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ARTBOOK

2012

INDEX

4|WORLD MAP
6|PROLOGUE
26|ACT I
46|ACT II
70|ACT III
88|ARENA
94|PLACEABLES
104|CHARACTERS
166|MONSTERS
194|FLASHBACKS
206|INTRO
214|PAPERCRAFTS
218|COVER ARTS
226|OUTRO

WORLD MAP

One of our primary goals when working on this part of thegame was to base clothing and architecture on actual historical ones. This also included other elements of theworld we were building, so
theaesthetics of theNorthern Kingdoms map were to be as close to medieval cartographic standards
as possible. It was agreat chance for our graphic artists to show their skills. Theresults of their efforts
and truly Benedictine work can be seen above. Thecolor map features stylized portraits of therulers
of thethree most powerful kingdoms Redania, Temeria and Kaedwen. An empty throne with acrown
placed on it symbolizes theAedirnian interregnum, while thetroubles in theLa Valette lands and in

Lormark are marked with flames on theboundaries of these domains. Themaps decorative rim
is adorned with plant motifs, fantastic animals and allegoric silhouettes holding standards and
heraldic shields. Thealphabet used to write names on themap is Glagolitic theeldest Slavic
alphabet that first appeared in early Middle Ages.

PROLOGUE

8 | THE BEGInNING
10 | siege MACHINERIES
12 | La Valette Castle
14 | FortificationS
18 | THE TEMPLE
22 | thehermitage
24 | dungeons

PROLOGUE | THE BEGINNING

Some of theillustrations found on thefollowing pages are not aprecise representation of places found in thegame. Many of them serve to give an idea of thenature and
climate of alocation. In these cases theartists did not focus on details, but on pre senting theatmosphere of ascene. Theuse of shapes and colors is useful in that
regard. Such drawings make it easier for graphic artists and designers to work on
agiven part of thegame.

One of thefirst scenes takes part in King Foltests camp beneath thewalls of therebellious House
La Valettes fortress. Geralt wakes up in atent by Triss side, on theday of thevictorious assault on
thecastle. Theabove drawing is an impression of that moment. We wanted to build theatmosphere
of an illusory calmness. Theinterior is bathed in warm light, some papers and everyday items are
strewn about. In amoment, thewitcher will go outside to accompany Foltest in storming thefortress
and nothing will be like before again.

PROLOGUE | SIEGE MACHINERIES

Thesiege has gone on for some time now, and


theTemerian army is preparing for thefinal
attack. Geralt reaches thecastle walls using
ahuge siege tower. Its sketches are found on
theillustrations nearby. Thewooden roof protects
thecrew pushing theconstruct toward thefortress, and asystem of levers worthy of Leonardo
da Vinci allows thesoldiers on upper floors to
propel it. We wanted to create abelievable way
of putting amachine this huge in motion. Our
technical solutions such as capstans inside
thetower were inspired, among other things,
by theattempts to reconstruct theappearance
of thegigantic siege tower used in theSiege of
Rhodes in305 BCE.

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Thebattering rams head is shod in iron and takes


theform of aboars head. Thedevice, propelled
by thestrength of human arms, is mounted atop
thesiege tower and is designed to crush battlements and create abreach, making theassault
easier.

Theconcept sketches below show various versions


of thebattering rams head.

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PROLOGUE | LA VALETTE CASTLE

Castle La Valette is an impressive defensive structure. Because of its location near theWhite Bridge,
an important crossing on thePontar, thefortress is of great strategic importance. Its main part is
located on an island in therivers middle, but thefortified bridgehead on thesouthern bank has recently
begun to be expanded. Foltest was not shy of exploiting theparts under construction as thecastles
weakest link.

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We wanted thefortress interior to be as


realistic as possible. When planning it out, we
wondered what thestreets would look like and
thelocation of thesquares, courtyards and gates.
We even remembered to place agraveyard after
all thelocals had to bury their dead somewhere.

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PROLOGUE | FORTIFICATIONS

These are thesketches of parts of thefortifications. Part of thedefenses


is under construction, but theroofed battlements and barbicans defending
thebridges and inner courtyards are points of strong resistance, delaying
theattackers advance.

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PROLOGUE | FORTIFICATIONS

Theincomplete tower will


become thescene of afierce
b a tt l e o n c e t h e w i tc h e r
reaches thetop by climbing thewooden scaffolding.
Thedrawings show various
stages of creating this fragment of thestructure. You can
see sketches of other parts of
thefortifications on thenext
page, among them thewooden
hoarding - roofed galleries
that protect thedefenders
from enemy fire.

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PROLOGUE | THE TEMPLE

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When designing thetemple, we wanted to avoid any specific


architectonic styles of historical religious buildings. Therefore
we decided to mix several, creating our own original style. Hence
thecombination of aGothic portal with massive Romanesque
towers and such elements as obelisks and cromlechs.
Thedrawing shows thedesign for themain altar of thelocal
deity. This object is definitely older than thetemple walls which
surround it. It was most probably here even before thefortress
was built. Thats how thetemples of pagan deities might have
looked like if their religions were still developing in late Middle
Ages and benefited from contemporary architectural thought.
Thefinal version, visible on thenext page, isslightly different
from theone on this illustration.

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PROLOGUE | THE TEMPLE

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Thestained glass
and painting aesthetics are based on Gothic
art, though thefigures
present there likely
represent beings from
t h e l o c a l fo l k l o r e .
We didnt have any
specific cult from
Sapkowskis novels in
mind. Due to thecircumstances in which
Geralt finds himself in
thetemple, he doesnt
have achance to learn
thehistory of thelocal
cult. This enhances
theplaces mystery
immensely.

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PROLOGUE | THE HERMITAGE


An isolated tower connected with
thecastle proper with but along bridge houses
thehermitage of House La Valette. There is
alibrary within its walls, but first and foremost
it is aplace of contemplation and prayer, arefuge
for those who want to escape thefortress noise.
It is here that theprologue will find its culmination and thegames main story will begin in
earnest.

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PROLOGUE | DUNGEONS
What would be amighty fortress without its
dungeons? They house thetorture chamber
where insubordinate and refractory prisoners may find themselves. Themere sight of
theimpressive collection of torture implements
is usually enough to loosen their tongues. Those
more stubborn will quickly find themselves more
acquainted with theinterior than theyd like to be.
After theseat of theLa Valettes was taken, this
place became theprison of its previous owners,
and for Geralt accused of slaying theking.
Hundreds of yards of corridors stretch beneath
Castle La Valette, leading to cells and cellars.
Thedrawing below shows apart of thedungeon.
Thearched ceilings and stone walls are lit by lanterns and torches. Iron bars block theexit from
cells. Theever-present damp, caused by therivers
proximity, gathers in stone gutters placed in
thecorridors floors. Therooms corners are full
of rotten straw. Not many of those who end up
here will enjoy their freedom once more.

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ACT I

28 | Flotsam AND Lobinden


30 | THE inn
32 | Loredos mansion
34 | thecrane
36 | thebarge
40 | theforest and its surroundings
42 | mental hospital
44 | theKayrans lair

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ACT I | FLOTSAM AND LOBINDEN


Flotsam, thesetting of thegames first act, is
atrading post on theborder of three kingdoms
Temeria, Kaedwen and Aedirn. Thewalled harbor
is asafe haven for punts and cogs transporting
goods on this section of thePontar. Flotsam is an
important trading center. River transport flourished ever since guerilla Scoiatael units became
athreat for travelers and merchant caravans.
Theillustration to theright is an attempt on
channeling theplaces atmosphere. Designing
thelocation, we wanted to capture thefeel of
borderlands. Flotsam is far away from civilization,
and provides only asemblance of it. Stone houses
contrast with themuddy square and less impressive structures. Guards man thetowers day and
night, watching for anything that could endanger
thetrading posts inhabitants. Thelocal inn and
brothel offer rooms and entertainment for locals
and visitors alike.

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A small cluster of huts comprises thetiny settlement of


Lobinden just next to Flotsam.
Its inhabitants mainly hail
f ro m Ae d i r n a n d m a ke t h e i r
living building and repairing
boats. Thepeople, though poor,
a r e o p e n a n d f r i e n d l y, a l s o
towards nonhumans. Thats one
of thereasons thevillage has
no walls or even apalisade, as
thepeople need not fear forest
Scoiatael units.

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ACT I | THE INN

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When designing theinn, we wanted to make


it look as comfortable and homely as possible.
Thearchitecture and interior design carved
wooden ceiling beams, colorful walls and benches
standing by them are based on historical reconstructions of such buildings. Theroom, filled with
furniture, gives off theimpression that thebuilding is really lived in. We also couldnt omit such
details as mushrooms, herbs and sausages drying
under theceiling.
Theblack and white sketch above shows
thedesign of theworking part of theinn. We

wanted it to be functional yet save as much space


as possible. Thisarrangement of items makes
it easy for theinnkeeper to access anything
heneeds.

W h e n d e s i g n i n g b u i l d i n g s , w e a l w ay s
h a d a l o g ica l i nte r io r l ayo u t i n m i n d .
T h e s l a u g h te r h o u s e w a s d e s i g n e d b o t h
in theform of an interior sketch and in theform
of concept art that is visible to theright. Both
elements were thebasis forfurther work on its
design.

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ACT I | LOREDOS MANSION

Commander Loredos mansion was supposed


to be themost impressive building in Flotsam.
Thedrawings show successive stages of its development. Thestructure is definitely defensive,
as it was supposed to be thetrading posts final
stand in thecase of an attack. Thenarrow stairs
allow for easier defense of theupper floor door,
while thegalleries and thebalcony are convenient
vantage points for both shooting and observation.
Themain platform atop thekeep is awide room
with ahigh ceiling. Loredos quarters can be found
here. His men occupy thelower floor. Theillustration to theside shows adraft of thecommanders
chamber.

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Themansions basement contains thechambers


of Loredos mother. This insane woman, continuously intoxicated with thedrug she distillates,
lives in aworld of thefears and nightmares
from her past. She worships aperverse version
of thedeity Vaiopatis thestatue seen here is
agrotesque alteration of those found in thesurrounding woods.

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ACT I | THE CRANE

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Since river transportation is so important to


Flotsams existence, thedesign of theport and
its structure was very important. Even if some
of thebuildings wouldnt be available in game,
we wanted thelocation to be designed as realistically as possible. Therefore when working
on thewharf and harbor of thetrading post,
we came up with theidea to make amodel of
awooden crane. It was inspired by an analogical
structure found in Gdansk. Thegraphic artists
began working on this part of thelocation by
making asketch showing thecrane and its internal construction. Similar cranes were used in
theMiddle Ages to load and unload goods and
during refitting boats and ships.

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ACT I | THE BARGE


Having thestory take place near ariver meant
we had to design floating vessels. Thats how
Vernon Roches sailing ship and theprison barge
moored at theFlotsam harbor came to be.
Thebarge is afloating prison for captured
Scoiatael. Its larger and more massive than
theBlue Stripes vessel, and its hold contains
cells where prisoners are kept not in acomfortable condition at all. Its design was to stress
theill fame that theboat has, so we wanted
to polish any details that could strengthen
theeffect as best as we could. Theblack sail with
afaded lily, iron cages for theprisoners and
adance macabre painted on thesides paint
ableak painting of Temerian justice.

