Netflix's fantasy series The Witcher brings the magical and dangerous world of Andrzej Sapkowski's novels to life, but the politics and kingdoms of the Continent can be a little confusing to keep track of. The Witcher's map of the world is particularly important given that much of the overarching plot also revolves around Nilfgaard's attempted conquest of the Continent, which began from Nilfgaard's territory in the south and progressed north. Spanning decades, the first season of The Witcher bounces around all over the map - from the central kingdom of Cintra and the western magical academy of Aretuza, to Sodden Hill, the strategic gateway to the Northern Realms.
More of The Witcher's Continent was revealed in season 2, particularly the old witcher stronghold of Kaer Morhen nestled in the mountains of the northeastern kingdom of Kaedwen. While the Wild Hunt, Nilfgaard, and the kings and mages of the Northern Realms have their own plans for Ciri in The Witcher season 3, the wealthy kingdom of Redania seems ready to take on a more overt role in the current events shaping the Continent. Here's a breakdown of the most important kingdoms on The Witcher map, Continent politics, and where Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri travel throughout the series.
The Countries & Politics Of The Continent
There are many different nations in the Continent, but the most important countries in The Witcher are the Four Kingdoms of the Northern Realms - Redania, Kaedwen, Aedirn, Temeria - and the Nilfgaardian Empire. Viewers meet two rulers of the Four Kingdoms in The Witcher season 1: Foltest, the king of Temeria, who tasks Triss Merigold with capturing a striga; and Virfuril, the king of Aedirn, who was entranced by Yennefer after her transformation. The most coveted location in The Witcher map is the historic kingdom of Cintra, which was ruled by Ciri's grandmother, Queen Calanthe. After Nilfgaardian forces took Cintra, Calanthe went down with her kingdom, and Ciri escaped.
At the end of The Witcher season 2, Nilfgaard still controls Cintra, known as Xin'trea to the elves who ruled it before the arrival of humans. After the advancing Nilfgaard army was halted and defeated at the Battle of Sodden Hill, the mage Fringilla and the knight Cahir strike an alliance with Queen Francesca of the elves, temporarily giving elves safe haven in Cintra. However, when the ruler of Nilfgaard finally arrives at Cintra, Emperor Emhyr var Emreis orders the death of Francesca's baby - the only pure elf to be born in years - and then pinning the blame on Redania. Francesca retaliates through a spell that kills countless Redanian newborns.
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Another important faction within The Witcher's Continent is the Brotherhood of Sorcerers, which is led by the Supreme Council of Sorcerers. Members of the Council include Yennefer's mentor, Tissaia de Vries, the wily old wizard Stregobor, and Artorius Vigo. The Brotherhood of Sorcerers train mages and then assign them to serve the kingdoms of the Continent. After finding out that Ciri is of Elder Blood and King Vizimir of Redania's interest in her, The Witcher season 2 sees the members of the Brotherhood conspiring with northern rulers Queen Meve of Lyria and Rivia, King Foltest of Temeria, and King Henselt of Kaedwen to put a bounty on Ciri and "anyone protecting her."
As elves wage war on humans over the death of Francesca's baby, Nilfgaard is poised to take advantage of the ensuing chaos in the north. In fact, The Witcher season 2 ending explained how Nilfgaard's actions are aimed at not just the Continent but Ciri herself, as the Emperor Emhyr var Emreis is actually Ciri's father Duny. Meanwhile, the season 2 finale also revealed that the Redanian Spymaster Sigismund Dijkstra and her mage spy Philippa knows about Ciri's Elder Blood, have been gathering intelligence through Jaskier, and are planning to use Ciri as Redania's key to Cintra. In season 3, war is ready to break out in nearly every location in The Witcher map.
The Witcher's World Map & Locations
The map of the Continent above was created by a group of dedicated fans called the Ortelius Team, and offers a detailed look at the world of The Witcher. All the action in The Witcher season 1 takes place north of the Amell Range at the center of the map, but it's important to note Nilfgaard's location in the far south. By the end of season 1, the Nilfgaardian Empire occupies more than half of the map - all the way up to Cintra. Meanwhile, The Witcher season 2 revisited old locations and introduced several new ones. Here are the places in The Witcher that viewers need to know about.
Blaviken
One of Geralt's more sinister nicknames is "The Butcher of Blaviken." In The Witcher's first episode, "The End's Beginning," viewers saw how Geralt of Rivia earned this name. The small town of Blaviken is located in the far north of The Witcher map, on the coast of the Gulf of Praxeda. It's here that Geralt met the exiled princess Renfri, with whom he had a brief and tragic romance.
