Who is Lambert in the Witcher? Lore Explained

Geralt is far from the only member of the Wolf Witcher School. There are also Vesemir, Eskel, and of course the sharp-tongued Lambert. 

Love him or hate him, Lambert has a solid presence in the Witcher franchise, especially in the Witcher 3 where he stars in some comic scenes. Known for his sharp tongue, Lambert is quite the contrast to Geralt’s stoic demeanor and dry sense of humor.

Keep reading to learn more about Lambert, his backstory, and involvement in the Witcher games, books, and Netflix show. 

Disclaimer: Be warned, there are spoilers ahead.

Who is Lambert?

Lambert, Lambert – what a prick.

Geralt, Witcher 3

Lambert is a prick. But a somewhat good-hearted one. Like most in his line of work, he became a Witcher not by choice but because his father was obliged to hand him over, given the conditions of the Law of Surprise. 

The young Lambert wished death for his often-drunk father, who was prone to hitting him and his mother. Lambert thought he was finally free when his dad walked into a Nekker’s nest.

But a noisy Witcher saved Lambert’s father from the monsters. Since the drunkard had nothing to give in return, the monster slayer invoked the Law of Surprise, forcing the father to deliver the first thing to greet him when he returned home. On this occasion, this thing was Lambert, his son, who accompanied the Witcher begrudgingly. This backstory explains his bitter outlook on life.

Lambert is claimed to be the last of the active Witchers to train in Kaer Morhen and is a pivotal character in Ciri’s training. Although the man is rude, foul-mouthed, and arrogantly forthright, especially with Triss, he cares about his peers. Geralt’s Journal Entry from the first Witcher game has this to say about Lambert:

The young witcher I met at Kaer Morhen sure is quarrelsome and he has a biting tongue… He is rude, especially to Triss Merigold, who he addresses by her last name. I think at times he uses rudeness to express his fondness for someone.

Witcher 1 Lambert Journal Entry

No one knows precisely how old Lambert is. His age, as with the other Witchers, is a mystery, given the longevity granted by the mutation. However, the third Witcher book says that he’s the youngest Witcher at Kaer Morhen.

Upon seeing Coën for the first time, Triss comments on how he seems to be as young as Lambert. But Coën came from Poviss and was spending the winter for the first time in Kaer Morhen, which suggests that he wasn’t included in the statistics.

And the youngest of the Kaer Morhen witchers, Lambert, was there with his usual ugly, mocking expression.

Blood of the Elves

Lambert in the Witcher Books 

Like the other Witchers, Lambert is introduced in the third book, Blood of Elves, when Geralt and Ciri spend the winter at Kaer Morhen. He is briefly mentioned in other books but as part of a flashback or vision.

Geralt unceremoniously introduces Lambert to Ciri, who doesn’t mind the girls’ presence. At once, you notice that he’s not very fond of Triss Merigold, whom he insists on calling by her last name, even after numerous objections from the sorceress.

In the Witcher books, Lambert spends most of his time teaching Ciri how to handle a sword and the techniques of the pendulum, the special training equipment at Kaer Morhen. Triss notices that the man constantly yells at Ciri but Lambert is proud of the girl at certain moments, even if he refuses to state it sincerely.

Along with the other Witchers, Lambert is scolded by Triss regarding their care of Ciri. But he unwittingly teaches the princess of Cintra about the rules of etiquette, especially at the food table. Lambert lectures Ciri to take her elbows off the table, to not slouch, or wipe her mouth with her sleeve.

When Triss mentions Ciri’s supposed magical powers, Lambert dismisses the idea, saying that the girl can’t even conjure a Witchers Sign, which requires minimal effort. Even so, he reinforces that he will teach her to the best of his ability. Although he’s not very expressive, Lambert cares deeply for Ciri.

During Triss’ stay in Kaer Morhen to guide Ciri, the sorceress comments on the events in the world, especially politics. Lambert is disinterested in the topic and clearly shows it. Unlike Geralt, he respects the neutrality of the Witchers and cares little for any kingdom. His only duty is to hunt monsters while earning coins in the process.

Lambert in Witcher Games

Lambert in Witcher 1

Lambert appears in every Witcher game. In the first one, he helps defend Kaer Morhen against the Salamandra organization. He then wanders through the fortress and assists in what serves as a tutorial for the game’s Alchemy mechanics. With Triss injured during the attack, Geralt must make a potion for her.

Lambert tends to the injured sorceress, somewhat contradicting how he deals with her in the books. Or proving that he cares for his friends even if he lacks the ability to express it. 

In The Price of Neutrality DLC, Lambert is seen as a keeper of Kaer Morhen, keeping track of the local archespore and making sure unwanted guests don’t try to enter the keep.

Lambert in Witcher 2

Albeit his appearance is brief, Lambert is also seen in Witcher 2. The prologue shows Geralt’s dream where he runs through a forest half-naked, hearing someone yell his name. In the end, two figures appear blurred, and one is Lambert. 