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Thedrawing to theleft depicts themodel that


was thebasis for thedesign of Vernon Roches
ship. TheSpecial Forces have asmall, maneuverable river vessel an equivalent of amodern
patrol boat. Unlike thesquare rigged prison barge,
this ship has lateen sails, allowing it to sail against
thewind more easily. Its smaller draft allows it to
safely traverse thePontars shallows. A distinctive
blue-white striped sail with theTemerian crest
was added to thevessels final in-game design.

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ACT I |THE FOREST AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Thetrading post of Flotsam lies in theheart of wild,


maiden territory. An ancient forest where man is
but an intruder - begins just beyond its walls. Only
afew steps are enough to leave civilization behind and become
steeped in thewoods green shadow.
Theillustration above perfectly presents theclimate we
wanted for our forest locations. Theforest is thick, with trees
growing close to each other, and almost approaches thesettlement, towering above its walls. Thenarrow strip of land not
covered in vegetation is aborder that must be renewed almost

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every day. Thetrading post exists solely due to theefforts of


its inhabitants. Had thehumans stopped rooting thetrees out,
theforest would quickly regain theterritories it lost to them.

We wanted theforest to be
amysterious place, dangerous
and somewhat unreal. Theatmosphere within was to be overwhelming. We achieved that by
warping thescale of thearea.
Tree trunks, mushrooms and
ferns are huge, thelight rarely
pierces thetreetops and tiny
h u m a n fo r m s a r e a l i e n a n d
out of place here. Theconcept
drawing and theframe from
thegame show theidea and its
implementation.

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ACT I |THE FOREST AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

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Theforest hides many mysteries. Theorigin


of thestone statues dotting thelandscape here
and there is one of them. Adding them to thesurroundings magnifies thewoods unsettling atmosphere. Time had its effect on those sculptures
covered in moss, and they seem to be watching
those passing by. Travelers sometimes use them
as landmarks, but their original meaning and
function were completely different. For thealtar
of alocal deity, Vaiopatis, is hidden in theforest
wilderness. He is theprotector of life and fertility, but also theharbinger of death. Not many
know of his existence, and even fewer worship
him, brining humble offerings here. Thestatues
are also tied to this ancient religion of thefirst
inhabitants of these lands.
Thesketches below show one of theearlier
compositions of shapes and forms of thestone
statues. Theyre based on theexisting remains
of pagan cultures among them theso called
Zbruch Idol, astone statue of Svantevid
d ate d be twe e n 9 t h a n d 1 0 t h ce ntu r y C E .
Vaiopatishimself was inspired by an authentic
Prussian-Lithuanian deity worshipped in early
Middle Ages. His attributes, including abarrel
and afish, are visible on thestatues.

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ACT I | MENTAL HOSPITAL

Theabandoned ruins of amental


hospital that stood here years ago
are another mysterious place in
theforest. Thegloomy dungeon that
held thecells of themore burdensome guests are thebest preserved
section. Stone walls and iron bars bear
witness to theterrifying events that
have transpired here.

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Thesketches show various projects of arranging thelocations rooms.


Below is an initial drawing of theruins visible
from theforest. Note that though its somewhat
conventional, theillustration excellently shows
thelocations atmosphere. It was agood basis for
our work on detailing theplace.

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ACT I | THE KAYRANS LAIR


TheKayran aterrible aquatic beast prowling
this section of theriver is one of Geralts main
opponents in this Act. Thecreature, called theOld
Man by thelocals, has its lair near Lobinden.
Theillustration to theright depicts an artistic
vision of thelocation of our heros future battle
with themonster. Here we can see theKayrans
lair while its owner is absent. It looks calm and
as if abandoned, but there are trails of themonsters presence everywhere. Thelocal vegetation
is destroyed and akeen eye will notice thespot
where theOld Man tends to drag its body out of
thewater in theshallows to theright.

During thebattle, theKayran spits green, sticky


slime. A thick layer of thesame excretion covers
thevicinity of its lair. Theremains of its last meal
bloated, uneaten remains that thecreature disregarded or left for later - can be seen too.

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Thestone pillars are


theruins of an ancient
elven bridge. Not much
of this once impressive
structure is still standing.
Thesketches to theright
i l lu s t rate t h e i n i t i a l
work on this element of
thescenery.

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ACT II

48 | Henselts camp
54 | Vergen
64 | thequarry
66 | no-mans land
68 | theghastly battlefield

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ACT II | HENSELTS CAMP

Thelocation of thegames second act greatly depends on theplayers


choices in thefirst act. Depending on these, Geralt may end up in king
Henselts military camp or in thedwarven town of Vergen. Though one will
be able to visit theother location during this act, themain part of thestory
will play out in one of theaforementioned locations depending on your
choices.
TheKaedweni camp is tied to Vernon Roches story. Following him, Geralt
will end up in themiddle of war preparations at theKaedweni-Aedirnian
border. Theillustrations shown here depict various stages of designing this
location from initial concept sketches through more detailed drawings
showing thecamps atmosphere, to thefinal effect.
As we were working on this part of thegame, we wanted to emphasize
therealism of thefortification and soldiers quarters, as well as details like
thesoldiers armament or their living conditions. Thecamp was supposed to
be muddy and dirty, as befits alarge gathering of people. Theeffect is magnified by theless-than-pleasant weather. Thelow clouds and soggy ground
suggest that frequent rain pesters theinhabitants.

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Initial drawings had happier colors, and thecamp itself was more colorful. It was changed, however,
to better fit thereality of medieval military camps.

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ACT II | HENSELTS CAMP

Thechances of mistaking thetents of Kaedweni nobility with those of


rank-and-file soldiers are slim. High and spacious, they allow theknights
living there to enjoy their comforts. Thegrandest tent belongs to theking
himself. Theillustration depicts an extensive interior, awide, four-poster bed,
and atable with high chairs sporting ornate headrests. Thefloor is covered in
carpets and animal skins. Theterm royal splendor is quite appropriate here.
This black and white sketch depicts theinterior of Vernon Roches tent.
Theatmosphere shows thestark contrast between it and other officers
tents in Henselts camp. Here comforts are reduced to abare minimum.
Theweapon racks and maps on thewalls make it more of an armory or
briefing room.

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ACT II | HENSELTS CAMP

T h e te n t o f t h e p r o s t i tu te s fo l l ow i n g
theKaedweni army is also distinct from
theothers, but in adifferent way. Themobile
whorehouse is predominantly carmine and frills,
with draperies and lanterns stressing its role.
Theinterior is also different from that of other
quarters. A simple soldier entering it is under
theimpression of entering another world, leaving
thedirty and grey reality of themilitary camp
behind.

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ACT II | VERGEN

Choosing Iorveth as an ally will lead Geralt to Vergen atown that


grew near adwarven mine. Located among rocky gullies, hewn directly in
their walls, it is an amazing example of this races architectural thought.
Theconcept sketch below displays thetowns early design. Some elements, such as thehuge stone atlas supporting parts of an old structure,
were not brought into thegame word, but thedrawing still presents
theatmosphere that thelocation designers wanted to achieve.
Comparing theproportions with thetiny figure on theillustration
shows you thescale of thebuildings. In its heyday, theplace was vibrant
with life, but time took its toll on thesettlement and only recent events
made thename of Vergen widely recognizable again.

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ACT II | VERGEN
Themain gate is an important part of thetowns fortifications. Like nearly
all buildings in Vergen, it was built from solid stone blocks. Though thesettlement was not founded as amilitary outpost, its inhabitants didnt neglect
safety measures. Even if thegate fell, prospective invaders would have to
cross along stretch of street, attacked by thedefenders fire from above.
Thestone alley could turn into adeadly trap, once theboiling oil from huge
cauldrons is loosed upon theinvaders. Thesketches below depict thedesign
of these mechanisms.

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ACT II | VERGEN

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Theillustration depicts aVergen interior atype of an antechamber connecting several corridors. Thechamber has ahigh ceiling and is well lit due
to thewide windows. Though its not arepresentational building, thetall
walls are richly ornamented thefloor, frames and even stone ledges of
thesupporting structure are adorned with distinctive wicker-work. We
assumed that dwarves build things be huge in scope, but they still dont
neglect aesthetic qualities. Their style is heavily geometric, as seen in both
architecture and ornamentation, and presented on theillustrations in this
chapter.

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ACT II | VERGEN

T h e i l l u s t ra t i o n d e p i c ts t h e d e s i g n o f
achamber adapted for theuse of theyoung heir
to theAedirnian throne, Stennis. Theprince is
avisitor here, so theaccommodation was prepared in accordance with dwarven standards.
Massive, heavy furniture, awrought chandelier
and abrass brazier fit thetypically dwarven wall
and floor ornaments. Thefigurine of adwarven
woman standing by thefireplace is also an interesting decorative motif. We can see its sketches
above.

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ACT II | VERGEN

Most buildings in town were cut in thevalleys rocky face. Onlythefinished building fronts and massive supportive columns suggest that thestone
walls may hide spacious, comfortable chambers.
Dwarves have always had aknack for technical solutions. Thats why our
graphic artists made sure that thewooden crane they designed was actually
operational. Thesystem of gears and capstans reduces thestrength required
to lift necessary weights. You can see thecompleted sketch on theneighboring page. Its worth noting that thedwarves carefully decorate even everyday items. Even theheads of spindles and rivets are meticulously engraved.
Thecolor illustration depicts thestructures in-game appearance.

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ACT II | VERGEN

Thearea of Vergen is an empty mountainous region, whereits easier to


find an aggressive troll than friendly travelers. Thelabyrinth of rocky gullies
is not thesafest place to stroll alone. Tofurther diversify thelandscape and
stress theatmosphere of this secluded place, we decided to add an abandoned dwarven quarry there. Theillustrations depict theinitial design of
this location. Initially, aruined stone storehouse housing mining equipment
was to stand at theedge of theexcavation. Theunused building eroded in
time, and thedeparting workers could not be bothered to take all tools with
them. Thearea recently became thehunting ground for theharpies that nest
in acave at theexcavations bottom.

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ACT II | NO-MANS LAND

Theres astretch of no-mans land between Vergen and Henselts camp. Designing it, we were
wondering how would thearea battled over for years by thearmies of two neighboring kingdoms
look like. Theruins of an old Aedirnian guard tower were theresult. Thecrumbling tower is proof
that these lands knew no peace for along time.

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Theremains of aburnt village near theroad to Vergen are another proof.


Theburnt out ruins of wooden huts show thefate that likely befell many
other, smaller settlements in these lands. Thestone foundations and astill
standing chimney are almost all that is left of this farmyard. This inconspicuous location helped us to build theatmosphere of ravaged borderlands.

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ACT II | THE GHASTLY BATTLEFIELD

Thecurse is one of main themes of thegames


second act, and one of themain quests that our
hero will have to complete. To theright we can
see adrawing that was an important inspiration
to thecreators of this part of thestory. Theold
battlefield is covered by amagical mist. Theworld
on its other side is aland right from thenightmare of aveteran of thelast battle fought in
these lands. Hostsof spectral soldiers clash in
aneternal battle here, while wraiths born of evil
will and suffering hunt theliving who wandered
into their domain.

We wanted theplace to have astrong effect on gamers our aim was to


show areality where war reigns supreme, consuming ever new victims.
Theruler of this world is theDraug, awraith born of blood and violence.
It rules fromtheheight of its throne built from theremnants of equipment and siege engines. It will be Geralts main opponent in thegames
second act.