Aretuza and Thanedd Island
After being sold by her callous father, Yennefer traveled due west from her home of Vengerberg in Aedirn to Thanedd Island, off the coast of Temeria. Thanedd is the home of Aretuza, the academy for training young ladies to become sorceresses. The island has powerful magical protections, and during their training, Yennefer, Fringilla, and the other initiates discovered how magic in The Witcher works through the guidance of Tissaia de Vries. A crucial place on The Witcher map, Aretuza is where the Brotherhood of Sorcerers hold both official and clandestine functions. As with previous seasons, Aretuza will continue to be an important location in The Witcher season 3.
Lower Posada, Dol Blathanna, and the Blue Mountains
Located in the northeast corner of the map, Lower Posada and the former elven kingdom of Dol Blathanna are featured in The Witcher season 1, episode 2, "Four Marks." This is where Geralt and Jaskier meet for the first time, and Jaskier decides to accompany Geralt on his quest into the mountains in hope of finding inspiration for his songs. Near Dol Blathanna to the southwest is Yennefer's place of origin, Vengerberg.
Temeria
Temeria is one of the Four Kingdoms, and Geralt pays it a visit in The Witcher season 1, episode 3, "Betrayer Moon." Temeria is ruled by King Foltest, and the Brotherhood of Sorcerers sends Triss Merigold to the royal court to protect the kingdom during Nilfgaard's conquest. She and Geralt work together to capture and cure a striga that has been attacking Temeria's citizens. Fearing the possibility of Redania capturing Ciri to stake a claim for Cintra, King Foltest of Temeria is one of the monarchs who've conspired with mages to kill Ciri in The Witcher season 2, episode 8, "Family."
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Brokilon Forest
Located south of Thanedd Island and north of Cintra is Brokilon Forest. Ciri is drawn into this magical forest in The Witcher season 1, episode 4, "Of Banquets, Bastards and Burials." There she meets the tribe of dryads that protect the forest - though they aren't able to keep her safe for long. Brokilon Forest is also where Cintran refugees from Nilfgaard's invasion set up camp. Meanwhile, Brokilon itself is the sole non-human country in The Witcher map, the thick woods allowing the dryads to keep it this way.
Redania, Rinde, and Nevellen's Mansion
In The Witcher season 1, episode 5, "Bottled Appetites," Geralt and Yennefer meet for the first time in the Redanian town of Rinde. After Jaskier is attacked by a djinn, leaving him in desperate need of magical intervention to save his life, Geralt brings him to Rinde and finds that Yennefer has claimed the mayor's house for herself. Nevellen's mansion in The Witcher season 2 is also located in Redania, nestled in the forest wilds south of the country. At the royal palace of Redania, King Vizimir, Sigismund Dijkstra, and Philippa conspire to use Ciri to take Cintra.
Caingorn and the Dragon Mountains
In The Witcher season 1, episode 6, "Rare Species," Geralt is recruited by a man called Borch to hunt down a dragon with a bounty on its head, courtesy of King Niedamir of Caingorn. The Dragon Mountains are located in the far north of the Continent, and according to the book lore, humans have never explored what lies beyond them. Nestled at the very northern border of The Witcher map, the mountain kingdom of Caingorn is also southwest of Kaer Morhen, where the remaining witchers make their home.
Sodden Hill and the Yaruga River
With Nilfgaard's forces making their way north, The Witcher's season 1 finale, "Much More," sees Yennefer and the other mages taking a stand at Sodden Hill, in the kingdom of Sodden. Indeed, the Battle of Sodden Hill saw the biggest, most lethal magical battle fought in the Continent in ages. The gateway to the north, the fort guards the narrowest parts of the Yaruga River, a river that starts from an estuary in Cintra and spans the continent.
Kaer Morhen
The former home of the School of the Wolf, Kaer Morhen is one of the most historic places on The Witcher map. Situated in the Blue Mountains of the northeastern kingdom of Kaedwen, Kaer Morhen is where young children were once trained to become witchers through the painful alchemical process called the Trial of Grasses. This is where Geralt was trained, where his mentor Vesemir still lives, and where they both found out that Ciri's Elder Blood is one of the lost, secret ingredients to creating new witchers. In The Witcher season 2 finale, Kaer Morhen is also where Geralt, Ciri, Yennefer, and the other witchers fought Voleth Meir.
Related: How Witchers Are Made: Trial Of The Grasses Explained
This fight revealed that one of the Dwarven monoliths throughout The Witcher map is hidden within the tree in the middle of the keep, and that Voleth Meir was the monster that prompted the creation of witchers at Kaer Morhen in the first place. After Voleth Meir successfully used Ciri to get home to the Wild Hunt, she finally relinquished possession of Ciri and Yennefer. However, as Vesemir previously tried to turn Ciri into a witcher, Geralt decided that they weren't safe even at Kaer Morhen, leaving his old home with Ciri and Yennefer to seek shelter elsewhere.
