Radovid V

Radovid V
Type	Character
Location	Redania
DLC	Base game
Also known as	The Stern

Radovid V, called the Stern, is the King of Redania. He leads the North's war against Nilfgaard and his witch hunters persecute mages across the land. Geralt meets him aboard his flagship at Oxenfurt in the quest A Favor for Radovid. Radovid may die in the quest Reason of State, and his fate decides who rules the North at the end of the game.

Lore

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Radovid's father, King Vizimir, was murdered when Radovid was still young. His mother, Hedwig of Malleore, and a Regency Council ruled in his place. The young Radovid soon seized power for himself. He took revenge on everyone who had shown him disrespect. He forced all his possible political rivals to swear allegiance to him or face death. It did not take him long to prove himself a hard and ruthless ruler, fully deserving the name "the Stern".

Radovid wages war on Nilfgaard, and also on mages, whom he sees as the root of all evil. He does everything he can to gain control of the Free City of Novigrad. Its fleet and treasury could tip the war in his favor.

Story

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Geralt's meeting with Radovid confirms the rumors about the king's mind. Radovid is a dangerous madman, lost in a world of disturbing visions. That does not make him any less intelligent or cunning. He manipulates his opponents like a skilled puppet master.

Radovid has hated the sorceress Philippa Eilhart since his earliest childhood. Rumor says he has prepared a special torture just for her. Radovid summons Geralt and asks him to track Philippa down and bring her back.

Radovid's terror has made enemies, allies and even his own subjects long for his death. Sigismund Dijkstra, Vernon Roche and Thaler plot to kill him, and they ask Geralt to join them. Their plan uses Radovid's hatred for Philippa as bait. Philippa gives Geralt King Vizimir's ring as proof. Radovid leaves the safety of his flagship to capture her, and rides with Geralt to the bridge to Temple Isle. There Geralt's cheek angers the king, and he orders the witcher's death. Geralt escapes the axe only because Roche and his men strike. Radovid almost gets away, but Philippa appears from a house at the end of the bridge. She blinds him with a powder and stabs him in the back.

If Geralt never takes part in the plot, Radovid lives. He defeats the Nilfgaardian invaders and drives them back south. After the war his purges go on. Mages, nonhumans and even healers face persecution, or worse.

Relationships

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Philippa Eilhart is the target of Radovid's deepest hatred, and in one outcome she is his killer. Emhyr var Emreis is his enemy in the war. Dijkstra, Roche and Thaler conspire against him.

Quests

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Quest	Type	Location
A Deadly Plot	Secondary Quest	Novigrad
An Eye for an Eye	Secondary Quest	Novigrad
A Favor for Radovid	Main Quest	Novigrad
Redania's Most Wanted	Secondary Quest	Novigrad
Reason of State	Secondary Quest	Novigrad

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