Eskel

States in the Witcher's World

The Nilfgaardian Empire The Nilfgaard Empire is a sovereign state with its capital in Nilfgaard, the City of Golden Towers on the Alba River. It is, without a doubt, the most politically, economically and militarily powerful power in the universe invented by Sapkovsky. The Empire is located much to the south of the Northern Kingdoms and has a vast territory.: It stretches for many hundreds of kilometers from west to east and from north to south along the coast of the Great Sea. To the east of Nilfgaard lies the vast Korath desert, in which, for all its lifelessness, the rarest creatures of this world, unicorns, are found. Kingdom of Temeria Temeria is one of the largest and most powerful Northern kingdoms, which is of great importance both strategically and politically. Throughout the history of the Nordling civilization, Temerians have been not only valuable allies of the Nords, but also trendsetters in culture (for example, Temerians brew the best beer in the north— Temer sherry). Temeria was directly involved in the liberation of the kingdoms of the North from the Nilfgaardian occupation. However, this does not mean that the Temerians live happily with other kingdoms — because of a small piece of land known as the Valley of Pontar, they have been fighting with Kaedwen, Aedirn and Redania for centuries. There are many lands under the Temeria protectorate, and the Temerians rank second in the world after Nilfgaard in terms of the number of vassal states. The largest of them are Mahakam, Brugge, Verdun, Sodden and Ellander. Temeria owns Thanedd Island.

States in the Witcher's World (Part 2)

Kingdom of Redania Redania is a very rich and powerful kingdom located in the north. It borders with the states of the Hengfor League in the north (Kovir and Powyss), Temeria in the south and Kaedwen in the east. It gradually gained its strength and power, despite the downturns, and has always been a key country in the North. The capital of Redania is Tretogor, and the local currency, the Novigrad crowns, is the most popular currency in the north (almost on a par with the Temer oren). In general, there are three cities in Redania that really deserve attention — the capital Tretogor, Oxenfurt with its university and Novigrad, the largest trading city in the North. In fact, Novigrad is a free city with little dependence on the crown, and the presence of the hierarch of Eternal Flame's residence there adds to Novigrad's importance as the center of this cult. After the recognition of Kovir's independence, the economy of Redania has been severely shaken, but it remains one of the most influential in the north. The Redans repeatedly made unsuccessful attempts to conquer the rebellious Kovir County and eventually had to recognize its independence. In the Nilfgaardian wars, Redania opposed the aggression of the Empire, depending on the player's choice in the third part, King Radovid can throw back the troops of Nilfgaard beyond the Yaruga and unite the North under the rule of the Redan eagle, as well as finally subjugate Novigrad to his control. Kingdom of Kaedwen Kaedwen, with its capital in Ard Karraig, ruled by King Henselt, is the most aggressive kingdom in the north. Thus, Henselt repeatedly claimed his rights to the entire Pontar Valley (after the assassination of King Foltest, the Kaedwen garrison entered the town of Flotsam bordering on Aedirn). Kaedwen constantly argues with Aedirn over Upper Aedirn (Kaedwen considers this land his own and calls it the margraviate of Lower Markhia).

States in the Witcher's World (Part 3)

Kingdom of Aedirn Aedirn is one of the largest kingdoms in the North. It borders Kaedwen in the north and Temeria and Redania in the west. It was captured and looted during the war with Nilfgaard. The capital of Aedirn is Vengerberg, the birthplace of one of the main characters of the Yennefer saga. Kovir and Powiss Kovir and Powyss are the northernmost and richest kingdom. It used to be part of Redania, but as a result of the First Treaty of Exeter, it gained independence and recognition from Redania, against which the war was waged. The state has two capitals — winter (Lan Exeter) and summer (Pont Vanis). The kingdom is rich mainly due to the mining industry. Most of the glass is produced here. Officially remained neutral in the war with Nilfgaard. Lyria and Rivia Beyond the Mahakama Mountains, to the east of Temeria, lies her longtime ally Rivia— the nominal "homeland" of the witcher Geralt. Thanks to the marriage of the local king with Niva, the ruler of neighboring Lyria, both countries united in a dynastic union. Maeve's husband had already died at the beginning of the Saga, so the queen ruled both countries. Rivia and Lyria turned out to be one of the first victims of the Nilfgaardian aggression, and they were occupied quickly and almost without resistance. However, the fate of the kingdoms turned out to be different. The merchants and workshops of Rivia literally forced Queen Maeve to surrender, because they feared for their wealth. But in Lyria, the paternal kingdom of the ruler, a guerrilla war began. Meva and her supporters found shelter in Angren, from where they constantly raided their occupied homeland. In these cruel times, Maeve proved herself to be at her best, gaining the great respect of her subjects.