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ACT III

72 | thecity of Loc Muinne


74 | thecamps
78 | amphitheater
80 | Forest
82 | VRANS Chamber
84 | Frescoes
84 | thearchitecture

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ACT III | THE CITY OF LOC MUINNE

Following thetrails of themysterious kingslayer, Geralt reaches theancient city of Loc Muinne.
Theprocess of creating this location of was one of our most complex tasks. Thework resulted in
theremnants of one of theoldest metropolis in that universe. If stones could speak, theruins of
Loc Muinne would tell many stories. Theslaughter of theelves its former owners is atragic but
small section of thecitys history.

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Presented above theview towards Loc Muinne from amountain path that weaves its way down
to thecity. Loc Muinne is immediately distinguishable for its architecture, which differs greatly from
all that seen earlier in thegame. Lying within arocky ravine and surrounded by steep mountain
slopes, it is initially adeserted place. Once thewitcher appears, however, theancient walls bear
witness to momentous events that shape thefate of theworld.

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ACT III | THE CAMPS

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TheNilfgaardian camp was set up in one of Loc


Muinnes districts.TheEmperors emissaries were
officially invited here by king Henselt of Kaedwen
to take part in thehistoric event that therestoration of theCouncil and Conclave of Sorcerers will
be. When making theconcept sketch, our artists
tried to keep in mind theactual ways of adapting asquare in aruined city for thepurpose of
atemporary encampment.
Thesolders tents are set up in atight order
near thewalls of ancient mansions. In thedistance, theroof of theofficers pavilion, which is
stretched between two walls of ruined buildings,
can be seen. Banners with theimage of thesun
Nilfgaards coat of arms leave no doubts as to
whose camp it is.

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ACT III | THE CAMPS

Thedelegation of theKingdom of Redania


also made camp in one of thecitys districts.
Standards with theRedanian eagle proudly fly
over this section of Loc Muinne. Young king
Radovid has very specific plans regarding his stay
at thecoming summit. Knights of theOrder of
theFlaming Rose came with him to thedebate.
Theyre aforce to be reckoned with.
Its worth noting that theinitial sketch of
theRedanian camp depicts an entirely different system and order than theone used by
theNilfgaardians. Thetents here arent place
separately in orderly rows, and most were not
put up using parts of theruins. This combination
underlines thedifferent character of two different
cultures.

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ACT III | amphitheater

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Some of thebuildings in Loc Muinne were built


by theelves. Their construction and appearance
are based on theclassical style of Greek and
Roman architecture. A huge amphitheatre is one
of themore important locations in thecity. This
ancient building becomes themain arena for
theevents that will shape thefuture fate of that
world.
When we discussed how thelocation of theLoc
Muinne debate could look like, we had this idea
almost immediately. Thesemicircular arena surrounded by rows of stone benches is theideal
setting for theculmination planned for thegames
final Act.

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ACT III | FOREST

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Theruins of Loc Muinne are not thesole location for thegames third
and final chapter. To accommodate one of thequests, our artists created
amountain forest where alpine trees, flowery glades and moss-covered rocks
blend to produce an atmosphere markedly different from that of thewoods
outside Flotsam. Theelven ruins nestled in theforest add variety and are at
once asubtle nod to thechapters main location.

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ACT III | VRANS Chamber

As ancient as it is, Loc Muinne absolutely had


to have extensive cellars, sewers and underground
caverns. We had quite a bit to work with given
the citys rich history, the variety of races that
had inhabited it. We tried to stress this diversity,
applying different architectural and ornamentation styles to the ruins. The reptilian statue
shown above links this section of the dungeons
to Loc Muinnes original inhabitants the mysterious Vran race.

82

While exploring the cellars, the witcher


reaches the secret laboratory of the legendary
mage Dearhenna. The sketch above presents the
design for this location. It is immediately apparent that this was once a mages workshop. Theres
a complicated alchemy apparatus, shelves densely
packed with books, and details like the magical
symbols on the floor and the skeleton of a strange
creature suspended from the ceiling.

83

ACT III | Frescoes

This illustration depicts one of the many frescoes that adorn the walls of an underground
chamber beneath Loc Muinne. Like much of the in-game iconography, these have also been fashioned to resemble late-medieval and early-Renaissance tapestries, paintings and manuscript ornaments. The style is a perfect match for the mystical ambiance that pervades this workshop where
someone devoted themselves to the study of the occult arts.

84

85

ACT III | THE ARCHITECTURE

86

87

ARENA

90 | Tutorial
92 | Evolution

89

ARENA | tutorial

90

Arena mode is simultaneously atutorial and astandalone game mode


that tests ones combat abilities. It teaches thebasics of gameplay from
movement and interaction with NPCs, through use of thein-game Journal,
Alchemy panel, Inventory and Meditation mode, to character development
and use of witchers Signs and combat tactics.
Theamphitheatre where thebloody fights take place is akind of fortified
castle erected at theedge of asteep cliff. Its precise location in thegame
world remains unspecified. Our hero arrives there at night, by riverboat,
and thearea hardly seems welcoming. Theres asmall river landing and, just
up thehill from that, avillage that remains nameless, just as thedoors of
its huts remain tightly shut. Clearly, thelocals dislike strangers and want
nothing to do with them. All this serves to enhance theareas gloom and,
in point of fact, works well as an introduction to thegeneral mood that
dominates theuniverse of TheWitcher. Its agrim, dangerous world where
people live in fear of ever-present threats, and unfamiliar faces only evoke
suspicion.

91

ARENA | evolution

Preparing the visuals and story for Arena mode required quite a bit of
work. This was because we decided from the outset to create a completely
new and singular environment for the mode without reusing any existing
in-game locations. We produced numerous sketches and concept drawings.
Many of these differ only in details, while others explore more significant
options the buildings shape and floor plan, the building materials used, or
the appearance of the cliff from which the corpses of fallen gladiators are
dropped. The final result as well as the design at various stages appear on
this and the next page.

92

93

PLACEABLES

96 | prologue
98 | AcT I
100 | AcT II
102 | AcT III

95

PLACEABLES | PROLOGUE

Placeables are elements used as location decorations in-game. Too big to be picked up, theyre
immobile props. Stalls, wagons, tables, statues,
tubs, beds, lanterns, fences, obelisks all of them
fit into this category. We present only part of
thehundreds created for thegame on thefollowing pages.

96

97

PLACEABLES | ACT I

98

99

PLACEABLES | ACT II

100

101

PLACEABLES | ACT III

102

103

CHARACTERS

106 | THE WITCHER


120 | DARK WITCHER
122 | MAIN CHARACTERS
136 | Aristocracy
138 | NOBLES
140 | QUEST CHARACTERS
142 | COMMONERS
144 | priests
146 | courtesans
148 | Sorcerers and sorceresses
150 | NONHUMANS
158 | FRACTIONS

105

CHARACTERS | THE WITCHER

Geralt of Rivia

Creating Geralts character for TheWitcher2:AssassinsofKings was


achallenge as difficult as it was for thefirst game, though for slightly different reasons. We were designing him from thescratch back then, and
we had to rise up to the expectations of fans of thenovels. Now, however,
our graphic artists faced anew challenge designing themain characters
appearance using thenew graphical engine and all of its new possibilities.
Work on thewitchers appearance had to be done from scratch. Geralts
face from theprevious game was our basis. His new appearance was to be
linked to theoriginal, but would also use thefull potential of thenew engine.
Certain physical traits of aperson can reflect that persons personality.
With adistinctive nose and forehead curvature, aswell as themouth and
chin arrangement, we managed to give Geralt acertain predatory look.
Things inseparably associated with thewitchers appearance, such as
thescar on his face or yellow eyes with cat pupils were obviously retained,
though Geralt now sports anew haircut. Thetied hare is more practical,
since it wont get in theway in combat.
In several scenes we also have thechance to admire thescars covering
Geralts body. Its obvious at first sight that our hero has experienced alot,
and his profession is not thesafest one.

106

107

CHARACTERS | THE WITCHER

During his journey, Geralt will have


achance to wear various armors. Hellbe able
to buy, loot, or craft some of them, often using
quite exotic materials in thelast case. When
designing them, we focused on realism and
functionality. Buckles have their role of fastening and supporting equipment. Thewolfs
head amulet, themark of thewitchers guild,
is worn in avisible place. We decided on

108

theradical step of placing thesword hilts


on thesame side of Geralts head. Theasymmetry adds dynamism to Geralts profile,
and it eliminates theproblem of animations
looking ridiculous with thecharacter drawing
aweapon over his own left shoulder.

109

CHARACTERS | THE WITCHER

Thanks to our graphic artists hard work, about thirty different sets of armor, differing in both appearance and statistics, were created. Most of them are strictly tied to phases of thestory and thefactions
thewitcher decides to cooperate with. This way, theheros appearance will depend on theplayers
decisions and accomplishments. Thefollowing pages contain acomposition of armor elements available
to thewitcher.

110

1. LEATHER JACKET
2. STUDDED LEATHER JACKET
3. QUALITY LEATHER JACKET
4. ELVEN ARMOR
5. AEDERNIAN LEATHER JACKET
6. HEAVY LEATHER JACKET
7. KAEDWENI LEATHER JACKET

10

8. ASTROGARUS' ARMOR
9. QUILTED JACKET
10. SHIADHAL'S ARMOR

111

CHARACTERS | THE WITCHER

112

1. LIGHT LEATHER JACKET


2. ARMOR OF VICOVARO
3. THYSSEN LEATHER
4. SHIADHAL'S ARMOR
5. QUILTED ARMOR
6. ARMOR OFMAHAKAM
7. ARMOR OFMAHAKAM

10

8. SOLID LEATHER JACKET


9. RAVEN ARMOR
10. HEAVY ELVEN ARMOR

113

CHARACTERS | THE WITCHER

114

1. DRAUG ARMOR
2. ARMOR OF TIR
3. MAGICIAN'S ARMOR
4. SORCERER'S JACKET
5. BLUE STRIPES' JACKET
6. KAEDWENI LETHER ARMOR
7. ARMOR YSGITH

10

8. ARMOR OF YS
9. DREARG RUADHRI
10. ARMOR OF BAN ARD

115

CHARACTERS | THE WITCHER

STEEL SWORDS

Thewitchers steel swords are designed to


be weapons for humans. Our hero will have
achance to use several dozen various types
in-game. We present several chosen models here.

116

SILVER SWORDS

Thesilver swords are used for fighting monsters. Theyre distinct from thesteel swords
because of their slightly curved crossguard and
more delicately constructed blades.

117

CHARACTERS | THE WITCHER

ALCHEMY

As in thefirst game, alchemy is avery important part of Witcher 2, and work on theappearance of Geralts portable alchemical set took us
some time. Theillustrations shown here depict
different variants of portable alembics, which
are an element of this part of witcher equipment.
This device allows our hero to brew potions that
enhance his combat effectiveness.

118

119

CHARACTERS | DARK WITCHER

The swords on this page were designed for the special Dark difficulty level
and appear there exclusively. Players choosing this level will face the greatest challenges the game has to offer. These unique weapons are among the
things that set this level apart from other difficulties. All blades available
in Dark mode are extremely dangerous weapons. They both possess special
attributes and are afflicted by a powerful curse. Neutralizing the effects of
the latter requires significant effort, but the rewards are worth it.
In devising the swords, we used completely new designs for the blade,
grip, pommel and crossguard. We wanted all the final designs to embody the
stereotype of a dark, cursed weapon.

