All The Thaumaturge Salutors Explained

The Thaumaturge is a turn-based role-playing game set in Warsaw in 1905. Players take on the role of Wiktor, a thaumaturge, that is, a person who is able to stay in contact with supernatural beings from which he is able to absorb powers. These beings are called Salutors. The Thaumaturge Salutors are different and refer to some historical and folklore figures. In fact, the whole story of the game, as said by the developers themselves, borrows a lot from the local legends. In this article, therefore, we will show you what The Thaumaturge Salutors are and their characteristics.

The Thaumaturge Salutors Listed

As we have already said previously, The Thaumaturge Salutors are supernatural, esoteric beings who cannot be seen by anyone but only by those with particular powers. These are, in reality, what in other media are described as ghosts, ghouls, vampires, and werewolves. Once a thaumaturge manages to capture one, he will have all his powers at his disposal to be able to manipulate people, use them in investigations, and engage in combat.

According to what was reported by the developers themselves, each of The Thaumaturge Salutors is part of one of the four dimensions, namely Word, Heart, Deed and Mind. This will ensure that each of them has different characteristics and peculiarities that players can use during their adventure. In this case, Word represents something said in the presence of an object; Heart represents the remnants of emotions; Deed represents actions that no one would like to admit to having committed; and finally, Mind represents secret thoughts.

Bukavac

In Syrmia, a real-world region, there’s a spooky creature called the Bukavac. People think it’s a six-legged monster with twisted horns and blue eyes, and it likes to strangle things. During the day, it hides in lakes, but at night, it comes out, making loud, scary noises. The Bukavac attacks people and animals by strangling them. In The Thaumaturge game, the Bukavac is a big deal, and if you have followed the game since its announcement, you have probably seen it with Wiktor in the pictures.

This creature is like a punishment for doing something really bad, like doing scary things like in horror stories. For example, in one game mission, we managed to see in the demo, a lady influenced by the Bukavac stabbed her husband five times and set their house on fire, saying a devil made her do it. The Bukavac is a tough Salutor, giving a strong bad effect called Suffering to its targets, making them take more damage and giving in to the Bukavac’s power.

Upyr

The Upyr is like a spooky creature from Slavic and Turkish stories, and people think it’s where the word “vampire” came from. But there are some big differences between Upyrs and the vampires we know today. Upyrs are thought to come from souls that didn’t go to the afterlife. They’re seen as not-so-clean spirits that take over a dead body, not someone alive turning into a vampire.

These spirits need to drink blood to keep the dead body going, and people believe they’re mean and jealous of the living. People used to think that if you died without being baptized or had a really bad death, or if you were a sinner, sorcerer, or murderer, you could become an Upyr. Even if you didn’t get a proper burial, you might turn into one.

In The Thaumaturge game, there’s a story about Upyrs haunting a cemetery, especially for people who are really sad. The gravedigger there starts acting weird and speaking in Latin, then suddenly disappears, as a ghost hunter tells it. According to the story, more disappearances in Warsaw are because of an Upyr seeking revenge. Upyrs can heal themselves while hurting others, showing their vampire-like abilities.

Lelek

Leleks come from stories in Kashubian mythology, where the nightjar bird (called Lelek) is thought to be a spirit of silliness. They used to say this bird lived in the minds of people who were not feeling well mentally, kind of like an old idea about why people might be having mental health problems. But in The Thaumaturge game, Leleks are shown as small, weird-looking bird spirits that can make someone go crazy. It’s like a mix of real life and magic.

In one mission in the game, a murder happens at a London bar, and people think it’s because of too much alcohol. But the strange thing is, there’s no clear reason for the murder, and it took place at a party after a wedding. Thaumaturges like Wiktor see that the temporary craziness is caused by a Lelek. What’s even scarier is that a Thaumaturge who controls a Lelek can cause a lot of trouble and not get caught, because even though some people believe in magic, there’s no way to prove a mean magician did it.

Weles

In The Thaumaturge game, there are Salutors that are linked to old stories about supernatural creatures. One example is Weles, who comes from the ancient pagan god Veles. As time went on and Christianity came around, Veles’ identity got mixed up with the devil and saints like Saint Blaise and Nicholas. But originally, Veles was a tricky god, kind of like the Norse god Loki.

The Salutor Weles in the game reflects this ancient belief. True to its origin, Weles is described as unpredictable and really into money. Its in-game story involves a guy named Ludwik Baar, who had a bit of money and a gambling problem. One night in Powisle, he mysteriously disappeared, as reported by his daughter. Before vanishing, he started acting weird, like he was possessed by a gambling demon, according to a witness. He left a gambling hall with a strange grin, and nobody saw him again. While regular people might think it’s a kidnapping or some crime mystery, those in the know can see that Weles is behind these events.

Morana

Morana comes from an old goddess linked to death, nature’s renewal, the end of winter, and dreams. Her “death” each year marks the arrival of spring, and in The Thaumaturge game, she is shown as a “drowned bride.” In the game, Morana is like a silent death under the water and is a really strong Salutor. Her abilities in the game involve messing up the enemy’s plans, making them lose focus, and controlling the battlefield with some powerful damage moves.