated.

As Cervin delved deeper into the succubus's background, he discovered a complex tale of her struggles and challenges. Coshunee, it seemed, was not merely a malicious seductress but a being caught between the expectations of her kind and a desire for a different existence. The stories she shared with Cervin painted a picture of a misunderstood creature navigating a world that perceived her as nothing more than a threat.

Intrigued by the nuances of her story, Cervin, like with August back in the day, began to see beyond the stereotype of a monster. He realized that the succubus was not inherently malevolent but rather a product of her own circumstances. This revelation added a layer of complexity to his task, as he grappled with the moral dilemma of fulfilling the governor's request to eliminate Coshunee.

The witcher's encounters with Coshunee became a series of conversations that extended beyond the mere professional exchange of information. They discussed morality, the nature of monsters, and the intricacies of coexistence in a world divided by prejudice. Cervin found himself questioning the predetermined judgments he had carried into the investigation.

Despite the mutual understanding that developed between them, the situation remained fraught with tension. Coshunee, while appreciating Cervin's unique perspective, continued her seductive attempts, fascinated by the challenge of breaking through the emotional barriers of a witcher. Cervin, in turn, maintained his focus on finding a resolution that would satisfy both the governor's concerns and his own evolving sense of justice.

Feeling powerless and unsure of what to do, Cervin turned to the help of the makeshift family he had unintentionally formed. Seeking their assistance to resolve the succubus problem, Brianna, followed by August, and finally Aëte, joined Cervin's contract, attempting to aid the witcher in solving the succubus issue and, consequently, getting to know Coshunee.

Together, the problem was resolved as the perspectives of the other members led to a solution that would not only benefit the succubus but also prevent the inhabitants of Nova Assengard from suffering further due to the harm caused unknowingly by the succubus. Thus, they chose to stage her death by cutting off one of her horns. Cervin delivered the severed horn to the governor, accompanied by August, as evidence of her supposed demise, with August helping Cervin to convince the governor of the succubus's faked death. After that, they decided to take her with them until they found a place where she could thrive peacefully without causing harm to anyone. Interestingly, they didn't find it, at least not in a physical sense for a long time, as, like Aëte, the succubus soon became another member of the Hansa of Ebbing.

Her hair was as red as fire and glowed with an unearthly intensity; her eyes were emerald green unless she used her powers, at which point they turned amber. She normally wore an amulet given to her by Brianna that made her look human, but when he removed the amulet, you could see one of her horns, as she never recovered the lost one.

Depending on the myth, it is said that Coshunee eventually managed to seduce Cervin on a few occasions. However, this was probably more of an embellishment by the bards than anything else. For there would be a future member of the Hansa who would truly capture the heart of the seemingly cold Bear Witcher.

She died at the hands of the former School of the Viper Witcher, Vonir, because he thought she was evil and was going to wreak havoc for Dun Dare. That happened in the year 1291; her friends only found Coshunee's corpse in the cave where the succubus would eventually lived. Vonir would die one year later.

#### The Bard

The last to arrive was Elia Aep Bullogh, a bard from Fano, who joined the group in 1276 during their journey to Vinland. She was killed by Erzsébet Bathory, the so-called "Red Duchess", and became one of her last victims. It is said that her work was preserved thanks to August, who sent copies of her compositions and lyrics to the Imperial Archives in Nilfgaard.

An accurate description of what it was like, was given by Putnam Pitch, during several of interviews he had after retiring as a grandmaster from the School of the Crane ( due to being one of the oldest known persons, only behind Adalwulf of Aedirn and some sorcerers ). Who met her in 1275, thus allowing songs as well known as The Eagle and the Cat (a ballad about the romance of Putnam and Tubiel) to be created.