120

The special equipment available in this mode also includes three unique
outfits. These consist of jackets, trousers, boots and gauntlets, grouped into
sets that complement specific swords. One the one hand, the dark color
schemes are a nod to the classic witchers outfit described in the novels; on
the other, they reflect the cursed nature of these items. Apart from looking
stylish and offering increased protection, when the outfits are complete they
provide players with unique powers.
The drawings above depict the three additional outfits that are available
when playing at the Dark difficulty level.

121

CHARACTERS | MAIN CHARACTERS

A slim man was lying by its side, delicately nudging thecords of alute. His eyes were covered
by afancy hat thecolor of aplum, adorned
with asilver buckle and along, nervous, heron
feather.
Geralt knew thehat and thefeather. Both were
famous from theBuina to theYaruga, known
at courts, keeps, inns, taverns and brothels.
Especially at thebrothels.
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheBounds of Possibility

122

Dandelion

Thewitchers companion, Dandelion, or more precisely viscount Julian


Pankratz de Lettenhove is afamous troubadour, but also afop, awomanizer and adandy. When making thecharacters model, our artists had no
problem with visualizing him. Dandelions appearance, as usual, speaks
for itself.
Some instantly recognizable elements of Dandelions appearance,
such as gaudy, ornate clothes, were already present during our work on
thefirst part of thegame. Nowthey were enriched with afew more
details, among them thedistinctive plumed hat with along feather.
Dandelions clothes were to correspond with this characters personality that of atravelling bard. It consists of clothing and accessories
inspired by fashion from theturn of the15th and 16th centuries.
Even though theDandelion described in thenovels wears no beard,
we decided to add adetail in theform of aneatly trimmed beard. This
element gives thecharacters features some coherence and allows us to
emphasize his care for external appearance.

123

CHARACTERS | MAIN CHARACTERS

Triss Merigold

Sorceress Triss Merigold, Geralts friend and former lover, is one of themost important
supporting characters in TheWitcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Sheaccompanies our hero
during his travels, and thechoices theplayer will make concerning her will heavily influence thestory.
If Triss Marigold couldnt be my girlfriend, Id like her to at least be my sister this
phrase may be humorous, but it still gives agood impression of theeffect we wanted to get
when working on thesorceress new appearance. Trisss appearance changed themost of all
characters we met in thefirst game. Her new clothes were to be equally elegant, functional,
and comfortable for traveling. We based them on a15th century doublet. Its skin-tight cut
underlines thesorceress shapely figure perfectly, especially when coupled with trousers and
high topped boots. Themale clothing, fingerless leather gloves and pinned up hair make her
stand out among other women, and turn her into atomboy.
Triss personality has changed too. Shes no longer thegirl from thenovels known to
giggle like aflapper. Now shes adecisive, brave woman. Sheknows what she wants and
she wont hesitate to take risks in order to get it. Her new appearance is also areflection of
this change. One can openly admit that Triss grew up and is more mature, though she has
lost none of her personal charm and grace.

124

- Triss she mumbled.


- Teleport us out of here!
- No, Yennefer Triss voice was calm. And very
cold.
- Theyll kill us
- No, Yennefer. I wont run. I wont hide behind
theLodges skirt. And have no fear, I wont faint
from fear like at Sodden. Ill break it in myself. I
already did!
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheLady of theLake

125

CHARACTERS | MAIN CHARACTERS

Theone at thefront didnt carry anything.


He had asmall axe at his belt, and along
sword at his back, in ascabbard covered
in theskin of tabby cats. A green, wet and
ruffled parrot sat on his shoulder. He was
theone to hail them.
- Greetings! He hollered, stopping in
themiddle of theroad with his arms
akimbo. - Id prefer to meet awolf than
aman in aforest in these times, and even
then Id rather greet him with acrossbow
bolt than with agood word! But those
welcoming others with singing, those
introducing themselves with music, are
clearly stout fellows! Orstout lasses,
begging thefair ladys forgiveness!
Greetings! ImZoltan Chivay.
Andrzej Sapkowski, Baptism of Fire

126

Zoltan Chivay
Thedwarf Zoltan Chivay is Geralts cordial friend from thetime even
before theevents of thefirst game. Theshort, sturdy dwarf kept his
appearance from theprevious game, though of course his model was
built from scratch using our new graphics engine.
Though our artists had no doubts as to how Zoltan would look in this
part of thegame, thefinal model was created only after theanatomy and
proportions of thedwarven race were redesigned. With that basis, Chivay
was given his face and distinctive haircut. As aveteran of theBattle of
Brenna, Zoltan also kept themilitary element of his clothing, that is:
aworn-out gambison.
According to theliterary original, Zoltan was armed with asword, so
we decided to go with that, giving him exactly that weapon. Its certainly
adeparture from thestereotypical image of adwarf using an axe or
ahammer.

127

CHARACTERS | MAIN CHARACTERS

Vernon Roche
Vernon Roche, Commander of theBlue Stripes King Foltests special
forces is one of themost important characters in thegame. Depending on
theplayers choices, he and Geralt may stand side by side.
Vernon is acommon man, elevated to his rank by theTemerian king
himself. At first sight he doesnt look like aveteran of years of fighting nonhumans. His clothes achaperone and an overcoat remind us instead of
amerchant or burgher. However coupling this attire with his face and his
rough, unyielding personality showcases thecontrast we aimed at. Though
Roche wears amail beneath his clothes, he doesnt really need to be clad in
steel to inspire respect with his appearance alone. Suffice to say that those
who dismiss him make abig mistake. Vernons rank and position are signified
by theBlue Stripes insignia he wears, as well as by themedallion bearing
thecrest of thekingdom he serves with his full devotion and complete dedication. Thewords For King and Temeria become atrue oath in his mouth.

Vernon is an experienced soldier who rarely parts with his arms. His main
weapon is atwo-handed sword, though he also carries aheavy mace and
abacksword. This selection of arms is quite different than that used by
Geralt. Unlike thewitcher, Roche prefers to fight with less finesse, but more
brutally.

128

- Judging by that cockade, youre


in king Demavends special forces?
- Yes, my lady.
- Your rank?
- Captain.
- Excellent [] Demavends army,
as I can now ascertain to my
satisfaction, finally grew ahabit
of handing out officers patents to
soldiers with balls.
Andrzej Sapkowski,
Time of Disdain

129

CHARACTERS | MAIN CHARACTERS

Only one elf, aScoiatael from


Iorveths routed unit, recently
heavily tortured in theLaundry,
was calm and collected, busily
inscribing: Freedom or death
on thetimber wall.
Andrzej Sapkowski,
Baptism of Fire

130

Iorveth

Iorveth is acharacter created from scratch for thesecond


witcher games story. There are precious few references to
theelf of that name in thenovels. These inspired us to expand
him into afully fledgedcharacter.
We wanted Iorveth to be aperson equally capable as an
adversary and as an ally. Thecooperation between artists and
designers allowed us to achieve thedesired effect.
Iorveth is thecommander of one of thelast elven units that
still fight humans. Theelfs once beautiful face is now cruelly
scarred that is theprice he paid for his determination.
TheAen Seidhes pride makes him conceal thescars, so he
covers part of his face with acowl. His clothes are amixture
of human and elven garments, typical of theScoiatael guerillas. One detail that stands out is acollection of badges
from thespecial forces that human kingdoms recruit to fight
nonhumans. Theirowners had themisfortune of running
into Iorveth, and he only lacks Vernon Roches badge to make
thecollectioncomplete.

Iorveths weapon is areal masterpiece of elven handiwork. Thebows


slender double limbs are powerful
enough to launch an arrow that will
pierce mail armor like alinen shirt.
Its acombination of elegance and
murderous efficiency, afact many an
unlucky dhoinne would attest to if
they still could.

131

CHARACTERS | MAIN CHARACTERS

Dethmold

Dethmold of Ban Ard is asorcerer for whom any and all ethical and moral
norms have ceased to exist. Since his brother died in theincident at Thanedd,
Dethmold changed alot. And not for thebetter. He wont hesitate to follow
any means to his ends, treating others like tools and trampling more than
one corpse on his way.
Theabove illustrations show theprocess of creating this characters
concept art. Visions of thesorcerer sometimes diverge from one another
wildly, but all have one thing in common wewanted to make thecharacter
unsettling in away. He is most certainly not anice old man that one might
want to leave ones younger siblings with.
Dethmold is awind sorcerer, therefore his most distinctive possession is
his staff that ends in an anemoscope weathervane. He has asack and bottles
of magical infusions on his belt. We also couldnt omit armor fragments,
worn more for aesthetic reasons than for protection.ThiswaytheBanArd
sorcerer fits thefashion style we deemed typical ofhisconfreres.

132

After awhile, Keira Metz returned, but not


alone. She was accompanied by aflaxen-haired
sorcerer, whom was introduced to Geralt theday
before as Dethmold of Ban Ard. Theman cursed
at thesight of thewitcher, slamming his fist into
his open palm.
- Damn! Is he theone Yennefer is so fondof?
- Yes said Keira. - Geralt of Rivia. Theproblem
is, Ive no idea how are things with Yennefer
- Neither do I Dethmold shrugged. -Either way,
hes involved now. He saw too much. Take him to
Philippa, shell decide. Bind him.
Andrzej Sapkowski, Time of Disdain

133

CHARACTERS | MAIN CHARACTERS

But theassassin was not anovice.


He stooped and also started circling,
his pace soft like acats. Suddenly,
he jumped, whirled his sword, and
then whirled himself, shortening
thedistance. Thewitcher did not
confront him. He was content with
aswift upper feint that forced
theassassin to jump away.
Andrzej Sapkowski,
TheSwordofDestiny

134

Letho

Letho is witcher Geralts main antagonistand was designed to be aliving


contradiction. Muscular hands, athick neck, broad chest and athick brow
are reminiscent of an ape, but that huge, bald man with awrestlers build
moves swiftly and gracefully like acat. Theface fitting adumb brute shows
no emotion, but that faade conceals acold, calculating mind.
Themysterious kingslayers identity remains amystery through much of
thegames story. Its obvious hes responsible for thedeaths of at least two
rulers of theNorthern Kingdoms. He seemingly cooperates with theelves,
but it quickly turns out that theScoiatael guerillas are but tools in his hands.
In time, it is revealed that hes following his own mysterious plans.
Lethos clothes are simple and functional. Thesleeveless leather jacket,
multiple belts and buckles holding reserve weapons and necessary equipment, and above all else thesword worn on theback, are immediately reminiscent of witcher gear. Letho is our heros equal both in terms of his abilities
and his equipment.

135

CHARACTERS | ARISTOCRACY

Foltest

Foltest, lord of Temeria, Pontar, Mahakam and


Sodden and recently thesenior Protector of
Brugge demonstrated his noble profile to all,
turning his head towards thewindow.
Andrzej Sapkowski, Blood of Elves
Apart from his physical traits as described in
thenovels, such as ahandsome face and anoble
profile, we took Foltests personality traits into
consideration when designing his appearance.
Thenovels paint apicture of astrong, independent ruler who breaks all norms according to his
whim. That description resulted in his current
appearance: that of ahandsome middle-aged man
ingood shape. His regular features are in harmony
with his firm, determined air andslightlywry
mouth.
Thefront of themonarchs rich attire is adorned
with aheraldic shield. A keen eye will recognize
more than just Temerian lilies thecross moline
of Brugge and thecoats of arms of all other
domains under Foltests royal rule are on display.