Lambert in Witcher 3

Witcher 3, in all its majesty, brings back several iconic characters, and Lambert is one of them. Lambert’s Witcher 3 version seems even more quarrelsome and he participates in several hilarious moments in the game.

He first appears at Kaer Morhen during the game’s prologue as one of the Witchers observing Ciri’s training. Later in the main game, after accepting a contract, Geralt again crosses paths with Lambert and together they go on a quest to avenge Aiden, Lambert’s friend. 

You also have to beat Lambert to complete the quest Gwent: Old Pals. Ironically, this grants you the Triss Merigold card. You can challenge Lambert to Gwent during or immediately after his dedicated quest, Following the Thread. After you complete the quest, Lambert will remain at the Nowhere Inn in Novigrad and will stay there until you find Uma for the Ugly Baby main quest. 

During Geralt and Yennefer’s journey to remove Uma’s curse, they head to Kaer Morhen. There, Lambert helps Geralt to fill the Phylactery in the Circle of Elements, walking a path full of tribulations and monsters. Among the numerous dialogues between the two is that we learn about Lambert’s past and his chagrin at being a Witcher since it was not his own choice.

Before performing the spell to reverse Uma, Geralt, Lambert, and Eskel chat in Kaer Morhen while having a few (or perhaps too many) drinks (No Place Like Home quest). Depending on the player’s choice, the Witchers can overdo it, triggering hilarious scenes where the drunkards put on dresses and activate Yennefer’s megascope to try to contact other mages

Lambert also participiates The Battle of Kaer Morhen, when the Wild Hunt invades the fortress. Lambert faces the specters and has a few outcomes depending on the player’s actions:

1. If you delay helping Lambert, he dies
2. If you help him in time, Lambert survives
3. If you convince Keira Metz to go to Kaer Morhen, Lambert automatically survives, and the two enter into a romance after the battle

Lambert Witcher 3 Quest

Lambert has a dedicated quest in Witcher 3 called Following the Thread. Geralt and Lambert meet after the player accepts a contract called Monster in the Bits on the Notice Board in Hierarch Square in Novigrad.

After Geralt talks to a guard asking for more information about the contract, the man tells the Witcher that someone is already hunting the creature. Geralt begins chasing for clues until he reaches the house’s second floor, finding an ekimmara and Lambert squaring off.

Once the player defeats the monster, Lambert and Geralt go to collect their reward. There, Lambert questions the man who hired them about the whereabouts of a man called Jad Karadin. The quest-giver refuses to talk about Karadin and calls out to the guards, but the Witchers quickly shove their faces down.

Geralt questions Lambert’s reasons, and he fills the protagonist in. While hunting for an Ogre, Lambert met Aiden, a fellow Witcher. The two became fast friends, carrying out many quests together. In one particular task, their duty was to lift a curse from a duke’s daughter. However, the duke’s acquaintances were not keen on freeing his daughter and sent assassins after Aiden, killing him. The leader of the killers was Jad Karadin.

Upon finding the man, the Witchers learn he has a wife and two adopted children. The former Witcher states that he regrets his past actions and does his utmost to make up for them. It’s up to the player to decide what to do with Karadin:

1. The first option is to leave him alive, convincing Lambert to let bygones be bygones while drawing his ire. 
2. The second option is to let Lambert decide what he wants to do, in which case he kills Karadin with Geralt’s help. 

Lambert in The Netflix Show

Lambert makes an appearance in the second season of Netflix’s The Witcher. Appearance-wise, the show Lambert is a far cry from his description in the books or the games. His personality, however, is similar.

In the show, Lambert trained at Kaer Morhen together with Geralt and Eskel instead of being the youngest among the School of the Wolf. He is shown to be good friends with the witcher Coën.

Lambert mocks Ciri and her menial training, influencing the girl to test her prowess with the Pendulum. After she repeatedly fails, Lambert begins to worry and advises her to stop trying to prove herself. But when he sees Ciri’s unyielding resolve, Lambert begins to instruct her and even celebrates when she succeeds.

At the end of the season, Lambert helps when Ciri, possessed by Voleth Meir, conjures creatures in Kaer Morhen. He is one of the few Witchers to survive the attack.

Lambert’s Significance

Like Geralt’s other fellow Witchers, Lambert is more of a supporting character. But he certainly adds some much-needed comic relief and shows a different facet to the life of a Witcher.

That’s especially true in the Witcher 3, where his backstory is fleshed out and we see a man who’s coming to terms with a life he didn’t choose. I think many of us would prefer even more Lambert content in Witcher 3 since his interactions with Geralt are so hilarious.

What’s perhaps most endearing about Lambert is that he truly cares for his friends even if he has difficulty expressing it. Which is why his bromance moment with Geralt during their drunk night at Kaer Morhen is that much more meaningful:

Geralt: “Sometimes you’re a real jackass…but I love you, brother.” Lambert: “And sometimes you’re a real blowhard. But damn it…I’d go to hell and back for you. Come here, you oaf!”

Witcher 3 No Place like Home drunk quest

Lambert FAQs