Other notable works were The Blue Bears ( a song about Cervin ) which has served as one of the most reliable descriptions of the mutant. Followed by that of the poet Eurico de Jugo, also chronicler of Brianna's Sister's reign. All that glitters is not gold ( a ballad about Aëte ), and They won't move us (a children's song, about some kids who didn't want to get off a fishing boat in Ebbing) which became extremely popular, and for a long time, due to so many versions, it was considered anonymous.

#### Other notable but lesser-known members

Based on the ballads, some temporary members were Runa (although it is said that she was more attached to Cervin), Saov ( the rebel elf that Cervin met some time ago and with whom Brianna is said to have had an affair ), Svetlana ( a sorceress, who is said to have learned to wield the ability to stand between the world of the living and the dead. Although only a legend, there are records of her name, but not this ability) and on which, the histories that have lasted over time, do not agree, whether it was with the Hansa of Ebbing, only with Cervin or with both. And finally, Ekkeg, a rare Coral Troll turned into a slave, which the Hansa of Ebbing freed. Brought by Zangvebarian traders accompanied by his pet wombat to serve as cheap labor in the mines and a rarity to exhibit. The stories tell that everyone adopted him and took care of him, as if he were their little brother, until finally, he became a legendary trader, along with his exotic pet. Thus recovering the color of the corals he carried on his back. For many years, his existence was denied, until the bones of his pet were found in the ruins of Garden Tower, one of the known residences of the Scarlet Sorceress.

### Adventures with the Hansa

#### The Red Duchess of Vinland ( 1276 )

The **Hansa of Ebbing**'s adventures were many. But none of them, were so famous as their encounter with the Red Duchess of Vinland. A Nosferatu vampire, who had hidden in the nobility, as the wife of one of the dukes of Vinland, and who had murdered many people.

There are three versions of what happened:

The first one says that the **Hansa of Ebbing** was hired by a group of nobles, who were being persecuted by the duchess, to save a young woman who she was going to be killed.

The second one says that they were hired by a group of villagers who were being persecuted by the duchess, and that they saved a young woman who she was going to turn into a vampire **( this is for sure, the false version, since, vampires are unable to convert others )**

The third one, is that they were hired by a group of villagers who were being persecuted by the duchess, and that they saved a young woman who she was going to be killed. But that this one was the bastard daughter of a nobleman and the only one who survived a massacre.

The three versions agree that after defeating the duchess and killing her, from that moment, they were considered heroes by the people of Vinland.

#### The Ebbing Killer ( 1280 )

The Ebbing Killer is one of the least likely myths surrounding the Hansa to have occurred. It is said to have been a series of murders, which took place in the summer of that year. Which the Hansa of Ebbing investigated, due to the enormous number of deaths they left behind and accidentally led the group to travel to the distant land of Barsa. More specifically to Marad. There they discovered that the assassin had been sent by a group of rebels, with the intention of murdering nilfgaardian nobles who were summering in the province and thus weakening the power of the empire-occupied lands of Barsa and liberating them.

#### The Malakian Curse ( 1285 )

Although there are records that there was, as such, an epidemic of people trapped in nightmares in Ebbing during those years. There are no records of how it was resolved.

Official sources say, by sorcerers sent by the emperor himself. But if we go to folklore, especially to myths and legends, the Hansa of Ebbing appears again, in another of its journeys. On this occasion, even crossing the sea, to reach the Far South. More specifically to the region of the Free Lands and in these, to the kingdom of Malaki.

According to this version of the story, we do have, as such, an origin of the curse. Since it would be a curse placed by the king of Malaki, after his daughter was raped by an Ebbinger mage during her studies in the Nilfgaardian Empire. Enraged, he cast a curse, that by such humiliation of his daughter, he would plunge the whole of Nilfgaard into an eternal nightmare from which they would never awaken. That, as if it were a disease, would spread.

Then, the Hansa of Ebbing, for their services to the empire, performed five years earlier, would be sent there. There, they would confront the king, who would force them to help them with different problems their nation had in exchange for lifting the curse.