136

Henselt

- No, no, and one more no! bellowed king


Henselt, pounding thetable top with both of his
fists so hard that agoblet overturned and ink
pots trembled.
- I will have no discussion on that subject! No
tender in this case! Enough, schluss, deireadh!
[] - I object to such remarks! bellowed Henselt,
this time so loudly that not many buffalos would
keep up with him.
- I object to such remarks, especially made by
various spies! Im abloody king!
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheLady of theLake
Henselt, theking of Kaedwen, is amassive,
bearded man with theappearance of arobber.
Greedy and violent, he has always been aproblem
for his neighbors. He once colluded with Nilfgaard
to satisfy his territorial ambitions, and he would
surely do so again if it would bring him any benefits. His hatred for thenonhumans is widely
known.
When designing this character, we wanted to
convey such personality traits as boisterousness
and intransigence. Apartfrom his huge frame,
thesmall, piercing eyes and furrowed brow are
his most distinctive features. Theseconvey his
violent, obstinate disposition. Theenclosed crown
of asovereign ruler reflects his attitude to ruling.
Henselt definitely doesnt like others to tell him
whattodo.

137

CHARACTERS | Nobles

Baron
Kimbolt

To theside, an older, powerfully built, bearded


man sat on achest. Behind theking stood
another man - richly clothed, aproud look on his
face. A magnate.
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheWitcher
Baron Kimbolt, one of thechief claimants to
theTemerian throne after Foltests death, is an
old style magnate. He separates those around
him into thenobly born and common folk, paying
little attention to thelatter, that is, unless he has
atemporary use for them. Proud and gruff, he
considers political power his birthright and has
no patience for those who stand in his way.
When designing thebarons appearance, we
thought it should reflect theold aristocrats conservative beliefs. Kimbolt, agray-haired man with
aheavily furrowed face, has thestocky, hale frame
of an old knight. Accessories like his steel vambraces and theheavy Temerian sword at his hip
emphasize his military past, while thepatch over
his right eye proves just how fickle Fortune can be
in wartime. Thebarons carefully braided beard is
anod to thearchaic style he professes. Allthese
elements serve to set Kimbolt apart from younger
Temerian nobles, making him acharacter both
memorable and distinctive.

138

Count
Maravel

In therainbow of colors cast by thestained


glass window, ahunting tapestry at his back,
stood aman of impressive girth clad in acaftan
dripping with gold and apelt-trimmed cloak.
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheSwallows Tower
Though in theWitcher saga thepassage above
describes acompletely different character, he and
Count Maravel certainly share many traits. This
crafty politician and diplomat is theother significant player in thestruggle for theTemerian
throne. He is thepolar opposite of his political
rival, Baron Kimbolt, and not just in appearance. Cautious and restrained, he could easily
be called arefined orator. Simultaneously, he
would not hesitate to sell his own mother to
theNilfgaardians to further his aims, and would
simply smile as he presented written confirmation that she was, in fact, no relation to him. He
considers violence alast resort. Enlisting others
to commit it in his stead allows him to uphold his
image as ajovial, good-natured individual.
Thenoblemans broad, bloated face and bulky
figure hint at his wealth and his zeal in partaking of thepleasures life has to offer. Thecount
holds Temerian customs and garb in contempt,
thinking them outdated and parochial. His own
attire is fashionable his vest sleeves are slotted,
his shirt cuffs are laced, his belt is inlaid with
silver and thesheath of his dagger is ornate. A
neatly trimmed beard completes theimage of this
elegant aristocrat with sophisticated tastes and
progressive views on both fashion and politics.

139

CHARACTERS | Quest CHARACTERS

Cynthia

[]She ever so slightly puckered her full lips. Her


doll face contrasted sharply with the strategic
wisdoms she proclaimed.
The strike is preemptive. Specially selected units
of Army Group East will engage King Henselts
forces, knocking any ideas he might have of
assisting Temeria out of his mind.
Andrzej Sapkowski, The Swallows Tower
Cynthia, Philippa Eilharts lover, originally
appeared only briefly in the games second
chapter. Extending her storyline required designing new garments that would be altogether different from the alluring nightgown she wears when
we first see her. Cynthias new attire needed to
blend functionality with discreet elegance, while
slightly hinting at her predatory nature. It was to
be the dream outfit of every sorceress/intelligence
officer.
Dark colors prevent Cynthia from standing
out and are very much in line with the tenets of
Nilfgaardian fashion. The cut of her puff-sleeved
vest underlines her slim waistline. Her short skirt
provides ease of movement when she needs to
sneak around or climb, and reveals her legs clad
in long leather boots. Apart from being practical
in inclement weather, her hood adds an air of
mystery, while the sword and dagger at her belt
hardly look ornamental. A gold brooch completes
the outfit. Upon the badge, the careful observer
will spot the sun the symbol of the Empire of
Nilfgaard. Assembled, all these elements paint a
picture of a woman of action a resourceful, resolute and highly effective intelligence operative.

140

Brigida

And you, Sir Loudmouth, what do you display


on that silver shield? A black pillar between
griffin heads? The arms of House Papebrock, if
Im not mistaken and Im rarely mistaken in
these matters. They say the pillar accurately
represents the intellect typical of the familys
members.
Andrzej Sapkowski, Baptism of Fire
Though the young courtier Brigida Papebrock
issued from the noble house whose name she
bears, she clearly did not inherit the intellectual
defects customarily attributed to its members. If
not for her determination and guile, she would not
have survived the troubles that have plagued her
since she became entangled in a certain scheme.
When we meet her, Brigida has been on the road
for some time. Through a string of unfortunate
events, she became the quarry for many hunters
and has had to fend for herself. Her appearance
reflects this. The womans clothing, once elegant,
is now soiled and worn. The bottom edges of both
her skirt and the slip beneath it have been torn off
perhaps to allow for greater freedom of movement, or for use as a makeshift bandage. She has
used hemp rope to sling a simple jute sack over
her back. These temporary measures taken by
the woman herself emphasize just how resolute
and down-to-earth the nobly bred-and-born
Brigida can be. The golden locks that frame her
face fail to conceal her defiant and pugnacious
nature. Thus, though Brigida needs our help and
protection when we meet her, she remains quite
unlike the stereotypical damsel in distress.

141

CHARACTERS | COMMONERS

[] locals and visitors alike were for themost


part occupied by activities typical for their
nation or profession. Respectable merchants
quarreled with dwarves about prices of goods
and loan interests. Less respectable merchants
pinched thearses of thegirls distributing ale
and cabbage with peas. Local idiots pretended
to be well informed. Thegirls tried to look
attractive to those with money, and to deter
those without it at thesame time. Drivers and
fishermen drank as if aban on growing hop was
to be issued tomorrow. Sailors sang asong praising thesea waves, thebravery of captains, and
thegraces of mermaids, focusing on thelatter
with great detail.
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheLesser Evil

Thevast majority of people Geralt meets are simple commoners.


Craftsmen, merchants, scholars, whores, fishermen, innkeepers, children
thefolk of towns and settlements of theNorthern Kingdoms, usually
busy with their day-to-day affairs. This section is about them.
Thebackground characters are an important element of every fictional
world they make it more believable and colorful by living out their lives
beside themain story. Wemade tried to make them as diverse as possible.
Thanks to modular building of characters, based on different clothing
elements, we achieved awide variety of different classes, professions,
genders and ages.

142

Attention to realism and details of appearance


was as important to thedesignof background
characters as it was in thedesign of other elements
of theenvironment. Details such as abag, apouch,
aladle at thebelt, aknife, amug or akey ring make
thecharacter look less generic and more natural
we can suggest that he or she doesnt carry these
items for show, but that theyre important for his or
her occupation or profession. We wanted thestreets
in TheWitcher 2 to be full of real people not outof-context extras in their medieval Sunday best.

143

CHARACTERS | PRIESTS

144

Thepriests were created as aseparate background group. Weattempted


to attain theappearance of aclergyman without suggesting any specific
religion. These illustrations depict theworks final appearance, as well as
initial sketches of faces and clothing details.

145

CHARACTERS | COURTESANS
Whores, strumpets, courtesans, womenof
negotiable affection whatever one might call
them, therepresentatives of this profession are
an element of thegame world. Though theinitial
sketchescanbeat times quite different from their
final appearance in game, looking at theideas
thatwere thebasis of thefinal look might be worth
your while. Hair cut short and clothesrevealing
legs are something of acall-sign of this profession.
Details such as jewelry, tattoos or garters complete
theimage.

146

147

CHARACTERS | SORCERERS AND SORCERESSES


- In my day said Yarpen Zigrin warlocks
sat in their towers reading learned tomes and
stirring thecontents of melting pots with ladles.
They didnt loaf about warriors, they didnt
interfere with our business. And they didnt
bump and grind before mens eyes.
- Thebumping and grinding, truth be told, is
done with quite an arse said Dandelion while
tuning his lute.
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheLimit of Possibility
Sorcerers and sorceresses are an inherent
element of most fantasy worlds. They play
aspecial part in theWitcher universe, as theyre
apowerful faction that influences thepolitics and
status quo of theNorthern Kingdoms. We wanted
to make prominent, distinctive sorcerer personas.
They were supposed to look abit eccentric, but
also to command respect. Bands, trimming and
scrolls covered in magical symbols signify their
status and profession.

Sorceresses are more eager to use their


powers and abilities in order to slow down
theaging process and to emphasize their
beauty, so most look no older than thirtysomething. Their clothes, which are avariant
of courtly attire, are both fashionable and
provocative at thesame time. Wecan see
some versions on theneighboring page.
Sorcerers wear armor elements, such as epaulettes or gloves, mainly as decoration. These
still serve to underline theaggressive and
destructive aspects of thepowers they wield,
just as mundane weaponsdo.

148

149

CHARACTERS | NONHUMANS

Working on thedwarves appearance was


not ahuge problem. Ourartists made asatisfactory imageof therace very quickly,
providing us with asolid basis for further
work. They focused on adequate proportions and physiognomy first and foremost.
Theaim was to create believable dwarves, ade
facto separate species, and not simply short,
bearded humans. Theeffects can be seen on
thein-game graphics found on theneighboring page.

150

151

CHARACTERS | NONHUMANS

152

Theassimilated elves are theones that chose


or were forced to live among humans by various
circumstances. Therefore they often meet with
disdain of their prouder kin and open hostility
and intolerance of their new neighbors. Despite
that, its theonly alternative for many. Their
clothes depend on their profession or social position, but its usually amix of their indigenous
clothes with elements of human clothing. This
distinctive style gave us alot of leeway when
detailing their final image.

153

CHARACTERS | NONHUMANS

Theworld created by Andrzej Sapkowski


is still inhabited by small groups of theAen
Seidhe proud pure-blood elves who still
practice thecustoms and traditions of their
people.
Before we began work on theappearance
of assimilated elves living among humans, we
created numerous concept drawings depicting
this races image in its original, pure form.
Thesketches and drawings depicted on
these pages represent but asmall fraction
of all theprojects our graphic artists made
before thefinal image of theclassical elven
culture was created. This image then served
as thebasis for other groups and factions
associated with that race. Allthework done
for this part of thegame would fill another
album.

154

155

CHARACTERS | NONHUMANS
TheScoiatael, or theSquirrels, is theoverall
name for all nonhuman freedom fighters. These
illustrations depicttheelves fighting in their
ranks.

