One idea would be to set the next Witcher game right after the Conjunction of the Spheres. This would make for an interesting setting as Witchers didn’t exist before the cataclysmic event.
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The Conjunction of the Spheres in The Witcher World
The Witcher universe is comprised of multiple worlds, the planet where the Continent is found being only one of them. Some beings, such as elves and unicorns, were capable of traveling from one world to another, but most other races could not. However, when an event known as the Conjunction of the Spheres took place, the many worlds aligned. This caused beings and creatures, all from different worlds, to travel across various planets. Many rational creatures, as well as monsters, ended up on the Continent.
The Conjunction of the Spheres in The Witcher did not last forever. Thus, the beings that remained on the Continent now found themselves trapped there. This included creatures such as elves, humans, and all forms of monsters. The Conjunction of the Spheres also introduced a mystical force into the Continent, which then gave rise to the practice of magic. After the event had passed, the creation of Witcher schools soon followed.
With so many new and dangerous monsters prowling the Continent, the need for professional monster slayers arose. Thus, Witchers were taken in, trained, and sent out to kill monsters for coin. In fact, centuries before the events of the original Witcher game trilogy, these monster hunters were a common sight everywhere on the Continent. After all, there were far more monsters that threatened the livelihood of the common folk.
How This Would Change the Setting of The Witcher
This is why a time directly following the Conjunction of the Spheres would make for an interesting setting. It would showcase a completely different version of the Continent — a monster-infested world far more dangerous than the land Geralt lived in. A game set in this time could also show how the Witcher schools grew to prominence and introduce players to famous Witchers that were only ever mentioned in the original trilogy. Of course, it could also give players a glimpse into ancient politics — an ever-present aspect of both The Witcher books and games. The game could cover how the mages organized and cooperated with (or manipulated) the ruling figures of that time. It could also explore the geopolitical and religious landscape.
Another interesting route would be to allow the player to meet Lara Dorren and play an active part in her story. Though this would take place centuries after the Conjunction of the Spheres, it’s still far detached from the events of the original Witcher stories.
Lara Dorren is Ciri’s ancestor and a known carrier of the Elder Blood. She and her descendants were to serve as a means for the elves to reclaim their ability to travel across worlds with ease — a capability they lost following the Conjunction of the Spheres. However, The Witcher’s history explains that Lara Dorren fell in love with a human mage, Cregennan of Lod. This disrupted Lara Dorren’s bloodline as well as the elves’ plans, complicating matters concerning the Elder Blood and its inheritors. This is what ultimately caused the bloodline to spread among humans.
Overall, a Witcher game that takes place in a time following the Conjunction of the Spheres would make for an interesting setting. The world would be very different from what players had grown accustomed to in The Witcher games, giving CD Projekt Red plenty of freedom to create a completely new Witcher experience.
The next game in The Witcher series is currently in development.
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