This can be verified, with Malakis sources. Although there, only the stories of Brianna in political intrigues and Cervin, under the name of **Fík** ( like in Melukka ) together with August ( depending on the story ) dealing with monsters such as the curse one known as Zahhak, the Urmen and the huge Aidakhar have survived.

#### Death of Coshunee ( 1296 )

This was the first step in the gradual disappearance of the group. Although they had been together for a long time, by the end of the 13th century they had been separated for a few months. Resolving various issues of a more personal nature, this resulted in the group's succubus being pursued by a sorcerer (thought to be of the School of the Viper, though others speak of the School of the Rat or the School of the Fox) and killed after a contract was imposed on her. So when the group tried to reunite, it was too late for her.

This hit them hard, causing a split and a longer separation. With Aëte and Cervin going one way and Brianna and August going the other. Aëte trying to stop Cervin from avenging her friend, and Brianna doing the same to August, who, for the first time in a long time, was furious. Eventually, Cervin would find the one responsible, and along with other stories, it is said that this is where his bad relationship with the Cats and the Vipers came from. Although the identity of the sorcerer who murdered her friend, and his school of belonging, has never been proven.

### "Death" of August ( 1311 )

In the year 1311, after thirty-six years of accompanying Brianna and the Hansa of Ebbing, August would be notified of wars in his lands, which would cause him to return and perish far from his beloved. The remains of the Hansa of Ebbing would move to live in the so-called Garden Tower, a tower that Brianna would build with her magic, a tower where she would be locked up for almost 220 years without any contact with the outside world.

Lady Katrina Van Der Ermius, his mother, notified Brianna that her son was unaccounted for and the vampire's title passed to the sorceress by right of marriage. The news saddened the sorceress so much that it would usher in The Great Demon Age in Ebbing.

August's essence was embodied in the old Van Der Ermius castle, and it was not until 1461, when Brianna was 212 years old, that the sorceress met a Superior Vampire called Aramis who had known August and had been his follower years before. She told him what had happened and Aramis went in search of any clue that would lead him to August, and after five years of recovery August "came back to life" (a similar process that Regis underwent with Dettlaff).

### The Great Demon Age in Ebbing (1311 - 1466)

After decades Brianna was left alone in the world, Queen Thessa died of old age in her bed, Wildson died in her grandparents' vineyard, her nephews became kings and her nephews' sons, and their sons... in time, although Brianna continued to watch over that lineage Vassermiller realised that everything had changed, and that she was "Brianna", only "Brianna".

Over time Brianna and the use of haemokinesis would corrupt her to the point of arousing the interest of Yrrhedes, the demon god, who would appoint Brianna as his herald and use her as he saw fit to seek revenge on those who banished him hundreds of years ago, which would cause Brianna, trying to stop the out of control Yrrhedes and moved by infinite grief, to attempt suicide on more than one occasion, so one not too memorable day and carrying the sorrow of having lost too many along the way, the sorceress decided to unite with her sorceress and her witch, the sorceress decided to join her husband in eternity, she returned to Ebbing castle where she saw what she believed to be the ghost of her husband and she herself let herself be carried away until she "died", the truth is that that strong depression had made her delirious enough to believe that all her loved ones returned from the dead to accompany her but only her body had decided to "hibernate" to regain strength. Runa and Cervin cared for the sleeping body of the sorceress for years until finally after almost three years of slumber, she awoke and resumed her life in the countryside with Cervin and Runa who now lived in the tower and her ladies Lanwe and Clarabelle who had been Brianna's ladies since she built the tower.

The Great Demon Age came to an end the moment Aramis and August returned to the Garden Tower (late 1466).

## Gaps in her story and rumours ( 1280 - 1285 / 1285 - 1296 / 1296 - 1311 )

Like any mythical or semi-mythical figure, there are years and moments in her history that are not recorded. This eventually gave way to theories, rumours, legends, etc...