Theguerrilla Scoiatael often lack equipment,


food and weapons. We felt it logical that they
would sometimes have to use elements of armor
and clothing captured during attacks on human
caravans or simply looted from thecorpses of
vanquished enemies. We supplemented this idea
by adding trophies in theform of masks worn
by theworst of their sworn enemies theBlue
Stripes, theTemerian special forces. Squirrel tails
worn as decoration are another interesting detail
theScoiatael owe their name to them.

156

157

CHARACTERS | FRACTIONS

They surrounded them suddenly, swiftly, from all sides. Men in conical helmets, mail and dark blue tunics with thegolden-black
checkerboard of Verden at their chests. They surrounded them, but none approached or touched aweapon.
From where, and where to? barked astocky individual in worn green clothes, as he stopped before Geralt, spacing his arched
legs widely. His face was dark and wrinkled, like adried plum. A bow and white-feathered arrows stuck out from behind his
back and high above his head.
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheSword of Destiny
Theclass, age, provenance, height, corpulence or nationality
do not matter. Whether because of necessity or lifestyle preferences, they are all connected by their warrior profession.
Thewitcher will meet many warriors during his journey, from
steel-clad knights of theorder, through simple men-at-arms
to bandits and marauders. They can become either his mortal
enemies or faithful allies.

158

During work on thewarriors equipment, our graphic artists


used both scientific publications as well as historical accounts
paintings, etchings, drawings and fencing treaties. They made
sure that every faction or military formation would have aset
of details based on their provenance and training, thatwould
distinguish them from other groups.

Thecolor illustration on theneighboring pagedepicts


thedesign of thearms and armor of AdamPangratts mercenaries. These professionals have earned their reputation as
deadly opponents. If thepay is decent, they fear neither man,
normonster, nor witcher.

Theillustrations above depict agallery of bandit characters.


Modular character design allowed us to create colorful, varied
figures in this case, too. Therandomly chosen parts of armor,
equipment and headgear from various classes and professions, as well as thediversified weapons, give themaragged
appearance.

159

CHARACTERS | FRACTIONS

Kaedwen is akingdom in thenortheast, largely covered in thick forests.


Compared to Redania and Temeria, its abit out of theway, so when we were
designing warriors hailing from there, we decided to stress certain rusticness in their appearance. TheKaedweni soldiers are armed with heavy axes
and maces, and their helmets are based on early kettle hats. Because of
thecolder climate of their land, they dress warmer than their southwestern
counterparts thetunics with theunicorn coat of arms are supplemented
with heavy furs placed on their shoulders.

160

TheKaedweni knights also follow


thesame concept. Their equipment,
including thebasinet helmets, is
historically 100 years older than
theTemerian equipment. They also
dress warmer, and details such as belt
fittings and armor dcor in theshape
of oaken leafs make them stand out
when compared to theknights of
other factions.

Theequipment of Temerian knights is based on 15th century armor. Plate armor is


worn over thick gambisons and thebreastplates of Foltests men are adorned with distinctive lilies.

161

CHARACTERS | FRACTIONS

TheBlue Stripes are an elite Temerian special


forces unit. Created to fight theScoiatael, they
proved their worth many times, even in other situations. Theyretough veterans armed totheteeth
thebest of thebest.

Work on their appearance began with simple


concept sketches and designing their overall
appearance. Theillustrations visible here depict
various stages of theprocess. Theblack and white
sketches concentrate on equipment and weapons.
Though theyre not nearly as armored as knights,
theyre more mobile and versatile than them. As
Foltests most trusted men, theBlue Stripes have
access to practically any equipment they need to
complete their missions. Thecombination of all
these traits resulted in an equivalent of amodern
anti-terrorist unit.

162

163

CHARACTERS | FRACTIONS
- If you would allow me, lady and gentlemen atone all too familiar to
those present entered Shilard Fitz-Oesterlens voice, atone meaning that
theambassador considers his next words to be extremely important.
- If you would allow me, lady and gentlemen, I shall read thecontents of
theaide memorie Ireceived from His Imperial Highness Emhyr var Emreis,
by theGreat Suns grace theEmperor of Nilfgaard
- Oh no. Not again Demavend gritted his teeth, and Dijsktra simply
groaned. It did not escape Shilards attention, for it couldnot.
- Thenote is long he admitted. Therefore I will summarize it instead
of reading it. His Imperial Highness expresses immense pleasure on how
thenegotiations proceed, and as aman of peaceful disposition, he happily
welcomes thecompromises and reconciliations achieved. His Imperial
Highness wishes thenegotiations to progress and end to mutual benefit
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheLady of theLake
Theappearance of theemissaries from theNilfgaardian Empire in thegame
allowed us to introduce aplethora of colorful characters that stand out from
theinhabitants of theNorth.

Work on thefinal appearance of theNilfgaardian


soldiers took some time. We obviously started
with colors black clothes, golden ornaments and
thesymbol of thesun. Thesketches clearly show
that we had some very exotic concepts for thearmor
and equipment.

164

We finally decided on armament that stylistically resembled theearly Renaissance. We focused


on creating thesoldiers of an evil empire looking
like arepresentational company. Elementssuch
as high topped boots allowed us to optically slenderize their profiles. Thefinal element contributing tothat effect is theform of theNilfgaardian
helmets, similar to German helmets from
thefirst half of the20thcentury, crowned with
theblackwings of predatory birds.

Shilard Fitz-Oesterlen, theEmperors emissary, was supposed to look


like adiplomat with years of experience at first sight. Theconcept
sketches above show theinitial designs of this character.
Theblack-and-gold clothes of theNilfgaardian emissary follow
theImperial fashion. Therings, thecane and themedallion with
thesymbol of thesun signify his status and function. Theornate
armored glove on his right hand is aveiled threat in away it symbolizes theImperial might that he represents. This older man wears amask
of courtesy on his face, but in reality Shilard is aconsummate politician,
playing his cards like atrue master. Hes acompletely different kind of
opponent embodying not personal armed power but thestrength of
atruly Machiavellian mind.

165

MONSTERS

168 | Kayran
172 | draug
176 | DRAGON
180 | OTHERS

167

MONSTERS | KAYRAN

[] TheHyphydridae family of theorder Amphipoda, that is, Differentfooted, includes four species. Two of them live solely in tropical waters. In
our climate, however, one can presently, though very rarely, find thesmall
Hyphydra Longicauda, and theZslightly larger Hyphydra marginata.
Thebiotope of both species is made up of stagnant or slowly flowing
waters. Thespecies are indeed predatory and prefer warm-blooded
creatures as sustenance. You wish to add anything?
Andrzej Sapkowski, Blood of Elves

168

TheKayran, known as theOld Man by


thepeople of Flotsam, is ariver monster related to
theaeschna. Its hard to tell whether it is aseparate species or asingular specimen with aunique
mutation. Itdwells in thedepths of thePontar
where it can remain hidden despite its monstrous size. It consumes nearly everything that
falls into its maw. TheOld Man hunts its victims
while hidden beneath thesurface, pulling cows,
horses or unwary drunk sailors from thewharf
or thedecks of passing punts.
TheKayrans anatomy contains elements
typical to both crustaceans and cephalopods.
Its elongated thorax is hidden beneath aknobby
chitin carapace, and three pairs of limbs facilitate
its movement on theriverbed. Its long, thick tentacles allow it to capture prey and carry it to its

toothed maw. At thesame time, however, theyre


one of its weak spots. Unlike thethorax, theyre
not covered by its hard shell, making them vulnerable to attack. Luckily, there are no creatures
in its natural ecosystem that could threaten
themonster in any way. TheOld Man is at thetop
of thefood chain in this section of thePontar.
One would need more than asharp sword to deal
with this monstrosity those who would hunt it
without proper preparation and abilities would
simply become its next meals.

169

MONSTERS | KAYRAN

TheKayran is themain monster that Geralt fights in thefirst act. It


is based on theaeschna from thenovels, which thewitcher faced on
theTemerian-Redanian border along thePontar, near Oxenfurt. As we
worked on it, however, themonsters appearance became unique, and its size
became immense. Therefore, we decided to make it anew creature, firmly
rooted in thelocal folklore of this part of theworld.

170

171

MONSTERS | DRAUG

- Where does it come from? Spells,magic?


- I have no idea, sire. TheSages research these
phenomena. For us witchers, it is enough to
know that strongwill may create them. We also
liketo know how tofight them.
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheWitcher

172

In thegames second act, Geralt will have to lift acurse from abattlefield where thesouls of thefallen fight an eternal battle and cannot find
rest. To do so, hell have to face aDraug acreature born of wrath, blood
and hatred, an unchallenged ruler of acursed domain,
TheDraug is one of themost dangerous opponents in theentire game.
Themonsters huge form towers over thelesser wraiths. Its body is made
up of remains from thebattlefield remnants of shattered siege engines,
broken spears, swords, torn leather belts, bent armor plates, barding and
shields. Crackling flames and acrest of smoke crown its shapeless head.
TheDraug is thebattlefields master, and it exists only tofight and kill.

These illustrations feature various phases of


work on theDraugs final appearance. Before
thefinal version wasselected, many concepts
were entertained, especially concerning its head.
These included huge fancy steel helms adorned
with shattered horns, awrought mask, afantastical creatures skull, abrass bell hovering above
it, and even acompletely headless shape, where
thehead isreplaced by acrooked beam with
ahuge carrion bird sitting on it.

173

MONSTERS | DRAUG

Thefirst sketches had theDraug taking


theshape of aghastly warrior atop an equally
monstrous mount made up of thebones, armor
and corpses of thefallen. Weultimately went
with another version, one less evocative of
awight and more of apersonification of thebattlefield itself.

174

175

MONSTERS | DRAGON

176

Thedragon wound up, crouched on theground


and attacked from above its own back, with its
tail, like ascorpion, hitting Garpike who tried
to flank it, instead of Boholt. Garpike fell to
theground along with his horse, to theclang
of armor, screaming and neighing. Boholt,
approaching at agallop, slashed with aterrible
swing. Thedragon dexterously jumped away,
avoiding thewide blade. Thegallops impetus
carried Boholt away. Thedragon twisted,
climbing to its hind legs, and attacked Sawfly
with its claws, shredding thehorses belly and
theriders thigh inone swing.
Andrzej Sapkowski,
TheLimit of Possibility

When we decided to introduce adragon, we


knew perfectly well that creating this creature
would be one of ourgreatest challenges in
theentire game. Unlike theKayran or theDraug,
which we could create enjoying alot of leeway,
elements of adragons appearance are very
strongly tied to thecanon of fantasy. On one
hand, we wanted to rise up to thegamers expectations regarding such an epic monster. On
theother, we didnt want to propagate stereotypes or cliches but to develop our own, original
vision of adragon, worthy of thespot it occupies
inthestory.

177

MONSTERS | DRAGON

Thework, of course, began with aseries of


concept sketches. Determining thereptiles final
appearance meant we had to prepare awide selection of test drawings. At this stage we attempted
to create as many different visions as possible,
in order to choose theone we found to be most
suggestive. Thepresented illustrations are but
afraction of theresults of our efforts, but they
still show thedistance we covered before we had
theeffect we were going for.

178

Despite its huge size, with its massive shoulders and wide chest,
thedragon is not alanguid giant. These have an anatomical justification, too here themuscles moving thewings during flight are attached.
Thecreatures torso is, despite all appearances, quite slender and slightly
thinner at thewaist. Thecombination of these traits brings agreyhounds
slim shape to mind. Thehead, placed on amuscular neck, is adorned
with apair of short horns, and thewide jaws are filled with pointed
teeth. Thedragon is aterrifying opponent, fully deserving its fearsome
reputation.