States in the Witcher's World (Part 4)

Cintra This small but prosperous kingdom with an advantageous strategic location at the mouth of the Jaruga River bordered the Nilfgaardian province of Nazair. Cintra was captured by the Nilfs during the First Northern War: imperial troops burned to the ground the capital of the country with the same name and killed almost all the townspeople, including most of the Cintrian aristocracy, led by Queen Kalanthe, Ciri's grandmother. When Cintra became the imperial province of Nilfgaardia, many of its inhabitants emigrated to Verdun, Brugge, or Temeria, or to the Skellige Islands. During the Second Northern War, the active offensive of the Temer army on Cintra forced Emperor Emhyr var Emreis to fight on two fronts. After the conclusion of peace, Cirilla Fiona Helene Rhiannon, Queen of Cintra, Princess of Bruges, Duchess of Sodden, heiress of Skellige, suzerain of Atre and Ab Yarra, she is the Lion Cub of Cintra and the Child of Destiny, officially took the throne. In fact, this name was used to hide an orphaned Cintrian aristocrat, whom Emperor Emhyr married off to the real Ciri solely for political reasons (later his personal motives were added to this). As a result of this crowned marriage, Cintra entered into a dynastic union with the Nilfgaardian Empire, losing, however, the status of a sovereign power. Verdun A kingdom located on the right bank of the Yaruga River. It mainly builds its economy on fishing and seafood trade. This kingdom played an ambiguous role in the Northern War. At first, King Erville of Verdun became a vassal of Nilfgaard, because he was afraid of the aggressive policy of Foltest Temerius. However, as a result of the coup d'état, Erville abdicated in favor of his son Kistrin, who defected to the northern coalition. In the future, the Verdun people held out very steadfastly, not allowing the imperials to seize their kingdom and strike at Temeria.

States in the Witcher's World (Part 5)

Brugge A kingdom located north of the Yaruga River. One of the main losers of the war. King Brugge Wenzel tried to force the dryads to give him a significant part of Brokilon— all the way to Verdun, of course, unsuccessfully. In addition, Wenzlav pursued a policy of oppression of non-humans: pogroms often broke out in Brugge. Fearing Nilfgaardian aggression, Wenzel recognized himself as a vassal of King Foltest, as a result of which the country became a protectorate of Temeria. States of the Hengfor League The Hengfor League (pol. Liga z Hengfors) is a legally established union of small kingdoms of the north (concluded in the city of Hengfors, the capital of the dwarf principality of the same name) — Narok, Talgar, Velgad and Hengfors. The league also includes the Kingdom of Malleora and the principality of Caingorn (later excluded). Cidaris A small kingdom located in the north of the Bremervoord peninsula, it borders Temeria to the east. Fishing, pearl and amber mining are well developed in the kingdom. Cidaris has a strong navy protecting it and the neighboring kingdoms. The capital of Tsidaris, with the same name, is famous for its seafood bazaar, where you can buy a variety of exotic and rare goods brought there from different parts of the world. Stodden A kingdom located on the banks of the Yaruga River. After the First Northern War, it was divided into Lower Sodden, which was ceded to Nilfgaard, and Upper Sodden, which was ceded to Temeria. After the conclusion of the Cintrian Peace, Sodden completely came under the control of Temeria. The Principality of Toussaint The protectorate of Nilfgaard with Princess Anna Henrietta (Anarietta) at its head. It occupies an extremely small territory. The Principality lives off the wine industry. A stronghold of chivalrous traditions and courtliness.

The Witcher's World Map

Brokilon is a dryad state bordering Temeria, Verdun, Cidaris, Cintra. Most of the area is occupied by forest. Dol Blatanna is a state of free elves with the ruler Francesca Findabair at its head. A puppet state created by the Emperor of Nilfgaard. The state of the Skellige Islands is an independent state off the coast of Cintra. The inhabitants are renowned as magnificent sailors and ferocious pirates, and their fleet is the strongest in the North. It supported the North during the war with Nilfgaard. The de facto ruler of Skellige is Jarl Krah an Craith, the nephew and commander of King Bran an Tirshah's fleet. Zerrikania is a country in the south, east of Nilfgaard. It is unknown by whom it is operated. Hackland is a country to the east, further than Zerricania. Ophir and Zangebar are countries located across the sea, far to the west of the Northern Kingdoms. The action takes place on the Mainland, a fantasy world surrounded by parallel dimensions and immeasurable universes in which humans, elves, dwarves and many types of monsters live side by side, although inhumans (representatives of any races except humans) regularly face persecution. At the time of the game's events, the Mainland is witnessing a large-scale war between Nilfgaard, a state in the south led by Emperor Emgyr var Emreis, and Redania, a state in the north ruled by King Radovid V.