The most important, and the one that attracts the most attention.  Unpopular in Ebbing, but popular in "rival provinces" such as Gemmeria. It is during these gaps in Brianna's story that the Scarlet Sorceress joined the organisation known as the Nefandi. Many say that in order to gain more power and thus eradicate future corruption in Ebbing, while others say that, affected by the death of so many people close to her, whom she considered family, she decided to unite in order to protect those who remained of the Hansa. In any case, the truth can never be known.

Other, crazier rumours and legends suggest that Brianna spent some time travelling between worlds with her second cousin Ciri. Which would explain those gaps perfectly. Others, less positive, say that she was travelling between worlds, but to participate in the conflict the Nefandi had with the Grigori.

Going to some of those present in popular songs. They say that it was during one of these periods that Cervin would introduce Saov to Brianna, and romance ensued. According to some stories, it was secret, while others say it was already one given August's disappearance, though not his death.

Speaking of romances, those that speak of love affairs and love triangles between the different members are also to be taken into account. Since they were very popular, among several authors, in addition to appearing in The second volume of *Fairy Tales and Stories.* Although it is more likely that they were simply the exaggerations of bards, which were distorted by word of mouth and the passage of time.

## The Haaki Invasion ( 1350 )

One of the few records that allow us to verify the existence of the sorceress. Brianna suffered the Invasion the most, due to her previous relationship with the Great Khan. Like many others, she suffered the first defeats at the hands of the invaders. She was forced to protect her great-nephews and nieces and as many of Ebbing's people as she could, leading the refugees who would march to the North.

Eventually, with the improved chances of victory, Brianna would become a key part of the Council of Daevon. Which led to the Northen Front and the subsequent victory against the invaders. For more information, visit the article of *The Battle of Mahakam*.

## Physical appearance

Due to the different treatment that mages received in Nilfgaard, especially at the academy she attended, Loc Grim, Brianna contrasted physically with the typical image that a Nordling, Ofieri, or Zerrikanian, among others, might have of a sorceress. In that sense, she was quite different, much like the famous Isbel aep Muir Moss during the Second Northern War, although unlike Isbel, she did undergo the usual anti-aging treatment. She was beautiful, but within the beauty standards prevalent in the Lower Alba region, where women with a curvier and red-haired appearance were considered attractive ( this last one was something relatively rare to see in the imperial capital). This was in contrast to the Northern Realms, where more emphasis was placed on the "perfect" bodies of sorceresses. In Nilfgaard, these curvier bodies were considered "blessed by the Great Sun," a sign of fertility, abundance, etc.

Her natural beauty, in fact, allowed her to make some key contacts by attracting attention at the academy. It would only be after completing her studies that she made some subtle adjustments using magical surgery, with the intention of catching the eye of potential Nordling diplomats when they came to Ebbing, making it easier to persuade them.

## Notes

* The story of Juan Pablo Vassermiller in Brianna's article deviates from what is presented in The Witcher 1, where Juan Pablo appears, for the simple reason that it makes more sense for him to have perished in the insurrection than to still be alive in 1271, since Ebbing could have sent any other representative of the same relevance to the banquet.

## Trivia

* Artes prohibitae was a real book written by Johannes Hartlieb in 1456.
* The reference to Emhyr's decision seeks to combine the canonical ending of The Witcher 3, i.e. the one on which the Gwent Iron Judgment expansion bases its story, with one of the possible endings for Emhyr in TW3, in which he is killed by his court, mixed with the canonical ending he has in the books, in which he dies in the year 1290.
* The hawmins are a reference to the havlins from the webcomic *Alfie* by InCaseArt, which, in turn, are a nod to halflings or hobbits from D&D and LOTR. The hawmins, in this case, would be the result of a mix between gnomes and elves or gnomes and half-elves. The idea of including them has not only been as an Easter egg or homage but also because, although not confirmed, the possibility of half-gnomes exists in The Witcher. They are also, a reference to the svergs who appeared in the Hussite Trilogy by Andrzej Sapkowski.