179

MONSTERS | OTHERS

Elemental

- Sorcerers explained Krepp draw their power from natural forces, or, more precisely, theso
called Four Elements or Roots. Air, Water, Fire and Earth. Each element has its own Dimension,
called aPlane in thesorcerers argot. So there is aPlane of Water, aPlane of Fire and so on.
TheseDimensions, inaccessible to us, are inhabited by creatures called genies.
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheLast Wish
Just as genies are thenative inhabitants of theelemental
planes, elementals are lesser creatures born of themagic
drawn from one of theElements. They are radically different
in appearance and size. When properly controlled, theyre completely obedient to their owners will. Powerful magic is necessary to create one, therefore theyre usually only created by
experienced sorcerers. Most often they are employed for tasks
that do not require finesse, but brute strength alone. Theyre
excellent as guardians of important items or places, ready to
kill either all intruders or just those who they were told to.
They know no pain, they do not tire, they do not sleep, they
show no mercy or fear, they are unflinchingly loyal and never
demand raises in aword theyre ideal servants.
Theelemental in Philippa Eilharts laboratory was certainly
not made with gardening or dusting in mind. Made of clay and
wooden beams, its not theepitome of finesse, but its mighty

180

arms command great strength. Instead of prehensile hands,


it was given bludgeoning maces bristling with splinters of
wood they are used to smash and crush anything in its way.
Theelementals head and fists are wrapped in bands covered in
magical symbols and arcane signs. These animate its body and
make it unfailingly obedient to its mistress.

181

MONSTERS | OTHERS

Harpy

Thelist of creatures that can be blamed for thedeed is quite long. Its opened by apack of savage
dogs, aplague quite common in wartime. You cant imagine what such dogs are capable of. Half
thevictims ascribed to chaotic monsters is in reality thework of packs of savage backyard mutts.
- So you rule monsters out?
- Not at all. It could have been astriga, aharpy, agraveir, aghoul...
Andrzej Sapkowski, Baptism of Fire

Theharpy is awinged humanoid. Its as large as aman, but


its wingspan stretches several yards. Itsbody is amockery of
human appearance wrinkled skin, sagging breasts and an
oval head covered in thin, long hair make it resemble an old
woman from one angle and acarrion bird such as avulture or
acondor from another. Thefront of theface has abony beak
which theharpy uses to rend its preys flesh and to crush bones
to get to themarrow. It also uses its prehensile front limbs to
that end. Both its hands and its feet end in sharp talons.
These creatures are known for their telepathic abilities. They
can penetrate avictims mind and steal its dreams. Their talons
and wings are equally dangerous. Theformer are used to shred
opponents to pieces, thelatter to land mighty blows. Harpies
can create primitive weapons and baubles from thebones of
killed animals and humans. They build their nests and lairs in
inaccessible places among mountain peaks and rocky ravines.

182

When we were creating this monster half human, half bird


we wanted to make it really repulsive. Thenearly hairless
body and drooping skin should remind people of carrion birds.
One sketch includes several variations of theharpys head.
Theatrophy of its eyes is aresult of themonster depending on
its scent and psychic abilities to locate its victim.

183

MONSTERS | OTHERS

Nekker

Claws scratched on thebeams to theleft and another monster suddenly jumped from beneath
thebridge. Theothers ran forth in amazing leaps. Thestranger turned in place, his sword,
unsheathed gods know when, flashed. Thehead of thecreature climbing thebridge was catapulted
two yards into theair, trailing blood. Thewhite haired man jumped into themidst of theother
creatures, swirled, hacking swiftly left and right. Themonsters, flailing their arms and howling,
lunged at him from all sides, not caring for theluminous blade cutting them like arazor.
Andrzej Sapkowski, Something more
Thecreation of thenekker was inspired by thecreatures that
Geralt fought in one of Sapkowskis short stories. Thescene
featuring thefight against themisshapen horde of murderous midgets was so expressive that we began working on
theappearance of anew opponent. Thenekker is thefinal
effect, and though its somewhat different from themonsters
from theliterary original, it certainly is their worthy successor.
Nekkers are small, humanoid creatures that live in forests.
There, according to rumor, they dig underground tunnels
which they use to move about swiftly and efficiently. Stooping
humanoids with long upper limbs that stretch almost to
theground and end with sharp claws, they resemble misshapen, deformed children. Their hairless heads tucked onto
thetorsos make them look comical, but this is countered by
their toothed maws.

184

Despite their small size, nekkers should not be underestimated. Theyre mortally dangerous because they hunt in packs.
Though one nekker is ameager opponent at best, alarge group
is aterrifying killing machine that is constantly hungry. Many
unwary travelers of woods and forests have become victims
oftheir appetite.

185

MONSTERS | OTHERS

Troll

One day, I ride up and what do I see? A bridge. And under that bridge sits atroll and demands every
passerby pays him. Those who refuse have aleg injured, sometimes both. So I go to thealderman:
How much will you give me for that troll? Hes amazed. What are you talking about? he asks,
Who will repair thebridge if thetrolls not there? He repairs it regularly with thesweat of his brow,
solid work, first rate. Its cheaper to pay his toll.
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheVoice of Reason

After years of living near human abodes and some level of


coexistence, its difficult to clearly classify trolls as monsters.
Its an intelligent race (though one should not count on ahigh
level of that intelligence) that can be reasoned with. Trolls are
good craftsmen, especially when it comes to wooden construction atroll living under abridge and collecting tolls for crossing it is nearly proverbial. One must keep in mind, however,
that above all else trolls are huge, not very bright brutes. Trolls
form afamily with asingle partner, similar to marriages, and
their family life often resembles that of humans, with all its
bright and dark moments.
As they have lived near humans for so long, trolls have
adopted some of their customs, like theuse of primitive
clothes. Theyre also familiar with jewelry, though its not
certain if they properly understand thefunction and meaning
of theitems they use as such. Still, awagon wheel worn
around theneck, alantern or armor elements seem to fit their
aesthetic tastes. Their superior size allows them to use large
sacks or barrels as small pouches and containers. Theillustrations present agallery of troll figures, along with theuses they

186

found for abandoned, acquired or stolen items produced by


their smaller neighbors.
We wanted TheWitcher trolls to be different than thestereotypical image of thespecies, widely popularized by games
and films. As you can see, thefinal concept is far removed from
theinitial sketches. Thesquat body, long hands and short legs
still make it misshapen and grotesque, however we decided
that an inversion of proportions was in order. Thetrolls
overgrown head is firmly placed on thetorso, thus it seems
thecreature has no neck. Theappearance and singular traits
of individual specimens differ, as can be clearly seen from
theabove combinations.

187

MONSTERS | OTHERS

Rotfiend

- Geralt pointed out thelast hanged man, who, though dangled high, had bloody stumps gashed with
claws and with visible bones. Look. Its thework of ghouls.
- Wraiths? Zoltan Chivay stepped back and spat.
- Necrophages?
Andrzej Sapkowski, Baptism of Fire

Rotfiends are thedistant relatives of ghouls, members of


thebroad family of necrophages creatures feeding on human
and animal corpses. When making this creature, our graphic
artists had alot of leeway to give it as disgusting apresence
as possible. They achieved it by combining an anatomically
nearly human appearance with disgusting deformities.
Therotfiends head draws attention immediately. Its eyes disappear in folds of white, dough-like flesh. Its maw is agaping
hole filled with crooked yellow teeth. Theback of its skull,
covered with outgrowths, is swollen with thegases gathering
inside. Thecreatures frame resembles alean humanoid, but
thats all it has in common with any living creature. Therotfiends body is almost skinless, revealing knots of muscles.
These grant it dexterity and agility, its main combat assets.
Thefront of its chest is adorned with sharp breastbone and
rib spurs.

188

Just like other necrophages, therotfiend is also apost-conjunction creature, theresult of theConjunction of theSpheres
amagical cataclysm that brought new species and monsters,
usually hostile to humans, to theWitcher universe. Therotfiend doesnt have an ecological niche, so one doesnt disturb
thebalance of natural relationships by killing it.

189

MONSTERS | OTHERS

Arachas

Because even an orchid only resembles aflower in Ysgith sometimes, and in reality is avenomous
arachas. Well have to keep Dandelion on short leash, make sure he doesnt touch anything. Especially
since theres no shortage of plants that like to supplement their chlorophyll diet with apiece of meat
there. With sprouts rivaling theeffectiveness of arachas venom in contact with skin.
Andrzej Sapkowski, Baptism of Fire
Before theabove final appearance of thearachas was
settled, many other concepts of its visage were created.
ThePolish name, crabspider, was our main inspiration mainly things associated with theanimals its composed of.
We knew from thebeginning that thecreature would be an
overgrown hybridof both arthropods. Its camouflage abilities and thesymbiosis that real-life hermit crabs share with
sea anemones inspired our artists to make it similar to that
creature. Thepredators uneven armor provides its thorax and
forelimbs with ample protection, but themonsters vulnerable
abdomen requires additional protection. Thespecimen guarding theentrance to Iorveths hideout covers its hindquarters
in ahuge shell.
Only afew casual notes about thecreature can be found on
thepages of Andrzej Sapkowskis novels. What does acreature
that is ahybrid of acrustacean and an arachnid look like?
Why is it called what it is? On one hand, thelack of amore
detailed description made our work more difficult, but on
theother, theartists designing thecreature had more leeway.
Theillustrations of theevolution of its appearance prove that,

190

as do thevarious versions of individual specimens. Theforest


variants are especially interesting, as thecreature uses either
atree-trunk or ahuge pinecone with thelatter helping
its camouflage and mimicry. Thanks to such camouflage,
thearachas is able to blend with its surroundings perfectly,
andawait clueless victims.

191

MONSTERS | OTHERS

Werewolf

He pulled thepouch from under thepillow and quickly counted theten crown coins. A hundred and
fifty for yesterdays manticore. Fifty for thefogler killed on contract from thealderman of avillage
near Carreras. And fifty for thewerewolf exposed by thesettlers in Burdorff.
Fifty for thewerewolf. A lot, considering how easy thejob had been. Thebeast put up no defense.
Cornered in acave with just one entrance, it kneeled and waited for thesword strike. Thewitcher
had felt pity.
But he needed themoney.
Andrzej Sapkowski, TheTime of Disdain

A werewolf is aman cursed with lycanthropy, which periodically turns him into acreature that is half man, half wolf.
Thechange occurs at night, often when themoon is full.
Scholars and mages debate theroot cause of werewolf aggression. Some claim it derives from theshock of transformation
and thesudden surge of animal instincts into thehuman
mind. Others contend it comes directly from thecurse. Of
theafflicted, afew prove strong-willed enough to rein in their
murderous instincts, which clearly supports thefirst of these
theories.
Most of these troubled souls recall none of their actions
once transformed. Come morning they are shocked to discover their clothing tattered and dirty, their joints aching,
their hands bloodied, and themetallic taste of blood in their
mouths. If their curse is not lifted in time and their vengeful
neighbors dont kill them first, madness slowly consumes their
minds. They become athreat to all around them, susceptible
to outbursts of uncontrolled rage, and begin to crave raw meat.
When thecall of thewild grows too strong to resist, they flee
to forests where they live in exile, hunting unwary travelers,
foresters and lumberjacks. On occasion they sneak into human
homes and abduct children from cradles to feed on in their
lairs.
In designing thewerewolfs appearance, we had to keep in
mind that thetransformation is acurse rather than agift.
Thus, theman/wolf hybrid our artists created bears thetraits

192

of an ailing animal. With its lean, wiry frame, thebeast is as


unnaturally gaunt as an underfed stray dog. Thecreatures fur
seems tangled by blood and filth. Its long arms stretch almost
to theground, ending in oversized paws and sharp claws.
Thewerewolf is eternally hungry and half mad, adreadful
aberration, thenightmare of all those who inhabit secluded
forest settlements and isolated villages.