Kaer Morhen

Kaer Morhen (Kaer Morhen, distorted Senior Speech Caer a'muirehen — Fortress of the Old Sea) is a mountain fortress, which for several centuries housed one of the six famous witcher schools — the School of the Wolf. Kaer Morhen is located far to the north of the Blue Mountains — technically, in the territory of Kaedwen, but few people know about its existence, and the location and path to the fortress are known only to a select few. The road to the castle lies between the high cliffs of the mountain range. After finding a barely noticeable gap, the traveler enters a tunnel, which expands over time, and upon exiting, he sees a rocky valley surrounded by mountains and a fortress hidden in it. The Gwenllech, a River of White Stones, begins its course near the castle, which must be crossed to reach the fortress. The valley of Kaer Morhen stretches from the south, from where a path leads through the forest to the castle — to the north, where there is a large lake. In the forest near the citadel, there is a winding, barely noticeable path, called the "Torment" by young witchers for its complexity and danger. On it, young students improved their running speed and breathing control.

About Witchers

Witchers are mutants created through a complex process known as "Transformation." This process involves the use of various herbs, magical rituals, and experimental procedures that make them physically and magically stronger than ordinary people. However, these procedures can be dangerous and not always successful — many candidates die or become disabled. After the transformation, witchers are trained in special schools, where they are taught swordsmanship, alchemy and magic. The most famous schools are the Snake School, the Wolf School and the Cat School. Each of these schools has its own unique approaches and philosophy. Witchers have improved physical abilities such as speed, strength, and endurance. They can also use simple magic called "signs" to defend or attack. Signs are simple spells that require minimal energy expenditure. The main job of witchers is to hunt monsters and protect people from them. They take contracts to kill various creatures such as vampires, dragons, goblins and other mythical creatures. Witchers are paid for their work, but they often face prejudice from ordinary people. Witchers often find themselves in difficult moral situations where they have to choose between duty and personal beliefs. Their work can be dangerous and unpredictable, and the decisions they make can have serious consequences. Despite their abilities and usefulness, witchers are often viewed with distrust and fear. They are considered "different" and often face prejudice from people. This creates deep social tension.

Eskel's appearance

Height 188 cm. Weight 85 kg. Eskel is a mutant created in the laboratory with the help of herbs and magical rituals, which made him more resilient and strong. Especially for killing monsters. He has a muscular build that is completely covered in scars. He earned his scars in numerous battles with various monsters. He has amber eyes with vertical pupils like a cat (a feature of all witchers). His cat eyes help him see in the dark. He has short dark brown hair with a parting in the middle. He is wearing a red studded leather jacket with wide white vertical stripes, and a gray shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He also wears short brown fingerless gloves, black trousers with knee pads and brown boots with lapels. Eskel is armed with two swords that hang in a scabbard on his back. This is a silver sword that is used against evil spirits and special monsters, and an ordinary steel sword for animals or fights with people. He has a long semicircular scar on the right side from the corner of his lips all the way to his ear, disfiguring his cheek. The scar consists of several separate scars: two parallel scars start above the eyebrow and go down, one of them crosses the mouth, bending the lips externally, the other at some point diverges into three separate scars reaching to the chin. The Witcher has a habit of rubbing his scar when he thinks.

Eskel's Personality

Eskel is a calm and taciturn witcher, wise with experience, prudent and reasonable. He is tactful, polite, courteous and patient. Eskel is kind and clearly feels the line of what is allowed, communicates well with other witchers, skillfully dodges Lambert's harmfulness and the senile grumbling and severity of Vesemir. He is quite self-critical and sincere, has no illusions about his disfigured appearance, but does not show strong dissatisfaction about this. Eskel does not complain about his fate as a monster hunter and, as is usual for a witcher, treats his profession quite prudently and mercantile. He is serious and rarely shows emotion while maintaining a neutral facial expression. He rarely smiles and is laconic in his stories, he tries to express his thoughts briefly and clearly.

Eskel's Backstory

Eskel was born in the mountains, came from a family of mountaineers. His mother often sang him an old camping song about a chicken, which later became the only memory he retained of her. Eskel is the Witcher of the Wolf School. He studied with Geralt and Lambert. Their mentor was Vesemir, an old and experienced witcher. Eskel came to Kaer Morhen in the winter to share stories with Vesemir and wait out the winter. After the battle with the Wild Hunt (a mystical band of ghost riders, a harbinger of war, disease and the end of the world.) With the help of Ciri's forces and other people, Eskel and Geralt of Rivia managed to recapture the fortress of Kaer Morhen, but Vesemir, Eskel's mentor, died during the battle. Without Vesemir, the fortress was empty, Geralt and Lambert left, and only Eskel sometimes returns to the fortress and checks how everything is here.