193

FLASHBACKS

195

FLASHBACKS

196

Theplayers decisions and choices have consequences for their story. Helping Vernon or
allying with Iorveth, defending Vergen, relieving
theScoiatael these events are recalled through
retrospections partly animated drawings,
illustrating important moments and thestorys
turning points.
These drawings also depict another, equally
important element thememories of thewitchers past. Combined with thenarrative, they
shed some light on certain facts that our hero
himself was notaware of until now. Thecombination of retrospections and memories completes
thebackground of thestory told in TheWitcher 2:
Assassins of Kings. Thisand thefollowing pages
depict someof them.

197

FLASHBACKS

198

199

FLASHBACKS

200

201

FLASHBACKS

202

203

FLASHBACKS

204

205

INTRO

208 | Close-ups
210 | INTRO CHARACTERS
212 | making of

207

INTRO | Close-ups

208

209

INTRO | INTRO CHARACTERS


Demavend, son of Virfuril, thethird of his name.
Wise, kind and just King of Aedirn, Protector of
Upper Aedirn. Murdered by asinister assassin,
he is survived by his son, Stennis, and his loving
people, who will mourn his untimely passing
from this world for many years. May thegods
keep his soul []
Thewitcher saga provides few hints about
King Demavends appearance and personality.
His fancies are not even mentioned. Thesole
details available mention his prominent belly
and his probable penchant for beer. These served
as thebasis for producing theimage of aman
who partakes of lifes pleasures and, like many
crowned heads in theMiddle Ages, has arather
base sense of humor.

Master Abelard of Hagge, alumnus of the


Academy at Ban Ard, learned scholar and
sage, perished that tragic day as the spells and
powers he wielded could not stop the assassins
blade []
The mage is a relatively enigmatic character.
We do not know if he is a royal advisor or if the
king simply invited him along for the river cruise.
He appears to be something of an outsider and is
clearly disgusted by the on board entertainment.
After coming across initially as a boring sorcerer,
viewers should be surprised by his spectacular
reaction and the composure he demonstrates as
he assumes a leading role during the clash.

210

Harmond and Dagonet, droll fools who brought


mirth to our good monarch with their farces
and jests []
The two jesters display truly clownish humor.
Their coarse, at times even vulgar situational
comedy was meant as a foil to the monarchs
majestic presence. Though this is achieved, they
simultaneously underline the kings evidently
plebeian tastes. The ruler finds their bumbling
funny as most probably many people in the
Middle Ages would.
The brothers Allgood and Semko, honorable men
of a gentle nature and immense strength. The
threads of their lives were crudely cut on the eve
of their twenty-eighth summer []
The fist fighters were designed to evoke the
concept of primitive, almost plebeian contests.
Both strongmen have simple, bloated faces and
frames that bear little resemblance to what
we consider the athletic ideal today. Layers of
blubber and a profusion of body hair emphasize
the effect. Their boxing technique is also less than
spectacular. Its a simple test of strength, with
victory going to the last man standing.
Tybalt of Vengerberg, royal archer, unmatched
marksman, master of thelongbow, whose hand
never wavered, whose eyes never failed. Yethis
arrows could not repeal Fates decree [...]
At first thearcher was to be one of many supporting characters, amember of thekings guard
showing off his archery skills, another attraction
during thecruise. As we expanded and modified
thescreenplay, however, he grew in importance.
Ultimately we decided to turn him into one of
theKingslayers chief adversaries. Themarksmans confrontation with theexperienced
assassin produced some very interesting visual
effects.
Himsbach and Anselm, royal guards who
shielded their king with their own bodies unto
their last breath. They died fulfilling their duty
and shall be remembered for their valor.
Though in the scene as a whole these royal
guards are mere background figures, they are
as detailed as any primary character. Both menat-arms wear chainmail and breastplates, which
meant their clothing needed to be animated differently than that of the other fight participants.
Due to the effort we put into creating them, we
decided these initially nameless defenders of the
king deserved mention.

211

INTRO | MAking of

Platige Image
Director

Tomek Bagiski

Compositing

Szlum Pinkumbaum

Tomek Bagiski

Senior Environment Artists

Script

Producer

Marcin Stpie
Stanisaw Marek
Micha Firek

Art and Animation Director

Andrzej Sykut
Selim Sykut

CG Supervisor

Stanisaw Marek

Production Manager

Krzysztof Olszewski
Grzegorz Kuku
Wojciech Idzi
Mariusz Gitkowski

Tomek Bagiski
Marcin Kobylecki
Piotr Sikora

Environment Artists

Maciej Jackiewicz

Senior Lighting Artist

Maciej Jackiewicz
Marta Staniszewska

Layout Supervisor

Damian Nenow

Lighting Artists

Senior Texture Artist

Layout Artist

Wojciech Idzi

Bartomiej Kik

Texture Artists

Film Editors

Bartomiej Walendziak

Damian Nenow

212

Tomasz Zaborek
Stanisaw Marek
Jarosaw Handrysik

Character Modelers

Tomasz Wrbel
Marcin Klicki
Tomasz Stefaski
Maciej Halber
Micha Godlewski
Artur Ownicki
Tomasz Stryjewsk

Senior Environment Modeler

Krzysztof Olszewski

Additional Modelers

Mateusz Bargiel
Piotr Luziski

Character Animators

ukasz Kubiski
Waldemar Nalepa
ukasz Krawczyk
Arkadiusz Firlit
Arkadiusz Zawada
Pawe wierczynski

Senior TD

Bartosz Opatowiecki

TD

Mateusz Popawski

Alan Uran

Grading

Piotr Dutkiewicz

On-line Editors

ukasz Sobisz

FX TD

Adam Kauski
Magdalena MikoajczykZieliska

FX Artists

Music

Marek Sulcki
Bartosz Grzybowski
Piotr Suchodolski
Maciej Jurgielewicz
Jakub Jeziorski

R&D

Adam Wierzchowski

Concept Artists

Bartomiej Gawe
Damian Bajowski

Additional Artists

Tycjan Bartu
Kamil Pohl
Olga SzablewiczPisuk
Adam Trdowski

Adam Skorupa

Sound

Genetix Jarosaw Wjcik Studio:


Marcin Kardach

Motion Capture Performers

Maciej Kwiatkowski
Sawomir Kurek
Tomasz Lewandowski
Bartomiej Ostapczuk
Marek Wasilewski
Artur ebrowski

CD PROJEKT RED
Original Story

Sebastian Stpie

CG Supervisor

Pawe Mielniczuk

Concept Art

Bartomiej Gawe
Jan Marek

Characters and Locations Models

Marcin Baszczak
Marian Chomiak
Arkadiusz Matyszewski
Tomasz Polit
Bartomiej Gawe
Pawe Mielniczuk

Motion Capture Session

Sointeractive Studio

213

Papercrafts

215

PAPERCRAFTS

Thetie-in papercrafts for TheWitcher silly


cardboard representations of game characters
and monsters which we informally refer to as
papermen are anice gadget for thegames fans.
Their design was spread out over several stages.
We had to devise theshapes of thefigures, create
atemplate for each, and then design their look.
Thehardest stage entailed designing thetemplates so they would accommodate thelargest
possible figures and all their accessories on acardboard sheet of aspecific format.
Some of themodels are relatively detailed
and include accessories like weapons, clothing
elements and equipment. In retrospect, many
of theproblems we faced while designing them
now seem trivial. Yet at thetime, finding away to
affix these elements to thepapermen easily and
securely was quite challenging.
Thephoto on theright shows theprototypes
and thetools we used to produce them, while
that above presents theentire Witcher papercraft
family.

216

Success came through weeks of hard work.


Thepapercrafts got awarm reception from
players, and that was thebest compliment we
could possibly receive. Thefigures quickly gained
many fans who set out to collect theentire set.
One fan even designed figures of additional game
characters.

You can download all papercrafts from http://thewitcher.com/papercrafts.zip

217

COVER ARTS

219

COVER ARTS

220

221

COVER ARTS

222

223

COVER ARTS

224

225

OUTRO

228 | LOCATIONS
230 | the tale will continue

227

OUTRO | LOCATIONS

228

The movie that concludes The Witcher 2:


Assassins of Kings was created by CD Projekt RED
based entirely on the games graphics engine. We
produced a number of unique character models
for this segment, including the mounted scouts
of the Empire of Nilfgaard.
The cinematic needed to bring the story as a
whole to an end, to provide proper closure. We
begin with the idyllic countryside, build tension
through the sudden, unsettling appearance of
armed horsemen, and end on a strong, grim note
in the final few shots as the village burns and
we reveal events that will affect the entire game
world.

A conceptual stage similar to that used in producing the games other visual assets preceded
work on the movie itself. This stage entailed
designing every last detail. The sketches and
drawings produced by our graphic artists were
an important step towards creating a final result
that would satisfy us. The wooden bridge in the
movie is one of the more interesting elements.
Originally, it was supposed to be the work of a
troll. The drawing on the left shows the design
for the bridge and its builder.

229

OUTRO | the tale will continue

OPOWIE TRWA
ART Z OUTRO

230

The final frame of the movie ends the game, but


it does not conclude the tale told in The Witcher 2.
The armies of Nilfgaard ostensibly prepare to ford
the river. Through the morning mist, the terrified
inhabitants of the village observe disciplined
Imperial infantrymen assembling into ranks on
the opposite bank. Is it just a show of force, or
are the Northern Kingdoms about to face a fullscale invasion? What fate awaits the world and
its heroes?
Thus the storys finale brings us to the end of
this art book. But the tale will continue

231

CREDITS

CD Projekt RED
ILLUSTRATIONS AND CONCEPT-ARTS

Bartomiej Gawe

Sawomir Maniak
Jan Marek
Jakub Rebelka
Monika Zawistowska
grzegorz krysiski
Damian Bajowski

CHARACTERS

Marcin Baszczak
Grzegorz Chojnacki
Arkadiusz Matyszewski
Pawe Mielniczuk
Dominik Milecki

LOCATIONS

Micha Buczkowski
Marian Chomiak
Arkadiusz Duch
Jacek Krogulski
Krzysztof Krzycin
Jonas Mattson
Marcin Michalski
Daniel Olejnik
Adrian Sobieraj
Lucjan Wicek
Igor Zieliski
Marek Ziemak
ukasz Ziobrowski

ANIMATION AND VISUAL EFFECTS

Patryk Brzozowski
Pawe Kwiatek

Map designed by

Karol Kowalczyk

TEXT

Marcin Batylda

TRANSLATION

Jerzy Gorthuar miaek


Troy Goodfellow

WORDING

Daniel Denisiuk
Marcin Blacha

PROOFREADING

Daniel Denisiuk

Brand Art Direction

Studio Bitter Lix

The Witcher 2 Logotype

Studio Bitter Lix

Photos

bartosz czechowski
przemysaw juszczyk

DTP AND GRAPHIC DESIGN

Przemysaw Juszczyk

ARTISTIC VISION

Adam Badowski

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